Song Yuzhang: Chapter 91 - Honest Word
Chapter 91: Honest Word
Song Yuzhang rested his interlocked fingers on his knees and looked at Nie Xueping with a half-smile. “Mr. Nie, what good mood brought you to pick me up personally?”
Nie Xueping also smiled faintly. “Director Liao is eager to see you.”
Song Yuzhang sat up straight. “Director Liao?”
Nie Xueping said, “At today’s Meng family funeral, Director Liao didn’t dare to show his face. He’s already submitted the railway construction proposal.”
“That fast?”
“He’s very wary of the Meng family.”
“So it’s striking while the iron is hot…” Song Yuzhang murmured.
Nie Xueping placed his hand over Song Yuzhang’s hand resting on his knee. “Just now, Mr. Meng didn’t look well.”
Song Yuzhang thought back for a moment.
Indeed, after he said what he said, all the color drained from Meng Tingjing’s face. Say what you will, in his mourning clothes with that pale little face, he really did look pitiful enough to make anyone’s heart ache.
Unfortunately, that was all surface. Meng Tingjing was no delicate, pitiable pretty boy. With his temperament and capability, it was Song Yuzhang and Nie Xueping who ought to be careful.
Song Yuzhang did not regret confessing to Meng Tingjing about his relationship with Nie Xueping.
Anyway, once the railway proposal was launched, things would fall apart sooner or later. Whether for public or private interests, the two of them were bound to become adversaries. There was no need to keep up appearances. It wasn’t like Meng Tingjing was his wife—why should he be afraid of him finding out he had slept with another man?
Besides, Nie Xueping wasn’t some Little Jade Immortal. Even if Meng Tingjing truly wanted to slap him, the question was whether he had a big enough hand to pull it off.
Thinking this way, being with Nie Xueping really was economical and practical— comfortable, low-maintenance, and no need to worry about getting him killed by Meng Tingjing. Getting a lover like that? Truly a stroke of luck.
Song Yuzhang withdrew his hand and gently clasped Nie Xueping’s. “Tingjing’s temper, I understand. He just can’t accept it right now. He’ll come around soon enough. But the railway matter absolutely can’t be delayed. Otherwise, if he regains his footing, I’m afraid the situation could change.”
Nie Xueping gave a slight nod and smiled faintly. “Yes, we should move quickly.”
As for Meng Huanzhang’s funeral, Liao Tiandong had hesitated over whether to attend. There were pros and cons either way. After much deliberation, he chose not to go. Meng Tingjing’s way of handling things never left room for compromise. Since he had already chosen his path, there was no need for hesitation or looking back—he might as well go all in and do it thoroughly!
Liao Tiandong held a cigar in hand, slowly exhaling white smoke. “I’ve already pushed the proposal upward. Unless something unexpected happens… No, there won’t be any surprises. Tomorrow, it’ll be public news.” He squinted slightly at Song Yuzhang. “President Song, we’re about to have an earthquake.”
Several years ago, Haizhou had a railway, but it was short and couldn’t compare to traditional sea transport. Later, it was destroyed in a bombing and was considered entirely defunct.
This new proposal wasn’t just about rebuilding the bombed tracks—it aimed to extend the railway from Haizhou to surrounding cities. Once operational, it would drastically transform the entire region. The first to be impacted would be the Meng family’s harbor, and with it, all the industries tied to them. The entire business structure of Haizhou’s Chamber of Commerce might be overturned. The “earthquake” metaphor was no exaggeration.
“You’re scared?” Song Yuzhang asked.
Liao Tiandong smiled—genial and kind, with no trace of menace, like a street vendor’s ingratiating smile. Maybe that’s how all seasoned officials smiled—daggers hidden in a grin, all blade, no blood.
“Of course I’m scared. If I weren’t scared, I wouldn’t have swallowed my pride all these years,” Liao Tiandong said frankly. “One man fighting alone, no matter how capable, always feels uncertain. Now, with President Song and Mr. Nie by my side, I finally feel at ease. President Song, you’re back from England, so maybe you’re not fully aware—here, some people don’t play by the rules. Mr. Nie knows that better than anyone.”
