Chapter 3 First Impressions at the Civil Affairs Bureau
The morning in September was a little chilly. It was 8:50 a.m. at the Civil Affairs Bureau of a certain district in Beijing.
Because it was a weekday, there weren't many people at the door. Only a few ordinary couples were waiting for the door to open with their documents in hand, their faces showing either sweetness or nervousness.
A black Rolls-Royce Cullinan smoothly pulled into a parking space opposite the Civil Affairs Bureau, its sleek body gleaming subtly in the morning light. Immediately afterward, a silver Bentley Continental and a dark gray Maybach came to a stop.
The car door opened.
Huo Yanli got out of the back seat of the Cullinan first. He was wearing a charcoal gray custom-made suit today, the cut perfectly fitting his tall and straight figure. The collar of his white shirt was crisp, and he wasn't wearing a tie, giving off a deliberately casual vibe. The morning light fell on his well-defined profile, highlighting his high nose bridge and sharp jawline, but his deep eyes held no warmth, only a deep indifference.
Ji Yun, Zhou Mubai, and Shen Yu also got out of the car one after another. The three men were tall and had long legs, each with a different temperament, but all of them carried the innate sense of nobility and aloofness that came with being in this circle. When they stood together, they almost instantly attracted the attention of everyone at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau.
“Tsk,” Ji Yun looked around, raised his hand to shield his eyes from the not-so-bright sunlight, and said in a teasing tone, “I, the young master Ji, actually came to a place like the Civil Affairs Bureau one day—although I came with someone else.”
Zhou Mubai adjusted his glasses, his gaze sweeping over the ordinary couples queuing at the door, and said in a flat tone, "Experience the hardships of ordinary people."
Shen Yu didn't speak, but glanced at his watch and then looked at Huo Yanli: "Your man... hasn't arrived yet?"
Huo Yanli didn't answer. He leaned against the back door, took out a cigarette case from his suit pocket, flicked out a cigarette and held it between his fingers, but didn't light it, just twirling it unconsciously. His gaze fell on the few steps leading to the Civil Affairs Bureau, his eyes somewhat vacant.
The words spoken at the meeting last night sound exceptionally clear and cold in the cool morning air. The five-year agreement, a marriage of convenience, no interference—these words replayed in my mind again and again.
He was actually very curious. What kind of woman was Song Zhiyi? Could she have made the old man insist on marriage so desperately, and yet she agreed to this obviously unequal marriage?
For what? The title of Mrs. Huo? The Huo family's resources? Or, as Uncle Chen said, simply to fulfill her grandfather's last wish?
If it's the former, he'll make her understand that the title brings far less than she imagines. If it's the latter...
Huo Yanli twitched the corners of his mouth, a smile devoid of warmth.
That's even more ridiculous. To sacrifice five years of marriage for the wish of a dead person?
"They're here," Zhou Mubai suddenly said in a low voice.
Huo Yanli raised his eyes.
The time was exactly nine o'clock.
A regular white ride-hailing car slowly pulled up at a temporary parking spot by the Civil Affairs Bureau. The rear door opened, and a foot wearing black, low-cut flat shoes stepped out first; the shoes were clean and unadorned.
Then, the person got off the car.
The morning light fell directly on her.
A white shirt and black trousers. The simplest style, the most basic combination. The shirt appears to be made of ordinary cotton, but it's ironed extremely smoothly, the collar is neat, and the cuffs are rolled up to mid-forearm, revealing a slender, fair wrist. The trousers are straight-legged, the hems falling just above the ankle, clean and crisp.
She carried a dark brown leather briefcase that looked quite old on her shoulder; the edges were worn smooth but well-maintained. In her other hand, she held a transparent file folder, through which the outlines of her household registration booklet and ID card could be seen.
She closed the car door, the ride-hailing car drove away, and then she turned around and walked towards the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Her pace was neither hurried nor slow, each step almost the same distance. Her back was very straight, but not in a deliberately stiff way; rather, it was a habitual, composed uprightness. Sunlight fell on her face, revealing her fair skin—a clean, healthy glow. Her features were delicate, not strikingly beautiful, but possessing a unique, serene quality. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail, not a single stray hair framing her smooth forehead.
She looks... too ordinary.
They were just like any other couple registering for marriage here. In fact, even more unassuming.
There was no elaborate makeup, no carefully chosen dress, and no special attire prepared for this 'important day.' She simply walked over calmly, as if she were just there to run an ordinary business.
Ji Yun raised an eyebrow and exchanged a glance with Zhou Mubai. That glance clearly said: That's it?
Shen Yu narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze lingering for a moment on the excessively plain clothes.
Huo Yanli watched the approaching figure, his fingers unconsciously tightening their grip on the cigarette.
He imagined many possibilities—a woman who might be pretty but whose eyes were full of calculation, a woman who might be beautiful but who was vain, a woman who might be docile but who harbored ambition.
But he never expected it to turn out like this.
It was peaceful, so peaceful.
Song Zhiyi stopped a few steps away from them. Her gaze first fell on Huo Yanli, and she calmly looked him over—a very brief glance, without any emotional fluctuation, as if she were looking at a stranger she was about to work with.
Then she turned her gaze to the three people beside Ji Yun, and simply nodded slightly in greeting, without any curiosity, surprise, or even asking who they were or why they were there.
“Mr. Huo.” Her voice was clear and steady, with a touch of professional politeness. “I’m Song Zhiyi. I’m sorry, I need to get back to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by 10:30, so time might be a bit tight. Shall we go in and complete the formalities?”
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