Chapter 96 Cracks in the Calm
At 2:50 pm on Saturday, Song Zhiyi came downstairs on time.
She wore a beige knit sweater, paired with dark gray trousers and flat shoes. She carried a cloth bag containing several new magazines for her grandfather, and a box of lung-nourishing balm she had asked a friend to bring from the south.
Huo Yanli's car was already parked downstairs.
He stood by the car, wearing a dark gray cashmere sweater and a coat draped over his arm. He looked much softer and less sharp than usual.
"Have you been waiting long?" Song Zhiyi walked over.
"Just arrived." Huo Yanli naturally took the cloth bag from her hand, glanced at it, and asked, "Bringing something for Grandpa again?"
"Yes, a few magazines and some food. I asked the doctor, and it's okay to eat." Song Zhiyi got into the passenger seat.
The car drove towards the hospital. The afternoon sun of autumn streamed in through the car windows, warm and inviting. The car radio was tuned to a music channel, playing a soothing old song.
"Lin Wei contacted me yesterday," Song Zhiyi suddenly said, her tone as casual as if she were commenting on the weather.
Huo Yanli's grip on the steering wheel tightened almost imperceptibly. Last night, he received a message from Lin Wei—a short line, devoid of her usual entanglement or resentment, but instead conveying a complete letting go and… a certain kind of relief he couldn't quite place. He stared at that message for a long time then, but ultimately didn't reply. Now, hearing Song Zhiyi mention it, those words resurfaced clearly in his mind.
He steadied himself, his gaze still fixed ahead: "She...didn't say anything offensive, did she?"
"No." Song Zhiyi shook her head, glancing at the ginkgo trees rushing past the window, a sea of golden yellow. "We just chatted. It seems she's planning to retake her translation exam and find a proper job."
Huo Yanli waited a few seconds, but received no further response. He recalled Lin Wei's text message, "You're just like that," and suddenly understood where that sense of relief came from—not because he had let go of him, but because he had seen someone truly worthy of admiration, and thus, even he, whom he had once looked up to, had become ordinary. This realization stirred a subtle bitterness in his heart, not for Lin Wei, but for his own insignificance in Song Zhiyi's vast world.
"Is that all you're going to talk about?" he asked, his voice lower than before.
"Yes, we talked about reality and our future paths." Song Zhiyi turned back, her gaze calm. "She still has a foundation in foreign languages, so it shouldn't be too difficult for her to pick them up again. It's never too late once someone has figured things out."
Huo Yanli glanced at her. Her expression was calm, without any sense of grievance or boasting; she was simply stating something that had nothing to do with her.
“She used to be… quite talented,” Huo Yanli said, his voice low. “But she went astray later.” Perhaps it was the glamorous world he once lived in that caused many talented girls like Lin Wei to gradually lose their way.
“It’s not too late to turn back now,” Song Zhiyi said, her tone carrying a natural sense of tolerance.
Huo Yanli tightened his grip on the steering wheel slightly. He wanted to ask: And what about you? How do you view Lin Wei's past, and my past, like a wrong turn on a road that can be easily reversed? And where exactly do I stand in your planned future?
But he didn't ask. The autumn sun was shining brightly, and the atmosphere in the car was peaceful. He didn't want to break the silence, and... he was also somewhat afraid to hear the answer.
The car pulled into the hospital parking lot. Before getting out, Song Zhiyi took a transparent file folder from her bag and handed it to Huo Yanli.
"This is something I compiled while researching. It's a few points about autumn care for the elderly, especially home care after discharge from the hospital. You can have Uncle Chen or the nurse at home take a look. Ask me if you have any questions."
Huo Yanli took it and looked at the neatly categorized and clearly organized items, covering everything from maintaining indoor humidity, nourishing the body with warm foods, and preventing falls to emotional support—nothing was too small to mention. Professional, thoughtful, and impeccable.
Just like her, she always does things perfectly.
"Thank you for your trouble." The voice was steady.
"Of course." Song Zhiyi had already unbuckled her seatbelt. "Let's go, don't keep Grandpa waiting."
The two walked side by side toward the inpatient building. The autumn sun shone brightly, casting dappled shadows on the ground through the tall trees, and each step produced a crisp, soft sound of falling leaves.
Huo Yanli looked at the calm profile of the person beside him, the sunlight casting a light golden hue on her eyelashes.
He suddenly realized clearly—
That crack beneath the calm surface may have existed from the very beginning. He just couldn't see it before, and now that he does, he still doesn't know how to get closer. Lin Wei's farewell is like a distant echo, reminding him that some distances cannot be bridged simply by effort.
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