Chapter 126 Extra Chapter (Song Zhiyi and Huo Yanli): 1. Holding Hands
The last week of vacation.
Song Zhiyi didn't plan to fill her last few days with activities. She needed to adjust to the pace of Beijing and also handle some backlogged personal matters. Huo Yanli didn't suggest any intensive dating plans, but simply sent a message on the first morning: "What are the plans for today? Be ready to serve if you need a driver or guide. It's been so long since I've been back, many places have changed quite a bit."
His tone was casual, like a friend offering help, leaving her ample room to refuse.
Song Zhiyi thought for a moment and replied, "I'd like to take a stroll around the area near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take care of some business and do some sightseeing."
"What time are you leaving? It's on my way." He replied quickly.
So, at 10 a.m., Huo Yanli's car stopped downstairs at the hotel where she was staying.
The car first drove to the vicinity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Song Zhiyi went to take care of her business, and when she came out, the two walked side by side on the familiar streets nearby. The old dormitory building where she had lived for several years was still there, the walls seemed to have been repainted, and the locust tree downstairs was even thicker.
"Have the motion-sensor lights downstairs been fixed?" Huo Yanli suddenly asked.
Song Zhiyi paused for a moment before recalling an incident many years ago when he walked her home and the motion-sensor light in the hallway was broken. She shook her head: "I don't know, I didn't go up to check. It should be fixed by now."
"Back then, I felt that these conditions were unfair to you." Huo Yanli looked at the building, his tone flat and emotionless. "Now that I think about it, for you, it was probably just a place to sleep, and it didn't matter where you were."
Song Zhiyi didn't reply, but just smiled. Indeed, back then her mind was entirely on work, and the dormitory was just a place to stay. Looking back now, it evoked a distant sense of familiarity.
They drove past the area where the Huo family's old residence was located, but did not go in; they only glanced at it from afar.
“My mom was talking about it the other day, saying that a new private restaurant opened near Houhai Lake, with a great view and authentic food,” Huo Yanli said casually. “Ji Yun and the others went there and said it’s worth a try. If you don’t have any plans tonight, how about we go and give it a go? Just to… get to know Beijing for what it is today.”
He didn't use the word "date," and his reason was casual. Song Zhiyi could sense his caution, and her heart softened slightly.
"Okay," she agreed.
As evening fell, the two arrived at Houhai. They chose a window seat at a private restaurant; the food was indeed exquisite and delicious, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. They chatted about the changes in Beijing over the past five years, some interesting things that happened at the Huo Foundation, and Song Zhiyi's experiences in Africa, avoiding heavy topics, exchanging fragments of their worlds like two long-lost friends.
After dinner, it wasn't completely dark yet, and the streetlights were just coming on. Huo Yanli suggested taking a walk along the lake.
After walking a short distance, I heard a familiar, loud voice rang out in surprise: "Hey! Who's this? Am I seeing things?"
Song Zhiyi and Huo Yanli turned their heads simultaneously, only to see Ji Yun, Zhou Mubai, and Shen Yu standing not far away, having just emerged from a nearby bar. Ji Yun's face was filled with the excitement of "catching them red-handed." Zhou Mubai adjusted his glasses, a smile flashing in his eyes. Shen Yu raised an eyebrow, looking knowing.
Song Zhiyi paused slightly, a rare, almost awkward expression flashing across her face. Although she and Huo Yanli had kept their relationship a secret since that day at the cemetery, this was the first time they had been caught walking side by side in front of acquaintances in such a private manner.
Huo Yanli, however, remained calm and even took a half-step forward, subtly pulling her closer to him, before looking at the three people: "Qiao. You're here too?"
"What a coincidence!" Ji Yun strode over, his eyes darting back and forth between the two, his smile widening. "I was wondering why Yanli had been so elusive these past few days, giving me perfunctory answers on the phone. Turns out he had some 'important business'!" He emphasized the words "important business," then turned to Song Zhiyi, his smile instantly becoming bright and ingratiating. "Zhiyi! When did you get back? You didn't even say a word! That's not very nice of you!"
Zhou Mubai and Shen Yu also came over and politely greeted Song Zhiyi, their attitude both familiar and respectful as always.
Song Zhiyi quickly regained her composure and replied with a smile, "I haven't been back long, just taking a short break. Ji Yun, you're still the same as always."
"That's right! My heart will always be young!" Ji Yun laughed heartily, then nudged Huo Yanli with his elbow, lowering his voice but enough for everyone to hear, "Not bad, buddy, the clouds have parted and the moon is shining? You don't have to wait for the ten-year promise to be fulfilled?"
Upon hearing this, Song Zhiyi's ears burned slightly. Huo Yanli gave Ji Yun a warning glance, but couldn't hide the smile in his eyes. He didn't answer Ji Yun, but very naturally, under the watchful eyes of his friends, reached out and gently took Song Zhiyi's hand, which was hanging by her side.
His hands were warm and dry, with thin calluses, and the strength with which he held her was neither too light nor too heavy, yet it carried a clear message and a comforting power.
Song Zhiyi's fingers twitched slightly, but she didn't pull them away. She felt her friends' gazes grow even more intense (especially Ji Yun, who seemed to have discovered a new continent), and she also felt the steady warmth from Huo Yanli's palm. A strange feeling, mixed with shyness and reassurance, welled up in her heart.
"You talk too much," Huo Yanli said to Ji Yun, his tone helpless yet indulgent.
"Okay, okay, I'll shut up!" Ji Yun raised his hands in surrender, but his smile stretched to his ears. "I won't disturb your romantic time! But..." He looked at Song Zhiyi and said sincerely, "Zhiyi, welcome back. It's really great."
Zhou Mubai and Shen Yu nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with heartfelt blessings.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the three tactfully left, and even from a distance, they could still faintly hear Ji Yun's excited voice.
The lakeside returned to tranquility, with only faint music and the sound of the wind. Huo Yanli didn't immediately let go of her hand, and Song Zhiyi didn't move either. The two continued walking slowly forward, hand in hand. The streetlights cast long, overlapping shadows of them.
"Ji Yun has always been like that, don't mind him," Huo Yanli said softly.
"No." Song Zhiyi shook her head, looking at the two clasped hands. After a while, she said softly, "They... are genuinely happy for you."
Huo Yanli squeezed her hand tighter: "It's for you too."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com