Chapter 101 The Intersection of Business and Diplomacy
Time quietly slipped into early winter.
After a quiet first snowfall, Beijing was tinged with a crisp, clean purity.
Since that deep conversation with his grandfather in the old house's study that day, and after hearing Song Zhiyi's calm, almost "heartless" reply, Huo Yanli fell into an unprecedented silence and introspection. He remained busy with group affairs, attended necessary social occasions, and maintained a composed demeanor in front of his family. But only he knew that something solidified deep inside him was slowly and laboriously crumbling and rebuilding.
He began to read more carefully the long articles that Song Zhiyi occasionally forwarded to him, about international situations or public welfare projects; he would read through the diplomatic documents and professional reports she had helped compile late at night, trying to understand the world she cared about; the overseas public welfare foundation projects he promoted were progressing rapidly, and the first batch of materials and funds for the education of children in war-torn areas had been implemented. When he received feedback reports, he would carefully look at the smiles of hope that had returned to the faces of those foreign children under the lamp, and a certain part of his heart would be gently touched.
He stopped trying to break down the invisible wall between them with deliberate "concern" and began to genuinely try to understand the scenery on the other side. He texted her less frequently, but the content became more practical—perhaps sharing a professional article he thought she would be interested in, or simply informing her about his grandfather's recent situation. Her replies remained timely, polite, and concise, occasionally delving a bit more into professional matters. The relationship seemed to have reverted to a clearer and more stable state of "collaborator" or "friend."
Huo Yanli couldn't tell whether this was progress or another form of estrangement, but he knew that this was the only thing he could do, and should do, right now—to learn to respect her world instead of recklessly barging in.
However, the drama of life is that when you start to seriously examine a certain area, the related challenges follow one after another.
In late November, a large infrastructure project undertaken by the Hof Group in an East African country, which had been progressing smoothly with substantial upfront investment, was one of Hof Group's strategic priorities in the African market for the next few years. However, just last week, the country's newly appointed Minister of Industry and Trade unilaterally suspended key permit approvals for the project, citing "procedural review" and "reassessment of environmental protection standards." The local project team's efforts to negotiate were unsuccessful; the other party's attitude was firm and vague, only emphasizing that "time is needed to re-examine the compliance of all foreign-invested projects."
This is clearly not a simple administrative procedure issue. Despite the best efforts of Huo's business team and locally hired consultants, the feedback pointed to a disturbing possibility: the project might be embroiled in power struggles between different factions within the country's new government, or it might have threatened the interests of certain local groups. Purely commercial negotiations and exchanges of favors had failed at this level. It was a complex predicament involving politics, diplomacy, and even geopolitics.
Huo Yanli had been working three consecutive nights without rest. He assembled the group's top international law and cross-border investment experts to analyze all possible legal avenues and business solutions, but the conclusions were not optimistic. The other party was holding them back on "compliance" and "procedures"—two seemingly technical issues that actually required a deep understanding and ability to navigate the local political landscape, bureaucratic system, and even tribal relations. And this was precisely the most vulnerable link for a business giant like Huo's in an unfamiliar market.
The clock on the wall pointed to 1:30 a.m.
Huo Yanli rubbed his throbbing temples, picked up his now-cold coffee, and took a sip. The bitter taste made his stomach churn. His stomach problems had been recurring lately.
He opened a newly received email, an urgent report from the project manager stationed in the country, his tone anxious: "Mr. Huo, the minister's office made it clear today that if a 'comprehensive compliance statement and subsequent commitments' that satisfies them cannot be submitted by next week, the project will face indefinite suspension, and the initial investment may be completely lost. We have tried to contact all the intermediaries and brokers we can reach, but they either avoid us or offer outrageous prices without guaranteeing results. The situation is very pessimistic."
All their investment was lost.
These four words weighed heavily on Huo Yanli's mind. This was not just a risk to billions of dollars in investment, but a major setback to the Huo family's strategy to expand into Africa, which would have a ripple effect on the group's stock price and investor confidence.
Frustrated, he slammed his laptop shut, got up, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. Outside, the city lay asleep, with only a few scattered lights and winding streams of cars. Beneath the glitz and glamour, countless people like him tormented themselves through the night, struggling with various problems.
Just then, there was a gentle knock on the office door.
"Come in," Huo Yanli replied, his voice hoarse with fatigue.
The door was pushed open, and a slender figure walked in. It was Song Zhiyi.
She was wearing a light gray casual suit with a cardigan over it, her hair was loosely tied back with a few stray strands hanging down her neck, and she was holding a steaming mug in her hand.
Huo Yanli was somewhat surprised: "Why are you here?"
“Grandpa called me tonight and said you seem to be very busy lately and your stomach isn’t feeling well. I happened to be meeting with a mentor nearby and finished late, so I stopped by to see you.” Song Zhiyi spoke calmly as she walked to the desk and placed the mug in front of him. “Honey water, warm, it’s good for your stomach. Drink less coffee.”
