Chapter 116 Ripples
Time has quietly slipped into the new year. The Spring Festival has just passed, and Beijing still retains a bit of the languid atmosphere of the holidays, but news in certain circles is like an undercurrent beneath the ice of early spring, quietly surging.
The news of Huo Yanli and Song Zhiyi's divorce was not officially announced; the two handled it discreetly. However, in Beijing's social circles, which are both large and small, especially within the tightly knit social network at the top, there are virtually no secrets. Not long after the formalities were completed, rumors began to circulate.
Surprisingly, the expected gloating and sarcasm did not materialize. On the contrary, both the aristocratic families who were on good terms with the Huo family and those circles that had previously held prejudices against Song Zhiyi expressed more regret and sighs upon hearing the news.
One evening, not long after the Lantern Festival, Ji Yun organized a gathering at a secluded club he had recently invested in. Among those present were Zhou Mubai, Shen Yu, and several other scions of prominent families with whom he was close. After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became slightly tipsy, and somehow the conversation veered towards this matter.
“To be honest,” a young man from an energy company took a sip of his drink, shook his head, and said with unusual seriousness, “when I think about it now, I still feel… a bit uneasy. How many years has it been since we’ve seen a woman like Song Zhiyi in our circle? No, we’ve never seen one at all.”
A young man whose family was involved in politics nodded in agreement: "Yes. I used to think she was dull, unsociable, and not good enough for Yanli. But I later realized that we were just too shallow. She sees a world map, while we only see a map of Beijing, maybe with Hainan or a few other resort islands abroad."
"Do you remember when she quietly saved someone at my father's birthday banquet?" another said, still shaken. "Her composure, her skill... I still admire her when I think about it. Later, when I heard about her experiences on the battlefield, wow, it was like hearing a legendary tale."
Listening to his friends' comments, Ji Yun sighed, "You've all hit the nail on the head. So now I think that her not staying with the Huo family isn't her loss, it's the Huo family's loss." He paused, then looked at Zhou Mubai and Shen Yu, who hadn't said much, "and I'm afraid it's also a loss for our circle."
Zhou Mubai adjusted his glasses and calmly added, "To be precise, we lost an opportunity that could have made this circle... a little different. It was like a mirror, reflecting the paleness and limitations of many of our lives. It was also like a pebble, which, although only briefly thrown into our pond, created ripples that may last longer than we imagined."
"Yanli, he..." someone asked tentatively, "Is he really just going to let it go like that? I've seen him making a lot of moves lately, throwing a lot of money at that peace foundation."
Ji Yun gave a wry smile: "Who knows what he's thinking? But, based on my understanding of him, this matter... isn't over." He recalled Huo Yanli's words on the phone, "If he leaves, he'll come back," his tone terrifyingly certain.
“That’s true.” Someone clicked their tongue. “If it were me, after seeing stars like that, other stars just seem to lack something.”
The main character of the dinner party was not present, yet she seemed to be everywhere. The woman they once looked down upon, and later forced to look up to, even though she had already left, still left an influence and a topic of conversation that quietly fermented in this circle known for its extravagance and pragmatism.
Some changes have already occurred quietly, like still waters running deep.
At the beginning of the year, the Ji family's medical group passed a new resolution at its internal strategic meeting: to establish the "Yunguang International Rescue Fund," with an initial investment of 200 million yuan, specifically to support Chinese medical teams in participating in domestic and international disaster and humanitarian crisis relief efforts, and to provide specialized training and insurance coverage for aid medical personnel. When Ji Yun persuaded the board of directors, he didn't mention Song Zhiyi, but instead presented a series of shocking data on the shortage of medical resources, as well as the long-term value of participating in rescue efforts in enhancing the group's brand image, technology, and talent reserves. The board approved it, but Ji Yun himself knew that the idea had taken root in his mind late one night when he watched Song Zhiyi pull his mother back from the brink of danger with a few silver needles.
Zhou Mubai's law firm quietly shifted its focus. They began consciously taking on more public interest litigation and international legal aid cases involving overseas labor rights, transnational environmental litigation, and the protection of minority cultures. These cases are often time-consuming and labor-intensive, with meager financial returns, and may even offend some clients. But Zhou Mubai overruled objections, insisting at a partners' meeting: "The law should not only serve capital, but also speak for justice and the vulnerable. The experience and reputation gained from these cases are invaluable in the long run." No one knew that in the most prominent spot on his bookshelf sat an ordinary USB drive containing some "reference materials."
