Chapter 86 School Anniversary

On the occasion of the centennial celebration, the campus was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, exuding an atmosphere that blended joy and nostalgia. Alumni dressed in formal attire or wearing school badges strolled among the students, and elderly professors with white hair posed alongside spirited young students, creating a vivid scene that transcended time.

Huo Yanli's car was parked in the alumni-only parking lot. Today, he was wearing a well-tailored dark gray suit, without a tie, and the collar was slightly open, giving him a more casual and friendly look, less like a typical business occasion. He got out of the car first and walked around to the other side to open the car door for Song Zhiyi.

Song Zhiyi was dressed very appropriately today. She wore a finely crafted light apricot silk blouse paired with high-waisted black trousers. Her hair was styled in a neat low bun at the back of her head, and her makeup was extremely light, with only her eyebrows outlined and a natural layer of lipstick applied. She wore the watch Huo Yanli had given her, and no other jewelry on her wrist except for two small pearl stud earrings on her earlobes, yet she exuded a calm and composed demeanor.

"Are you nervous?" Huo Yanli took the small handbag from her and asked naturally.

Song Zhiyi shook her head slightly: "It's alright." She had attended countless international events, and this kind of alumni gathering did not pose a pressure for her. It was just that her identity was slightly different—this time, she was attending as "Huo Yanli's partner."

"Just follow me." Huo Yanli's voice was gentle, with a reassuring certainty. He didn't offer her arm, but simply walked side by side with her, maintaining a just-right distance, towards the main venue.

I ran into many acquaintances along the way. There were classmates from the same year, business partners, and junior students from a few years below.

"Yanli! Long time no see!" A middle-aged man wearing glasses and looking like a scholar walked towards me and greeted me warmly.

"Senior brother." Huo Yanli stopped, a sincere smile on his face. He then turned to the side, raised his arm slightly, and gestured towards Song Zhiyi. "Let me introduce you. This is my wife, Song Zhiyi." His voice was clear and steady, with natural respect and a hint of barely perceptible pride in his tone.

"Zhiyi, this is Senior Chen Zhiyuan, two years ahead of me, and he now teaches at the University of Science and Technology."

Song Zhiyi nodded slightly to Chen Zhiyuan and extended her hand: "Hello, Senior Brother Chen."

"Hello, hello!" Chen Zhiyuan quickly shook hands, his gaze shifting between the two, his smile widening. "I've heard that Yanli got married, and I'm so glad to finally meet my sister-in-law today! They're a perfect match!"

After exchanging a few pleasantries, they continued on their way. Similar scenes played out repeatedly.

"Mr. Huo! And who is this gentleman?"

"My wife, Song Zhiyi."

"Senior Yanli! And who is this lady?"

"My wife."

"Huo Yanli? Oh, you've brought family? And who is this...?"

"My wife, Song Zhiyi."

Each time he introduced her, Huo Yanli did so without hesitation, his tone frank. He didn't use words like "lover" or "wife," which might have sounded more intimate; he always used the title "my wife," a simple term that carried significant weight due to his solemn attitude. Each time, he pronounced "Song Zhiyi" in full, as if those three words themselves deserved to be treated with care and remembered.

Song Zhiyi stood quietly beside him, accepting all kinds of gazes—curious, kind, and inquisitive. She maintained a polite, gentle smile throughout, responding simply and courteously, neither overly enthusiastic nor cold. She could sense that Huo Yanli was using his own way to announce her existence to his entire world and to offer her the strongest support.

At the alumni sign-in wall, they met Professor Qin, Huo Yanli's mentor from his university days and a professor in the School of Economics. Professor Qin, nearly seventy years old, was in good spirits, and his eyes lit up when he saw Huo Yanli.

"Yanli! We've been waiting for you!" Professor Qin's voice was loud and clear as he patted Huo Yanli's shoulder forcefully.

"Professor Qin, it's been a long time. You're still in such good health." Huo Yanli greeted him respectfully, then stepped aside again. "Professor, this is my wife, Song Zhiyi. Zhiyi, this is Professor Qin, my undergraduate advisor, who had a profound influence on me."

"Professor Qin, hello." Song Zhiyi bowed slightly, her attitude humble.

Professor Qin adjusted his glasses, carefully examined Song Zhiyi for a moment, then looked at Huo Yanli, a gratified smile appearing on his face: "Good, good. Yanli," he turned to Huo Yanli, his gaze wise, "The last time I saw you was two or three years ago, wasn't it? You seem to have changed quite a bit."

Huo Yanli smiled: "What does the teacher mean?"

“You’re more stable now,” Professor Qin said slowly, his eyes filled with insight. “Before, you were sharp and aggressive, like a sword drawn from its sheath. Now…” He paused, his gaze sweeping over Song Zhiyi, who was standing quietly to the side, his smile deepening. “Now you’re like a sword that has been sheathed, your brilliance is restrained, but your foundation is deeper. It seems that starting a family and building a career really does help people grow.”

Huo Yanli followed his teacher's gaze and looked at Song Zhiyi. She wasn't flustered by this sudden "comment," but calmly returned his gaze with clear eyes. The tenderness in Huo Yanli's eyes almost overflowed, and he nodded to Professor Qin: "The teacher is right. It really makes a difference when someone can make you feel at ease."

Professor Qin nodded knowingly and said nothing more, only saying, "See you at the dinner. Show Zhiyi around the campus; our school has a very beautiful environment."

After saying goodbye to Professor Qin, Huo Yanli took Song Zhiyi for a leisurely stroll on campus. Sunlight filtered through the sycamore leaves, casting dappled shadows. Young students played ball on the playground, and the library was bustling with people.

“That’s the old building of the School of Economics and Management, the place I spent the most time in during my four years of college.” Huo Yanli pointed to a red brick building covered with ivy. “The classroom on the far east side of the third floor is where Professor Qin taught us Macroeconomic Theory. I often sat in the seat by the window.”

Song Zhiyi looked in the direction he pointed, imagining Huo Yanli in his early twenties sitting in the classroom, perhaps with more flamboyant features and sharp eyes listening to the lesson.

"Back then, I was young and impetuous, and I always felt like I had the world in my grasp." Huo Yanli smiled, with a hint of self-deprecation. "When I debated with my classmates, I wouldn't give an inch, which made Teacher Qin so angry that she slammed her fist on the table several times, saying that we were 'frogs in a well.'"

"You can also have heated debates with people?" Song Zhiyi was a little surprised. In her memory, Huo Yanli was calm, restrained, and good at controlling the pace in business negotiations.

“Of course.” Huo Yanli looked at her, his eyes shining. “But I gradually realized that true power is not about persuading others, but about understanding differences and finding common ground. This is probably also… part of growing up.”

They walked past the basketball court, past the tree-lined path, past the former student cafeteria. Huo Yanli recounted some trivial anecdotes: staying up all night with his roommates to prepare for a case competition, getting caught in a downpour while running on the track, being caught by the dormitory supervisor for secretly cooking hot pot with prohibited electrical appliances in the dormitory in winter... These trivial, down-to-earth stories, told in a gentle and detailed manner, made the image of the aloof "President Huo" and "Prince" more concrete and vivid.

Song Zhiyi listened quietly, occasionally asking a question about a detail. She found that listening to him recount his past was like reading another side of his life. This feeling was novel, but not repulsive.