Huo Yanli looked at the glass of honey water, then looked up at her. Under the lamplight, her face showed some weariness, but her eyes remained clear. She was just "on the way," just at her grandfather's request, just... fulfilling a basic act of care based on family ties.
But this simple glass of water and a plain word of advice, in this hectic late night, felt like a subtle yet real warmth flowing into his cold and tense nerves.
"Thank you," he said softly, picking up the cup, the warmth seeping through the porcelain to his palm. He took a sip, the warm sweetness soothing his dry throat.
Song Zhiyi's gaze swept over the documents spread out on his desk, and the titles of those documents and the name of an East African country caught her eye. She wasn't deliberately looking, she just noticed them naturally.
She stood there quietly, neither leaving immediately nor asking any further questions.
Huo Yanli put down his cup, rubbed his temples, perhaps the fatigue of the late night made him less guarded, or perhaps it was the brief relaxation brought by the honey water, he unusually brought up the difficulties at work, his voice filled with suppressed irritation: "I've run into some trouble, the project in East Africa is stuck in government approval. It's not a business issue, it's... something at the local political level. It's very tricky."
Song Zhiyi listened quietly, without showing any surprise or curiosity on her face. She simply nodded slightly to indicate that she was listening.
Huo Yanli didn't expect her to offer any advice; he just needed an outlet for his pent-up emotions. He said a few words briefly, then stopped, and said with a wry smile, "Forget it, there's no use talking to you about this. It's all just business troubles. It's getting late, you should go back and rest."
Song Zhiyi didn't move. Looking at the barely concealed anxiety and exhaustion in his eyes, she hesitated for a moment, then suddenly spoke, her voice clear and calm:
"Is the Minister of Industry and Trade of that country named Ngon Mwai?"
Huo Yanli looked up abruptly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "How did you know?" This information is rarely seen in public reports.
Song Zhiyi did not answer directly, but continued in that calm tone: "The current Commercial Counselor of the Embassy in China, Abdul Rahman, was my classmate when I was studying at the Advanced Translation Training Institute, and we have a good relationship. He previously worked under Minister Mwai and was highly regarded, which is why he was later sent to Beijing."
She paused, her gaze falling on Huo Yanli's eyes, which had suddenly lit up, but her tone remained calm:
"If needed, I can try asking Counselor Rahman if he knows any background information, or... if we can arrange an informal exchange. Of course, this cannot guarantee a solution; diplomats have strict discipline, but it can at least provide some information channels to help you understand the crux of the problem."
She spoke casually, as if she were simply saying, "I can ask a friend for you." But Huo Yanli knew exactly what this meant—a diplomatic channel that could lead directly to the heart of the problem, a key figure who understood the inner workings of the country's politics and business. This was infinitely more reliable and valuable than the unreliable "brokers" his team had spent huge sums of money to find.
A wave of immense surprise and a complex mix of emotions washed over Huo Yanli. He looked at her calm face, his throat tightening slightly: "You...are willing to help?"
Song Zhiyi tilted her head slightly, seemingly finding his question somewhat strange: "This doesn't count as helping. If the Huo family's project can proceed smoothly locally, it will also benefit bilateral economic and trade relations. One of Counsellor Rahman's responsibilities is to promote business exchanges between the two countries. If the situation is appropriate, conducting a compliant, informal communication is in the interests of all parties."
She kept everything within the framework of reason and duty. Not for him personally, nor for the Huo family, but out of consideration for bilateral relations, and for the reasonable communication bridge she could build as a former student and now a translator at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Of course,” she added cautiously, “I need to understand the specifics of the project and the real reason for the blockage, assess whether it is appropriate to bring it to the counselor’s attention, and what the most suitable way to communicate is. This will take time, and it will also require you to provide detailed and accurate background information.”
“No problem!” Huo Yanli replied immediately, his weariness vanishing and his eyes regaining their sharpness and hope. “I’ll have someone prepare the most detailed version of all the materials right away. Just let me know how you need my cooperation.”
Song Zhiyi nodded: "Okay. Send me the materials when they're ready, I'll take a look. It's getting late, you... should get some rest too. Things are urgent, but your health is more important."
After she finished speaking, she turned to leave.
"Zhiyi," Huo Yanli called out to her.
She stopped at the doorway and looked back at him.
Looking at her profile, which appeared exceptionally soft under the light, Huo Yanli had a thousand words welling up on his lips, but in the end, he could only say, "Thank you."
Song Zhiyi shook her head gently, said nothing, closed the door, and left.
The office fell silent again, with only the faint sweet aroma of the honey water remaining.
Huo Yanli sat back in his chair, gazing at the clear liquid in his glass, his heart still heavy with emotion. She was always like this, bringing about a turning point in the most unexpected and calm way.
This time, however, she may bring more than just a turning point.
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