Shen Yu's investment bank, in its latest organizational restructuring, formally established the "Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility Investment Department." This department operates independently, focusing on screening and investing in innovative companies that excel in environmental protection, social responsibility, and corporate governance, or those dedicated to solving specific social problems. Initially considered a "cost center," this department was granted significant authority and resource support by Shen Yu. In an internal briefing, he stated, "Future capital flows will undoubtedly pay more attention to the social value of companies. Our current strategic positioning is an investment in the future." Only a very few people know that the department's first informal research project was "Exploring Financing Models for Small, Livelihood-Oriented Enterprises in Conflict Zones."
Beyond its high-profile foundation, the Fok family has also implemented a series of subtle adjustments within the group: incorporating stricter human rights and environmental protection clauses into supply chain audits; including social responsibility contributions in executive performance evaluations; encouraging employee participation in volunteer service and providing paid volunteer leave…
These changes, scattered across different fields and companies, appear independent. But a careful observer might trace them back to a subtle connection. The source of this connection points to a woman who only briefly spent a few years in Beijing's top circles and is now working tirelessly for peace at the United Nations.
She didn't try to change anyone; she simply lived the life she wanted—clear-headed, resolute, and with a heart that held something broader than personal gain or loss.
Some people, having witnessed such light, can no longer live comfortably in their former darkness or superficiality. So, they begin to clumsily try, within their own capabilities, to make the world a little bit better.
This impact is invisible and intangible, yet it is truly happening, like a seed falling into the soil, quietly taking root and sprouting in a corner where no one notices.
One weekend, the family gathering at the Huo family's old house was more harmonious and relaxed than ever before.
Halfway through the meal, Mrs. Huo suddenly sighed softly, as if unconsciously remarking, "Speaking of which, Zhiyi has been there for almost half a year now, hasn't she? I wonder how she's adapting. The winters there are much harder than in Beijing."
A moment of silence fell over the table after those words. Since Song Zhiyi left, her name was rarely mentioned in the old house, like an unspoken taboo. Huo Siqi quickly glanced at the empty seats where her grandfather and eldest brother (Huo Yanli was away at a business dinner today) usually sat, then lowered her head to eat. Huo Zheng paused in his act of picking up food.
Mr. Huo glanced at his wife with some surprise, then replied gently, "Why did you suddenly think of this? Didn't you say a few days ago that you saw her on the news at some UN meeting?"
Mrs. Huo nodded, put down her chopsticks, and looked away. "It was just one shot, a fleeting glimpse, of her sitting in the back row, head down, looking at documents. But that one moment touched me deeply." She paused, her tone carrying a complex mix of emotions. "Now, when I occasionally see those young ladies and wives from prominent families who come to visit or at parties, I always feel... something is missing from them."
"What's missing?" Mr. Huo asked curiously. Huo Siqi also looked up.
Mrs. Huo thought for a moment, seemingly searching for the right words: "They lack that drive. It's not that they're bad; most of them are well-mannered, speak politely, some are talented, and some are good at managing a household. But..." She shook her head, "They all seem to live within a set framework, knowing what they should do and how they should behave, following the rules step by step, elegant and proper. But Zhiyi is different."
Her gaze deepened: "It's as if she's never stepped into that box. She knows what she wants, not what her family wants, not what her social circle thinks she should want, but what she truly wants to pursue in her heart. And then, she dares to ask for it, dares to take the plunge, even if the path seems difficult, un-'refined,' or even a bit dangerous. You see, she said she'd go to the United Nations, and she went to the United Nations; she said she'd go to the battlefield, and she went to the battlefield; she said she'd get a divorce... and she really did get a divorce."
Mrs. Huo's voice lowered, tinged with self-mockery and a clear realization: "I used to think she didn't understand the rules and wasn't respectable. Now I understand, it's not that she didn't understand, it's that she has her own rules and a higher standard. That spirit of knowing what you want and daring to pursue it is so rare in our circle. Most people are so tightly bound by status, face, and interests that they have long forgotten what kind of person they originally wanted to be."
Huo Siqi's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously: "Yes, that's exactly how my sister-in-law is! She's unlike anyone I know! She's like...like the kind of female knight-errant in novels, with mountains and rivers in her heart!"
Huo Zheng had been listening quietly, and now, a slight smile of understanding and relief appeared on his lips. He looked at his mother, his tone gentle:
"Sister-in-law, it seems you've been 'infected' too."
Mrs. Huo paused for a moment, then understood what he meant. She smiled with relief, a smile that contained emotion, regret, but above all, a magnanimous appreciation.
“Yes,” she said softly, as if to herself, and as if to the girl far away, “it’s not so bad to be ‘infected’.”
Some people come into existence to break down outdated perceptions and illuminate forgotten corners.
Even though she has left, the places that light once illuminated are no longer the same.
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