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

Back home, she threw her suitcase on the floor and slumped onto the sofa. Her phone screen was lit up; she had read the message from her fiancé countless times.

"Qingqing, my dad heard about your situation. He said to postpone the engagement until your family's troubles are resolved. Don't overthink it; I'm just respecting my elders' opinions."

Every word felt like a knife stabbing into her heart.

They're getting engaged next month, but now he says he'll "take it slow." Her mother sat across from her, her eyes red, saying that Qi Yang's father went to kowtow and apologize to the woman, but she didn't even look at him properly.

When asked if the man's girlfriend was named Wang Yue, Qi's mother nodded. She said she was the girl from the Wang family. She added that the man spent millions of yuan on road repairs and birthday banquets to make Wang Yue's grandmother happy, without even blinking an eye.

Qi Qing knew, of course. The suspension wasn't a coincidence; he had someone put in the effort. According to the inside information she'd gathered, if someone could get the vice president of the provincial investment group to make a personal call, crushing the Qi family would be easier than crushing an ant.

Qi Qing closed her eyes, leaned back on the sofa, and let out a long breath. She had just turned thirty-three this year. After graduating from junior college, she joined Chitian Chemical and started as a clerk at the very bottom. While others were off work, she was still working overtime to prepare reports. When others were on vacation, she volunteered to cover their shifts. It took her seven or eight years to finally become a department head.

She was expected to be promoted to vice minister by the end of the year, and was getting engaged next month. Her fiancé's family was well-off and influential in the town. The matchmaker had approached her about the marriage, and the fiancé was also a prominent figure.

Because the Qi family was considered powerful in the surrounding villages, although her brother was useless, she was a leader in the chemical plant, and her father delivered materials to the chemical plant, earning quite a bit of money each year.

But now all of that is collapsing. The position she worked so hard for over a decade has been terminated, the business relationships her father built up could break down at any moment, and her marriage is in jeopardy.

And all of this was caused by her spoiled younger brother, who offended someone she couldn't afford to mess with with just one sentence.

She hated Qi Yang, but what was more urgent right now was how to protect what she had left. She couldn't just sit and wait to die.

If she falls, her father will lose the chemical plant's orders, and her brother, with his despicable nature, will be even more unreliable. The entire Qi family will truly be finished.

I have to go find Raymond Lam, whether it's to apologize in person or to plead for him, I have to try.

I tossed and turned all night without closing my eyes.

The next morning, she took out a white silk shirt and a black pencil skirt from her closet.

She hadn't worn the dress in a long time; it was a gift she bought to celebrate her promotion to supervisor, and she'd only worn it once.

She then took out a pair of black pointed-toe stilettos from the deepest part of the shoe cabinet. Standing in front of the mirror, she looked at herself with her exquisite makeup. Her skin was fair, her breasts were full and perky thanks to the silk shirt, her waist was cinched, her hips were encased in a pencil skirt, and her legs were long and straight in black stockings.

I can't even remember the last time I dressed up like this. I stood in front of the mirror for a long time, looking at my face with full makeup, and suddenly felt a little unfamiliar.

Over the years, he has worked his way up the ranks, mostly wearing work clothes and sneakers. He negotiates with contractors on construction sites and reconciles accounts with finance departments in the office. He has never relied on his appearance for a living.

But she had nothing else to offer today, so she composed herself and went out.

After driving to Zhai Village, we finally managed to find out where Lin Feng lived, but we couldn't get in at all. A birthday banquet was being held in the courtyard, and it was bustling with people. The drums and gongs of the lion dance were deafening, and the sound system of the song and dance troupe filled the entire valley.

She stood at the alley entrance for a long time, hesitating before finally finding Old Chen, the village secretary. Old Chen guessed from her appearance that she was from the Qi family. Initially, he didn't want to get involved, but he couldn't resist the generous red envelope she offered… it was too thick!

