After I Was Gone, Mr. Song Said He Loved Me - Chapter 35 - Song Yu, Why Did You Choose Me?

I felt like the biggest fool in the world, naively used as bait by Song Yu, nearly losing half my life, and then mistaken by the police for something I wasn’t.

Despite all of this being caused by Song Yu, I still had to beg him to clear my name.

At this moment, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Song Yu seemed to offer me a choice, but in reality, he had cornered me, knowing that I had no option but to compromise.

“So if I insist on leaving, you won’t testify for me, right?”

“I have no reason to waste time on strangers,” Song Yu replied coolly.

I let out a bitter laugh, quietly repeating the word “strangers.”

Without any value to him, I was no different from a passerby in his eyes.

It was just me, foolishly sentimental.

But now, I had no choice. Apart from continuing to work for Song Yu, I couldn’t find a way to quickly extricate myself from this mess.

I’m only 20, with a future full of possibilities. I can’t afford to have a criminal record over this, nor can I let my parents find out, or they’d be furious.

After much thought, I finally bowed to reality: “Fine, I agree.”

A hint of warmth returned to Song Yu’s cold face. He curled his lips into a smile and reached out to ruffle my hair as he always did.

I turned my head away, avoiding his touch.

His hand froze in mid-air, fingers curling and uncurling before he clenched it into a fist and withdrew.

“Song Yu, don’t you feel any guilt for treating me this way?” I gripped the edge of the bed tightly, my pale knuckles showing blue veins from the strain.

Song Yu lifted his chin slightly, his voice icy: “Bai Yu, you still don’t understand your role. I’ve told you before, there might come a day when a necessary sacrifice is required.”

“I gave you a choice back then, and you chose to stay and work for me. It’s the same this time; I’m giving you the choice again. It’s up to you to decide whether to stay or leave.”

“I don’t like forcing people to work for me, nor do I like meddling in others’ affairs. Do you understand?”

I clenched my fist tighter, feeling a pressure in my chest that made it hard to breathe, as if I were suffocating.

I never imagined that my impulsive decision would lead me to this predicament, swallowing my grievances in silence.

Perhaps realizing his words were too harsh, Song Yu softened his tone slightly: “For the next few days, just focus on recovering in the hospital. I’ll handle the police, and no one will bother you again.”

“And for the injustice you’ve suffered, I’ll do my best to compensate you.” Song Yu said, pulling out a blank check and placing it in front of me, adding seriously, “As long as the amount is reasonable, I’ll fulfill it.”

Anger boiled inside me, and seeing the check only fueled my frustration. While I liked money, not everything could be fixed with it.

“Song Yu, do you think having money makes you invincible? That you can just throw money at problems after hurting someone?”

Song Yu looked at me steadily, seemingly puzzled.

“Then what do you want?”

“Didn’t you come out here to make money?”

I was stunned, unsure of how to respond.

What do I really want?

If my sole purpose was to make money, then the blank check in front of me could easily be filled with an amount I’d never earn in a lifetime. Yet, instead of feeling ecstatic, I felt an emptiness inside, as if something crucial was missing.

Why is that?

“Bai Yu, you must understand, not everyone can possess wealth at the age of twenty that others might never achieve in a lifetime.”

“To bear the crown, one must bear its weight, do you understand?”

I admit I don’t know as much as Song Yu, nor can I articulate profound truths like he does. He always manages to leave me speechless with just a few words.

I can’t argue with him, nor do I know how to explain myself. Even I’m confused.

Clearly, he used me, putting me in a perilous situation, yet he always measures equivalent harm with money.

Honestly, it’s the first time I’ve felt such disdain for money.

Song Yu noticed my silence and didn’t say much else, offering a few words of advice before heading out of the room.

Watching his departing figure, I took a deep breath and called out to him loudly.

He stopped, turned around, and looked at me.

“Why me?” I asked him.

I desperately wanted to know why Song Yu chose me. I never believed in the nonsense of intuition.

Song Yu is a man of principles; he wouldn’t choose me without reason.

Could it be, as Catherine suggested, that my appearance aligns with the preferences of the bosses? Or as Wang Li’an implied, am I just a small fry without background or strength, forced to endure grievances?

Luo Yewen mentioned that the previous two public relations were fired for being infatuated with Song Yu. I said the same thing, yet the outcome was different.

Song Yu doesn’t sleep with them, yet he expects me to treat such matters as part of my job.

Is it merely to satisfy his desires?

I refuse to believe it; I want to hear Song Yu tell me himself.

Song Yu’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, but the mouth that could always convince me remained silent for quite a while.