Nie Xueping smiled faintly.
Song Yuzhang glanced at him. Nie Xueping was always unreadable—rarely did his expression betray what he was thinking.
After Liao Tiandong left, Song Yuzhang asked, “Did he mean that Meng Tingjing would play dirty?”
Nie Xueping said, “Mr. Meng’s methods wouldn’t go so far as to be ruthless.”
“So what you mean is—I get it. He won’t go for the kill, but he won’t go easy either. I’ve experienced his methods firsthand. That whole bank deficit scandal—he was the one who leaked it. Mr. Nie, you’d best be prepared, too. No risk, no reward. The railway venture will be tough, but the payoff will be massive.”
Nie Xueping simply said, “I understand.”
The two sat side by side on the sofa. Song Yuzhang suddenly placed his hand on Nie Xueping’s thigh, stroking gently as he said in a low voice, “Tingjing said he originally promised you the Chamber of Commerce presidency at year’s end.”
“That’s right.”
“For him to make such a concession—I didn’t expect it. No wonder you agreed to him at first. Still, thank you for giving me the chance to speak my piece that day.”
Nie Xueping pressed down on Song Yuzhang’s hand and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss. Then he turned his face toward him. “Yuzhang, you always sound so distant with me.”
Song Yuzhang was momentarily startled, then laughed. “Why say that? Didn’t we agree? Business is business, personal is personal. Courtesy where it’s due.”
Nie Xueping looked at him tenderly. “You’re afraid I’ll be too biased toward you?”
Song Yuzhang smiled faintly and pulled his hand back. What he feared wasn’t that Nie Xueping loved him too much—it was that he still didn’t fully understand the nature of their relationship.
Right now, he wasn’t in a position to walk away easily.
It’s easy to start; the hard part is how to end.
In the past, when he couldn’t end things, he simply left without a word.
But Nie Xueping wasn’t someone he could walk away from so easily. It never hurt to plan ahead.
“Mr. Nie, I told Tingjing the truth. I'd like to tell you a bit of truth as well.”
“I'm not someone with a steady heart. I can’t say when I might change my mind—it's just how I am. Everyone’s nature is different. By my usual logic, since we’re working together, I shouldn’t have gotten involved with you. It’s just that…” Song Yuzhang smiled slightly at Nie Xueping, a smile incredibly soft and charming, “...you made it hard for me to resist.”
Nie Xueping looked at him steadily. His composure was like still water and unmoved mountains. But after hearing those words and seeing that smile, he reached out and wrapped his arms around Song Yuzhang’s waist, pulling him fully into his embrace.
Song Yuzhang sat on his thigh, smiling as he stroked his face. “Xueping, I'm saying this to let you know that I do really like you right now. And I know you genuinely like me, too. I just... I can’t promise how long it’ll last. If we part ways one day, promise me—you won’t make a scene like Tingjing did. Can you do that?”
Nie Xueping held the back of his neck and gently pressed his face downward. Song Yuzhang leaned into it, his lips brushing Nie Xueping’s like a teasing game, as though playing hide and seek with a kiss. Nie Xueping smiled faintly. “I told you from the start—between us, you would always have room. I never planned to force anything from you.” His hand tightened slightly, pulling Song Yuzhang deeper into his arms. “Yuzhang, you don’t need to be afraid.”
“I’m never afraid of anything…” Song Yuzhang murmured, his lips lightly fluttering against Nie Xueping’s as he spoke. “Except maybe not being able to handle you—”
An autumn afternoon was already warm and lazy. The fireplace in the small townhouse hadn’t yet been lit; white carvings and the faint scent of wood filled the air. Song Yuzhang moved slowly and languidly, savoring the moment of indulgent relaxation without the slightest urgency.
