Chapter 81 The Most Suitable Beginning for Them
During dinner, the old man specially asked Song Zhiyi to sit next to him. During the meal, Huo Siqi and others eagerly described their experiences in Sanya, especially Song Zhiyi's calm handling of the situation in the canyon.
The old man listened, nodding and smiling from time to time, his gaze toward Song Zhiyi growing increasingly loving and gratified.
After the meal, the old man summoned Huo Yanli to his study.
The air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood. The old man gestured for Huo Yanli to sit down, looked him over for a long time, and then slowly said, "Yanli, you've been a little different lately."
Huo Yanli sat up straight: "Grandpa, please speak."
"Now that I have someone in my eyes and someone to think about in my heart," the old man said directly. "I'm starting to act like a husband who truly cares about his wife."
Huo Yanli lowered his eyes slightly: "In the past, my grandson was ignorant and failed to live up to his grandfather's expectations, and also... mistreated her."
“Zhiyi, that child, is quiet by nature and strong-willed.” The old man sighed, his gaze distant. “When her maternal grandfather entrusted her to me, he said that the child carried too much on her mind and was used to bearing everything herself, and he was worried that she would suffer too much. I originally thought that once she got married, with you sharing the burden, she could have an easier time. I never expected…”
The old man shook his head: "I didn't expect you to have such a big prejudice against Zhiyi."
Huo Yanli was silent for a moment, then said frankly, "It was my poor eyesight. Now... I understand."
"What did you understand?"
"See what kind of person she is." Huo Yanli's voice was deep and clear. "See how precious what I have is."
A look of satisfaction flashed across the old man's eyes, but his tone remained solemn: "Good that you understand. But Yanli, you must understand that Zhiyi is not an ordinary woman. She is used to being alone, used to bearing burdens, and even used to pain. She may never learn to rely on others, nor does she need to be cared for."
"If you want to get close to her, you can't use the usual methods. Don't try to change her, and don't rush to get a response. You have to learn to understand her in her own way, support her on the path she has chosen, and stand firmly where she can see you when she needs you—even if she doesn't say she needs you."
Huo Yanli listened attentively and nodded emphatically: "Grandson will remember."
“Just remembering isn’t enough.” The old man’s eyes were sharp. “You have to truly accept that in her heart, the country and the world, and the responsibilities on her shoulders, may always come before personal feelings. You may never be the center of her world.”
Huo Yanli recalled Song Zhiyi's focused profile as she gazed at the rainbow, and the clear, determined look in her eyes when she talked about her work. He raised his head, his gaze frank: "I accept it. Being able to stand on the edge of her world, watching her shine, and accompanying her in caring about what she cares about, is enough. What she wants may not be a lover who would go through fire and water for her, but someone who can understand her, respect her, and walk alongside her."
The old man gazed at him for a long time before finally letting out a relaxed smile: "Okay."
He opened the drawer, took out an old-fashioned wooden box, and pushed it in front of Huo Yanli: "This was left by your grandmother. She said it was for the Huo family's true daughter-in-law."
Huo Yanli opened the box. Inside lay a pair of jade bracelets, their colors lustrous and their green hue vibrant—rare treasures.
“Your grandmother said that this bracelet is only for the daughter-in-law of the Huo family who is truly recognized by the Huo family and is worthy of the Huo family,” the old man said slowly. “I didn’t take it out three years ago because I felt the time was not right and you were not ready. Now, I think I can hand it over to you.”
Huo Yanli closed the wooden box, a warm feeling welling up inside him, and he felt an even greater sense of responsibility: "Thank you, Grandpa."
"No need to thank me." The old man waved his hand. "It's you who has finally learned to see the treasure."
When Huo Yanli walked out of the study with the wooden box, Song Zhiyi was standing alone in front of the French windows in the living room. She had changed out of her outdoor clothes and was wearing a soft beige sweater and dark gray trousers. Her hair was loosely tied up, and her back looked particularly slender, yet also exceptionally straight, under the soft light.
He walked over and stopped beside her, maintaining a distance that wouldn't make her feel pressured.
"Have you finished talking with Grandpa?" Song Zhiyi spoke first, her tone casual, as if she were asking about an ordinary matter.
"Yes, we talked about some old things and also about the future." Huo Yanli handed the wooden box to her and opened it. "Grandma left it here, saying it was for her granddaughter-in-law."
