Song Yuzhang: Extra 2 - London Life Part 2 [Featuring Meng Tingjing]
When Meng Tingjing bought the estate, he hadn’t expected that he and Song Yuzhang would end up living there together for nearly half a year.
The weather in London was perpetually bad. Song Yuzhang called Nie Qingyun’s residence in the United States and was surprised to learn that she and Nie Bonian were actually in London at the moment.
Song Yuzhang immediately went to visit the aunt and nephew.
He almost didn’t recognize either of them.
Nie Qingyun had cut her hair short—just slightly longer than his—looking capable and dashing. Nie Bonian was fair and clean, a bit thinner, and much taller, already beginning to take on the shape of a big boy. He was still coughing, but because he seemed in good spirits, he no longer looked as frail as before.
“The doctor says he still needs another year of recuperation. When the time comes, depending on his condition, they might be able to arrange surgery.”
Nie Qingyun set down her coffee cup and flashed Song Yuzhang a confident smile.
Nie Bonian smiled at Song Yuzhang as well. Back in China, his face had been tender and childish, without any particularly striking features—just generally delicate and adorable. Now that he had grown a bit older, his features had begun to emerge. He looked very much like Nie Xueping.
Song Yuzhang stroked his hair and bent down to kiss the top of his head. “Good boy.”
“How’s Second Brother lately?” Nie Qingyun asked. “His telegrams go back and forth with just a few words. He doesn’t even make a couple of phone calls. I really can’t stand him.”
Holding Nie Boynian, Song Yuzhang decided to continue helping Nie Yinbing keep things under wraps. “The mine’s very busy.”
Nie Qingyun had no expectations of Nie Yinbing’s personality anyway. She only asked, “Why did you suddenly want to come abroad?” She tilted her lips toward the rear right. “And that guy—what’s his deal? Did you two come together?”
Song Yuzhang smiled. “Yes, we came together.”
Nie Qingyun fell silent again.
Of course, she knew about the affair between Song Yuzhang and Meng Tingjing—and not just a minor one. Even when her eldest brother was still alive, the two of them had been ambiguously involved. Now they had even gone abroad together to live. For some reason, Nie Qingyun felt indignant. She thought Nie Yinbing was better than Meng Tingjing. Even though Nie Yinbing was taciturn, lacking in life’s pleasures, and rather eccentric… still, he was better than Meng Tingjing!
Inwardly, she unapologetically favored her own brother. In front of Nie Bonian, she couldn’t speak plainly, so she said pointedly, “Oh well, bickering can be nice too.”
Song Yuzhang hadn’t seen Nie Bonian in a long time and naturally missed him. During his time abroad, Nie Bonian seemed to have matured a lot. He no longer openly called out “Brother Yuzhang” like before. Instead, he quietly held Song Yuzhang’s hand and gazed at him with wide, blinking eyes. Song Yuzhang found himself reluctant to leave.
“You’re staying over tonight?” Meng Tingjing had ordered a coffee as well, though he hadn’t touched it.
Song Yuzhang nodded. “Bonian misses me.”
Meng Tingjing didn’t like how close he was with the Nie family, but Nie Bonian was just a child. No matter what, he couldn’t compete with a child. “I’ll take you there,” he said.
Seeing him agree so readily, Song Yuzhang felt at ease. Meng Tingjing had learned to respect his wishes.
Nie Qingyun and Nie Bonian were staying in a high-end apartment close to the hospital. The place wasn’t large, but it was cozy for the two of them. Curious about everything, Song Yuzhang looked around inside and out before sitting on the carpet with Nie Bonian to play with building blocks.
After half an hour, Nie Qingyun told Nie Bonian to wash up and go to bed since he had school the next day.
“Bonian’s going to school here now?” Song Yuzhang asked curiously.
“Yes.”
The doctor Meng Tingjing had recommended was an authority on pulmonary diseases and had been transferred to London as hospital director. Nie Qingyun decided to settle in London semi-permanently. Since Nie Bonian was of school age and his condition was relatively stable, she wanted him to adapt to life at a foreign school. He had been attending for two months and was doing quite well.
“You haven’t finished your studies at Oxford, have you?” Nie Qingyun said. “You’ve missed this term. It’s almost winter break.”
Song Yuzhang, tidying up the blocks, felt something stir in his heart.
After Nie Bonian bathed, Song Yuzhang picked up a storybook by his bed to read to him. But when he opened it, he realized it was no longer a picture book. The text far outweighed the illustrations—and it was all in English.
Song Yuzhang had crammed English for a few months before and had a decent grasp of banking terminology. Otherwise, his level was quite average.
At a glance, he could only make out scattered simple words and sentences. With Nie Bonian lying against his chest, blinking expectantly, Song Yuzhang felt torn. He suddenly became acutely aware of his lack of knowledge. In England, he probably wasn’t even at a child’s level.
“Song Yuzhang, there’s a call for you—”
Nie Qingyun called loudly from outside.
Feeling as though he had been granted amnesty, Song Yuzhang immediately slipped into his slippers and went to answer the phone.
It was Meng Tingjing. After asking about his situation, he abruptly changed the subject. “Xiao Fengxian doesn’t seem to be feeling well.”
“Not well? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Meng Tingjing said casually. “I can’t understand what he’s saying.”
“Let me talk to him.”
Meng Tingjing handed the phone to Xiao Fengxian with a look.
With a serious nod, Xiao Fengxian took the receiver and stammered that he had a headache and stomachache.
