Song Yuzhang: Chapter 80 - Cooperation
Chapter 80: Cooperation
Song Yuzhang's expression didn’t change after hearing that—he even smiled a little. “Well then, congratulations.”
Nie Xueping looked at him gently. “How large is the deficit?”
Song Yuzhang didn’t answer. He let out a soft sigh, leaned back into the sofa, and gazed up at the chandelier. “Didn’t Meng Tingjing tell you?”
A moment later, Nie Xueping’s face appeared in his line of sight. He lowered his head and gently cupped Song Yuzhang’s face. “Calm down.”
Song Yuzhang turned his face slightly, nuzzling against Nie Xueping’s palm, then brushed his lips against it and gave a light kiss. Lifting his eyes, he smiled faintly. “Mr. Nie, I’m very calm now.”
Nie Xueping withdrew his hand, his gaze tinged with compassion. “Go wash your face.”
He took Song Yuzhang by the hand and led the languid man into the inner room of the guest hall. He personally ran the water, wrung a towel, and wiped the sweat from Song Yuzhang’s temples. “I only heard the rumors just now,” Nie Xueping said gently. “I’ve been too busy with my own affairs to pay attention to others.” When he finished wiping his sweat, he looked at Song Yuzhang with a soft gaze. “How much is the shortfall?”
“Mr. Nie, are you planning to help me?”
“Yes.”
“But didn’t you already agree to work with the Meng family?”
“In business, yes,” Nie Xueping replied, gently brushing his hair. “But helping you is a personal matter.”
Song Yuzhang looked up at him. From Nie Xueping’s eyes, he saw affection and compassion, unclouded by any ulterior motives. He smiled faintly. “Mr. Nie, what kind of personal feelings are those?”
Nie Xueping ran his hand over his head again and deflected the question. “Tell me—how much?”
From the way Nie Xueping carried himself, it seemed like no matter what figure he gave, it would be accepted with a smile. This surprised Song Yuzhang. He couldn’t help but wonder if the Nie family’s habit was throwing money around without considering the consequences.
He was tempted to test Nie Xueping, but decided there was no need. How much Nie Xueping cared about him wasn’t the most important thing right now.
“Mr. Nie, what I want isn’t money. It’s a partnership between our two families.”
Nie Xueping lowered his hand and looked out the window. “That I cannot promise you.”
His tone remained gentle, but his refusal was resolute.
This didn’t surprise Song Yuzhang. Nie Xueping wasn’t the kind of person to mix personal feelings with business decisions.
Still, that sliver of personal affection had earned Song Yuzhang this conversation, and maybe, just maybe, it could nudge Nie Xueping’s stance in subtle ways.
That was enough.
“Mr. Nie, may I be so bold as to ask—what exactly did Meng Tingjing offer that persuaded you to cooperate?”
Nie Xueping turned around and smiled at him.
Song Yuzhang clasped his hands and smiled back. “Can’t say?”
Nie Xueping patted his head lightly. “Can’t say.”
“Then, Mr. Nie, do you know why Meng Tingjing came to you at this exact moment?”
Nie Xueping looked at him calmly, as if waiting for him to guess.
“Tingjing has many good qualities, but his personality is… unusual,” Song Yuzhang said as he wandered over to a painting on the wall, studying it. “We used to be very close,” he said, eyes resting on a bird in the artwork. After a pause, he turned and smiled. “Close, like you and me.”
He didn’t look at Nie Xueping’s reaction and turned back to the painting. “But it didn’t last. We went our separate ways.”
“As for why—we were too young, I suppose. Friction was inevitable.”
“I didn’t think much of it at the time, but lately, he’s been pressing hard again,” Song Yuzhang tilted his head slightly. “Mr. Nie, why do you think that is?”
There was no answer. Song Yuzhang lifted his lashes and looked at Nie Xueping’s face. The man was still as calm and gentle as ever. Song Yuzhang walked over and stopped in front of him. “Mr. Nie, you don’t seem the least bit surprised.”
Nie Xueping looked down at him and said softly, “Mr. Meng already told me.”
“Oh?” Song Yuzhang lowered his voice, eyes drifting to the buttons on Nie Xueping’s robe. “And what did Tingjing say?”
Nie Xueping paused for a moment. “Pretty much the same as you.”
“He didn’t say anything else?”
Song Yuzhang toyed with a white jade button on his robe. “Tingjing has a temper. You don’t need to cover for him.”
Nie Xueping replied blandly, “He didn’t say much else—just warned me not to overestimate my own charm. Not to think I’d somehow bewitched you into falling for me. He said you were only indulging me because I was still of use to you.”
Song Yuzhang looked into his eyes. Deep and unreadable. “Do you believe him, Mr. Nie?”
“Partially.”
Song Yuzhang smiled. “Which part do you believe, and which part don’t you?”
Nie Xueping took both of his hands, gently encasing them. He lowered his head and lightly kissed them. “I don’t believe I’m so irresistible as to make you fall head over heels…” He looked up at Song Yuzhang, his eyes filled with gentle warmth. “…But I also don’t believe you’re only playing along with me because of the bank’s collapse.”
Song Yuzhang’s eyes flickered slightly.
Nie Xueping continued, “I don’t overestimate myself, nor do I underestimate you.”
He put down his hands and gently embraced him, whispering in Song Yuzhang’s ear, “Yuzhang, tell me, how much?”
