Chapter 87 It's enough that I care about her.
In the evening, the alumni banquet was held in the hotel's largest banquet hall. When Huo Yanli and Song Zhiyi arrived, the hall was already filled with elegantly dressed people and clinking glasses. They were led to a round table, where, apart from two school leaders, most of the other diners were Huo Yanli's close classmates from university and their partners.
"Yanli! Over here!" a cheerful male voice called out. It was the class monitor who had organized the gathering when Lin Wei returned to China last time.
Huo Yanli led Song Zhiyi over, and the eyes of everyone at the table instantly focused on them, especially on Song Zhiyi. Curiosity, scrutiny, amazement, and a mix of emotions mingled together.
"Everyone, it's been a long time." Huo Yanli's attitude was as usual. He first greeted the school leaders, and then introduced his wife to the students, "This is my wife, Song Zhiyi."
"Mrs. Huo, it's an honor to meet you!" the class monitor said with a smile. "Our mysterious Mrs. Huo has finally made her appearance today!"
"That's right, that's right, Yanli was hidden really well!"
"Miss Song indeed possesses extraordinary elegance."
Everyone exchanged pleasantries, and the atmosphere seemed warm. Song Zhiyi nodded in response to each greeting, her attitude neither humble nor arrogant.
Lin Wei was also at this table. She had dressed up carefully today, wearing a champagne-colored long dress and exquisite makeup, but as she sat there, watching Huo Yanli pull out a chair for Song Zhiyi and then lean down to ask her in a low voice if the air conditioning was cold, her face turned slightly pale and the smile on her lips was a little stiff.
After they sat down, Huo Yanli naturally took care of Song Zhiyi. He laid out a napkin for her, swapped the more flavorful cold dishes in front of her with the lighter side dishes in front of him, and tested the temperature of the tea before pouring it into her cup. His movements were smooth and natural, without any deliberate effort, yet they revealed his meticulous care in every detail.
The conversation initially revolved around school and past anecdotes. Gradually, some people began to steer the conversation toward Song Zhiyi.
"Miss Song seems very well-educated and sensible. May I ask where you work?" A classmate with exquisite makeup and dressed in designer brands asked with a smile. She was one of the wealthiest girls in the class and had always been on good terms with Lin Wei.
Song Zhiyi put down her spoon and calmly replied, "I work in the Translation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
"Ministry of Foreign Affairs? That's a great organization!" the female student exclaimed in surprise. "But I've heard the work is quite demanding, with frequent business trips, right? Especially... to some less-than-safe places?" Her tone carried a subtle hint of probing and a sense of superiority.
A moment of silence fell over the table. Everyone knew the Huo family's background and had vaguely heard that Mrs. Huo came from an ordinary family. In some people's eyes, this was undoubtedly "marrying up."
Huo Yanli frowned almost imperceptibly, but did not speak immediately. He simply placed a piece of deboned fish into Song Zhiyi's dish.
Song Zhiyi seemed oblivious to the underlying meaning and replied calmly, "It's necessary for work, so I do travel to different countries and regions. It's not hard work; it's just my duty."
“Miss Song is truly dedicated.” Another male classmate chimed in, but his tone was somewhat subtle. “However, I’ve heard that some war-torn areas are quite dangerous. As a young woman… is President Huo really comfortable letting you go?” These words seemed to express concern, but in reality, they implied that Song Zhiyi’s work was “unseemly” and might even “bring shame” or “cause trouble” to the Huo family.
Lin Wei gently stirred the spoon in front of her, her eyes lowered and she remained silent.
At this moment, Huo Yanli put down his chopsticks. The movement was very light, but the crisp clinking of the porcelain brought a slight silence to the table.
He raised his head, his gaze slowly sweeping over the two people who had just spoken. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were calm and powerful.
“My wife’s job is to represent the country in diplomatic communication and promote peace and understanding. There may be risks wherever she goes, but it is because of professional and courageous diplomats like her on the front lines that more people can see the hope of peace and that our country’s interests and voice can be conveyed.”
His voice was not loud, and his pace was steady, yet every word was clear and carried an undeniable weight.
“I am not only reassured,” he continued, turning his gaze to Song Zhiyi, the coldness in his eyes instantly transforming into clear tenderness and pride, “I am even more proud of her. Her professionalism, sense of responsibility, and courage are among the best I know. It is my honor to stand by her side.”
Silence fell over the table. The two students who had spoken tentatively blushed and paled, utterly embarrassed. The school leaders exchanged glances, their eyes revealing admiration. The other students also had varying expressions, but their gazes towards Song Zhiyi were noticeably more respectful and scrutinizing—it turned out that this "Mrs. Huo" was not the parasitic vine clinging to a wealthy family that they had imagined.
Lin Wei's knuckles turned white as she gripped the spoon.
