Chapter 57 Class Reunion

Three days later, at a private restaurant near Liangmaqiao in Beijing.

The private room was decorated in a Chinese style, with mahogany furniture, blue and white porcelain vases, and antique-style landscape paintings on the walls. The air conditioning was on full blast, keeping out the early autumn chill from outside.

Lin Wei was the last to arrive. When she pushed open the door, there were already seven or eight people in the private room—all of them were her college classmates, the group she had a good relationship with back then.

"Weiwei's here!" Wang Ting was the first to stand up and rush over to hug her. "Why are you so late? We've been waiting for ages!"

"There was a traffic jam on the way." Lin Wei smiled, her gaze quickly sweeping over the private room.

Then she saw Huo Yanli.

He sat by the window, whispering to a classmate. The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his well-defined forearms. The profile of his face was even more pronounced under the light, his jawline sharp—the handsome yet aloof look she remembered.

It just seems... even colder.

"Yanli!" Lin Wei walked over, her voice carrying just the right amount of surprise and nostalgia, "Long time no see."

Huo Yanli looked up. His gaze was calm, as if he were looking at an ordinary acquaintance: "Long time no see."

There were no extra words, no change in expression.

Lin Wei's heart sank slightly, but her smile remained unchanged. She naturally sat down in the empty seat next to him.

"When did you come back to China?" Chen Mo asked, sitting across from me. "You didn't even tell us beforehand, so we could have given you a welcome-back party."

"I've only been back for a few days, and I haven't fully adjusted to the time difference yet." Lin Wei took the hot towel handed to her by the waiter and gently wiped her fingers. "I was thinking of contacting everyone after I settled in, but I didn't expect Wang Ting to be so well-informed."

"Absolutely!" Wang Ting said with a smile, "It's a big deal that our beautiful Weiwei is back in the country!"

The atmosphere brightened up again. Everyone started chatting about their recent lives: who got married, who got promoted, who started a business, who went abroad and came back. Lin Wei chimed in at the right moment, her laughter crisp and her eyes bright, and she quickly became the center of attention again.

As she spoke, she kept glancing at Huo Yanli out of the corner of her eye.

He didn't talk much, mostly listening and occasionally responding with a word or two. The red wine in his glass barely touched his lips, and his fingers tapped unconsciously on the table—a habitual gesture she remembered when he was thinking.

“Yanli is a very busy person now,” Chen Mo joked. “He’s the head of the Huo Group. He has to schedule a time to invite you to dinner.”

"That's an exaggeration," Huo Yanli said calmly.

“That’s not an exaggeration at all!” Wang Ting chimed in. “Last time, I wanted to discuss cooperation through our company, and I had to make an appointment three times before I finally met with President Huo—and it wasn’t even for dinner, just a fifteen-minute meeting in a conference room!”

Everyone laughed.

Taking the opportunity, Lin Wei asked, "Yanli, are you still living in the same old place?"

She asked about the apartment he rented during his university years, where they had spent many weekends. She brought up the memory herself, seemingly unintentionally, but actually testing the waters.

Huo Yanli glanced at her, his eyes deep: "I've moved."

Where did you move to?

The two words, "West Mountain," provide no further information.

Lin Wei's smile froze for a moment, but quickly returned: "The environment there is nice, it suits you." She paused, as if suddenly remembering something, "By the way, I heard you..."

She deliberately stopped there, waiting for someone to respond.

Sure enough, Chen Mo asked curiously, "What did you hear? Is there any gossip about Yanli that we don't know?"

Lin Wei hesitated, her gaze lingering on Huo Yanli's face for a moment before she lowered her head and said softly, "It's nothing, maybe I misheard."

This gesture is most likely to pique curiosity. Immediately, someone will ask, "What did you hear? Tell us!"

Lin Wei then raised her head, her eyes filled with a cautious probing: "I heard... Yanli got married?"

The private room fell silent for a moment.

Everyone looked at Huo Yanli. This matter was not a secret in the circle, but it was rarely discussed publicly—the Huo family kept the news very tight, and Mrs. Huo had never appeared in public.

Huo Yanli put down his teacup. The porcelain touched the mahogany table with a crisp sound.

"Yes," he admitted.

"Really?" Wang Ting exclaimed in surprise. "When did this happen? Why weren't we invited?"

"It's been over two years." Huo Yanli's tone was very calm. "It was a simple affair, we didn't invite many people."

"Wow..." Chen Mo exclaimed, "Our CEO Huo actually got married so quietly! Who is his wife? How come we've never seen her before?"

When this question was asked, everyone perked up their ears.

Lin Wei also looked at Huo Yanli, her fingers secretly clenching under the table. She couldn't find any specific information about Song Zhiyi, only that she worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and came from an ordinary family. She wanted to know how Huo Yanli would introduce that woman—would he acknowledge her, give her a perfunctory answer, or…

Huo Yanli remained silent for a few seconds.

A car drove by outside the window, its headlights casting a flickering shadow on his face through the window frame.

“She’s busy,” he finally said, uttering only two words.

Then he picked up his wine glass and took a sip of red wine. The action was natural, but his intention to avoid continuing the conversation was obvious.

Lin Wei's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't any of the answers she'd expected—no praise, no defense, not even the most basic introduction. Just "she's busy," as if referring to an insignificant colleague.

What does this mean? Does it mean their marriage was just a formality, as rumored? Does it mean Huo Yanli didn't care about his wife?

The flame of hope was rekindled in my heart.

“It’s good to be busy,” Lin Wei replied in a relaxed tone. “Women nowadays are independent and have their own careers. Like me, I’ve been working in New York for the past five years. Although it’s tough, it’s been very fulfilling.”

