Chapter 40 Thank you

Time passed second by second.

About three minutes later, Huo Yanli's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. The cold sweat on his forehead stopped, and his breathing became steady.

"Are you feeling better?" Song Zhiyi asked.

Huo Yanli opened his eyes and looked at her face, which was so close to his. Her expression remained calm, her eyes focused intently on the location of the needle, as if observing some important experiment.

"Much better," he heard himself say, his voice a little hoarse.

The pain had indeed subsided considerably. The intense, throbbing pain had turned into a dull, throbbing ache that was perfectly bearable.

Song Zhiyi nodded and began removing the needle. Her movements were equally swift; after removing the needle, she pressed an alcohol swab against the puncture site to prevent bleeding.

The entire process was smooth and efficient, without any delays.

She put away the silver needles, returned the needle box to her briefcase, and then looked at Ji Yun: "Is there any warm water?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Ji Yun quickly asked the waiter to pour warm water.

Song Zhiyi took the water glass and handed it to Huo Yanli: "Drink slowly."

Huo Yanli took the water; the temperature was just right. He drank a few sips, and the warm water flowed down his esophagus, making his stomach feel much better.

"Thank you," he said.

Song Zhiyi shook her head, stood up, and found her phone in the corner of the sofa. She checked it, made sure it was okay, and put it back in her bag.

"You also know traditional Chinese medicine?" Zhou Mubai finally found his voice and asked the question that everyone present wanted to ask.

Song Zhiyi looked at him and nodded: "I've learned a little. My mother is a doctor and taught me the basics."

She spoke casually, but Ji Yun and the others knew that the acupuncture she had just performed was not something that could be described as "having studied a little bit".

"Sister-in-law, you're amazing!" Ji Yun said sincerely. "Really, I'm impressed."

Song Zhiyi didn't respond to that, but instead looked at Huo Yanli: "You can't drink alcohol if you have a stomach problem. Especially on an empty stomach."

Her tone was not accusatory; she was simply stating the facts.

Huo Yanli nodded. He found himself actually... feeling a little guilty.

“I’ll take you back,” he said, standing up. Although still a little weak, he was already able to move normally.

"No need," Song Zhiyi refused again. "I'll call a car. You can rest for a while before you leave."

She glanced at her watch: "The effects of the acupuncture should last about two hours. If it still hurts, you can take some mild medication. Avoid spicy or irritating foods."

After saying that, she turned to leave.

"Wait a minute," Huo Yanli called out to her.

Song Zhiyi turned around.

Huo Yanli looked at her, his throat tightening. He wanted to say so much—thank you, ask her how she learned acupuncture, ask her why she came back to get her phone… but in the end, he only said, “Take care on the road.”

Song Zhiyi nodded, pushed open the door, and left.

The private room fell silent again.

After a long while, Ji Yun let out a long sigh and slumped onto the sofa: "My God... I've never seen a woman like this in my life."

Zhou Mubai pushed up his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses filled with complex emotions: "That acupuncture treatment just now, the acupoints were located extremely accurately, and the technique was skillful. You can't do that without ten or eight years of experience."

Shen Yu finally spoke, uttering the most crucial question: "Yanli, do you know what kind of person you married?"

Huo Yanli leaned back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, without saying a word.

Does he know?

No, he didn't know.

He thought he knew—an ordinary woman who married to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, a translator at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a wife who had no interest in him or his world.

But now he realizes he knows nothing about her.

She speaks fluent and authentic French, knows the counselor at the French embassy, ​​and has professional insights into art.

She is skilled in traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture and can calmly provide first aid in emergencies.

She mediated amidst the flames of war, saved lives, and faced life-or-death situations.

She kept all of this hidden beneath that calm face, never flaunting or showing off.

Like tonight. She could have easily used this opportunity to showcase herself and win everyone's admiration and respect. But she didn't. She did what she had to do, and then left calmly.

It was as if all of this was just ordinary life.

Huo Yanli closed his eyes.

My stomach no longer hurts, but somewhere in my heart, it's starting to ache.

It was a strange, complex feeling.

There was shock, guilt, curiosity, and... a growing concern that even he himself was unwilling to admit.

“Yanli,” Ji Yun sat up straight, his expression unusually serious, “to be honest, if you still hold onto that five-year agreement… you might really regret it.”

Huo Yanli remained silent.

He just sat there, thinking about how Song Zhiyi had been kneeling in front of him, intently administering acupuncture.

He imagined the sensation of her cool fingers pressing against his abdomen.

I recall the tone in which she calmly said, "You can't drink alcohol if you have a stomach problem."

Then he realized something:

For the first time in over two years, he saw her face clearly from such close range.

For the first time, I felt her presence so clearly.

It's not the symbol "Mrs. Huo".

It is Song Zhiyi.

A real, complex woman, far beyond his imagination.