Song Yuzhang: Chapter 27 - Run Away
Chapter 27: Run Away
Song Yekang had been riding high lately. Nie Qingyun had read a fair number of books, had a bright personality, and carried a touch of aristocratic pride. Chasing her had been difficult, but he had finally managed to secure the relationship.
Things were really looking up now. Song Jincheng had the Meng family backing him, but he wasn’t doing badly himself. With wars breaking out everywhere, the mining business was booming. The Nie family had always kept a low profile, making it hard to gauge just how wealthy they truly were. But in Song Jincheng’s mind, he was sure they were no less powerful than the Mengs.
It was probably a tie between the two of them—him and Song Jincheng.
Feeling a rare sense of elation, Song Yekang was drinking alone in his room when someone knocked on the door. He called out, “Come in.”
The door opened, and someone stepped into the room’s light and shadow. Song Yekang turned around with his glass in hand, almost dropping it in shock.
The visitor was none other than Song Yuzhang. Perhaps because it was late, he was dressed casually in a light blue short-sleeved Cuban-collar shirt, with dark embroidery at the collar. His smile was even more enigmatic than the pattern on his shirt. “Second Brother.”
To be honest, Song Yekang was a little afraid of Song Yuzhang.
Song Yuzhang was too beautiful—an almost unnerving kind of beauty. This beautiful man was his younger brother, but he hadn’t grown up with them, which only made things feel more strange and unsettling.
Song Yekang took off his glasses and set them on the table. Squinting, he asked, “Fifth Brother, what brings you here this late?”
Song Yuzhang quietly closed the door.
Song Yekang’s heart thumped again.
“Second Brother, I really have no other choice. I had to come to you.”
Song Yuzhang laid out everything that had happened with Le Yao’er earlier that day—though he deliberately left out the part about her and Zheng Kexian. As Song Yekang listened, nursing his glass of wine, he replied cautiously, “This isn’t easy to handle. After all, it’s Eldest Brother’s family matter. I don’t have a say in this either. You should probably just tell him directly.” Song Jincheng’s messy private life wasn’t something he cared to get involved with.
But Song Yuzhang had already expected this reaction. Leisurely, he said, “My mind’s a mess too. I was thinking of going to talk to father, but then I remembered—he’s old and not in great health. He can’t take any shocks. If he found out he had a grandson, he might get too excited. That wouldn’t be good…”
That made Song Yekang dizzy.
How could he have forgotten that part!
The Song family was full of sons—except for the fourth, who liked to play the part of a submissive grandson—but not a single actual grandchild.
Everyone said grandparents doted on the grandkids. If Song Zhenqiao found out that Song Jincheng had a child out of wedlock, who knows how biased he’d become. And frankly, he had come to understand that Song Zhenqiao didn’t really care about legitimacy. Didn’t he adore Song Yuzhang?
An idea sparked in Song Yekang’s mind. He put down his wine glass and put his glasses back on. “You’re right. We can’t tell father about this.”
“Eldest Sister-in-law has always been kind and generous. If she finds out, I think she’d bring the girl in and wouldn’t just let Eldest Brother’s child be left out…” Song Yuzhang paused, then added, “She’s been good to me, Second Brother. I really can’t bear to see her forced to make that kind of decision.”
“You’re right. We can’t tell Sister-in-law either, or Eldest Brother—”
The more Song Yekang thought about it, the more heat crept up his back. He had just managed to catch up with Song Jincheng in the marriage game, and now what? He’d have to chase after him in the child-rearing race too?
No. Song Jincheng couldn’t have a child.
Especially not now, while Song Zhenqiao was seriously ill.
If the old man got too happy, he might hand the family bank directly over to Song Jincheng.
Sweat was starting to bead on his back. Song Yekang looked up, no longer caring about how dazzling Song Yuzhang’s face was. “Fifth Brother, what’s your plan?”
“I wouldn’t have come to you if I had one,” Song Yuzhang said.
Song Yekang hesitated for a while, then declared firmly, “That child cannot be kept!”
Song Yuzhang pretended to be startled. “Second Brother, you mean…”
Song Yekang didn’t elaborate. “You don’t need to worry about it anymore. Go get some sleep.”
Song Yuzhang took a couple of steps toward the door, then turned back. Softly, he asked, “Second Brother, is there any way we could keep the child?”
Song Yekang looked at him, and for once, his gaze was sharp.
Song Yuzhang gave a bitter smile. “Even if… even if we send that person abroad?”
That smile made Song Yekang flinch slightly.