Song Yuzhang told him to give the phone back to Meng Tingjing.
“Tingjing, Fengxian says his head and stomach hurt. Please call a doctor.”
“I already did. I’m just afraid that even when the doctor arrives, they won’t understand him. I can try to translate, but I don’t quite understand what he means either.”
“…Then have the doctor wait. I’ll come back immediately.”
“Alright. I’ll pick you up.”
After hanging up, Meng Tingjing smiled approvingly at Xiao Fengxian. “Well done.”
“Will Fifth Master be angry?” Xiao Fengxian asked timidly.
Meng Tingjing waved his hand grandly. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”
Meng Tingjing drove to pick up Song Yuzhang. Wrapped in his overcoat, Song Yuzhang got into the car and exhaled a breath of cold air before slipping his icy hands into Meng Tingjing’s collar.
Startled by the chill, Meng Tingjing shivered instinctively, then let him be. “Why are your hands so cold?”
“There’s no heating in the lobby downstairs.”
Meng Tingjing frowned as he started the car. “Why wouldn’t they turn on the heat?”
“Exactly,” Song Yuzhang said meaningfully, glancing at him. “Why indeed?”
As warmth returned to his neck, Meng Tingjing replied calmly, “This apartment isn’t good. They should find a chance to move.”
Song Yuzhang withdrew his hands, rubbing them together as he smiled. “Not a bad idea. Why don’t they move in with us? We have spare rooms.”
At that, Meng Tingjing immediately realized his little trick with Xiao Fengxian hadn’t fooled Song Yuzhang at all. He simply fell silent.
Song Yuzhang looked at him with a half-smile before finally laughing softly. “Tingjing, you’re really cute.”
Meng Tingjing had grown immune to being called “cute,” but this time his scalp tingled. It didn’t sound like sincere praise.
Back at the estate, Xiao Fengxian was waiting by the fireplace. Song Yuzhang lightly patted his head. “Go to bed.”
Xiao Fengxian glanced at Meng Tingjing in confusion. Meng gave him a reassuring look, and he slowly stretched his legs, walked past the massive Christmas tree, and returned to his room.
Following Song Yuzhang inside, Meng Tingjing reflected that deceiving someone as cunning as Song Yuzhang was far too difficult. Just as he was thinking how to explain, Song Yuzhang removed his coat and said, “It’s lucky you called me back. Bonian asked me to read to him, but I couldn’t recognize most of the English,” he laughed, shaking his head. “Do you think I should go back to school?”
Meng Tingjing paused, then replied, “Schooling is naturally a good thing.”
“I only studied up to middle school in China,” Song Yuzhang said. “If I enroll here, would I have to attend with children?”
Meng Tingjing smiled. “No. There are language schools specifically for learning English. Once you’re proficient, I can arrange for you to attend university.”
Undoing the buttons on his cuffs, Song Yuzhang said with a smile, “Ever since coming abroad, it seems everything is arranged by you.”
Meng Tingjing’s smile faded slightly, while Song Yuzhang’s deepened. At last, Meng Tingjing surrendered. “My fault. I shouldn’t have used Xiao Fengxian to trick you into coming back.”
Gazing at him, Song Yuzhang waited until Meng Tingjing’s composure began to crack before smiling again and lightly patting his face. “You’re unhappy even when I sleep beside Bonian—and he’s just a child. So petty.”
Inwardly, Meng Tingjing thought, I wouldn’t be happy no matter who you slept beside. He wrapped an arm around Song Yuzhang’s waist and kissed him. “Sleep. Tomorrow we’ll go choose a school together.”
There were many language schools in London. Two were not far from their estate. Meng Tingjing took Song Yuzhang to visit them, and he was thoroughly dissatisfied.
The schools themselves were fine—the teachers were unbearable.
They openly admired and marveled at Song Yuzhang, reaching out to shake hands and brush cheeks in greeting. Meng Tingjing was furious. Because Song Yuzhang was present, he restrained himself and didn’t lash out.
Seething as he drove away, Meng Tingjing thought the way those bald foreigners looked at Song Yuzhang was downright lecherous—they deserved a beating.
“The teachers here are really enthusiastic,” Song Yuzhang said thoughtfully. Recalling his brief encounters with foreigners, he realized, “Are all Westerners like this?”
After a long pause, Meng Tingjing replied, “Yes, they’re all like that.” After driving for a while, he couldn’t help adding, “Very punchable.”
Song Yuzhang imagined Meng Tingjing’s aloof temperament and understood why such enthusiasm would seem offensive to him.
After returning, Meng Tingjing thought it over carefully. Then he went downstairs decisively. Song Yuzhang was sitting by the giant Christmas tree, browsing brochures for other language schools.
“No need to look,” Meng Tingjing said.
Song Yuzhang raised his eyes questioningly.
“I’ll teach you,” Meng Tingjing declared firmly. “I’ll teach you English.”
“You?” Song Yuzhang asked in surprise.
“I.”
Hmph. What did those bald foreigners know about professional ethics? The way they drooled over their future student was shameless.
He was in London merely recuperating anyway. The more he thought about it, the better the idea seemed. Leaning down, he kissed Song Yuzhang on the cheek. “From today on, I’m your English teacher.”
He turned and strode upstairs to fetch paper and pen, eager to begin immediately. Watching his rather excited figure disappear, Song Yuzhang touched the spot on his cheek where he’d been kissed, feeling faintly baffled. Was this man indulging in some strange whim?
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