Song Yuzhang: Chapter 44 - At the Banquet 02
Chapter 44: At the Banquet 02
When Song Yuzhang returned to the banquet, he was once again enthusiastically welcomed by the crowd. It seemed the Song brothers were all naturally gifted at socializing. The entire ballroom was lively and bustling, with the air of a night-long celebration.
In a smaller parlor, small groups had already set up gambling tables. Not long after Song Yuzhang returned, someone pulled him over to play cards. His gambling skills were always rather mediocre, and within a few rounds, he had already lost quite a bit. Sitting next to him, Song Mingzhao scoffed at his lousy playing and couldn’t help giving loud commentary and advice. But after Song Yuzhang followed his tips, he only lost worse, prompting another burst of laughter from the guests around the table.
Song Mingzhao, annoyed, said, “Just wait—I’m going to get Third Brother!”
That sparked another round of laughter as everyone began talking at once, eager to witness Song Third Young Master’s legendary gambling prowess.
Seated at the table, Song Yuzhang shook his head and smiled. When he glanced beyond the crowd, he saw Chen Hanmin watching with glinting eyes from afar, and gave him a subtle nod.
Chen Hanmin immediately grinned back, his dark face lighting up with joy.
Song Yuzhang figured Song Mingzhao probably wouldn’t succeed in getting Song Qiyuan to come, but just as he was about to press his palm on the cards, someone deftly swept them up. He looked up to see Song Qiyuan’s chiseled jawline, and heard him lazily say, “Now who was bullying our Fifth Brother? Tired of living, huh?”
Song Mingzhao leaned over and whispered in Song Yuzhang’s ear, “Don’t worry, Third Brother’s unbeatable when it comes to gambling in Haizhou.”
Song Yuzhang made a show of offering his seat, but Song Qiyuan pressed a hand on his shoulder, looked down at him with a relaxed smile, and said, “You keep playing. I’m just here to watch.”
So Song Yuzhang had no choice but to stay put.
As it turned out, Song Qiyuan’s gambling skills really were as legendary as they claimed. He stood behind Song Yuzhang, occasionally pointing subtly at his cards. Following his instructions, Song Yuzhang began winning round after round. After a few hands, he used fatigue as an excuse to step away from the table. Song Mingzhao, beaming with excitement, quickly slid into his place. “Third Brother, let’s keep going!”
Song Qiyuan flicked his forehead, “Play by yourself.” And with that, he too drifted away from the table.
Song Yuzhang left the smaller hall and turned into a nearby lounge for guests. He found an empty room, pushed the door open, and immediately flopped down onto the sofa, stretching lazily.
But he hadn’t been lying there long before the door creaked open again.
Still lying down and looking up, Song Yuzhang smiled faintly, “Hanmin?”
Chen Hanmin had followed him over, knowing he was tired. He answered softly, “It’s me.”
Song Yuzhang beckoned him closer.
Chen Hanmin walked over. Song Yuzhang took his hand and pulled him down to sit beside him. After a while, he turned his face upward, gazing up at Chen Hanmin’s face from below. He reached out and gently stroked his cheek. “You’ve got a sunburn. You should see a doctor.”
Chen Hanmin blushed with embarrassment. “It’s been so busy since I got back. I’ll get it looked at after we go overseas.”
Song Yuzhang’s expression sharpened. “Going overseas?”
Chen Hanmin nodded. “Our family has pretty much sold off the factories, houses, and land. We’re planning to move to France. When I was in school, my family bought some property there—it should be enough to get by.”
“When are you leaving?”
“Probably in the next couple of days. The plane tickets and travel documents are already done.”
Song Yuzhang sat up in silence.
Chen Hanmin stared at him, dazed, thinking how lucky he was to see Song Yuzhang one last time before leaving—and to see him so radiant. He felt there were no regrets left. He would remember this good man, this beautiful time, forever.
Song Yuzhang held his hand and said softly, “How did it come to this?”
“The factory ran out of capital. My father couldn’t borrow more money to plug the gap. Desperate, he used the last of the funds to gamble on stocks and bonds, but ended up losing even more…” Chen Hanmin gave a bitter smile. “And that was the end of it.”
Song Yuzhang gently ruffled his hair. “Poor thing.”
Chen Hanmin replied earnestly, “I wouldn’t call it poor, really. At least we’re not starving.”
That response surprised Song Yuzhang. After studying Chen Hanmin’s face carefully, he asked in a gentle voice, “Can I kiss you?”
Chen Hanmin gave another shy, nervous smile. “No need, Mr. Song. You’ve already been very good to me. I just came today to say goodbye. Please rest well.”
He really had changed. The change stirred a quiet mix of sympathy and tenderness in Song Yuzhang. He let go of his hand and said in a low voice, “Take care.”
Chen Hanmin nodded and, unable to resist, threw himself into Song Yuzhang’s arms for one last tight hug, whispering, “I love you!”
Then he quickly let go and ran out. He had been so nervous coming in that he’d only half-closed the door—and when he rushed out, he suddenly saw someone standing at the doorway. Startled, he looked up to see that it was Song Qiyuan. His face turned pale with panic. But Song Qiyuan looked at him like he was a stranger, casually glancing past him.
Chen Hanmin took a few anxious steps, then looked back to see that Song Qiyuan had already entered the room and closed the door.
Inside, Song Yuzhang was still sitting on the sofa, lost in thought. The sound of Song Qiyuan coming in snapped him out of it. He glanced over and instinctively offered a polite smile. “Third Brother.”
Song Qiyuan chuckled. “Didn’t think you were such a romantic.”
Song Yuzhang didn’t want to gossip about others with him. He stood up and said, “Are you here to rest, Third Brother?”
