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

"If you two need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

Zhou's mother paused for a moment while picking up food, then a smile appeared on her face as she added another piece of tripe to Lin Feng's bowl. "Little Lin, you're so thoughtful. We don't need anything else, as long as they, mother and daughter, are doing well."

Mr. Zhou paused for a moment, his chopsticks still. After a few seconds of silence, he picked up the untouched cup of tea in front of him, took a sip, and hummed in response. The sound was soft, but at least it was a positive reply.

He picked up a piece of green vegetable with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth and chewed it. He moved his cheeks a few times, but didn't say anything, nor did he make any more noises.

Taking advantage of the moment, Zhou's mother scooped a few more slices of fatty beef into Lin Feng's bowl, saying, "Little Lin, eat more. You look thinner than when you last came."

The steam from the hot pot rose into the courtyard, blurring the light from the overhead lamp. Zhou's mother added another plate of mutton rolls to the pot, the red oil bubbling and releasing its aroma, which mingled with the spiciness of the broth, into the evening breeze.

"Xiao Lin, how many people are in your company now?" Zhou's mother scooped up the mutton with a slotted spoon, first adding a chopstickful to Zhou's father's bowl, then picking up a few slices for Lin Feng. "I heard from Zhou Mei last time that your company is quite big."

"The company now has about a hundred people in total." Lin Feng took the bowl. "We've been expanding quite rapidly lately. We've set up a few new departments this month and are still hiring."

"More than a hundred people?" Zhou's mother put down the strainer, turned to look at Zhou's father, and said, "That's a huge undertaking."

Mr. Zhou picked up the mutton from his bowl without looking up, but his chopsticks paused for a moment.

Lin Feng picked up a slice of potato and put it into the pot to cook. "It's alright. We hired an operations director to manage the daily operations, so I don't have to sit in the office every day anymore. I only go when there's something to do. I came here this time to get everything arranged before the Mid-Autumn Festival and to spend some time with Zhou Mei."

Zhou's mother nodded repeatedly, "That's perfect. Zhou Mei's appetite has been much better lately, and she's happy to have you here." As she spoke, she scooped the shrimp paste from the pot and used serving chopsticks to distribute it into the bowls of several people. "Eat more shrimp paste. It's homemade, and it's better than what you buy outside."

Mr. Zhou picked up a shrimp paste from his bowl, ate it, chewed it twice, swallowed it, put down his chopsticks, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and looked at Lin Feng, "You said that trust fund, three million a year, until the child turns eighteen, is that a promise?"

"Let's do the math, Uncle. The company's revenue is quite substantial right now, basically in the tens of millions," Lin Feng put down his chopsticks and looked at Zhou's father. "I've already had the lawyer draft the contract, and we can sign it after the Mid-Autumn Festival. I'll come to visit once a month from now on, and I'll try to come more often after the baby is born."

After listening, Mr. Zhou remained silent for a few seconds, put the teacup back on the table, and then picked up a piece of green vegetable with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

This time he swallowed it after only a couple of chews, grunted, and his voice sounded more reassuring than before. "As long as the young man is reliable, that's fine." He then picked up another piece of tripe and put it in Lin Feng's bowl. "Eat it, it won't taste good when it gets cold."

Seeing this, Zhou's mother smiled even more. She picked up the beverage bottle on the table and filled Lin Feng's glass. "Xiao Lin, eat more, don't be shy. Tomorrow, Auntie will go to town to buy a black-boned chicken to make soup. The black-boned chicken in Yunnan is different from the ones in your area. The soup made from it is clear and good for your health."

Wang Yuqing sat on the other side of the table, not saying much, slowly eating the food in her bowl. Xiao Yu buried his head in eating slices of meat, while Da Huang lay beside the table leg gnawing on a bone.

Zhou Mei sat next to Lin Feng, quietly drinking her soup, a small smile playing on her lips, without saying a word. Zhou's father picked up a piece of mutton and chewed it, saying nothing more, but his expression was much more relaxed than before the meal.

The pot on the table was still boiling, with a layer of bright red oil floating on the soup noodles, and the aroma of minced garlic and Sichuan peppercorns slowly drifted in the evening breeze.

After dinner, Lin Feng accompanied Zhou Mei for a stroll on the path outside the courtyard. It was already getting dark, and the distant mountain shadows were gradually blurring in the twilight. The streetlights had just come on, casting warm yellow halos on the ground.

Osmanthus trees were planted on both sides of the road, but they hadn't bloomed yet, and their leaves rustled in the evening breeze.

Zhou Mei walked slowly, and Lin Feng slowed his pace to match hers. They walked a short distance before stopping under a streetlamp.

"Regarding that trust fund you mentioned," Zhou Mei looked up at him, "you don't need to give that much. I don't need the money; what you send me every month is enough."

"That's for the child," Lin Feng said, "not for you."

Zhou Mei didn't say anything more. She looked down at her stomach, then turned her gaze to the road ahead. "Let's go, we'll go back after one more lap."

The two walked around the path again, the streetlights stretching and shortening their shadows, then shrinking back to their feet and stretching again. When they returned to the courtyard gate, everyone else had already gone back inside, leaving only the warm yellow light shining from the kitchen window in the yard.

Lin Feng accompanied Zhou Mei to the bedroom on the second floor.

The room was small but simply and comfortably furnished. The sheets were light blue cotton, and there was a lamp and a half-open book on the bedside table.

Zhou Mei leaned against the headboard, while Lin Feng lay down beside her on his side. Neither of them spoke. Occasionally, the chirping of crickets drifted in from outside the window, mingling with the rustling of the ivy leaves in the evening breeze, adding just the right amount of sound to the quiet night.

Zhou Mei turned her head to look at him. "How many days do you plan to stay here?"

"About three days."

"Then come with me to town the day after tomorrow. I want to buy some maternity clothes for autumn." She said this casually.

"Okay," Lin Feng replied.

Zhou Mei pulled the blanket up higher, turned over to face the window, and her breathing gradually became even. Lin Feng also closed his eyes, listening to the chirping of insects outside the window and the occasional barking of dogs in the distance, and soon fell asleep as well.

……

The next morning, when Lin Feng got up, Zhou Mei was still asleep, lying on her side with the blanket wrapped around her shoulder, breathing steadily.

She tiptoed downstairs, where her mother was already busy in the kitchen. A pot of chicken soup was simmering on the stove, and its aroma wafted out from under the lid.

"Xiao Lin is awake? The soup will be ready in a while. Why don't you go sit in the yard for a bit?" Zhou's mother turned around and smiled at him before continuing to slice ginger.

Lin Feng responded and walked into the yard, where Xiao Yu was already squatting by the wall feeding Da Huang. A passageway ran between the two yards, making it very convenient for people to come and go.

Wang Yuqing walked out of the neighboring courtyard, carrying a cup of hot tea, and sat down at the square table. The two stood a few steps apart, not speaking. The morning light shone in from above the courtyard wall, casting a thin layer of gold on the bluestone slabs.

After breakfast, Lin Feng said he would take the two elders to town for a stroll.

Mr. Zhou wanted to decline, but Mrs. Zhou had already changed her shoes and pulled him up from the chair.