After I Was Gone, Mr. Song Said He Loved Me - Chapter 15 - The Request

On the taxi ride back, I couldn’t shake the image of Lu’s eyes as I left. That look made me feel ashamed. In Lu’s eyes, I was always the clean and pure one, different from those in the circle with chaotic private lives. He said I was precious, and having a friend like me was even more precious. Yet here I was, sacrificing that preciousness for money.

They say money is the root of all evil, but to me, it’s just an excuse people use to justify their greed. All things noble become insignificant under the shadow of human nature. I am no exception.

Watching the skyscrapers fly by outside the window, I hesitated for the first time, unsure if my choice was right or wrong. Would this relentless pursuit of money truly make me happier? Only time would tell.

To avoid keeping Song Yu waiting, I urged the driver to speed up several times, turning a forty-minute drive into just half an hour. I hurried to the hotel room, and when I opened the door and saw Song Yu, I was stunned.

He was sprawled on the couch, utterly disheveled, eyes half-closed, a half-smoked cigarette dangling from his lips, feet propped on the coffee table. His shirt sleeves and collar were wrinkled, and a few strands of hair had fallen from their gelled position. What shocked me most were the faint red marks on his right cheek, as if he’d been slapped.

“President Song?” I called out tentatively from a distance.

Song Yu lifted his eyelids to glance at me, then patted the sofa beside him. I slowly walked over and sat down next to him, only to be pulled down onto the couch.

“President Song!” I exclaimed, pushing against his chest.

“Don’t move, let me hold you for a while,” he murmured, his voice hoarse, as he rested his head against my chest.

Though I couldn’t see his face, I could feel his deep sense of helplessness and confusion, which softened my heart. My hands, initially resisting, slowly fell to my sides.

“What’s wrong, President Song?” I asked, my breath uneven.

Song Yu didn’t respond verbally but answered through his actions. That day, he seemed like a different person, someone I’d never seen before. He remained silent, as if suppressing some emotion, like a caged beast with sharp claws and teeth but no escape.

His restrained yet unexpressed emotions were evident in his actions, and I became the unwilling victim of his turmoil. For reasons unknown, this ambiguous role made me uncomfortable, yet I couldn’t refuse. Our relationship was just that delicate.

Initially, I could still think and resist, but gradually, I lost consciousness, my body feeling as if it were falling into an abyss and then thrown into the clouds, rising and falling…

I thought I’d never wake up again. The gut-wrenching pain felt like it was tearing me apart, every bone and inch of flesh screaming in protest. Pain, nothing but pain.

I even wondered if I’d survive to spend the money I earned. But then I thought, I’m still young, with plenty of youth left to squander. I couldn’t die like this.

The unwillingness in my heart eventually pulled me from the depths of sleep. But instead of the hotel room, I found myself in a large, European-style room, lying on a bed big enough for three or four people.

Where was I? How did I end up here? As I tried to sit up, I noticed a needle in the back of my hand, with medicine dripping into my veins. The label on the bottle indicated it was an antibiotic.

Just then, the door opened, and in walked Song Yu. Seeing me awake, he paused, then poured a glass of water and brought it to me.

“Have some water.”

I nodded. Song Yu sat on the bed, helping me up to lean against him, one arm around my waist, the other holding the glass to my lips.

“You had a fever, so I had them give you a shot to bring it down.”

I remained silent, not thanking him for his kindness.

“Change into dry clothes later; this set is soaked,” Song Yu continued, speaking to himself.

My clothes clung to me, the thin silk pajamas drenched and sticking to my skin, revealing the contours of my pale chest. The excessive sweating left my throat dry and parched, as if filled with fire. A few sips of warm water felt like rain on a desert.

“Where is this?” I managed to ask, my voice still raspy despite the water.

“My home.”

I glanced around, saying nothing more, behaving like a docile rabbit, without complaint, tears, or questioning. Perhaps my compliance stirred Song Yu’s guilt, prompting him to say, “I transferred a million to your account. You’ve worked hard these past few days.”

I scoffed inwardly. Song Yu was a master of wordplay, truly suited to be a boss. He turned my “fee” into an employee bonus, adding five hundred thousand to ease his conscience after being rough with me. If I refused, I’d seem petty.

“Thank you, President Song,” I said with a smile. “Can I exchange this reward for something else?”

Song Yu was surprised by my request. “What do you want to exchange it for?”

I weighed my options before speaking, “I want you to deal with someone for me.”

I couldn’t swallow the injustice of Lu being beaten by Qin Naisheng. If he could use his connections to retaliate against Lu, why couldn’t I do the same to him? Especially after Song Yu’s rough treatment today, I gambled that he wouldn’t refuse me.

Song Yu shifted me off him, leaning against the headboard, and asked with interest, “Who do you want me to deal with?”

I told Song Yu the whole story about Lu. His expression turned serious. “Are you really just friends with him?”

I was surprised that after my impassioned plea, his focus was on that, as if there was some hidden agenda between Lu and me.

“Of course we’re friends. What can two bottoms do? Form a band?” I rolled my eyes.

Song Yu chuckled, ruffling my hair. “Keep the money; it’s yours. I’ll handle the person for you as compensation.”

Compensation? For wear and tear? Song Yu always found a way to balance the scales. I disliked his excessive cleverness and rationality, devoid of any warmth.