Song Yuzhang: Chapter 106 - Life and Death
Chapter 106: Life and Death
The guards of the Nie family were exceptionally well-trained. In no time, they had lifted Nie Xueping and rushed him out. Rapid footsteps swept past Song Yuzhang’s ears. In a daze, his head still rang from the residual echo of gunfire. His entire consciousness was spinning, and a sharp pain throbbed in his shoulder. Moments later, he heard someone shout, followed by another wave of hurried, panicked footsteps.
“Fifth Young Master—!”
The household servants had arrived.
Song Yuzhang was helped up. His gaze lifted slowly, and he finally saw Song Mingzhao standing at the top of the stairs.
隔得有些远，他看不清宋明昭脸上的表情，人已经被惊慌失措的仆人给架了出去。
It was a bit far—he couldn’t make out the expression on Song Mingzhao’s face. The man was quickly escorted out by the frantic servants.
In the car, Song Yuzhang finally realized his shoulder was bleeding. A servant, flustered and overwhelmed, pressed down on the wound with his own clothes. In the haze of his mind, two characters emerged—"Xueping". He pressed his hand to his shoulder and said hoarsely, “Follow the Nie family’s car.”
The Nie family’s car sped through the city like a runaway train and soon arrived at the hospital.
Supported by servants, Song Yuzhang got out of the car and entered the hospital, shouting for doctors. But he ignored the commotion and followed the Nie family inside.
The doctors quickly arrived, swarming around the stretcher where Nie Xueping lay.
The servants urged Song Yuzhang to get his shoulder treated. Song Yuzhang, holding his shoulder with one hand, ignored them. With the other hand, he pressed down forcefully. “Quiet!”
The crowd indeed fell silent. Song Yuzhang stared at the stretcher surrounded by doctors. The ringing in his ears persisted. The entire scene before him seemed to be swaying.
After just three or five minutes—perhaps even less—he saw the doctors turn around. With carefully restrained expressions, they gave the smallest shake of their heads.
Song Yuzhang’s legs gave out at once. The servants tried to support him, but he pushed them away and immediately stood up straight again. Striding past the Nie family’s guards, he walked directly to the stretcher.
Nie Xueping’s eyes were closed. His expression was peaceful, but his face was deathly pale, lips drained of all color. He looked just like he was asleep.
Song Yuzhang stared fixedly at his face, his mind completely blank, as if washed white by a crashing wave.
The Nie family’s guards hurried out again. The Song family’s servants approached and tried to persuade Song Yuzhang, “Fifth Young Master, your shoulder…”
Song Yuzhang reached out to touch Nie Xueping’s face.
That face was still warm, still soft. He turned to the doctors and said, “He’s still warm.”
The doctor replied, “There’s no heartbeat or breathing. Please accept our condolences.”
Song Yuzhang remained in a daze for a long time. His mind was still empty. When he turned back, he saw that Nie Xueping’s handsome, pale face was now streaked with fresh blood.
His fingers trembled, and he pulled his hand away in alarm. Looking down at his own hand, he realized that the blood on Nie Xueping’s face came from him. Blood was trickling from between his fingers and across the back of his hand.
“Fifth Young Master, your shoulder… Doctor! Someone, check on our Fifth Young Master!”
Like a puppet, Song Yuzhang let the servants strip off his blood-soaked suit jacket. The servants gasped in horror at the shirt, now soaked entirely red on one side.
The scream seemed to awaken something in him. Song Yuzhang suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Nie Xueping’s shoulder. He leaned in, pressing his ear hard against Nie Xueping’s chest. The chest was still warm—sticky and hot. The buzzing in his ears still lingered. He couldn’t hear clearly—couldn’t tell whether there was still a heartbeat inside that chest.
Someone nearby seemed to be trying to pull him away. But Song Yuzhang suddenly found inhuman strength. He clung tightly to Nie Xueping’s shoulder and refused to let go. Warm blood soaked half his face and ears. He desperately tried to focus, to listen for Nie Xueping’s heartbeat—but beyond the echo of gunfire, there was only silence.
Song Yuzhang began to tremble, waves of cold and heat washing over him. He clutched Nie Xueping’s shoulder tightly, until the spinning in his head became too much, and he finally lost consciousness.
“What?”
Meng Tingjing shot to her feet. “Gunshot? Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. The report came from the police station. They say the shooter was Song Mingzhao. Fifth Young Master and the Nie family’s eldest son were both taken to the hospital.”
