My yoga students: They're all amazing women.

Lin Feng left Wang Yue's apartment after a short stay. Although he took advantage of Ma Qingqing's drunkenness to briefly check on her neck and shoulder strain and measure her figure, he remained respectful and did not overstep any boundaries.

He's not in a hurry for this kind of thing; it's like a good dish that needs to be simmered slowly to develop its flavor.

Anyway, Wang Yue is a reliable person in the centralized procurement department, and he can usually take care of Ma Qingqing. Ma Qingqing is simple-minded, and they will gradually become familiar with each other.

Tonight was just to check on her physical condition in advance.

The conclusion is that the actual measured size is far more exaggerated than the visual estimation.

Lin Feng drove to a neighborhood he had never heard of before, following the location sent by Ye Qinghan.

Ye Qinghan had recently rented this apartment complex, and security was extremely tight. The security guards at the entrance stood ramrod straight and only allowed people in after verifying their identities.

The residential area is only a ten-minute drive from the municipal government building and is next to the armed police detachment. Most of the residents here are cadres and their families from municipal government departments, so it is difficult for strangers to blend in.

When she's too busy with work to go home, she comes here to spend the night. Lin Feng parked his car in the underground garage, took the elevator upstairs, pressed the keypad lock, and pushed the door open.

This is a small apartment with one bedroom, one living room, one bathroom, and one kitchen. Although it is not large, it is decorated very warmly.

A light gray blanket was spread on the sofa in the living room, and a bouquet of fresh lilies was placed on the coffee table, with water droplets still clinging to the petals.

The photos hanging on the wall made Lin Feng stand in the entryway for several seconds in a daze; they were all photos of him and Ye Qinghan together.

Each photo was carefully framed, and the frames were chosen with great care, showing that thoughtful selection was put into them.

Lin Feng stood in front of the photo wall and looked at each photo one by one. He found that Ye Qinghan was smiling in every photo. It was clear that she really regarded this place as their little home.

Lin Feng was engrossed in watching when he heard the sound of a combination lock opening behind him.

Ye Qinghan pushed open the door and came in, wearing a dark blue police uniform with the epaulettes of a third-level police superintendent on his shoulders. His hair was tied up behind his head, and his face showed signs of fatigue from working overtime.

She kicked off her high heels in the entryway, took off her coat and hung it on the hanger. When she saw Lin Feng standing in the living room, she suddenly felt as if she had taken off all her armor.

Ye Qinghan walked over quickly, opened her arms and threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest and gently nuzzling him. Her voice was muffled, carrying a softness that she would only show in front of her closest person.

"We had a meeting that lasted for several hours today. The rectification plan for the accident in the industrial park was revised several times. The leaders in charge were arguing fiercely in the meeting, and I was getting a headache just listening to them. Halfway through the meeting, I secretly checked my phone, wanting to send you a message, but I was afraid you would find me annoying."

She gently gripped the back of his shirt with her fingers, as if trying to melt all the weariness of the day into this embrace. "Later, Shen Ping called me again to ask about the progress of your investigation. I told him it was all arranged, and he was relieved. Tell me, when will this constant, cautious living end?"

"Once Shen Ping takes over and Chen Liangliang's matter is settled, you can relax a bit. Then we can go wherever we want without worrying about being watched."

"Then I'll be waiting. When the time comes, I'll replace this whole wall with photos of us abroad—the Eiffel Tower, Venice, Mount Fuji. I want you to come with me to travel the whole world. Come on, let me show you." She stepped out of Lin Feng's arms, took his hand, and began to tour this little world that belonged to just the two of them.

The bedroom wasn't large, but it was very clean. On the bedside table sat a small, warm yellow lamp and a half-open public security work bulletin.

The wardrobe was opened, revealing two layers. One layer held her casual clothes and a few spare police uniforms, while the other layer was empty, containing only a few hangers.

Ye Qinghan pointed to the empty cabinet and said, "This is for you. You can put a few changes of clothes here so that if you work overtime until midnight, you can come and stay here without having to go back."