Song Qiyuan said, “I come in and you want to leave—are you that scared of me?”
Song Yuzhang smiled. “What makes you say that?”
Song Qiyuan sat on the sofa and patted the seat next to him. “Sit. Since you came back, you’ve been getting along with all the other brothers, but we haven’t really talked yet.”
Song Yuzhang followed his lead and sat down. “Third Brother, you’ve been busy.”
Song Qiyuan laughed heartily. “Trying to jab at me?”
“Of course not.” Song Yuzhang knew that Song Qiyuan wasn’t as easy to deal with as the other three Song brothers. He braced himself internally—since he had decided to aim high, he had to be more vigilant than ever.
Song Qiyuan crossed one leg over the other and pulled a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket. After lighting one, he offered it to Song Yuzhang. Song Yuzhang accepted it with a word of thanks. Song Qiyuan lit another one for himself, saying as he did, “Xiao Yuxian’s not singing anymore—went back to his hometown.”
“Is that so?” Song Yuzhang held the cigarette between his fingers but didn’t take a puff. “Then won’t you have nowhere to listen to opera now, Third Brother?”
Song Qiyuan smiled, light smoke curling from the corner of his lips. He said lazily, “I can’t ruin someone’s whole life just for a bit of entertainment, can I?”
Song Yuzhang didn’t respond to that, only smiled faintly.
As he smoked, Song Qiyuan continued, “He never told me what was going on with the troupe. I only found out when everything blew up.” He turned to Song Yuzhang and smiled. “I heard you and Shen Chengduo had a jealous spat over him. That really surprised me.”
Song Yuzhang rushed to explain, “It wasn’t like that. There was nothing between Xiao Yuxian and me.”
“No need to explain,” Song Qiyuan waved his hand. “Xiao Yuxian and I weren’t what you’re imagining either.”
Song Yuzhang turned his face slightly, staying silent. Song Qiyuan glanced at him with a teasing glint in his eye. “You don’t believe me?”
A faint smile tugged at Song Yuzhang’s lips. His face was calm as he softly said, “I believe you.”
Song Qiyuan’s expression darkened slightly. “Why?”
Song Yuzhang smiled. “I don’t think Third Brother is the kind of person who would force others.” He turned to look directly at Song Qiyuan, his smile still gentle. “You’re a good person, Third Brother.”
“You’re a good man, Third Young Master.”
Xiao Yuxian’s face was bare, though the traces of his delicate charm still remained.
“Thank you for supporting me these past two years. I’m truly grateful. I don’t dare disturb Fifth Young Master, but if I may, could you pass along a message for me? Tell him ‘thank you,’ and that I’ll remember his kindness for the rest of my life.”
The most talented opera singer couldn’t even tell when the actor in front of him was putting on a performance. He kept saying, “Third Young Master, you were good to me—but Fifth Young Master… he was good to me in a different way. No one has ever treated me so well.”
Song Qiyuan had found it laughable. He’d said, I must have overlooked something. Never thought the troupe master would treat you like that. If you’d asked, I’d have given you that ten thousand anyway.
Xiao Yuxian shook his head and said, “Third Young Master, you cared for me. But Fifth Young Master… he pitied me.”
He didn’t go on.
He wanted to say: Third Young Master, you cared for me like you would a pet, because I made you happy. Fifth Young Master was different. He didn’t even like me… but he truly pitied me.
But he didn’t say that. He figured Song Qiyuan wouldn’t understand anyway.
“Third Young Master, take care. Fifth Young Master is a good man. So are you. He has a soft heart—please look after him.”
The pale smoke curled around their lips, blurring the lines. Song Qiyuan squinted through the haze, uncertain of the figure before him. He asked, “Who are you?”
In just a few short days, two people had already confronted him with questions about his identity. But Song Yuzhang’s heart was no longer shaken. So what if they suspect? If Song Qiyuan really wanted to expose him, he would’ve done it already. Clearly, Song Qiyuan had his own concerns. Things had come this far—Did they really think ‘Song Yuzhang’ was just a name anyone could tear down at will?
When the smoke cleared, he looked straight into Song Qiyuan’s deep phoenix eyes. “Third Brother, I am Song Yuzhang.”
Song Qiyuan looked at him quietly, then suddenly smiled. “Being Song Yuzhang isn’t as easy as you think.”
Song Yuzhang’s face didn’t change. “But I already am.”
Song Qiyuan lowered his gaze slightly. “You’ll regret it.”
Song Yuzhang chuckled. “You’re a master at the gambling table, Third Brother. Don’t you know the rules—‘Once the bet’s placed, no regrets’?”
Song Qiyuan gave a low laugh and plucked the cigarette from between Song Yuzhang’s fingers, holding it between them. “You were just holding it without smoking—nearly burned your fingers.”
The scent of tobacco was heady and pleasant, yet also the kind that could make someone cough. Song Yuzhang held his breath slightly, then took the cigarette back from Song Qiyuan and drew a puff. He turned his face slightly and smiled, “It was from Third Brother. I couldn’t bear to smoke it.”
Song Qiyuan’s hair—at some point—had been neatly restored, combed just so. A few wisps hung loosely over his brow. The devil-may-care air of a dandy still clung faintly to him, half-disguised, half-muted, like a facade that wasn’t quite holding or a sharp edge just barely sheathed.
He slung an arm over Song Yuzhang’s shoulder and leaned in close, breath hot against his ear. “I’m not Fourth Brother. Don’t try that trick on me.” Then he squeezed his shoulder lightly, gave him a little shake, stood up and looked down at him. “Xiao Yuxian asked me to say thank you on his behalf. Message delivered. From here on, take care of yourself.”
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