"Secretary Chen, I know the Qi family did something unethical before, and I don't expect them to forgive my brother. I just want to apologize to General Manager Lin in person and beg him to be lenient. I've worked at Chitian Chemical for over ten years, climbing up from the bottom step by step. My brother's mistake shouldn't cause my whole family to suffer. Please pass on a message for me, saying that I'm hosting a banquet at Guifaxiang Restaurant in town."

Old Chen sighed and said he would ask around for her, but he couldn't guarantee anything.

I went in to find Lin Feng, and came out shortly after. He agreed to meet at 2 PM, which was only half an hour away.

Qi Qing thanked them profusely and left. Back in her car, she looked at herself in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were a little red. She took out her makeup bag, touched up her makeup, took a few deep breaths, and started the car.

When Lin Feng arrived, she had already been waiting for almost an hour. The private room was small and the decor was a bit old. The walls were covered with yellowed floral wallpaper, the air conditioner was humming, and there was a white plastic tablecloth on the table with a bottle of plastic flowers in the middle.

Qi Qing sat by the window, with two opened bottles of baijiu in front of him, each filled to the brim in a clear glass.

When she stood up to greet Raymond Lam, her legs felt a little weak, whether from nervousness or from drinking too much on an empty stomach. She gave a slight bow, keeping a very humble posture, but tried her best to keep her voice steady.

"Mr. Lin, thank you for coming."

Lin Feng glanced at her. She wore a white silk shirt, with the top two buttons undone, revealing a small section of her fair collarbone.

The shirt was tucked into a black pencil skirt that hugged her hips and thighs, the hem just past mid-thigh.

Her legs, encased in black stockings, were long and straight, pressed together and slightly turned to one side, with a pair of black pointed-toe stiletto heels at her ankles.

Her hair was styled in a bun at the back of her head, and she wore a pair of small pearl earrings on her earlobes. Her makeup was exquisite, showing that she had put a lot of thought into her appearance.

Her figure was different from the women around Lin Feng; Qi Qing's body curves were mature and soft.

"Miss Qi, please speak freely. I don't have much time."

Qi Qing told him to sit down, then picked up the wine bottle on the table, filled his own glass, tilted his head back, and gulped it down.

The spiciness of the liquor burned down his throat and into his stomach. He gritted his teeth and didn't cough. He poured himself a second glass and downed it in one gulp.

When the third glass was filled, her fingers were already trembling, and a few drops of wine spilled onto the tablecloth, but she still picked it up and drank it all.

After three cups of baijiu, her cheeks turned from fair to rosy, and even her neck was tinged with a light pink.

"President Lin, I apologize to you on behalf of my brother. He was young and ignorant, and offended you and your girlfriend. I've already had his father lock him in the house, and he will never appear in front of you again. I know that an apology alone is not enough, but I'm here to sincerely atone for my mistake. My whole family is willing to bear the consequences of my brother's mistake. It's just that I've worked at Chitian Chemical for over ten years, working my way up from the lowest position. I was expected to be promoted to deputy minister by the end of the year, and I was getting engaged next month. Now I might lose my job, and my fiancé's family is hesitant about whether to call off the engagement. I know this has nothing to do with you; it's my brother's own fault. But I'm truly desperate, and I have no choice but to swallow my pride and beg you. Please, have mercy on me and let me live."

Lin Feng leaned back in his chair and looked at her.

The woman spoke in a steady voice, and although her eyes were red, she didn't shed a single tear.

Lin Feng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and spoke in a very calm tone.

"I can let your brother's matter slide. But your job isn't something I can resolve with a few words. Since General Manager Yang has already given the go-ahead, once the company's internal audit process is initiated, it won't be easily stopped. Besides—why should I help you?"

Qi Qing lowered his head and remained silent for a long while.

Her fingers, resting on her knees, slowly clenched. A jumble of thoughts raced through her mind. The fact that he was willing to come see her meant there was still room for maneuver.

But why should I help her?