Song Yuzhang: Chapter 123 - All-out Brawl
Chapter 123: All-out Brawl
Song Yuzhang said calmly, “Boss Meng…”
Meng Tingjing’s hand was already raised, making a cutting gesture, his gaze coldly fixed on Song Yuzhang. “What did you just call me?”
“Boss Meng.” Song Yuzhang drew in the chill of the winter night and slowly exhaled. “I’ve come to discuss a business deal with you.”
Meng Tingjing stared at him for a long while. Little by little, the joy and relief of seeing someone dear in the late night faded completely from his face.
“Business?” Meng Tingjing forced down his anger and said coolly, “This is not the time to talk business.”
“It’s an urgent matter.”
Meng Tingjing cut him off again with a wave of his hand. He turned his back on Song Yuzhang. “If it’s business, then come back at the proper time to talk.”
Song Yuzhang gazed at his back, sighing inwardly.
“Tingjing.”
Still with his back turned, Meng Tingjing’s voice was distant and cold. “Coming to see me so late—what is it?” Before Song Yuzhang could answer, he turned his head, his expression and eyes carrying a harsh warning. “Song Yuzhang, you’d better think carefully before you speak.”
In his mind, a fire of anger was surging upward. By repeatedly cutting him off, Meng Tingjing meant to make it clear: this matter was non-negotiable, better not say more, lest it ruin their relationship. He thought with Song Yuzhang’s cleverness, he should catch the hint.
Song Yuzhang met his gaze and said, unhurriedly, “The land routes are impassable. The Nie family wants to borrow your waterways.”
A jolt ran through Meng Tingjing. Hatred flared in his eyes. From between his lips he spat out two words—“No way!”
Song Yuzhang pressed on. “Terms are negotiable. Whatever you want, name it. The money won’t be lacking.”
“Bullshit!” Meng Tingjing’s voice was sharp and cutting. “Do you think I care about the Nie family’s money?”
He whipped around suddenly.
So that’s why Nie Qingyun had rushed over in the middle of the night!
Back when they secretly built the railway behind his back, they were smug enough. And now? Now they came begging for help? Not a chance.
“That bastard Nie Xueping used you to stab me in the back, and he sure got what he wanted—money and power both! I didn’t get to kill him myself, Song Mingzhao beat me to it, but his death was no injustice. He had it coming! And you—he’s dead, and you still want to help the Nie family. Song Yuzhang, who exactly are you to them? On what authority do you ‘negotiate business’ on their behalf? Nie Xueping never even married you into the family, and here you are, rushing to handle their affairs!”
“Now you want to talk terms?”
Meng Tingjing clasped his hands behind his back, rage boiling in his chest. Slowly, he said, “Just a moment ago at the Song residence, your mouth was shut tight—wouldn’t budge no matter what.”
Song Yuzhang’s heart was calm as still water. True, Meng Tingjing had treated him very well these past weeks, enough to seem like a changed man. But people don’t change their natures. Even children are hard to change, let alone someone of Meng Tingjing’s age. He could pretend for a while, but for a lifetime? Impossible. Not that Song Yuzhang had ever expected so much.
Their joy and harmony over the past month were like a sheet of ice floating on the sea. Add a little weight, and it shattered, exposing the shadows underneath, naked and inescapable.
Well enough. A month of happiness was sufficient. At least he had truly been happy. He wasn’t disappointed, because he had never expected more. It was just a spell of foolish joy. Joy spent, the world of blood and violence was still waiting.
“You know full well I’m here to talk business. Why drag in anything else?” Song Yuzhang said coolly.
“Business? Song Yuzhang, are you playing dumb? If it were just business, do you think you’d even be allowed in here right now?”
A flicker crossed Song Yuzhang’s face. “So what you’re saying is, I don’t even have the right to discuss matters with you face to face?”
Meng Tingjing’s expression shifted slightly. “If you want to talk, go wait at the docks. Get Nie Yinbing to come kneel and beg me—maybe then I’ll consider it!”
Song Yuzhang’s lashes lifted, and he smiled faintly. “Tingjing, do you really enjoy making people kneel and beg you that much?”
