Chapter 138: Love Is Silent, Yet Deafeningly Profound

The night was thick and heavy, like ink that refused to dilute.

When Song Qingyou arrived home, the villa was ablaze with light. As soon as the sound of the door opening echoed, Fu Wenzhou rushed over in a single bound. He took her bag, stooped to remove her shoes, and then served her a cup of freshly brewed hot tea.

Under normal circumstances, Gu Bai and the others would certainly have teased Fu Wenzhou for being henpecked and having no backbone. But right now, no one was in the mood for such banter.

The political winds in the capital had shifted overnight. Liang Jingkang was a member of the Zhao faction. With Zhao Jinheng losing the mayoral election and Zhou Zheng'an taking office, all those who had previously supported Zhao were being investigated. Liang Jingkang, holding a position of power and influence, was the first to bear the brunt.

The critical issue was that there had been no warning; the event was sudden. Liang Jingkang had been taken directly from his home, implicating a large number of people, including Liang Muchuan’s father, Liang Qidong. Fortunately, the Liang family still retained some prestige in the capital; even with Liang Jingkang's downfall and the investigation into the Huakong Group, Liang Qidong had exhausted his connections to temporarily shield the group from catastrophe.

However, with Liang Jingkang under investigation, the entire Liang family was in a state of turmoil. Their movements were monitored, and auditors were constantly checking the group’s accounts. Poor Old Master Liang, at his advanced age, had even suffered a heart attack due to the stress and was now hospitalized. Liang Muchuan himself had only managed to reach them today after going to great lengths to shake off those watching him.

Song Qingyou sat beside Fu Wenzhou, sipping her tea while her gaze swept over the others on the sofa. She remained silent.

Gu Bai looked at the ashen-faced Liang Muchuan. In just a few days, he looked significantly more haggard, his jaw covered in stubble. Gu Bai frowned and asked, "What is the actual situation with your uncle? What are the odds of getting him out?"

Liang Muchuan rested his elbows on his knees, burying his face in his palms. "My father says this is very serious. If my uncle isn't released within a month, the charges will essentially be finalized. At that point, it won't just be my uncle; I fear the entire Liang family will be doomed."

Xu Zezhan pulled a cigarette from the pack on the table, but the moment his fingertips touched his lighter, Fu Wenzhou snatched it away with a cold expression. "Youyou cannot stand the smell of smoke."

Xu Zezhan paused, then offered an apologetic smile. "My apologies, sister-in-law. I forgot for a moment."

Song Qingyou shook her head. "It's fine."

Xu Zezhan steered the conversation back. "Is there really no other way?"

The atmosphere in the living room was heavy. Liang Muchuan wiped his face. "None. My father has used every connection he has over the past few days. He spent millions just on favors and networking, but Zhou Zheng'an still refuses to budge."

At this, Liang Muchuan added with a bitter sneer, "All those people who used to flatter us—the moment trouble struck, their phones were turned off. The few who did answer spoke of being 'willing but unable to help,' clearly desperate to sever all ties with the Liang family."

The news of Liang Jingkang’s arrest had caused quite a stir. Everyone knew that the person behind his downfall was the newly appointed official, so naturally, no one dared to oppose him. They avoided the Liang family for fear of being implicated.

"What about the Ruan family? Have you reached out to them?" Fu Wenzhou’s brow was sharp, though his hand, resting on Song Qingyou’s waist, was gentle.

Liang Muchuan scoffed. "The Ruan family has been at odds with us for generations. While Ruan Mingchen’s two uncles do have a say in politics, there is no way they would help me."

In truth, he had already contacted the Ruan family before arriving at the Yalin villa. While they didn't avoid him outright, the moment he mentioned Liang Jingkang’s name, they would skillfully steer the conversation elsewhere. Liang Muchuan was no fool; he knew full well they were intentionally dodging him. Once he realized their stance, he had the sense to leave. Had he not been completely out of options, he wouldn't have dodged those people and traveled halfway across the capital to come to Fu Wenzhou.

Fu Wenzhou was his final hope. Old Master Fu had transitioned from the military to business years ago and had accumulated vast connections in the military; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so enraged that he nearly broke Fu Wenzhou’s leg when he refused to enlist.

Liang Muchuan looked up and said in a deep voice, "Wenzhou, do me this favor. Get my uncle out, and I am willing to hand over the AI intelligence sector of Huakong to you."

