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

After finishing his drink, Lu Jianguo placed the cup on the table, wiped his mouth with a tissue, and paused for a moment on Lin Feng's face. "President Lin, if this project goes smoothly, what are your subsequent plans for the new energy sector? Could you share some details?"

"Let's get this production line up and running first." Lin Feng placed his wine glass on the table, slowly swirling the liquid at the bottom to level it. "Later expansion and product line development will depend on market feedback. But we already have a direction. Since we've entered this industry, we're definitely not just going to work on one production line."

"That means there's a backup plan."

"We wouldn't call it a backup plan, but we do have a plan. In addition to new energy batteries, energy storage systems and charging piles are also within our scope of consideration, but that depends on the performance of the first production line. Once one production line is running smoothly, the rest will be much easier."

Lu Jianguo nodded and did not ask any further questions.

Having worked as a service provider for so many years, he has seen far too many clients make grand promises about the future over drinks, but only a third of those promises actually come true.

But Lin Feng's way of speaking made him feel at ease; he said what needed to be said and didn't say a word he shouldn't.

"There will be opportunities for cooperation in the future." Lu Jianguo picked up his glass again, this time raising it solemnly. "President Lin, the road ahead is long, and I hope BYD and Shuke can continue to work together."

"Yes, I will." Lin Feng raised his glass.

The two drank their drinks across the table and didn't leave until after nine o'clock.

Most of the dishes on the table were swept away, the empty plate of shrimp and Longjing tea was removed, and the skeleton of the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish sat alone in the center of the plate, the dark red sauce already solidified.

Two bottles of baijiu were empty, and the third bottle was opened but only half-emptied. "I have important business to attend to tomorrow, so I'll stop here for tonight."

Lin Feng stood at the restaurant entrance and shook hands with Lu Jianguo to say goodbye.

The alley was dark, with only an old-fashioned, dim light bulb hanging above the doorway. The light shone on the two people's profiles, outlining their silhouettes with a line where light and shadow met.

"We had a good meal tonight." Lu Jianguo shook his hand vigorously twice. "We'll sign the contract promptly at 9:30 tomorrow morning."

See you at 9:30.

Lin Feng then gave Vice President Zhang a few more instructions for tomorrow's matters: the final versions of the contract printing, certificate copies, and technical attachments. He then asked the driver to take them back to the hotel first.

I stood by the roadside for a while waiting for the next bus.

A breeze blew in from the alleyway, carrying the unique fragrance of osmanthus blossoms and the scent of river water characteristic of Suzhou in autumn; it was slightly cool, but not cold. The old town was quiet at night, with the faint sound of Suzhou storytelling instruments drifting from afar, intermittent and as if separated by several walls.

It was almost 10 o'clock when I got back to the hotel.

I swiped my card to enter the room, put my briefcase on the table, and went through all the documents I would need to sign the contract tomorrow to make sure I hadn't missed anything before taking a shower.

Only when the hot water came down did he feel the fatigue of the day seeping out from his bones. The negotiations in the morning, the tug-of-war in the afternoon, and the drinking party in the evening—his nerves, which had been tense all day, finally relaxed.

After showering, I changed into a dry T-shirt and cotton trousers, poured myself a cup of warm water at the tea station, and then sat down on the sofa with my phone.

The video call went through, rang four times, and then it was answered.

The screen lit up, and Ye Qinghan had just finished showering. Her hair was still wet and hadn't been dried. Water droplets dripped down the ends of her hair, leaving several dark spots on her dark gray slip dress.

Leaning against the headboard, her phone rested diagonally beside her pillow. She lay on her side, half her face buried in the pillow, her eyelashes drooping, looking extremely sleepy. The warm light from the bedside lamp cast a soft shadow on her collarbone.

"Are you done talking?" Her voice was a little hoarse, and she was clearly sleepy.

"Yes, the talks are over." Lin Feng leaned back on the sofa armrest, finished the last sip of water in his glass, and said, "The contract will be signed tomorrow, and the production line will be operational within the next six months. It's faster than expected."

Ye Qinghan rolled over, the pillow sinking deeper into her skin. The neckline of her slip dress opened slightly due to her side-lying position, revealing a small patch of skin below her collarbone. She moved her phone closer. "Looks like Secretary Fu's words had an effect?"

"The results were immediate. The concessions made afterward were significantly larger, and the most difficult issues, such as maintenance fees, technology upgrade fees, and equipment purchase prices, were all resolved by the end of the afternoon."

"That's good." Ye Qinghan's lips curved slightly, a hint of a smile appearing amidst her drowsiness. "Be more careful when signing the contract tomorrow."

"I know," Lin Feng nodded. "How are you today?"

"I attended three meetings, met with Secretary Fu's secretary at noon to discuss tomorrow's schedule, had a working lunch with them in the evening, and returned to the hotel at eight o'clock."

He finished speaking and yawned, not covering his mouth with his hand, a small smile forming on his lips in the frame. "You've been drinking?"

"I drank some baijiu (Chinese liquor)."

"Your ears turn red every time you drink baijiu." She tapped the corresponding spot on her screen with her fingertip, her gesture slightly languid with sleepiness. "How many glasses did you have?"

"Three or four cups? I didn't count. But I didn't overdo it, and my mind is still clear."

"That's good." Ye Qinghan reached out and pressed the bedside lamp, the light changing from warm yellow to a darker orange, the whole scene as soft as if covered by a thin veil. "Let me know after you sign the contract tomorrow. I take an early morning flight back to Hohai the day after tomorrow. If you finish early, we can find a place to eat in the afternoon. I should still have time after my meeting."

"Okay! I'll let you know as soon as I sign it."

Ye Qinghan's eyes were almost closed, and she said in a soft voice, "Go to sleep."

"Good night."

"Good night."

……

Day three!

When Lin Feng and his group arrived at BYD's headquarters, it was only 8:40, almost an hour earlier than the agreed time.

Vice President Zhang was already waiting at the door, carrying a briefcase containing a thick stack of the final draft of the contract and technical attachments, which he had worked on overnight and sealed in a kraft paper file bag.

The two men stood at the entrance of the hall, smoking a cigarette, but neither of them said a word.

The cleaning lady in the lobby was wiping the glass door, leaving semi-circular marks on the glass with her rag.

At 9:00 AM sharp, Lu Jianguo came out of the elevator, followed by two people from BYD's legal department, each carrying a laptop.

He was wearing a dark blue shirt today, with the collar buttoned up neatly, a stark contrast to his appearance yesterday afternoon in the meeting room when he unbuttoned his shirt and loosened his tie.

"President Lin, you're here so early." Lu Jianguo quickly walked over and shook hands. "The contract office is on the sixteenth floor. President Wang has already arrived and is waiting for you upstairs."

"Has President Wang arrived?" Vice President Zhang glanced at his watch.

"He's used to arriving early." Lu Jianguo led them to the elevator. "He said he wanted to personally oversee the contract signing today. The legal department staff worked overtime until 1 a.m. last night, and he reviewed the final draft again at 6 a.m. this morning."