Chapter 71 – The Past

What kind of childish place was the amusement park? There was no difference between that and a spring outing for primary school students.

Internally, Song Yu was against it.

But Old Cheng was very satisfied with this decision and settled on a time and place right away. There wasn’t any room for negotiation.

Ma Xiaoding suggested excitedly, “The amusement park, hey! I’ve been wanting to go try out their new haunted house theme.”

Xi Bowen disdained him, “A bride in the coffin, right? I’ve already been told all about it, so there’s nothing much to look forward to.”

Ma Xiaoding went over and covered his mouth, “You’re always talking shit all day long.”

Song Yu returned back to the Meng Family home on Friday night. He’d been called back by Grandma Meng, who’d spent the day tidying up the house and had found some old things. There was an old photo album with photos of him from when he was a child, so she’d made it a point to call him over and show him.

Grandma Meng’s gray hair was combed back neatly under the lights. She spoke gently and quietly, “This was taken when you came to Jing City for the Chinese New Year when you were five years old.” The light of nostalgia flashed through her eyes, “Time passes by so fast. Ten years have passed in a flash. At the time, you were still a little child.” She stretched out a hand and pointed to the first photo. It was one of a child curled up on the sofa while playing with a gaming device. He wore a pink sweater, and his small face was pale. His entire body gave off an aura of ‘living beings should not approach’.

Grandma Meng smiled, “You had a temper tantrum with your family that day and refused to go out. Do you remember?”

Song Yu had no idea that he’d been like this as a child and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Why was I angry?”

Grandma Meng glared at him and answered, “Your pride, probably. Your mother put you in a pink sweater and jokingly called you a ‘little girl’, and you got angry.”

The corners of Song Yu’s lips rose up, “In that case, you can’t blame me for it. Forcing a five year old cool big brother to put on a pink sweater and calling him a little girl is humiliating. It’s my mother’s fault.”

Grandma Meng was amused by his remarks and laughed, then sighed. “What kind of thoughts do you have in your head?”

A five-year-old cool big brother.

Growing up to be a handsome big brother.

There was nothing wrong with that.

Song Yu flipped through the photo album. Across the years, it seemed that he could really see himself ten years ago. Arrogant and proud, irritable and with a temper. It was just that most of the time, he was playing quietly by himself to the side, a well-behaved and elegant little boy.

Song Yu seemed to suddenly gain a flash of insight. He lifted his head and asked his grandmother, “Has my personality always been like this from when I was a child?”

The lighting was too gentle.

Grandma Meng smiled, fine wrinkles appearing at the corners of her eyes. She said lightly, “Don’t you know it. I can recognize you at a glance.”

Song Yu put his fingers on the album. His fingertips felt ice cold, and there was a slight tingling pain in his head. His entire person seemed out of sorts, as though something had just shot through him.

Song Yu had been dreaming very frequently these days, and it was no longer from the perspective of an outsider. Instead, it was as though he was really participating in the events.

Every detail was especially clear, and it was as though he’d really experienced it before.

He dreamed of his sister’s wedding banquet.

In Limin Hotel, the most prestigious hotel in A City.

The person she’d finally married was a handsome and gentle university professor. He was as clean as jade and had a good temper.

He was a person who was completely not within her mate selection criteria at all, yet he’d been the one to make it to the end with her.

Song Yu had changed into a gray suit and waited for her in the dressing room.

She was the bride of the day. Her long hair was piled up and she wore a snow-white wedding dress. She was bright and beautiful, her eyes black and brilliant when she smiled. Her appearance was both warm and touching.

Song Wanying asked him, “Did you go to the banquet hall on the third floor?”

Song Yu was stunned, “No.”

Song Wanying smiled, “It’s likely that this makeup will take an hour. You’ll be bored here, so you might as well go there and have a look first. I spent a long time thinking about the theme for the wedding. The universe galaxy visual effect should be very stunning.”

Song Yu burst out laughing, “It must be very romantic.”

The makeup artist began to draw on her eye makeup.