“I know kids like me aren’t exactly born through ‘proper’ means, so I’ve never hoped for anything. If my elder brothers need me for anything, I’m happy to help. But that child is innocent. If we send him far away, overseas, he won’t be in anyone’s way. When Eldest Brother is old, the kid could come back to visit, show some filial respect. He’d be grateful to you for taking care of him. Then we’d all be a family again—whole and unhurt. Don’t you think so?”
Song Yekang didn’t respond immediately. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Keeping the child wouldn’t necessarily be a problem. And in twenty or thirty years, some kid might show up out of the blue, tugging on Song Jincheng’s sleeve and calling him ‘father’. Wouldn’t that just throw his household into chaos?
Besides, it was still a life. Kind of pitiful, really. Keeping him wouldn’t hurt, as long as it didn’t interfere with current plans.
Amused by the image of chaos in Song Jincheng’s future home, Song Yekang smiled faintly. “I’m just worried that starlet won’t agree.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Song Yuzhang said. “I just don’t know if the ten thousand yuan you gave me last time is enough to settle her.”
“Come on, what kind of joke is that? I’m asking you to take care of something, I’m not going to make you pay out of pocket.”
Song Yekang added, “Don’t worry about the money. Since we’re helping Eldest Brother, I won’t make you shoulder the cost. Just go and see what kind of appetite she has. I’ll handle the money.”
Song Yuzhang nodded. “I’ve been back in Haizhou for over a month anyway. Might be time to head back overseas, too.”
Song Yekang said in surprise, “You’re leaving?”
Song Yuzhang replied, “Just going back to take a look, I’ll still return. Father’s condition is so serious—I can’t relax.”
Song Yekang said, “So what you mean is, you’ll personally escort that woman abroad? Then come back?”
“I wouldn’t be at ease leaving it to someone else. What if she pretends to comply but comes back later…”
“You’re right,” Song Yekang’s arm paused midair, “You’re right.”
It really was a good idea—having Song Yuzhang take the woman abroad personally was the most secure plan. No third party would know, and it would all be done quietly. Song Jincheng would have a child he didn’t even know about, while everything remained within their control. Who knew when that might come in handy? Thank goodness for Song Yuzhang’s empathy—being an illegitimate child himself, he could relate. Otherwise, if he’d gone straight to Song Jincheng, Song Yekang would’ve taken a serious blow. At that thought, he lowered his voice and said, “Then we’ll have to keep this a secret.”
Song Yuzhang gave a small smile. “Absolutely.”
“If the other brothers start asking questions about your departure, I hope Second Brother won’t mention I’ve gone abroad.”
“Don’t worry,” Song Yekang reached out as if to pat Song Yuzhang’s shoulder but lost his nerve at the last second. He gave a faint smile. “We’ll talk after you get on the plane.”
After leaving Song Yekang’s room, the smile on Song Yuzhang’s face gradually deepened.
Run. This time, run far—straight out of the country.
He’d planned to escape anyway, just moving up the timeline a bit.
As for money—not a problem. He could squeeze a nice sum out of this. No need to be greedy—Heaven had already sent a clear warning that Haizhou was no longer safe. It even delivered Le Yao’er, this perfect escape vessel. He needed to stay calm and make a decisive move. Go abroad, start a career, earn some dollars and pounds, get some experience—when he came back in a few years with a new identity, who would know?
Absolutely brilliant!
The next day, Song Yuzhang met with Le Yao’er and whispered secretly near a side door of the Song estate.
“Second Brother agreed to let me send you abroad.”
“Really?”
Le Yao’er nearly fainted with excitement, swinging between crying and laughing. “When do we leave?”
“In the next couple of days.”
“Once you go abroad, you’ll cut all ties with everything here—are you ready for that?”
Le Yao’er nodded hard. “My family all died in the Tianyang battle. I’m the only one left.”
“Alright. You’ll need money to live abroad—do you have any? My second brother can give you some support.”
“That would be amazing,” Le Yao’er said. “To be honest, I may seem glamorous, but I’m actually broke. The film company boss took all the money.”
“I understand,” Song Yuzhang said.
Then he reminded her one more time, “Remember—don’t tell anyone about this. Not even Zheng Kexian.”
Le Yao’er thanked him over and over, agreeing to everything.
After she left, Song Yuzhang returned inside, highly alert, as if Meng Tingjing might drop from the sky and kidnap him. For some reason, he really felt like Meng Tingjing was capable of doing that.
That day at the private house, Meng Tingjing had been terrifying—he didn’t have a gun, but his eyes did. Just his gaze alone felt like it could shoot Song Yuzhang full of holes.