Song Zhiyi turned her head to look at Huo Yanli. He was just turning his gaze away, picking up the serving chopsticks again, and placing a piece of green vegetable on her plate, as if his resounding words from just moments before were nothing more than a casual remark. But she saw the lingering warmth in his eyes and felt the unreserved protection in his words.
A corner of her heart felt as if it had been soaked by a hot spring, soothing and comforting. She lowered her head and quietly ate the food he had placed on her plate.
In the latter half of the banquet, no one dared to speak of Song Zhiyi in a disrespectful tone anymore. The topic shifted to safer territory. Huo Yanli continued to take meticulous care of Song Zhiyi, occasionally conversing with teachers and classmates, behaving appropriately, but everyone could sense that a large part of his attention remained focused on the quiet woman beside him.
After the banquet ended, everyone gradually left. Huo Yanli went to get his coat, while Song Zhiyi waited in the lounge area outside the banquet hall.
Lin Wei walked over and stopped in front of Song Zhiyi. She looked at Song Zhiyi's calm and expressionless face, then suddenly chuckled softly, her voice low: "Song Zhiyi, you really have some tricks up your sleeve."
Song Zhiyi looked up at her, her eyes clear, without anger, only a faint doubt, as if she didn't understand what she was talking about.
Lin Wei was stung by her utterly bewildered gaze and bit her lip: "You think Yanli is nice to you now because he truly loves you? He's just infatuated, or... he's bound by responsibility. Besides, you probably don't care about him at all, right? Look, at the dinner table just now, when others were talking about our university days, you didn't react at all. If you really cared about him, how could you be indifferent to his past?"
Song Zhiyi looked at her quietly for a few seconds before slowly speaking, her voice as calm as if stating a fact: "Miss Lin, the past is the past, and the present is the present. Yanli's past belongs to him, and I have no right or need to 'react' to it. As for caring..." She paused, seemingly genuinely considering the question, "I think everyone expresses caring in different ways."
Lin Wei was speechless, her face turning even more ashen, at her almost academically-like calm demeanor. Just then, Huo Yanli walked over with his coat.
He saw Lin Wei, but without stopping, he walked straight to Song Zhiyi and gently draped his coat over her shoulders, saying, "It's chilly tonight." Only then did he look at Lin Wei, his tone distant yet polite: "Miss Lin, is there anything else?"
Watching Huo Yanli's natural tenderness towards Song Zhiyi, and then looking at Song Zhiyi's consistently calm face, Lin Wei felt a surge of intense bitterness and resentment. She stepped forward, her voice filled with grievance and indignation: "Yanli! Can't you really see? She doesn't care about you at all! If she did care, how could she be so calm when she sees me or hears others talking about our past? She..."
"Lin Wei." Huo Yanli interrupted her, his voice not loud, but carrying a heavy sense of pressure. He pulled Song Zhiyi closer to his side, in a completely protective stance.
He looked directly at Lin Wei, his eyes showing no anger, only a thorough clarity and resolve.
“I don’t care whether she shows what you call ‘caring’,” he said clearly, word by word. “I care about her, and that’s enough. I care whether she’s comfortable, happy, and respected. As for her calmness…” He turned his head and glanced at Song Zhiyi, who remained composed beside him, a gentle ripple appearing deep in his eyes, “That’s her composure and strength. And I cannot tolerate anyone, in any way, causing her even the slightest grievance.”
After saying that, he stopped looking at Lin Wei, whose face was pale, and lowered his head to Song Zhiyi, saying gently, "Shall we go home?"
Song Zhiyi nodded.
Huo Yanli put his arm around her shoulder, turned and left, his back straight and firm, completely protecting her in his shadow.
Under the dazzling crystal chandeliers of the rest area, Lin Wei remained alone, her figure appearing exceptionally thin and pale. She finally understood that the boy who once belonged to her was long gone. And his present and future were now filled with the name of another woman.
That calm, powerful woman—Song Zhiyi—made all her schemes and provocations futile.
The car was very quiet on the way back.
Looking at the fleeting night view outside the window, Song Zhiyi suddenly whispered, "Thank you."
Huo Yanli's fingers twitched slightly on the steering wheel: "What are you thanking me for?"
"Thank you for what you just said." Song Zhiyi turned her head and looked at his well-defined profile.
Huo Yanli let out a soft breath, his voice sounding particularly deep in the enclosed car: "I'm telling the truth. Zhiyi, you are you. You don't need to change for anyone, nor do you need to prove anything to anyone. Your calmness and your strength are your most precious parts. I like and respect you as you are."
Song Zhiyi didn't speak again, but just looked at him quietly. The light from outside the car window flashed across his face, sometimes bright, sometimes dim.
After a long while, she gave a very soft "hmm".
The sound was very soft, yet it was like a seed that quietly fell into the softest soil of each other's hearts.
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