Hearing him drag up the past, Meng Tingjing’s anger surged higher.
“Since you want to settle old accounts, let’s make them clear. I made you kneel and beg me. You thought it unjust, humiliating? Just kneeling a little, and I erased that billion-dollar debt for you! Even if a man’s knees are worth gold, yours weren’t worth a billion. Why couldn’t you kneel?
“You’re proud, you’re capable—you schemed with Nie Xueping against me. Fine, I admit defeat. But then what? You fell under his spell? Loyal to him even after his death, unable to forget him. How is that any different from kneeling before me?
“Didn’t you say just days ago that I should stay out of your life? And now you come here swallowing your pride for the Nie family’s sake? I really don’t understand what poison Nie Xueping fed you.”
“And don’t tell me it’s because he made you feel good. Did I not satisfy you in bed? Song Yuzhang, don’t try to fool me—I know exactly what you’re like in bed…”
His words broke off.
Song Yuzhang slapped him across the face.
The slap was hard, with no restraint. Fire burned across Meng Tingjing’s cheek.
Song Yuzhang turned to leave.
After only a few steps, Meng Tingjing caught up, grabbing his arm. Song Yuzhang turned and slapped him again.
Meng Tingjing’s face was aflame. He seized Song Yuzhang’s arm and dragged him back inside. Song Yuzhang swung at him again, but this time Meng Tingjing caught his hand. Song Yuzhang resisted, kicking out.
Silently, the two of them broke into a brawl in the courtyard. Meng Tingjing, holding to his principle of “never hitting a wife,” only defended without striking back. After a few punches, Song Yuzhang felt it was pointless; Meng Tingjing’s forbearance only made it seem like he was the one being unreasonable and bullying.
“Let go.” Song Yuzhang panted heavily.
But Meng Tingjing’s arms only clamped tighter, dragging him bodily back inside, until he threw him onto the bed. Song Yuzhang jumped up and struck him across the head again.
Meng Tingjing shut his eyes and endured it, clasping Song Yuzhang’s hands to pin him down on the bed, locking his legs over his knees. “If you want to talk, then talk. Why raise your hand?”
Song Yuzhang heard him brazenly turn things around and accused instead, and he exhaled harshly, chest heaving. “If you won’t agree, then forget it. Let me go. I’ve nothing more to say to you.”
Meng Tingjing was seasoned in beating others, but it had been a long time since he’d been beaten himself. Now, revisiting the sensation, his heart was in turmoil. Still, his instincts told him one thing: he couldn’t let Song Yuzhang walk away. If he left now, disaster would follow.
He hadn’t endured all these days just to let everything collapse tonight.
Song Yuzhang never admitted anything, always kept his distance. But Meng Tingjing knew, in his heart, that over the past month, something real had grown between them. They didn’t need to say it aloud; both understood.
But to swallow this humiliation and haul Nie family ore for them—that was absolutely impossible.
He liked Song Yuzhang. He could even say he loved him, loved only him. But to trample his own pride for Song Yuzhang’s sake? That, never.
If it were just letting Song Yuzhang trample on him a couple of times, that could still be excused as “fearing one’s wife.” For a man, being afraid of his wife wasn’t anything shameful.
But if he were to let the face of a dead rival be trampled on, then he might as well drive a knife into himself—better yet, head straight to the underworld and stab Nie Xueping once more, to vent the hatred in his heart!
Meng Tingjing lowered his voice: “Don’t think Nie Xueping was some good person. He was just using you. He had already planned to build that railway long ago—the sketch alone shows it wasn’t a job done in a day or two. He counted on the fact that I wouldn’t do anything to you, so when you served as his go-between, he just went with the tide. Otherwise, with his abilities alone—even if Liao Tiandong had agreed to let him build that railway—I still had ways to stop him. Do you believe me or not?”
Song Yuzhang’s chest rose and fell slowly, until he calmed down again. He said evenly, “I believe you.”
Meng Tingjing searched his face. “Really believe?”
“I do.”