Although Liang Muchuan spoke to Fu Wenzhou, his eyes were fixed on Song Qingyou. AI intelligence was a key project for Song Qingyou as she worked to restart the Song family business, and it was a field she intended to research deeply. If Huakong ceded its AI division, it would be equivalent to handing over the fruits of three or four years of effort. This was the greatest sincerity he could offer.

Liang Muchuan knew his brother well—he did whatever Song Qingyou wanted. That was why he hadn't tried to stop Fu Wenzhou from calling her; he wasn't just begging Fu Wenzhou, he was begging Song Qingyou.

Unfortunately, the "mad dog" misunderstood his intentions. Seeing Liang Muchuan staring at Song Qingyou, his instincts flared, and he gave Liang Muchuan a sharp kick. "Where the hell are you looking? You haven't given up, have you!"

Liang Muchuan: "..."

The veins on his forehead bulged. He kept telling himself: *He’s a brother, we grew up together, and I need his help...* He managed to suppress his temper, swallowing the insults he wanted to spew.

Gu Bai rubbed his temples. "Wenzhou, hurry up. Think of a way to see if you can get Uncle Liang out."

Fu Wenzhou frowned slightly. "I haven't been in touch with those uncles for a long time. When they tried to force me to enlist and I refused, I offended the entire circle. Even if I were to swallow my pride and beg now, they might not give me, a junior, any face."

"Give it a try," Liang Muchuan exhaled. "We have to try."

Just as Fu Wenzhou was about to nod, he felt a soft hand grip his wrist. He looked back. "What is it, Youyou?"

Song Qingyou set down her teacup, her cool, clear gaze shifting to Liang Muchuan. "Did your uncle actually violate the law?"

"Of course not!" Liang Muchuan’s voice sank. "I can stake my reputation on the fact that my uncle never did anything outside the lines. He is being investigated entirely because of that old man named Qian."

"Qian Yuanhua?" Fu Wenzhou raised an eyebrow. "What does he have to do with this?"

Liang Muchuan took a deep breath, his eyes brimming with anger. "Qian Yuanhua was my uncle’s subordinate. He abused my uncle’s trust to sign off on several stalled projects and took bribes on the side. Zhou Zheng'an arrested him first, and now this man is fabricating stories, claiming everything was done under my uncle’s orders."

Song Qingyou pondered for a moment before saying, "If your uncle is innocent, then I believe the best response for the Liang family right now is to stay put and do nothing."

"What do you mean?" Liang Muchuan frowned.

Song Qingyou spoke slowly. "The more you act, the more ammunition you give the outside world. I doubt Zhou Zheng'an would detain your uncle based solely on Qian Yuanhua’s word. Even if Zhao Jinheng lost the election, the remaining forces are not to be underestimated. Why would he deliberately provoke them at such a critical juncture? Perhaps Zhou Zheng'an’s goal isn't to put your uncle in prison, but to force him to resign and step down voluntarily."

After a pause, Song Qingyou added, "He is using your uncle to intimidate the rest of the Zhao faction. Instead of exhausting yourselves begging for help everywhere, you should be considering what it is that the Liang family possesses that makes him wary."

She left it at that. She knew that sometimes, being too explicit was not a good thing. She had provided Liang Muchuan with a direction to solve the problem; as for how he chose to proceed, that was the Liang family’s business.

Liang Muchuan’s eyes flickered. After a long silence, he stood up. "Thank you. Once my uncle is out, I will immediately transfer the AI intelligence sector of Huakong, including the technology and the personnel, to the Song family."

Song Qingyou smiled faintly. "You don't need to thank me. I just don't like seeing Fu Wenzhou lowering his status to beg others for favors."

She spoke in a casual, understated tone, but it left the three men present stunned.

Xu Zezhan’s eyes were filled with shock. He hadn't expected Song Qingyou to reject such a massive reward, and for the sole reason that she disliked seeing that arrogant, wild "mad dog" groveling before others.

Liang Muchuan froze, a self-deprecating curve touching his lips. He had once foolishly deluded himself into thinking that Song Qingyou didn't love Fu Wenzhou and that one day she might choose him. Looking at it now, the thought seemed utterly ridiculous.

Gu Bai was equally astonished. At this moment, it felt as if they were meeting Song Qingyou for the first time. Perhaps they had been wrong all along. It wasn't that Song Qingyou didn't love Fu Wenzhou; she had likely loved him all along. Her love was simply restrained, protective, and a quiet, steadfast indulgence.