The Secret of the Yoga Club: The Women's Identity is Not Simple

The next morning, Brother Biao had already delivered the items to Lin Feng's car.

The trunk was neatly packed with two boxes of imported blood pressure medication, an electronic blood pressure monitor, two boxes of high-quality Longjing tea, and a bag of pet food—the brand the old man had bought last time, which his father said his little yellow dog loved, so Lin Feng remembered it.

Shen Qianqian jogged out of the neighborhood with her bulging backpack on her back and a bag of osmanthus cakes she bought at the mall in her hand. She said it was a new flavor from the old brand that her grandfather liked the most.

The car drove out of Hehai city and onto the expressway leading to Qingyuan. Shen Qianqian sat in the passenger seat, connected the car stereo to her phone, and played light and cheerful songs all the way.

She was in a good mood, humming along as she chatted with Raymond Lam, saying that her mother had praised Raymond Lam several times after returning from Qingyuan last time, "saying that he is thoughtful, caring, and a steady driver."

As she said this, she turned her head to look at Lin Feng, a mischievous smile in her eyes, and said, "You've passed the test." Lin Feng smiled, his hands still on the steering wheel, and didn't say anything.

Entering the old town of Qingyuan, turning into that familiar alley, the old locust tree is still there, its canopy casting a large patch of dense shade.

The old man was sitting in a wicker chair in the yard, basking in the sun. The little yellow dog was lying at his feet. It had grown quite a bit in the few months since he last saw it. It had grown from a puppy the size of two fists to a half-grown yellow dog with glossy fur and its ears standing straight up.

Hearing the car at the gate, it jumped up and ran towards the gate, its tail wagging like a little fan.

The old man stood up from the wicker chair, took a few steps toward the gate of the courtyard with his cane, and after seeing the two people getting out of the car, the wrinkles on his face slowly smoothed out, revealing a genuine smile.

Shen Qianqian ran over and hugged her grandfather's arm, holding the osmanthus cake in front of him, saying, "This is for you, fresh out of the oven, still warm."

The old man took the osmanthus cake, patted Shen Qianqian's back gently with his other hand, and said, "You've lost weight again. Are you not eating well at the school cafeteria?"

Shen Qianqian pouted and said, "Grandpa, you always say I've lost weight, but I've clearly gained several pounds."

The grandfather and grandson were bickering back and forth in the yard, while the little yellow dog ran back and forth between them, its tail wagging so hard it almost broke.

After settling Shen Qianqian in, the old man turned around and beckoned to Lin Feng, pointing to the chessboard already set up on the small square table under the locust tree, and said, "Come on, Lin, play a few games with me."

The chessboard was the same old one, and the chess pieces were polished to a shine by the old man's constant rubbing.

The little yellow dog lay on the bluestone ground next to the chessboard, its chin resting on its front paws, dozing with its eyes half-closed. The two men chatted about everyday things as they played chess.

The old man asked Lin Feng what he had been busy with lately. Lin Feng briefly explained the matter of his newly established Shuke Group, which mainly involved bidding for projects and then subcontracting them to several companies. Currently, they were working on the development of a karst cave scenic area in Qingyuan and a piece of land they had just acquired in Hehai, which they planned to build school district housing on.

When the old man heard about the cave scenic area, he nodded and said he knew about the project. "Chao Dawei mentioned it when he came to see me a while ago, saying that the project is progressing quite smoothly."

Lin Feng then talked about the company's operations. The old man listened while playing chess, occasionally humming in agreement, but didn't ask any further questions.

In the third game, the old man's chess moves suddenly slowed down. He held his "chariot" in mid-air for a moment, then lowered it, looked up at Lin Feng, and spoke in a tone that was different from when they were chatting before, with a more serious tone.

He said, "I know some people who, although they've been retired for years, still carry some weight in their words. If the company's business is struggling or they encounter any difficulties, they can just let me know."

Lin Feng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and declined a few times. The old man waved his hand, placed the chess piece on the chessboard, and said in a calm but firm tone, "From now on, we're all family. While I'm still alive, I'll help you as much as I can."

Then he pointed to the chessboard and said, "Checkmate, you've lost again."

The old man didn't dwell on the topic. He picked up his phone, saved Lin Feng's company name into his contacts, and then changed the subject, saying that the chili peppers in the vegetable garden needed fertilizing.

He said he saw a new method for growing vegetables on TV a couple of days ago, "using fermented rice water to water the vegetables makes them grow exceptionally well." After lunch, Raymond Lam personally cooked several dishes.

While he was busy in the kitchen, Shen Qianqian assisted him, handing him salt and vinegar, and occasionally stealing a kiss on the cheek when the old man wasn't looking.

The food was served, and the old man tasted each dish one by one. Finally, he put down his chopsticks, looked at Lin Feng, and said in a very serious tone, "There are fewer and fewer young people these days who can cook, and even fewer who can cook so well like Lin Feng. Shen Qianqian is in for a treat if she marries him."

Shen Qianqian blushed and called out "Grandpa" from the side. The old man, unconcerned, picked up a piece of braised pork rib, put it in his mouth, and chewed slowly, saying, "This is to praise your girlfriend, why are you in such a hurry?"

After finishing their meal, Shen Qianqian went to wash the dishes. After accompanying the old man for his afternoon nap, Lin Feng and the old man went to the vegetable garden together and spent the afternoon working on the plants. They fertilized all the chili peppers and tomatoes and retied the cucumber trellises.

It was almost evening when Lin Feng finally said goodbye to the old man. Shen Qianqian walked him to the old locust tree at the courtyard gate, tiptoed and kissed him on the corner of his mouth, saying, "Grandpa just secretly told her not to bully Lin Feng; such a good young man is hard to find even with a lantern."

Lin Feng smiled, patted her waist gently, and said, "Go back quickly, the old man is waiting for you." Shen Qianqian reluctantly let go of his hand and waved to him from under the locust tree.

Next week is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Shen Qianqian will go to school after it's over and will stay at her maternal grandfather's house during this time.

The little yellow dog also squatted at her feet, tilting its head to watch Lin Feng's car turn out of the alley, its tail slowly sweeping twice on the bluestone pavement.

The day after he returned, Lin Feng was in his office at Shuke Group reviewing the business division proposals submitted by Lu Fei when his phone suddenly rang.

The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number, a local landline number in Hehai City. When I answered, a middle-aged man's voice came through, very enthusiastic, introducing himself as Mr. Lin, the deputy director of the Hehai City Highway Bureau.

After a few pleasantries, he got straight to the point, saying, "Brother Lin, there's an earthwork transportation project on the expressway under construction in the east of the city. It'll take about three months and the workload is quite substantial. Would you be interested in participating?"