Meng Tingjing felt his vision go black. He raised a hand to steady himself, unable to speak for a moment. Then, with a sharp wave of his arm, he forced his voice out from his throat. “Start the car!”
The Meng family’s car raced to the hospital. It wasn’t chaotic yet—likely few had heard the news. Once he found out where Song Yuzhang was, he rushed straight to the ward.
Only a Song family servant was inside, standing by the bed with a helpless expression.
Meng Tingjing strode to the bedside. Song Yuzhang’s face was deathly pale. His shoulder had been bandaged, and an IV was still running. Meng Tingjing didn’t dare touch him. He turned to the servant to ask what had happened.
“Fifth Young Master… his shoulder was injured. He lost a lot of blood. Fortunately, the bullet didn’t hit the bone. It’s already been dressed…”
Meng Tingjing felt her heartbeat ease slightly. Then he asked, “What about Nie Xueping?”
The servant’s face crumpled into grief. “Master Nie… is gone.”
“Gone?” Meng Tingjing said in disbelief.
“Gone. By the time he got to the hospital, he was already gone.”
Meng Tingjing steadied himself and snapped, “What exactly happened? Tell me everything!”
The servant explained that he’d been cleaning outside when he heard a gunshot and rushed to the hall. By the time he got there, Song Yuzhang was already lying in a pool of blood, and Song Mingzhao was standing on the stairs holding a gun. He’d followed them to the hospital while the others went to spread the word. He stayed to watch over Song Yuzhang.
Meng Tingjing thought for a moment, then made a snap decision. He told the servant, “Go call the doctor.”
The servant hurried out.
Meng Tingjing turned back, his eyes scanning Song Yuzhang’s pale face again, a dull ache tightening in his chest. “Fool… You just had to choose to go with him.”
Soon, the doctor arrived. Meng Tingjing only had one question: could Song Yuzhang be moved immediately?
The doctor was startled by the question. But Meng Tingjing’s face was so fierce, he had no choice but to answer. “Yes, technically—but he’s still receiving IV fluids…”
That was enough. Without hesitation, Meng Tingjing yanked out the IV needle, threw back the blanket, and scooped Song Yuzhang into his arms.
Only then did the doctor realize what she meant by “immediately take him away.” He recognized his face and exclaimed, “Boss Meng, what are you doing?!”
Meng Tingjing ignored him and said only to the Song family servant, “I’m taking him with me.”
“Baby.”
“Baby?”
In a daze, Song Yuzhang vaguely heard someone calling him. He opened his eyes and saw a pale green ceiling fan slowly spinning above.
“Why are you sweating so much in your sleep?”
The young and tender Xiao Yingtao wiped the sweat from his forehead. Her bright red lips curled into a coy smile. “Did you have a nightmare?”
“My good baby, this weather is just too hot this year. It’s made our baby all skinny. Mommy will go out and buy you some ice cream, okay?”
Xiao Yingtao had a very lovely smile—fox-like eyes that made her look sly when she smiled. But while she looked clever, she was really just a foolish girl living a muddled life. She didn’t care about pride or propriety, just lived her days with her child, the two of them depending on each other.
Song Yuzhang stared at her in a daze. His lips tried to move, as if to speak, but they were stuck together, unable to part.
“Baby,” Xiao Yingtao’s cool hand touched his face. Her expression softened, becoming tender and sorrowful. Blood slowly seeped through her chest. Her face gradually changed—into a handsome and composed face, gently gazing at him. “Yuzhang, I love you.”
His chest felt like something was pressing down on it. Song Yuzhang couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak. He was trapped, tightly bound in an invisible net.
“Yuzhang? Yuzhang? Song Yuzhang—”
Someone was holding him. The embrace was strong and burning hot, full of urgency and desperation. Song Yuzhang woke up in immense pain.
Dazed and confused, he didn’t know who was holding him. Amid the noise, he instinctively murmured, “Xueping?” There was no reply. He blinked several times, his long eyelashes fluttering. He finally saw the cold-faced man clearly, and his mind froze again. He said, “Tingjing?”
Meng Tingjing’s expression was grim. “You bastard. It’s just a chunk of flesh torn off your shoulder, a little too much blood lost. Do you really have to pass out like you’re dying? Were you planning to die with him?!”