The warm luster of jade flows under the light.
Song Zhiyi looked at the bracelet, paused for a moment, then shook her head, her tone clear and calm: "Mr. Huo, this is too valuable, I cannot accept it."
Huo Yanli was not surprised, but looked at her gently and said, "Grandpa said that you can have it now."
Song Zhiyi met his gaze, her eyes clear and rational: "Our marriage has a five-year agreement. Everything I'm doing now is because during this marriage, I am a member of the Huo family, and this is what I should do. But that doesn't mean..." She paused, as if searching for more precise words, "...that we need to change the essence of the agreement. After five years, we will each return to our original paths. Something so precious and special should not be given to me."
Her words were logically clear, her attitude was unequivocal, and she drew clear lines.
Huo Yanli listened quietly, without trying to persuade him, and simply closed the wooden box gently: "Okay. Then keep it for now, and give it to you when you're ready."
Song Zhiyi seemed surprised by his reaction; a hint of astonishment flashed in her eyes before she regained her composure. "Thank you for your understanding," she said.
“It’s not about understanding,” Huo Yanli looked at her, his gaze honest and calm, “it’s about respect. I respect your choices, your pace, and the boundaries you set for yourself.”
He paused, then continued, "But I still want to say that no matter what happens with the five-year agreement, in my heart, you are already the wife I've chosen. I will treat you well, support you, and stand by your side in my own way. This is not out of contractual obligation, but because I want to do it myself. You don't have to accept it, but please allow me to do this."
His words were not oppressive; they were more like a calm declaration.
Song Zhiyi remained silent. The night outside the window reflected in her clear eyes, as well as Huo Yanli's earnest yet gentle face. After a long while, she finally spoke softly, "Huo Yanli, I don't need a passionate, dramatic love. What I need is..."
“Someone who can walk alongside you.” Huo Yanli picked up where she left off, his tone resolute. “Someone who can understand your ideals, respect your choices, and who won’t hold you back when you’re striving for your goals, but instead can lend you a helping hand.”
Song Zhiyi was stunned. This was precisely her deepest expectation of her partner, something she had never spoken of to anyone, yet he had expressed it so precisely.
"You..." She was speechless for a moment.
“I wouldn’t dare say I’ve completely achieved that now,” Huo Yanli’s voice was steady, “but I will strive to become that kind of person. When you feel you can stand shoulder to shoulder with me, I will be here. When you need to go your own way, I will also be here, waiting for you to look back and see the direction you can reach.”
These words, though lacking romantic vows, resonated more deeply with Song Zhiyi's world than any vow could ever be.
Looking at Huo Yanli, she saw for the first time something in this man's eyes that resonated with her inner rhythm—an equal understanding, a deep respect, and a willingness to adjust her own pace to match his.
This wasn't the kind of relationship pattern she was familiar with, one that required her to make sacrifices or changes. It was more like an invitation: Please continue to be yourself, and I will find a way to walk with you.
She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath them. A tiny hole seemed to have been punched through the solid, rational wall of her heart, allowing a strange warmth to seep in silently.
“I… am used to being alone,” she finally said, her voice very soft.
“I know,” Huo Yanli said. “So we can take it slow. How about starting with… walking side by side occasionally?”
Song Zhiyi raised her eyes, looking at the dazzling lights outside the window, then at the gentle yet firm-looking man beside her. After a long while, she nodded almost imperceptibly, the movement so small it was barely noticeable.
"Okay," she said, still in a single, short syllable.
But Huo Yanli sensed something different—this time, the "good" was no longer just an agreement to fulfill contractual obligations, but a promise that carried a hint of experimentation.
Outside the window, Beijing was ablaze with lights, and the night wind carried a chill, but inside it was warm and quiet.
Huo Yanli did not try to get closer, nor did he make any overstepping moves. He simply stood with her, looking out at the night sky, like two travelers who had met by chance on a long journey and decided to tentatively travel together for a while.
The road ahead may still be long and full of unknowns, but at least at this moment, they have found a distance and rhythm that makes them both feel comfortable.
No rush.
They still have time to slowly explore a way that allows them to both maintain their individuality and provide warmth to each other.
Like two independent trees, they don't need to intertwine and coexist. As long as their roots quietly connect deep in the soil and their branches occasionally touch in the wind, it is enough for them to share the sunshine and rain and bear the wind, frost, rain and snow together.
This might be the best start for them.
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