Song Yuzhang’s ear tingled from his breath. He turned his face, pressed his lips against Nie Xueping’s, and with both hands cupping Nie Xueping’s face, gave him a fierce kiss. Then he whispered, “Nie Xueping, do you really like me?”
Nie Xueping’s handsome and gentle face softened with tenderness in his eyes. “Young Master Song, I fell in love with you at first sight.”
Song Yuzhang looked at Nie Xueping with some surprise.
Nie Xueping lowered his eyes, his tone tinged with a faint helplessness and a smile, “I know, for someone my age, saying things like this is a bit untimely.”
He clasped Song Yuzhang’s hands, pressing his forehead against Song Yuzhang’s fingers. Song Yuzhang felt Nie Xueping’s warm breath on his palm and was still surprised—surprised that the usually deep, inscrutable Nie Xueping would say something so straightforward.
So straightforward, like a naive youth courting their first crush.
For Nie Xueping, it really was untimely.
Song Yuzhang’s chest also thumped untimely.
Nie Xueping said no more, just breathed slowly, his breath slightly dampening Song Yuzhang’s palm. After a moment, Nie Xueping lifted his face, his gaze steady as he clearly said, “I like you, Yuzhang.”
Song Yuzhang was speechless, shaken to the point of having no words.
At this moment, even Song Yuzhang had to admit that Nie Xueping’s affection was—different.
Where exactly it differed, Song Yuzhang couldn’t explain, but it stirred him more powerfully than anything before.
It was so unexpected, both Nie Xueping’s affection and his candidness.
Song Yuzhang felt he should respond to such honesty. Calmly, he said, “Nie Xueping, I like you too.”
A gentle, warm smile appeared on Nie Xueping’s face. He wrapped an arm around Song Yuzhang’s waist and whispered by his neck, “Thank you for your kind affection.”
Song Yuzhang had originally come just to discuss business, but unexpectedly, they had first talked about feelings—openly, clearly, simply.
He had overcomplicated things in his mind. Did he love those noble sons for their status, wealth, or power? No, he simply liked them. Even someone as mysterious and hard to read as Nie Xueping—why couldn’t he simply like someone plainly? With Nie Xueping’s status, if he liked someone, there would be no need to consider other factors.
Besides, whether it was Meng Tingjing or Nie Xueping, whoever loved him in this world, Song Yuzhang was capable of handling it.
After talking feelings, they still had to talk business. Song Yuzhang insisted, “The Nie family cannot cooperate with the Meng family. They should cooperate with the Song family.”
Nie Xueping said, “Public and private matters are separate. Yuzhang, I do fancy you. I can lend you a sum to get through this difficulty, but beyond that, I cannot promise anything.”
“That’s right, public and private are separate. Precisely for public reasons, the Nie family must join forces with the Song family.”
“Let me guess what conditions Meng Tingjing agreed to.”
Song Yuzhang stepped out of Nie Xueping’s embrace, pacing thoughtfully. “Meng’s maritime shipping has always been the only one in Haizhou. Nie’s mining operations mostly rely on land transport. Nowadays, the world is chaotic with bandits; land transport is unsafe. Even if safe, it requires effort and protection. If it could be switched to maritime shipping, it would be not only safer but faster. Plus, the Meng family has vast connections. Cooperation between your two families is a strong alliance, a win-win. Am I right?”
Nie Xueping’s eyes showed appreciation; he smiled silently at Song Yuzhang.
“Did he also promise you discounts? Probably quite significant ones?”
Nie Xueping didn’t deny it, only continued smiling.
“Mr. Nie, forgive my frankness. You might think Meng Tingjing acted out of impulse or spite in joining with you and foolishly made a promise that benefits the Nie family greatly, but does little for Meng’s side. But Meng Tingjing isn’t that kind of person. Since he dares to promise this, he must have a plan behind it.”
Song Yuzhang paced a few more steps, then paused mid-air, “I’ve got it. Once the Nie and Meng families cooperate, they will share contacts. If Meng also connects with your Nie family’s partners… Mr. Nie, you may think Meng doesn’t do mining, so it’s fine if they connect. The two families don’t conflict. But don’t forget, mining doesn’t exist only in Haizhou.”
Turning to Nie Xueping, he smiled faintly, “What if Meng bypasses Nie and supplies other regions’ mines to those partners?”
“By sea transport, they can certainly do that.”
“Mr. Nie, there are mines outside Haizhou, but Haizhou’s transportation is strangled by the Meng family,” Song Yuzhang looked at Nie Xueping. “Haizhou’s Chen family has fallen, swallowed by Meng. Now the Song family barely clings on. Haizhou can have only one chamber of commerce chairman. Meng Tingjing’s ruthless approach to the Song family proves that he is no good. His so-called alliance is just a stepping stone for a takeover.”
Song Yuzhang fixed his gaze on Nie Xueping. “Mr. Nie, are you ready to battle Meng family head-on?”
Nie Xueping was silent for a long moment, then sighed lightly, “Yuzhang, I have considered what you said, but right now we do need cooperation with Meng. As for what might happen later, we will see.”
Song Yuzhang nodded. “I trust your skills, Mr. Nie; you might not lose in future conflicts. But instead of bargaining with a tiger, there’s a better choice before you—cooperate with the Song family. I promise Nie family…”
Song Yuzhang stepped forward slowly, took Nie Xueping’s hand. Nie Xueping lowered his eyes, looked at Song Yuzhang’s firm grip on his hand. Song Yuzhang’s voice was slow and resolute, every word striking like a blow to the heart.
“One railway line.”
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