Song Wanying closed her eyes, but the happiness and sweetness of the smile on her lips couldn’t be hidden, “That’s for sure. If you’re jealous, then hurry up and find a girlfriend, darling.”

Song Yu snorted and laughed, “That’s not necessary…” He wanted to say that the state of his body shouldn’t be used to harm other people’s little girls, but when the words came to his mouth, he immediately changed his tune and spoke lazily instead, “After all, the fate of this world is the most elusive, and it all depends on the arrangements made by heaven.”

Several staff were scattered around the banquet hall on the third floor, carrying equipment, adjusting sound and lights. He walked in with his big brother and was greeted with many people shouting, “Young Master, Third Young Master.”

Song Yu smiled faintly.

He casually found a place to sit down.

Song Xu spoke, “You haven’t been back in A City in a long time.”

Song Yu: “Mm. It’s been a few years, but it doesn’t feel like it’s changed much.”

Song Xu asked, “Why didn’t you call a few old friends to come out and meet?”

Song Yu: “Are you my real brother? Aren’t you clear on how many people I know in A City?”

“It seems you have a point. Hahaha, you don’t know that many.”

The staff brought over two drinks. Song Xu refused them, then turned his head to ask him seriously, “Do you still remember Xie Sui?”

Song Yu’s pupils contracted slightly and he spoke slowly, “Him… I still remember.”

Song Xu’s tone was rather complicated, “Third Young Master Xie from the Xie Family has been hospitalized, their old man has started acting up again, and there are several sneaky brothers and sisters who won’t give up meddling. Xie Sui was voted out by the board of directors and isn’t in a good position now.”

Song Yu’s fingers paused in the darkness. He asked, “Not in a good position? How bad is it?”

Song Xu: “The Xie Family has already abandoned him. As a person, he doesn’t look easy to get along with, and it’s even more the case in private. He has a cold personality and ruthless means, and has provoked quite a few people in A City over the years. Once someone loses power, it’s inevitable that others will kick them when they’re down. He’s still missing right now, but I know that many people are looking for him.”

Song Yu felt like something was stuck in his throat, “The Xu Family?”

Song Xu shook his head, “The Qin Family and Zhao Family.”

Song Yu: “Them?”

Song Xu frowned, his expression rather strange, and said, “You’re not in A City and may not know, but in any case, I’ve always heard that Qin Mo and Zhao Ziyu once madly pursued Xie Sui. It’s probably that they wanted him but couldn’t get him, and hatred was born out of love. Why go so far? Besides, it isn’t good to provoke people like Xie Sui, even if they lose power.”

Song Yu: “……”

Song Yu: “Is Xie Sui still in A City?”

Song Xu was slightly surprised, “You can’t be thinking of looking for him, too.”

Song Yu: “… No, I’m just asking.”

He could hear the gloating conversations of the people around him when he went downstairs. Their malice was hard to hide.

“Who would’ve thought that Xie Sui, who could cover up the sky with one hand in A City, would be reduced to this point? The Xie Family doesn’t plan to let him have an easy time of it either. He’s currently heavily in debt and can’t find a job. He won’t have to go begging, right?”

“It shouldn’t be that bad. Do you still remember his mother? She was the golden jade and precious treasure raised by the Xu Family who humbled herself to become someone else’s mistress. There’s really a cheapness that goes all the way into the bones, and it’s likely that the same holds true for Xie Sui. There are quite a few people in A City who like his face, so maybe some woman will take him in.”

“Hahahaha, I really want to see him in a sorry state now. It’ll be so satisfying.”

Song Yu paused in his descent downstairs and tilted his head to ask lightly, “What’s so satisfying?” His tone was cold.

The two young people who were talking were stunned. They recognized that this was the Third Young Master of the Song Family at a glance, faltered for a moment, then mocked, “Song Yu, what a coincidence.”

Song Yu’s eyes were cold and cynical, the corners of his lips curled mockingly, “He’s lost power, but there’s women willing to take care of him. He can love someone and can make money, how is that satisfying for you? If you’re ugly, can’t you spend more time learning? Don’t assume that everyone’s the same level as you. As for Aunt Xu’s matters—” He took a step forward and said lightly, “Don’t let me hear the word mistress again.”

