[The most thorough farewell is a silent release.
— Yu Qingyu]
Beijing,
Past eleven o’clock at night.
Gilded lights flowed through the resplendent corridor of the club, the clamor sealed away by thick solid wood doors. Inside the private room, only the faint scent of alcohol and light laughter remained.
Most of the men seated had female companions by their sides, their elegant attire and perfumed presence creating an ambiguous atmosphere.
Only Huo Zhili sat alone on one side, carving out his own domain of cool detachment.
His figure stood tall and straight like a pine tree, clad in a sharply tailored dark suit that exuded an air of noble aloofness, wrapped in an untouchable distance.
His features were handsome and refined, yet carried not a hint of frivolity. With just a glass of wine held between his fingers, he sat quietly, effortlessly subduing the room’s ostentatious glamour.
A woman approached under the pretense of toasting, deliberately edging closer to his side, her fingertips nearly brushing against his sleeve.
Huo Zhili merely shifted slightly, almost imperceptibly, to avoid her. His demeanor was calm and polite, yet it kept others at a thousand miles’ distance.
Neither warm nor dismissive, he left no opening for any opportunity, remaining chaste and self-possessed from start to finish, his eyes reflecting nothing but restraint and composure.
Everyone present was shrewd enough to understand at a glance—this Huo Zhili, his heart was not here; he had never been one for such scenes of romance and revelry.
A moment later, Huo Zhili raised his hand, the watch on his wrist understated and restrained.
The minute and hour hands slowly aligned, pointing precisely to midnight.
He lifted his gaze, his voice cool and indifferent:
“It’s getting late. I’ll take my leave first.”
With those words, he stood up, straightened the hem of his suit, and without another word, pushed the door open and left.
Inside the private room, voices called out, “Take care, President Huo!”
…
“Take care, Brother Li!”
His back was straight, his steps composed, carrying not a trace of reluctance.
As Huo Zhili walked out of the club, his assistant Jiang Zhou immediately followed.
When they reached the elevator, Jiang Zhou quickened his pace, stepping forward to press the button.
The elevator doors slid open slowly, and Huo Zhili strode in with his long legs.
He took out his phone, the screen displaying a message Yu Qingyu had just sent, and replied:
[Just finished. I’ll be home in forty minutes. Go to sleep first.]
They had been together for over a year, living together for half of that time, and their families were aware of their relationship.
The next message popped up immediately:
[Huo Zhili, you’ve been socializing every day this week. How long has it been since you’ve had a proper dinner with me?]
After reading it, Huo Zhili looked up at Jiang Zhou: “Clear my schedule for tomorrow evening.”
Jiang Zhou replied truthfully, “President Huo, you have a flight to France at six tomorrow evening.”
Huo Zhili loosened his cuff and pinched the bridge of his nose, his voice low and cold: “Cancel the original flight and reschedule it for tomorrow afternoon.”
Jiang Zhou wanted to say something more but ultimately held back.
Huo Zhili’s decisions were never easily changed.
Once seated in the car, Huo Zhili directly tugged off his tie and tossed it aside casually, leaning back in the seat and closing his eyes to rest.
Late at night, with sparse traffic, the car pulled steadily into the villa courtyard after a little over thirty minutes.
Huo Zhili stepped through the door under the cover of night, the interior brightly lit.
Yu Qingyu sat quietly on the sofa, wearing a white silk slip dress, a glass of untouched red wine placed before her.
He walked up to her, his voice slightly hoarse: “Didn’t I tell you to go to sleep first?”
Yu Qingyu looked up, her strikingly beautiful face full of weariness and grievance in her eyes:
“Huo Zhili, look at what time it is now? Go to sleep first? This week, I haven’t even been able to see you.”
He always returned after she had fallen asleep and left before she woke up, leaving no time for a proper conversation.
Huo Zhili explained softly: “There’s been an issue with the company’s project.”
Yu Qingyu let out a soft laugh, the sound tinged with bitterness:
“You’re always busy with work. I don’t expect half of your attention—even just two-tenths of it, and I’d be content.”
They stood close, the faint scent of perfume—not hers—drifted lightly into her nostrils.
Yu Qingyu’s gaze gradually cooled, brimming with disappointment.
“Huo Zhili, you’re busy accompanying another woman, aren’t you?”
This was the person she had loved since childhood, for a full twenty-six years.
She had pursued him for two years, knowing all along that he didn’t love her as deeply as she loved him.
She told herself that as long as she could stay by his side, it would be enough.
But the longer they were together, the greedier she became, the more she longed for him to love her just as passionately.
Huo Zhili looked at the tears welling in her eyes, his heart inexplicably tightening.
“There’s no one else, it really was just business.”
He reached out to wipe her tears, but Yu Qingyu abruptly turned her head away, her voice trembling and sharp: “Don’t touch me, it’s dirty, disgusting!”
Huo Zhili felt only a wave of helplessness, exhaustion overwhelming all other emotions.
“Qingyu, let’s take some time apart, cool off for a while. I’m tired.”
“Tired?” Yu Qingyu’s tears instantly fell.
“Huo Zhili, have you fallen for someone else, or are you just tired of me?”
Her repeated suspicions stirred his irritation, and his tone turned cold: “You need to cool off, and so do I.”
With those words, he didn’t linger any longer, turning and heading straight upstairs into the study.
That retreating figure was resolute, without a trace of reluctance.
Yu Qingyu stood where she was, tears uncontrollably streaming down, her heart feeling as if it had been torn apart, the pain making it hard to breathe.
The person she had loved with all her heart for so many years now felt nothing but annoyance toward her.
Suddenly, she laughed at herself, tears flowing freely.
“Yu Qingyu, it’s time you woke up.”
“Your love, in his eyes, is worthless.”