She naturally changed the subject, beginning to talk about her experiences in New York—a rosy version, of course: interning at a fashion magazine, attending various parties, and meeting interesting people. She made no mention of the financial struggles and hardships.

Huo Yanli listened without interrupting. His gaze fell on the Liangma River outside the window, its surface shimmering in the night, like a river of shattered stars.

He recalled that last night, his mother had called him, a rare occurrence, and said in a mixed tone, "If you're free this weekend... bring Zhiyi home for dinner. I'll have the kitchen prepare some of her favorite dishes."

He was quite surprised. His mother's attitude towards Song Zhiyi changed so quickly that he was somewhat unaccustomed to it.

“She might not be available,” he said.

“Then ask her,” Mrs. Huo insisted. “She cured my headache; I should thank her.”

He finally agreed, but hasn't contacted Song Zhiyi yet. For some reason, he felt a little... unsure how to put it.

"Yanli?" Lin Wei's voice pulled him back to reality.

He turned his head.

"What are you thinking about?" Lin Wei asked with a smile, her eyes as gentle as they were in college. "Are you too tired from work? You've always been like this, getting distracted when you're thinking about things."

The familiar tone, the familiar concern. Five years ago, he might have felt warm.

Right now, it just feels... distant.

“It’s nothing,” he said briefly.

The dishes were all served. Everyone started eating, and the conversation shifted to other topics. Lin Wei was good at livening up the atmosphere, telling jokes one after another, and bringing up embarrassing stories from college, filling the private room with laughter.

Huo Yanli was the only one who remained quiet. He ate little and drank little, spending most of his time listening.

Halfway through the party, Lin Wei went to the restroom. When she returned, her hands were wet, and she naturally approached Huo Yanli: "Yanli, could I borrow a tissue?"

Huo Yanli pulled two bills from the table and handed them over.

When Lin Wei took it, her fingertips "accidentally" touched the back of his hand. It was very light and quick, like a feather brushing against him.

"Thank you." She smiled, looking at him.

Huo Yanli withdrew his hand without saying anything.

But this detail was noticed by several people. Wang Ting and Chen Mo exchanged a glance, understanding each other without saying a word.

After dinner, everyone suggested going to a bar to continue the party. Huo Yanli glanced at his watch and said, "You guys go ahead, I have a morning meeting tomorrow."

"Leaving so early?" Lin Wei asked, her voice tinged with disappointment. "We rarely get together..."

"Next time." Huo Yanli stood up, picked up his coat, and said, "I've already paid the bill. Have fun."

As he reached the door, Lin Wei caught up with him.

“Yanli,” she said softly, standing behind him, “could we… have a few words alone?”

The corridor was dimly lit, and the sounds of noise from other private rooms could be heard in the distance.

Huo Yanli turned around.

Lin Wei looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears in the lamplight: "About what happened back then... I've always wanted to apologize to you. Your mother contacted me, saying that if I didn't leave, it would affect your future. I... I was too young, I didn't know what to do..."

Her voice choked, she lowered her head, and her shoulders trembled slightly.

These were lines she had rehearsed many times. She had to be vulnerable, sincere, and shift the blame to the pressure from her elders.

Huo Yanli looked at her silently. The corridor lights cast deep shadows on his face, obscuring his expression.

After a long silence, he said, "It's all in the past."

"Can we really get through this?" Lin Wei asked, her eyes filled with tears. "For the past five years, I've regretted it every single day... Yanli, can we still..."

"Lin Wei," Huo Yanli interrupted her, his voice calm, "I'm married."

Those four words were like a bucket of cold water poured over me.

Lin Wei was stunned.

“So,” Huo Yanli continued, “let bygones be bygones. I wish you a safe return home.”

He nodded and turned to leave.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, growing fainter and fainter.

Lin Wei stood there, her tears still wet on her face, but her eyes had changed—from pitiful to resentful to ruthless.

So what if we're married?

It's just a marriage of convenience. If she can win once, she can win a second time.

She wiped away her tears, touched up her makeup, put on a smile again, and walked back to the private room.

"Weiwei, Huo Yanli has left?" Wang Ting asked.

"Yeah, he had something to do at his company." Lin Wei smiled flawlessly. "Let's keep drinking! We won't leave until we're drunk tonight!"

The private room became lively again.

Downstairs, Huo Yanli got into his car but didn't start it immediately.

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

The image that comes to mind is Lin Wei's crying face, the aggrieved look on her face when she said "Your mother is looking for me," and the scene of them reading side by side in the library during their university years.

But soon, these images were replaced by another face—Song Zhiyi's profile as she focused on translating at the negotiating table, her slightly damp hair as she received acupuncture, and her calm departure after saving someone.

Two faces appear alternately, like projections of two different worlds.

One is a world he knows well, full of memories, but now broken.

One was a world unfamiliar to him, a world he had just begun to see but which was unfathomable.

His phone vibrated. He picked it up and saw a message from Ji Yun: "The party's over? Lin Wei didn't say anything, did she?"

Huo Yanli thought for a moment and replied, "I told you."

"What did you say?"

"She said she regretted it."

"What will you say?"

I told them I was married.

Ji Yun sent a thumbs-up emoji: "Wake up. As for Song Zhiyi... are you going to tell her that Lin Wei is back?"

Huo Yanli stared at the question for a long time without replying.

Outside the car window, the city night continued. Neon lights flickered, traffic flowed endlessly, and everyone was rushing to tell their own story.

As he sat in the car, he suddenly felt a little tired.

Tired of the entanglements of the past, tired of the complexities of the present, tired of the confusion of not knowing how to move forward.

Finally, he put down his phone and started the car.

The engine roared to life, and the car drove into the night.

As for that question...

He didn't know the answer.

We don't know yet, at least not at the moment.