Chapter 64: His heart is filled with thoughts of mountains and rivers, and the world.
When the dinner party reached the dessert session, Song Zhiyi finally had a chance to catch her breath.
She went into the restroom on the side of the banquet hall, turned on the tap, and splashed cold water on her face. The woman in the mirror had a hint of weariness in her eyes, but her back remained straight. Six consecutive hours of intense concentration had taken its toll, even on her.
The bathroom door was pushed open, and Lin Wei walked in.
She had clearly touched up her makeup; her lips were now a vibrant red, and her eyeliner was darker. When she saw Song Zhiyi, she paused for a moment, then gave a meaningful smile.
"Translator Song." Lin Wei walked to the sink next to her, slowly opened her handbag, took out a powder compact to touch up her makeup, and said, "You've really worked hard today, running around doing everything."
Song Zhiyi did not respond and continued to dry her hands with a tissue.
Lin Wei looked at her in the mirror, her smile deepening: "I heard that your marriage with Yanli is a formality? You're getting a divorce when the five-year agreement expires?"
Her voice echoed in the empty bathroom, carrying a clear sense of provocation.
Song Zhiyi paused for a moment, then looked up at Lin Wei in the mirror.
Lin Wei expected to see panic, embarrassment, or at least anger. But what she saw was only a pair of calm eyes.
"How pathetic," Lin Wei continued, her voice feigning sympathy. "She's stuck with a man who doesn't love her, and she still has to pretend to be virtuous. Do you think that'll win the Huo family's approval?"
Song Zhiyi threw the used tissue into the trash can, her movements unhurried and deliberate.
Then she turned around and looked directly at Lin Wei.
“Ms. Lin,” her voice was calm, as if stating an objective fact, “are you very free?”
Lin Wei was stunned.
“If you have a lot of free time,” Song Zhiyi continued, “I suggest you find something worthwhile to do. For example, learn a foreign language or get a useful certificate. Spending time inquiring about other people’s marital status will not help your life at all.”
She spoke politely and objectively, like a teacher giving advice to a student.
Lin Wei's face went from red to white, then back to red. All the lines she had prepared—those sentimental words about "true love," "the past," and "feelings"—suddenly seemed childish and ridiculous in the face of Song Zhiyi's almost academic discussion.
"You..." Lin Wei wanted to say, "What right do you have to lecture me?" but she swallowed the words back. Because Song Zhiyi's eyes told her: I'm not lecturing you, I'm just stating the facts.
"I have something to attend to, please excuse me." Song Zhiyi nodded slightly, turned and walked out of the restroom.
The door closed gently.
Lin Wei stood there, looking at herself in the mirror—a meticulously applied makeup look, an expensive dress, and a perfect smile.
But just now, in front of Song Zhiyi, she felt like a clown.
The woman, dressed in an elegant suit and without makeup, didn't even raise her voice or say a harsh word. She simply defused all of her attacks with a casual "Are you bored?"
It was as if her provocations, her sarcasm, and her elaborate schemes were nothing more than boring entertainment in the eyes of the other party.
It's not worth mentioning.
Lin Wei gripped the edge of the sink tightly, her nails almost digging into the marble.
The woman in the mirror gradually became gloomy.
Outside the door, Song Zhiyi had already returned to the banquet hall. She checked the time and walked towards Huo's mother: "Mom, the dessert session will end in ten minutes, followed by free time for conversation. Grandpa should rest now; shall I take him back to his room?"
Looking at her, Huo's mother suddenly asked, "Did Lin Wei look for you in the restroom just now?"
Song Zhiyi paused slightly, then nodded: "We said a few words."
"What did she say?"
“Nothing important,” Song Zhiyi said calmly. “It was just an expression of personal emotions. I’ve already taken care of it.”
Mrs. Huo gave her a deep look: "You...don't you care?"
"What do you care about?" Song Zhiyi asked back, her eyes clear.
Mrs. Huo suddenly didn't know what to say. She recalled how, when she was young, if her husband's ex-girlfriend provoked her, she would become emotional and hold a grudge. But this daughter-in-law in front of her seemed to really... not care.
It's not that I'm pretending not to care; I genuinely feel that it's not important.
"Go and see Grandpa off," Mrs. Huo finally said. "I'll look after things here."
“Okay.” Song Zhiyi turned and walked towards the main table.
As Huo's mother watched her retreating figure, she suddenly remembered what Huo Zheng had said: "Third sister-in-law, Zhiyi's heart is set on the world, not on the squabbles within the household."
At the time, she thought that statement was an exaggeration.
Now, she's starting to believe it.
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