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

The car stopped in front of a restaurant.

The storefront is small, but it is decorated very nicely. A wooden plaque hangs on the blue brick wall, and two neatly trimmed Podocarpus macrophyllus trees are placed on either side of the entrance.

Warm yellow light shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows, revealing a dining table covered with a white tablecloth and silver candlesticks on it.

Lin Feng parked the car, and Zhou Mei got out first, followed by her mother and father.

The welcoming waiter opened the glass door and bowed slightly. Lin Feng walked in first, gave his name, and the waiter tapped on a tablet before leading the four of them inside.

The restaurant appears deeper inside than outside, with tables spaced far apart. Each table has a small, warm yellow pendant light above it, making the white tablecloths glow slightly.

They were led to a booth by the window, flanked by dark brown leather sofas, with a long table in the middle.

Lin Feng asked Zhou's parents to sit down first, and then sat down next to Zhou Mei after Zhou Mei had sat down herself.

The waiter placed four leather-bound menus on the table. Lin Feng took them and flipped through them. He recognized some of the dishes and didn't recognize others, but he turned the pages at a moderate pace, lingering on each page for just the right amount of time.

I've taught a few members with good incomes before, and I would occasionally treat them to meals after class, always to restaurants of this caliber.

At first, he didn't even know which way to hold the knife and fork, but after eating with them three or four times, he learned how.

Turning to the menu page for signature dishes, I ordered the restaurant's signature stew, then turned to ask Mr. and Mrs. Zhou if they had any dietary restrictions.

Zhou's mother said no, so Lin Feng ordered a few more dishes: steamed grouper, black pepper beef tenderloin, seasonal vegetables in broth, plus a serving of slow-cooked soup.

After ordering, he closed the menu and handed it back to the waiter, his movements very natural, as if he had done it many times before.

Zhou Mei sat next to him, holding a teacup in her hand, and glanced over the rim of the cup.

He didn't say anything, but the fingers holding the teacup relaxed slightly.

The dishes were served one after another.

Lin Feng picked up the serving chopsticks and served food to Zhou's parents. First, he put a piece of the tenderest meat from the belly of a grouper in Zhou's mother's bowl, and then he ladled a bowl of soup from the stew pot for Zhou's father.

He used his chopsticks very steadily when picking up food, picking up just the right amount of food, and there was no soup splashing out when he put the food down.

Zhou's mother tasted a piece of grouper and nodded.

"Does Xiaolin often eat out?" Zhou's mother put down her chopsticks, picked up her teacup, and took a sip.

"I have a lot of work-related social engagements, and sometimes I'm out three or four days a week." Lin Feng put the serving chopsticks back on the chopstick holder, a gesture he learned from the members, who said that serving chopsticks shouldn't be left on the table after use.

"No wonder," Zhou's mother smiled. "You ordered the food with such skill."

Mr. Zhou didn't say much, and he rarely used chopsticks, mostly just holding his teacup and drinking slowly.

But since leaving the airport, the furrow in his brow has relaxed considerably. He tasted every dish that Lin Feng put in his bowl, and didn't make a sound while drinking the soup.

Halfway through the meal, Zhou's mother started talking about Zhou Mei's childhood.

She said that when she was in the third grade of elementary school, she participated in a dance competition. Before going on stage, she was so nervous that she put her performance costume on backwards. The bow on her skirt was on the back of her bottom, and she didn't even realize it. She still finished the whole dance like that.

Zhou Mei reached out to cover her mother's mouth, but her mother laughed and dodged away. The mother and daughter then started fooling around in the booth.

Zhou Mei's ears turned red again, a stark contrast to her usual aloof and reserved demeanor at school.

Lin Feng stood beside him, smiling, the curve of his lips perfectly positioned.

Mr. Zhou put down his teacup and suddenly spoke. "Xiao Lin, you've known Mei Mei for three months?"

"Yes, Uncle."

What do you think of her?

Lin Feng turned his head and glanced at Zhou Mei.

She was pulling her hand away from her mother's mouth, a strand of her hair was ruffled and fell across her cheek, and she still had an uncontrollable smile on her face.

That kind of laughter wasn't the kind she'd give to students at school; it was the kind of laughter that came from being both angry and ashamed after her mother had exposed her shortcomings in front of others.

"Old Zhou—" He paused, realizing he had let something slip, and quickly added, "To be honest... Meimei is a very good person. She's hardworking, kind to those around her, and has a very kind heart."

Zhou's father looked at him, and after a few seconds, slowly nodded. The nod was very small. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked no more questions.

The meal took about two hours.