“Get some rest,” Song Yu said, leaving the room before I could speak again.

…

In the following days, Song Yu didn’t visit the hospital, leaving Luo Yewen to stay and look after me.

I felt quite embarrassed, repeatedly urging him to return, but he refused, citing the boss’s orders. Eventually, I stopped insisting.

Luo Yewen informed me that Wang Li’an had been arrested for illegal detention and sexual assault, and the prosecution had uncovered evidence of his embezzlement and bribery over the years. Even if he wasn’t sentenced to life, he’d be spending ten to twenty years in prison.

I scoffed coldly, “Song Yu must be quite pleased.”

Luo Yewen looked at me, seemingly puzzled by my words.

“If nothing unexpected happens, the land that Wang Li’an had been holding back should now be approved under Huanya’s name.”

Though young and inexperienced, I’m not naive. Over the past few days, I’ve been pondering whether Song Yu’s elaborate scheme was merely to bring Wang Li’an down.

Clearly, it wasn’t.

Song Yu is a man with a purpose in everything he does. He set his sights on the land on Jin Street, and since Wang Li’an refused to approve it for Huanya, Song Yu simply took decisive action and replaced him.

And I was just a pawn in his plan.

“Yes, the Project Department just finalized the contract yesterday,” Luo Yewen said.

I smirked, confirming my suspicions.

Luo Yewen’s expression soured slightly, perhaps picking up on the disdain in my laughter.

“Do you think the boss only cares about making money, indifferent to your fate? Is that why you hold a grudge against him?”

I tilted my head, feigning ignorance as I looked at him. “What else?”

“Shouldn’t I hate him? Do you even know what I went through that day?”

Luo Yewen sighed, “Even if you hate the boss, it won’t be for much longer.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“The boss’s time in the country is limited, or rather, his time at Huanya is.”

I was a bit confused. Isn’t Song Yu the boss? How could he leave Huanya?

“The major shareholder of Huanya, Chi Jin’s father, along with some minor shareholders, held a shareholders’ meeting and froze the boss’s stock in Huanya. The boss might be facing the possibility of being ousted from Huanya at any moment.”

Although I’m not well-versed in business affairs, I could grasp the basic meaning.

If things were as Luo Yewen described, how could Song Yu still live so carefree? With admirers chasing after him like a white moonlight or a red mole.

“You don’t need to scare me with this. Song Yu, he…”

“I’m not scaring you,” Luo Yewen interrupted, his expression very serious.

I paused, staring at him.

“Do you know why Mr. Chi returned to the country?”

I thought for a moment and said, “Wasn’t he back to learn business from Song Yu?”

Luo Yewen laughed, took a deep breath, and said, “Mr. Chi was merely sent back by his father to keep an eye on the boss.”

“Keep an eye on Song Yu?”

Luo Yewen nodded and continued, “The boss increased the company’s share in M Country to 40%, threatening the major shareholder’s interests, which is why the boss voluntarily relocated back to the country.”

“Unexpectedly, the major shareholder sent his son, Chi Jin, back under the guise of learning business from the boss, but in reality, it’s to prevent the boss from expanding in the Asian region, affecting the M Country headquarters.”

“So… what happens next?”

I began to understand Song Yu’s situation; he wasn’t as carefree as I had imagined.

“To counter the situation in M Country, the boss has to secure as many major projects as possible here in Z Country, then apply for international trade collateral to safeguard his stocks. As long as the boss holds onto that 40% share, they can’t do anything to him.”

I listened, feeling a bit lost, as if my brain couldn’t keep up.

“So he… used me and Wang Li’an…” I trailed off, unable to continue, as the thought of that day’s events made me shiver.

“Because the boss simply doesn’t have time to wait. If he can’t secure the stocks within the freeze period, he loses his voice at Huanya, and all his efforts over the years would be for nothing.”

“As the boss’s personal public relations, it’s your duty to alleviate his worries. That day was just an accident; no one wanted it to happen.”

“So, you really have no reason to hate the boss.”

“On the contrary, you should be grateful. Not everyone who gets bullied sees justice. Many share your experience, yet they can only swallow their pride. At least the boss ensured Wang Li’an faced consequences and provided you with material compensation.”

“Compared to others, you’re quite fortunate.”

Luo Yewen, being groomed by Song Yu, managed to entangle me with just a few words, making it seem like holding onto this matter was petty and ungrateful.

“What I’ve told you today, don’t mention it to the boss. He doesn’t like people gossiping about his affairs.”

“Otherwise, it won’t benefit either of us.”

After hesitating for a few seconds, I nodded.