The kitchen is small but fully equipped, with spice bottles neatly stacked on the stove and the refrigerator crammed with fresh ingredients.

There were two mouthwash cups in the bathroom, one blue and one pink. The pink one was for her, and the blue one was for him. Even the toothbrush had been placed there in advance.

These small, seemingly insignificant details warmed Lin Feng's heart. This bureau chief, who was decisive and ruthless in the officialdom, had thought of every single detail when arranging this small home.

After touring the place, the two sat down on the sofa in the living room. Ye Qinghan leaned on Lin Feng's shoulder and gently drew circles on his knee with her fingers.

Have you had dinner yet?

"Not yet. I just came straight here from the company. What about you?"

"I just ate some bread during the meeting this afternoon. I'm tired of the cafeteria food, and I've ordered all the takeout options nearby. I was thinking of going home and cooking some instant noodles, but then you showed up." Ye Qinghan looked up at him, her eyes filled with anticipation. "How about we eat out? There's a new Sichuan restaurant nearby, and my colleague said it's pretty good."

"No need, there's food in the fridge. I'll cook for you." Lin Feng stood up and walked to the kitchen. He opened the fridge door and looked inside. There were eggs, garlic sprouts, a small piece of lean meat, a few scallions, and a bag of frozen crayfish in the freezer.

He took the ingredients out and placed them on the stove, then rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

Ye Qinghan leaned against the kitchen door frame, watching him cut the garlic shoots into even pieces, slice the lean meat into strips and coat it with starch, and blanch and drain the thawed crayfish. He heated oil in a wok, sautéed minced garlic until fragrant, added the crayfish and stir-fried, then added dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, instantly filling the kitchen with a spicy and fragrant aroma.

Ye Qinghan suddenly felt a lump in her throat.

She has eaten countless meals in her life, but apart from her mother, Lin Feng is the only person who would cook for her and remember her preferences.

Ye Qinghan gently hugged his waist from behind and pressed her face against his back.

"Stir-fried garlic sprouts with pork and spicy crayfish are my favorite dishes. How did you know I wanted to eat crayfish? I had some in Qingyuan last time, but I was too embarrassed to say I wanted to eat it again."

"I remembered that you ate most of a plate when we ate in Qingyuan last time. I've been meaning to make it for you ever since, but I've never had the time. Luckily, I had some in the fridge today, so I made it for you. From now on, just tell me what you want to eat. Don't always make do with bread; it's not nutritious."

Ye Qinghan didn't answer, but simply hugged him tighter. Her eyes were slightly red, but she stubbornly held back her tears.

She hadn't been cared for like this for many years. Since Shen Hui left, she had been supporting the whole family, taking care of Qianqian, working, and shouldering everything on her own.

She had long been used to being the one taking care of others, until she met Raymond Lam and experienced the feeling of being cared for and looked after again.

After finishing their meal, Ye Qinghan cleared away the dishes and pulled Lin Feng to the bathroom to run a hot bath. The bathtub wasn't big, and the two of them squeezed together, making it a little cramped, but neither of them wanted to move away.

Ye Qinghan leaned against him, the hot water washing over her shoulders, a thin layer of shower gel foam floating on the surface. She reached out and scooped up a little foam, gently touching the tip of his nose, her eyes crinkling with laughter, even the fine lines at the corners of her eyes smoothing out.

The warm yellow light from the bathroom heater shone down, making her skin appear soft and supple. Water droplets clinging to her collarbone slid slowly down her body, revealing a soft and relaxed demeanor that replaced her usual seriousness and sharpness.

After showering, she wrapped herself in a towel and came out of the bathroom first. When Lin Feng dried himself off and entered the bedroom, she had already turned the bedside lamp to its dimmest setting. The warm yellow light fell on the light gray sheets, enveloping the entire room in a hazy and cozy atmosphere.

She lay on her side on the bed wearing a silk nightgown, one hand gently supporting her head, the other patting the empty space next to her, gesturing for Lin Feng to come and lie down, her eyes filled with a gentle smile.