The conversation then veered off into various topics, including the cat Zhou Mei had as a child, her father's desire to return to his hometown to grow vegetables after retirement, and which fast food restaurant near Lin Feng's company was the best.

Lin Feng doesn't talk much, but every time he responds, it's on point; he never interrupts or leaves the room silent.

When it was time to pay, Lin Feng stood up and went to the cashier. Watching his retreating figure, Zhou's mother nudged Zhou Mei with her elbow. "Lin is tall, handsome, articulate, and knows how to order. He's much better than your father. The first time your father came to our house for dinner, he was so nervous he knocked over his teacup three times."

Zhou's father coughed beside him.

Zhou Mei lowered her head to drink her tea, revealing the barely suppressed smile on her lips.

It was already dark when we came out of the restaurant.

Lin Feng opened the car door for Zhou's parents to get in, then got into the driver's seat. As the car started moving, Zhou's mother leaned over from the back seat.

"Xiao Lin, your uncle and I are planning to stay at Hohai for two days. We'll stay at Mei Mei's place tonight."

Zhou Mei's hand stopped on her knee.

"Her apartment has two bedrooms and a living room; it's big enough for her." Zhou's mother leaned back in her chair, her tone matter-of-fact. "Why don't you come with us too!"

Lin Feng glanced at Zhou Mei, who gestured for him to continue driving.

When the car arrived at the entrance of Zhonghai City residential area, Zhou's mother got out first, followed by Zhou's father.

The four people entered the elevator.

Upon reaching the fifth floor, Zhou Mei took out her keys and opened the door. The entryway light came on, and Zhou's mother changed into slippers and went inside, taking a stroll around the living room.

Mr. Zhou followed behind her, his steps slow, his eyes also scanning the surroundings. But his gaze differed from his mother's; while she was assessing the cleanliness and tidiness of the house, Mr. Zhou was looking at something else entirely.

Lin Feng stood in the entryway, took off his leather shoes, and put on a pair of gray slippers that Zhou Mei had just taken out of the shoe cabinet. As he bent down to change his shoes, Zhou's father's gaze shifted away from his back.

It seems this isn't the first time the other person has been here.

Zhou's mother sat down on the sofa and patted the seat next to her. "Xiao Lin, come and sit down."

Lin Feng walked over and sat down.

Zhou's mother turned to face him, her knees almost touching his legs. Zhou Mei came out of the kitchen with a fruit platter, placed it on the coffee table, and then sat down on the single sofa next to Lin Feng.

After Zhou Mei sat down, Zhou's mother spoke. "Xiao Lin, Auntie has something to ask you." Lin Feng nodded.

"How far have things progressed between you and Meimei?"

Lin Feng's hand stopped on his knee, staring at the bunch of grapes. "Auntie, we—"

"Are you already living together?"

Lin Feng's ears turned bright red as he suddenly remembered what happened last time!

He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Zhou's mother looked at his ears, a smile curving her lips. That smile held a certain "I knew it" certainty. "You young people, I understand. Since you're aiming for marriage, we're not old-fashioned. Even if you live together, I won't say anything." She paused, patting Lin Feng's hand. "However, precautions should still be taken."

Zhou Mei jumped up from the single sofa and pulled her mother up as well. "Mom, I'll take you to wash up. Dad's already done washing up, you go wash up."

As Zhou's mother was being pulled towards the bathroom, she turned back to Lin Feng and said, "Little Lin, remember what Auntie said—"

The bathroom door was closed.

Lin Feng sat alone on the sofa, feeling relieved. The living room quieted down, with only the sound of water coming from the bathroom and Zhou Mei's hushed voice.

At this moment, Zhou's father came out of the bathroom, changed into a dark gray pajama, and was drying his hair with a towel in his hand.

He walked over to the sofa and sat down opposite Lin Feng. He draped a towel over his knees, crossed his hands on his knees, and slowly circled his thumbs together.

"Kobayashi." His voice wasn't loud.

"Uncle, please speak."

"Meimei has never caused us any worry since she was little. She didn't need to be pushed in her studies, she found her own job, and she bought her own house. Her mother introduced her to potential partners, but she didn't want to, and we never forced her." Mr. Zhou's thumb stopped. "Since you are the person she chose herself, we trust her."

At this point, he raised his eyes to look at Lin Feng.

"What you do for a living, how much money you make, how many houses your family owns—these are things her mother cares about, but I don't. The only thing I care about is whether you are sincere towards her."

Without waiting for his reply, Zhou's father stood up from the sofa, patted him on the shoulder, draped a towel over his shoulder, and went into another bedroom.

Looking at the other person's back, Lin Feng suddenly felt that there was something hidden in Zhou's father's words. Could it be that he had figured out that he was an imposter?