His shirt was unbuttoned just so—only the middle few buttons undone. Nie Xueping’s hair tickled lightly where it touched his skin.
One of Song Yuzhang’s hands clutched the armrest of the sofa, the other gripped Nie Xueping’s shoulder. He bowed his head and, through the fabric of the shirt, searched for that scar on Nie Xueping’s shoulder. He pressed a damp kiss to it, his mind blank but for the sensation—pleasure, and rapture.
The two of them spent the entire afternoon on the sofa, completely unplanned.
The sofa wasn’t narrow, but both were tall men. Lying side by side wasn’t possible; they could only hold each other curled up, so they wouldn’t fall off onto the carpet.
Song Yuzhang wore only his shirt, his long legs curled and draped across Nie Xueping. Nie Xueping’s hand stroked down from his shoulder to the curve of his waist, gently cupping the firm softness beneath. Song Yuzhang laughed, turning to kiss his ear. “You're impressive.”
Nie Xueping simply caressed him. After a few passes, he looked into Song Yuzhang’s face—his features, his eyes, brows, nose, lips... He leaned in and kissed him lightly. “So beautiful,” he murmured.
Song Yuzhang smiled with that easy charm. “I knew it—you love me for my looks.”
Nie Xueping smiled too, tenderly. “Yes.” He pulled him close again, voice tinged with a soft sigh. “I love your beauty.”
Song Yuzhang didn’t mind being loved for his beauty. He was confident he could be beautiful until the end of time—there would always be someone to love him. Besides, wasn’t he drawn to Nie Xueping for the same reason?
A love for beauty was only human. He should count himself lucky—he was a man of rare beauty, who could win affection easily. If he had to go chasing after someone’s love, he truly didn’t have the time or patience for that.
Once the railway construction proposal was launched, it indeed caused a massive shockwave in Haizhou. At the center of that quake was, of course, the Meng family—the ones in control of Haizhou’s port.
Meng Huanzhang's body had barely gone cold, the white mourning cloths hadn’t even come down from the Meng household gates, yet the main hall was packed with people looking gloomier than they had at yesterday’s funeral.
Meng Tingjing was still in mourning, dressed in a long black robe with a faint snow-white trim showing from beneath, a black band tied around his right arm. His face was icy as he lightly tapped the lid of his teacup against the rim with a clink. He set it down, sweeping a cold gaze across the crowd. “Why panic? It's just a railway. You’re all scared stiff?”
“Railways have already crisscrossed the globe abroad. It was only a matter of time before we built them here. Business in Haizhou is booming by the day—what’s so strange or shocking about a railway?”
His tone was so composed, calm, and disdainful, carrying a proud, condescending air. It immediately soothed the crowd’s nerves.
They feared and resented this head of the family’s iron grip, but under his rule, they also felt the greatest sense of security.
A railway wouldn’t be built overnight. With their panic quelled, the crowd gradually dispersed of their own accord.
Once everyone had gone, Meng Tingjing’s expression finally changed. His face hardened like ice. Where moments ago he had been flawless and impenetrable, he now showed his true emotions.
No wonder. No wonder Nie Xueping no longer even cared for the presidency of the chamber of commerce.
The railway.
No doubt—Liao Tiandong had gone and found himself a new patron.
Meng Tingjing drew in a deep breath. He had barely slept in the past two days. Now, his temples throbbed violently. In his mind played the image of Song Yuzhang leaving with Nie Xueping, and that sentence—“This time it’s not a joke.” How had he responded? He couldn’t even remember clearly anymore. Maybe he hadn’t responded at all. Not a word. Just stood there, watching Song Yuzhang get into Nie Xueping’s car.
What could he have said? He couldn’t speak. His throat, his organs—everything inside him had frozen stiff.
Song Yuzhang, oh, Song Yuzhang.
Truly impressive.
Amid the searing pain in his heart and guts, Meng Tingjing suddenly let out a laugh.
Too many blows, too much bad news—and now it all just seemed… numb.
He could take it.
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