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

"It's great. The climate here is more comfortable than in Hehai, not too hot or too cold. Being with the children every day, I don't have to think about any of my worries. The director of the welfare home is a very nice person. Knowing that I used to be a teacher, she asked me to help tutor the children. Some of these children have never been to school and don't even know pinyin, but they are very serious about learning. Last time I taught them to recite a Tang poem, one of the children ran to my office door early the next morning and waited, saying he wanted to recite it for me."

As Zhou Mei spoke, she pointed to the little boy squatting on the ground pulling weeds next to the vegetable garden, "That's him, his name is Little Stone, he's very smart, but a bit mischievous."

"I'm glad you're doing well here. Things are going smoothly at work. Oh, by the way, before you left last time, I told you about the bonus I'd give you. The money's already been transferred to your account, did you receive it?"

"I received it. It's too much for me to use. The cost of living here is very low; rent is only a few hundred yuan a month, and food is cheap too. I donated some to the welfare home and bought some new beds and school supplies for the children. I'll save the rest and maybe buy a small house here someday to live a quiet life."

As she spoke, her gaze went past Lin Feng's shoulder, looking at the dilapidated walls of the welfare home in the distance and the old banyan tree in the courtyard. Her voice was very calm.

Lin Feng watched the way she spoke.

She was thinner than before, and the lines of her collarbone were more defined, but she seemed much more relaxed and at ease than when she was at Hohai.

Lin Feng followed Zhou Mei to her rented apartment.

The apartment wasn't large, just one bedroom and one living room, but it was spotless and tidy. Several potted plants of unknown species sat on the windowsill, and a cross-stitch she had embroidered herself hung on the wall. It depicted several birds perched on branches; the embroidery wasn't particularly intricate, but the stitches were dense, showing that she had put a lot of thought into it. She had also learned to cook a few local Yunnan home-style dishes, which were on the sour and spicy side. Lin Feng, who was used to the milder flavors of Yunnan cuisine, initially found it a little difficult to adjust, but as she ate, she felt a warm and comfortable feeling in her stomach.

Raymond Lam praised her for her improved cooking skills, and she smiled and said that when she lived in Hohai University, she always burned the food easily, but now that she lives alone, she has gradually learned to cook better. She said it's probably because there's no one around to distract her, so she can concentrate better.

Over the course of those three days, Lin Feng accompanied her to many places. They went to Dali Old Town, rented a tandem bicycle by Erhai Lake, and rode along the lakeside road for most of the day. Zhou Mei sat on the back seat, laughing like a child. The sea breeze tousled her hair. She gently rested her head on Lin Feng's back, gazing at the distant, rolling Cangshan Mountains and the clear blue lake below.

This was her first time visiting Erhai Lake in all the time she'd been in Yunnan. She'd always thought that coming alone wouldn't be very interesting.

The two then went to Shuhe Ancient Town in Lijiang, wandering aimlessly along the bluestone streets. On both sides of the road were small shops selling handicrafts and flower cakes, and the air was filled with the sweet aroma of roses and baked biscuits.

Zhou Mei stopped in front of a silver jewelry store and took a fancy to a pair of simple silver earrings. Lin Feng bought them immediately and put them on her himself. She looked at herself in the mirror at the store entrance for a long time, her eyes full of smiles.

They also went to the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, but instead of taking the cable car up the mountain, they strolled slowly on the meadow at the foot of the mountain.

The distant snow-capped mountains are faintly visible in the clouds and mist, and the thick meadow underfoot feels soft and fluffy.

Zhou Mei squatted down and picked an unknown wildflower, tucking it behind her ear. Just as she stood up, Lin Feng suddenly hugged her gently from behind.

He looked down and asked her if she felt lonely at night while living alone in Yunnan. She was silent for a while, then said she was used to it. She used to live alone when she lived in Hohai, but the apartment in Zhonghai City was too big, and she felt empty when she was alone.

Although the rented room here is small, lying in bed at night listening to the chirping of insects outside the window makes me feel at ease.

She spoke calmly, and Lin Feng hugged her tighter, resting his chin gently on the top of her head, without saying anything more.

"Did you come to Yunnan specifically to see me, or was it just a business trip along the way?" She finally asked the question that had been on her mind for the past few days.

She tried to keep her tone casual, but after asking, her heart still raced, and her fingers unconsciously clenched the T-shirt on his chest.

"I came here specifically. Nothing major has happened at the company these past few days, so I told Lu Fei I was going out for a bit and asked him to keep an eye on things."

Zhou Mei didn't speak, but buried her face even deeper into his chest. Suddenly, she felt a lump in her throat, but she stubbornly held back her tears.

……

On the third night, the two lay in bed, Zhou Mei nestled in Lin Feng's arms, her fingertips gently tracing circles on his collarbone.

Lin Feng suddenly turned over, took a small box out of his bag on the bedside table, opened it, and inside was a platinum ring. The design was very simple, without diamonds or any extra patterns, just a smooth and plain circle.

He handed the ring to Zhou Mei.

"This is for you, do you want it?"

Zhou Mei was stunned.

She stared at the ring for a long time, her eyes slowly reddening.

"Is this a proposal? You're trying to tie me down! I don't want to fight a bunch of women for a husband, it's too tiring."

"I know I can't give you a formal title. But I want to make you a promise. No matter where you are, no matter what happens in the future, I will come to see you and take care of you for the rest of my life."

Zhou Mei buried her face in his chest, her shoulders trembling slightly for a while, her fingers gripping his collar, before finally lifting her head from his chest.

She extended her left hand, her fingers trembling slightly, and asked him to put the ring on her ring finger.

The ring fit perfectly. Zhou Mei looked at the silver-white ring on her ring finger, rotated her wrist under the light, and then spoke softly.

"Raymond Lam, I want a child. I know you won't get a marriage certificate with me, and I don't care about that piece of paper. But I want something that belongs to both of us. Just give me a child. I will raise him well in Yunnan, teach him to read and write, and tell him that his father is a very powerful person at Hohai University."

Lin Feng looked into her earnest and determined eyes and remained silent for a long time. Then he reached out and cupped her face, gently wiping away the tears on her face with his thumb, and lowered his head to kiss her lips.

He gently pulled her into his arms, his palm tenderly stroking her back, his movements both precious and tender.

Zhou Mei reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, her fingertips gently clenching his back, leaving a few shallow marks.

She pressed her lips to his ear, her warm breath gently caressing his earlobe, her voice barely audible.

"Today... is not a safe period."

After saying that, she closed her eyes, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and tears silently streamed down her face.

……

The next day, the two went to a small photo studio in town to take wedding photos.

Zhou Mei wore a white dress and had a wildflower picked from the roadside pinned in her hair, while Lin Feng wore a clean white shirt.

The owner of the photo studio was an old man in his fifties, wearing reading glasses, who chatted with them while adjusting the camera.

"You're from out of town, aren't you? You look like you're from a big city, your demeanor is just different."

"We come from Hehai," Lin Feng replied softly, his arm around Zhou Mei's shoulder.

"Hohai is a great place. I went there once when I was young, and the Yangtze River Bridge there is particularly magnificent. You two look so well-matched standing together, young man, your wife is really beautiful. Come closer—yes, like this, smile."

Zhou Mei leaned against Lin Feng, a faint smile on her lips. The photo studio owner pressed the shutter, capturing the moment on the photographic paper.

Afterwards, they visited many scenic spots and took some photos. This period was probably the happiest time of Zhou Mei's life.

Later, the photos were developed, and I picked out the best one, put it in a frame, and placed it on the bedside table in my rented room.