Meng Tingjing still dared not let go of him. “Even without you, a clash between me and the Nie family was bound to happen sooner or later. You understand the saying ‘two tigers cannot share one mountain.’ Both sentiment and reason give me no cause to lend them a hand.”
“From now on, don’t involve yourself in the Nie family’s matters either. He is he, you are you. Tomorrow I’ll have someone send thirty million in cash to you at the bank. I know you borrowed that much from him, didn’t you? I’ll give it to you. I don’t want you to repay me, all right?”
Song Yuzhang looked at him quietly. “No need. The bank has money. I am me, you are you. You don’t meddle with me, I don’t meddle with you.”
“Are you just saying that out of spite?”
“I’m not.”
Song Yuzhang lay on his back on the bed, his tone calm. “In fact, what you said was right. This isn’t the place to talk business. I was mistaken.”
Meng Tingjing thought he might have truly taken it to heart. Testing, he slowly released him. Song Yuzhang sat up without any sign of wanting to continue their fight.
Meng Tingjing sat beside him, his face stinging as if pricked with needles. The burning pain of the slap reminded him of his own words earlier; he knew those words had cut too. His lips moved, and he slipped an arm around Song Yuzhang’s shoulders. “I was worked up just now and said nonsense. Don’t take it to heart. It was my fault—I couldn’t control my mouth. If you still want to let off steam, go ahead and hit me a couple more times.”
Song Yuzhang let himself be held, and with a soft sigh said only, “I didn’t take it to heart.”
Meng Tingjing exhaled in relief, then said gently: “Anything but helping the Nie family—I’ll agree to whatever you want.”
“You can’t put it like that,” Song Yuzhang replied calmly. “You have your principles, I have mine. They shouldn’t be confused together. Today I was in the wrong; I shouldn’t have come to you. There won’t be a next time.”
Hearing him give way unsettled Meng Tingjing all the more. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Song Yuzhang, whose expression remained indifferent and calm. He thought: after tonight’s mess, this bastard will probably sulk with him for days again. Truly, the Nie family—none of them would die undeservedly.
“I was wrong too. I really was too impatient. Think about it—since we’ve been together, when have I ever displeased you or denied you? If not for…” Meng Tingjing tightened his arm around Song Yuzhang’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Forget it. I won’t say it.”
Song Yuzhang rested quietly in his embrace for a moment, then suddenly asked: “Did it hurt?”
Meng Tingjing thought: of course it did. “I’m not that delicate.”
“Sorry. I lost my temper too.”
“I told you, enough said,” Meng Tingjing replied. “It’s so late—you must be hungry. I’ll have the master chef make you some supper.”
“No need.” Song Yuzhang sat up. “I’m leaving.”
Meng Tingjing stood. “I’ll walk you out.”
The corridor was deep and shadowed, their silhouettes overlapping side by side. Song Yuzhang lowered his lashes, thinking: It still won’t work.
The two of them—it still won’t work.
The peace they papered over was always false. Today might be smoothed over, but tomorrow would come. When the sunlight shone, all things would show their true form. Fortunately, this time wasn’t too late—it hadn’t yet reached the point of no return.
Meng Tingjing personally saw Song Yuzhang to the gate.
“Shall I drive you back?”
“No need.” Song Yuzhang gave a faint smile. “This is far enough.”
And he left.
Meng Tingjing was still uneasy. He stared into the night at the departing car, wanting to chase but knowing that even if he caught up, he’d have nothing more to say. He had already said all the soft words he could; Song Yuzhang seemed to have listened. There would surely be sulking, but he would just do his best to coax him.
He shouldn’t have brought up the past. After all the trouble they’d gone through to come this far, mentioning those unhappy things only hurt their bond. He mustn’t bring them up again.
Thinking this, he returned to the courtyard.
Inside there was still only a single table and a single chair. Meng Tingjing clenched his hand behind his back, resolving that tomorrow he would prepare things properly, and once things were in place, bring him back and coax him well.
The next morning, as soon as he woke and was about to leave the house, news arrived: Song Yuzhang had gone out of the city together with Nie Yinbing.
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