Chapter 32 The Family Banquet Turmoil 3
As the banquet progressed into its second half, the main dishes were served one after another: Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Steamed Grouper, Braised Abalone from South Africa, Crab Roe Lion's Head Meatballs... Each dish was made with top-quality ingredients and prepared by a master chef who had been working at the old house for thirty years, and each dish was a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.
But even the finest dishes cannot mask the subtle atmosphere at the table.
The servants cleared away the main course and served dessert and fruit. The mango pomelo sago was served in a clear crystal bowl, the almond tofu was as white and tender as jade, and the cherries and honeydew melon were neatly cut, making the presentation as exquisite as a work of art.
Huo Siqi scooped a spoonful of almond tofu with a small silver spoon, her movements elegant, but her gaze kept glancing at Song Zhiyi sitting opposite her. This suddenly appearing "cousin-in-law" made her feel inexplicably uncomfortable—she was too ordinary, too quiet, and didn't fit in with anyone else in the family.
She recalled her mother's private complaints: "I don't know what the old man was thinking, insisting that Yanli marry someone from such an ordinary family. How can he face people when he takes her out?"
She recalled that before leaving home today, her mother had specifically instructed her: "At the appropriate time, you can 'show some concern' for your new cousin-in-law. Let her know that the Huo family is not so easy to enter."
Huo Siqi put down her spoon, wiped her mouth with a napkin, then looked up at Song Zhiyi with an innocent smile on her face.
“Sister Song,” she began, her voice clear and bright, with the charming coquettishness unique to young girls, “what exactly do you do at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Do you translate a lot of documents every day? Isn’t it very boring?”
The question sounded like the curiosity of a junior, but everyone at the table understood the implication—translating documents, a tedious clerical job with little technical content and no sense of accomplishment.
All eyes were once again focused on Song Zhiyi.
Xu Wenjun frowned slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent. Lin Wanru picked up her teacup, concealing the smile on her lips. Huo Zhenbang and Huo Zhenting also stopped talking and looked over.
Huo Yanli tightened his grip on the wine glass. He looked at Song Zhiyi, wanting to see how she would respond to this question, which was clearly tinged with disdain.
Song Zhiyi had just finished a small piece of melon and put down her silver fork. She looked up at Huo Siqi, her eyes calm and even gentle—like she was looking at a naive child.
“It’s not all about translating documents.” Her voice was steady, neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone at the table to hear. “Recently, I’ve been mainly involved in consultations on the Middle East peace process, responsible for translating negotiation texts and some coordination work.”
She spoke very simply and plainly, as if she were talking about something extremely ordinary.
But suddenly the table fell silent.
Even the maid paused for a moment while serving the dessert.
The Middle East. The peace process. Negotiation texts.
These words are worlds apart from the "translated document".
Huo Siqi was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting such an answer. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't find the right words for a moment.
Huo Zhenting was the first to react. He put down his chopsticks and asked in surprise, "The Middle East peace process? Is it... the temporary ceasefire agreement signed in Geneva last month?"
Although he is a businessman, he also pays attention to the international situation, as it relates to overseas investments. Last month, that agreement made international news headlines, and was even reported on the evening news program "Xinwen Lianbo" (CCTV's main evening news program), so he knew something about it.
Song Zhiyi nodded: "Yes. My team is responsible for verifying the Chinese version and part of the Arabic version of the agreement text."
She was being modest by saying it was "verification work." But those in the know understand that in international negotiations involving multiple languages and legal systems, text translation and verification are crucial steps. Even a single word discrepancy can render the entire agreement invalid or even trigger a diplomatic crisis.
The table became even quieter.
Xu Wenjun, Zhou Jing, and Lin Wanru exchanged glances, all three of them somewhat bewildered—they didn't follow international news and had no concept of the "Geneva Ceasefire Agreement," but judging from the sudden serious expressions on Huo Zhenting's and their husbands' faces, it was clearly no small matter.
Huo Zhenbang cleared his throat, looked at Song Zhiyi, and said in a much more serious tone than before: "That agreement... I think I saw it in an internal report. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs commended the participating team, right?"
He was an insider, though not in the diplomatic system, but well-informed. He did see the notification, but he didn't pay attention to the specific list of personnel at the time.
Song Zhiyi remained calm: "Yes. The team's work has been recognized."
She said "team," not herself. But Huo Zhenbang understood—being able to participate in negotiations of this level was proof of ability and status. For a deputy director-level official to be in such a core team, they either have exceptional abilities or… a powerful background. Song Zhiyi clearly belonged to the former.
Huo Mingxuan sat up straight. Having worked in the corporate world, he understood the weight of such international negotiations. The Huo family had energy investments in the Middle East, and he knew how complex the situation was in those regions; the wisdom and courage required to broker a ceasefire agreement under such circumstances were unimaginable.
He looked at the simply dressed woman across from him, who was eating quietly, and his gaze changed—from previous disdain to scrutiny and… a hint of barely perceptible respect.
Huo Siqi was completely dumbfounded. She didn't understand why the atmosphere had suddenly changed so drastically after she casually asked a question. What ceasefire agreement? What Geneva? Weren't those things from the news, things that seemed so far removed from her life?
Unwilling to give up, she pressed on, her tone laced with barely concealed bitterness: "Then... Sister Song, your work must be very dangerous, right? Do you have to go to those war-torn countries?"
This question is even dumber.
The men at the table all frowned. Even Lin Wanru, who always doted on her daughter, couldn't help but glare at her.
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