Meanwhile, Song Yekang was already putting together the operation to secretly send Song Jincheng’s child abroad.
To him, this was fun.
As the eldest, Song Jincheng always overshadowed him, and that left him deeply frustrated. Taking the kid outright might provoke that woman into making a scene, and if the brothers turned against each other in public, that would be humiliating. But this method—sneaky and smooth, stabbing Song Jincheng in the back—was perfect. Just imagining Song Jincheng’s face when he found out made Song Yekang grin for minutes.
The female star had asked for 250,000 yuan—Song Yekang thought that was daylight robbery. After some haggling, they settled on 200,000. For a bit of entertainment like this, that price was fine by him. He instructed a bank employee to quietly withdraw 300,000 and balance the books—he felt no guilt. This money was for raising the Song family’s grandson, after all.
He gave Song Yuzhang a 200,000 yuan check and kept the remaining 100,000 for himself. After doing such a good deed, didn’t he deserve a little reward?
The last issue was plane tickets. Flights were rare these days and often fully booked in advance. Even cutting in line wouldn’t work—anyone flying these days had power and money. Best not to step on any toes—who knew who outranked whom?
But then Song Yekang had a brilliant idea.
That morning, Meng Tingjing was at home reading the newspaper. He looked at the news, but his mind was on Song Yuzhang. That lying bastard—ever since he ran off that day, he’d been holed up at the Song estate. The two times he came out, it was just to sneak around whispering with that female star…
Meng Tingjing flipped the page, thinking: No rush. A good meal takes time. He didn’t believe Song Yuzhang could hide in there forever. His gaze landed on the steamy romance serial at the bottom of the page, and he paused to read it thoroughly. Then he flipped the paper with a snap, muttering, “Vulgar, indecent, disgraceful!”
“Second Young Master.”
“Hmm?”
“Second Young Master of the Song family is here.”
“Who?” Meng Tingjing lowered his paper. “Someone from the Song family?”
“Yes, the Second Young Master.”
That got Meng Tingjing’s attention. He folded the paper and said, “Let him in.”
The relationship between Song Yekang and Meng Tingjing was quite average—so average, in fact, that whenever they met, both of them wore extremely fake smiles. Meng Tingjing said, “What brings Second Brother Song here today?”
Song Yekang replied, “No need to be so formal. Tingjing, just call me by my name.”
Meng Tingjing went along with it. “Brother Yekang, please, have a seat.”
This man showing up out of nowhere—what kind of scheme was he up to this time? Inside, Meng Tingjing’s thoughts were twisting like tangled intestines, speculating what sort of trick or plot Song Yekang might be bringing. But on the surface, he kept a pleasant smile and said, “Showing up so early in the morning—there must be something important?”
Since Meng Tingjing was being so direct, Song Yekang also got straight to the point.
“There is something I’d like to ask of you. I have two friends who are in urgent need of leaving the country, but plane tickets are hard to get right now. I know you’re in charge of maritime transport and likely have some useful connections in this area. So, I’d like to ask for your help getting two tickets to England.”
This was a scheme Song Yekang had come up with—a nasty little trick that he thought was absolutely brilliant. Isn’t Song Jincheng backed by the Meng family? Then let the Mengs be the ones to send his woman and child abroad—how hilarious would that be!
Meng Tingjing pondered for a moment and asked, “When do they need to leave?”
“As soon as possible.”
“Alright. Give me a moment.”
He stood up decisively and walked over to the telephone. Song Yekang listened as he made a call—whoever was on the other end, Meng Tingjing didn’t say much. Just a few words, and he had already confirmed two tickets to England for the day after tomorrow. Then, covering the receiver with his hand, he asked Song Yekang, “Brother Yekang, may I ask for the names of the travelers?”
Song Yekang froze slightly. “You need their names?”
Meng Tingjing nodded. “It’s tough to get out of the country these days. There are a lot of procedures involved. If you give me the names, I can smooth things over from this side. Otherwise, there’s a chance they’ll be taken off the plane at the last minute. That’s just a delay at best—at worst, they could end up in the police station, and that’s a headache.”
After a brief hesitation, Song Yekang said, “The ones going abroad… it’s my friend and his girlfriend. Can I just give you my friend’s name?”
Meng Tingjing said, “Hold on.” He uncovered the receiver and spoke a bit more with the person on the other end, then turned back and asked, “What’s your friend’s name?”
With a relaxed smile, Song Yekang replied, “To be honest, it’s the younger brother I recently acknowledged—Song Yuzhang.”
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