At the end of the day, this was still a wedding banquet hosted by the Song Family.

The two young men were angry but didn’t dare say anything. Though their faces turned green, they didn’t say a word.

Song Yu turned to continue downstairs, a firm light flashing in his eyes.

What kind of feelings did he have for Xie Sui?

Perhaps it was the most pure and innocent type that came from meeting in childhood.

So, even if Song Xu said later on that the man was dangerous, this statement wasn’t very convincing to him.

Even when Xie Sui was in such a desperate situation, he subconsciously wanted to help him.

He had Xie Sui’s private phone number.

Originally, he’d only meant it as a tentative call.

He hadn’t expected that person to pick up.

“Hello.”

The voice that came over the phone was cold and a little hoarse, just like before. It held no sense of being down on his luck at all.

Song Yu was stunned for a moment, his brain overcharged. After a long pause, he said lightly, “It’s me, Song Yu. I… I came back to the country today. Do you have time to come out and meet?”

There was a long silence from the other side. A long time later, the sound of light laughter came over the line, along with a casual reply, “Okay.”

They agreed to meet at a restaurant.

He chose a quiet private room with retro style decor. Green plants lined the quiet space.

When Xie Sui arrived—

The hand that Song Yu was using to stir his coffee stilled briefly.

He wore a white shirt paired with black trousers. The man stood tall and straight, as elegant and calm as always. He gave off an aura of pressure when he sat down, even after having lost power.

He asked––

“What do you want to talk about?”

This was probably the first time Song Yu had ever been so nervous.

Although he really wanted to be like a second generation ancestor who just tossed out a black credit card and got straight to the point, saying that he was here to help the poor…

However, given the self-esteem of his childhood playmate, he silently suppressed this idea.

There was no need to use money directly—that was insulting.

“I… I don’t have any friends in A City. When I went through my cell phone, I came across your number, so I thought about asking you out to meet. We can talk about whatever.”

That was the only thing he could say.

Xie Sui stared at him and smiled slightly, “Okay.”

Basically, the entire meal consisted of Song Yu trying to find topics of conversation.

Xie Sui was clearly not interested.

Song Yu couldn’t help sighing to himself as he tried to chat with him.

Xie Sui was really capable of patience, for him to accompany him to waste time like this.

After chatting, Song Yu offered, “I’ll send you home.”

Xie Sui didn’t refuse. He looked back at him, his gaze deep, then smiled and nodded.

The car ride was relatively silent.

Song Yu was planning to leave right away after sending Xie Sui to his place. Unexpectedly, Xie Sui asked him a sentence, “Would you like to come up and have a look?” Song Yu was still thinking about how to help him, so he was stunned by the question and nodded, “Okay.”

They went upstairs and closed the door. Even before the light in the room was turned on, Song Yu suddenly found that his waist was being hugged by a pair of hot hands.

The man, who was a head taller than him, leaned over. The darkness was as oppressive as a looming beast.

He was stunned all over.

Immediately after that, his entire person was pressed up against the wall.

The man’s other hand held the back of his head and a cold, wild kiss fell.

He kissed briefly across his lips, tongue probing domineeringly into his mouth, hooking around his own tongue and teasing him skillfully.

It was wanton and infuriating.

A cold scent invaded the breath in his nose.

It was like an abstinent person had suddenly been stirred into action.

Song Yu was completely blindsided by the incident.

His thoughts returned in an instant when he felt Xie Sui’s slender hand begin to slide downwards.

It was as though his fuse had been lit up and exploded. He abruptly reached out and pushed him away, “What are you doing—”

But Xie Sui was able to accurately grasp his wrists.

There was no way to resist.

Faint light seeped through a crack in the window.

Xie Sui’s peach blossom eyes narrowed, and the coldness between his eyebrows turned into a decadent beauty and temptation. He smiled in the darkness, “Isn’t this why you came looking for me?”

Song Yu: “—!!!”

I f*cking came to help the poor!