Song Yuzhang’s ears were still buzzing; he couldn’t clearly hear Meng Tingjing’s words. He just murmured faintly, “Xueping… how is Xueping…”
Meng Tingjing laid him down and checked that the IV needle on his hand hadn’t shifted before turning his gaze back to Song Yuzhang’s face. Song Yuzhang was looking at him blankly. Meng Tingjing stared into his eyes, his own feelings in turmoil, before replying coldly, “He’s in the hospital.”
Song Yuzhang’s eyes widened slightly, light slowly returning to them. He finally began to feel the searing pain in his shoulder. Turning his head slightly, he saw he was wearing a soft white robe, his shoulder tightly bandaged.
A scene suddenly flashed into his mind.
Nie Xueping had thrown himself over him. He’d fallen to the ground—and then he saw Song Mingzhao.
“Fourth Brother…” Song Yuzhang said slowly.
Meng Tingjing glanced at him. “At a time like this, don’t worry about anyone else. Just focus on healing yourself.” He tucked in Song Yuzhang’s blanket, his tone finally softening. “Don’t think about anything, don’t get involved in anything.” After speaking, he leaned down and kissed Song Yuzhang on the forehead. “Be good.”
Song Yuzhang lay there for a while longer, then fully regained consciousness. He looked around and realized he wasn’t in a hospital but in Meng Tingjing’s room—he recognized the furnishings.
He struggled to lift his arm—his shoulder was still in terrible pain—but as soon as he raised it, Meng Tingjing immediately pressed it back down.
“What are you doing?” Meng Tingjing glared at him.
Song Yuzhang lowered his lashes and said softly, “I want to go to the hospital. I want to see Xueping.”
Meng Tingjing moved his arm aside and laid it back down. “Your own wound isn’t even healed yet. What’s the rush?”
Lying flat, all Song Yuzhang could see was the ceiling and chandelier of the Meng residence. Flashing images kept appearing in his mind again—warm, wet touches. He closed his eyes. His ears still felt submerged in silent blood. After a while, he murmured, “Xueping is dead.”
Meng Tingjing’s hand froze.
“Xueping is dead,” Song Yuzhang opened his eyes and repeated calmly. “I couldn’t hear his heartbeat.”
“Tingjing, let me go. I need to see him.”
Meng Tingjing’s hand still pinned his arm. After a long silence, he said, “Dead is dead. What’s there to see?”
Song Yuzhang smiled faintly, but warm tears began rolling down his cheeks. “Tingjing, don’t stop me. I have to go see him. He took that bullet for me…”
“Bullshit!”
Meng Tingjing turned his face away, eyes blazing with fury. “The shot Song Mingzhao fired was aimed at him from the start. Took a bullet for you? Nonsense! You got caught in the crossfire and lost a chunk of flesh!”
Tears streamed from Song Yuzhang’s eyes nonstop, though he didn’t seem aware of it. In a calm tone, he said, “Tingjing, let me go. I have to see him.”
It was Song Yuzhang’s final statement. He sat up abruptly, ripped the IV needle from his hand, and struggled to get out of bed. Meng Tingjing quickly caught his waist, lifting him fully into his arms, gritting his teeth as he said, “Do you know how much effort it took for me to drag you out of that hospital? If I’d been a step later, the Nie family’s guards would’ve killed you and Song Mingzhao both. The Nie family has no one left to protect you. Don’t count on Nie Yinbing—do you think you matter more than his own brother?!”
Song Yuzhang had no idea how much blood he had lost. He only felt utterly weak and cold. Lying feebly in Meng Tingjing’s arms, he whispered, “Let me go, Tingjing. I’m begging you.”
Meng Tingjing looked at him, heart hardened to the extreme. He replied coldly, “No.”
Song Yuzhang slowly closed his eyes.
He murmured, “Tingjing, don’t make me hate you.”
Meng Tingjing gave a cold laugh. “Haven’t you hated me enough already?”
Meng Tingjing summoned someone to come in and administer a sedative. Once the IV was reinserted and Song Yuzhang had closed his eyes again, he asked, “How’s the situation outside?”
“Nie's family is now being run by Nie Qingyun. Word is that Nie Yinbing is on his way back to the city.”
“The Song family went to the police station.”
“……”
Outside, chaos reigned. But Meng Tingjing couldn’t care about any of it—he just stayed by the unconscious Song Yuzhang’s bedside. He stayed until midnight when there was suddenly an urgent knock at the door.
Meng Tingjing instantly snapped awake, stood, and walked outside. A servant rushed over, pale with worry. “Second Young Master, it’s bad—Second Master Nie is here for him.”
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