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

On the third day, they rented a car and drove north for a while, then set up their tent by a lake at the edge of the woods. Ouyang Qian set up her own tent herself, her movements skillful, quickly assembling the poles, tying ropes, and securing the tent pegs.

Lin Feng and Sophia fiddled with it for a long time before finally getting it set up. Sophia squatted down beside them, handing them tent pegs. The tent tilted twice before finally managing to stand up on the third try.

Ouyang Qian stood at the entrance of her tent watching them for a while, then said, "Do you need my help? I can't stand it anymore."

Lin Feng waved his hand, "Anywhere I can stay is fine."

"With the way you've built it, it'll collapse if there's a strong wind at night." Ouyang Qian walked over, bent down, pulled out the two main poles again, crossed them, and tightened the ground stakes at the four corners. Her movements were precise and quick.

When she bent over, the hem of her outdoor jacket slipped forward, revealing a narrow strip of skin around her waist, which looked exceptionally fair. Sofia watched intently from the side, and after she straightened up, she whispered a thank you.

"Have you learned it yet?" Ouyang Qian patted the dirt off her hands and looked at Sophia.

"I think I know how," Sophia nodded.

"Try it yourself next time," Ouyang Qian said.

The space inside the tent was more cramped than I had imagined. After spreading out the sleeping mat, the two of us lay side by side, and our shoulders and elbows were always touching.

The temperature dropped quickly by the lake at night, and the wind, carrying the coolness of the lake water, seeped in through the gaps in the tent. Sophia moved closer to Lin Feng, her grey-green eyes gleaming softly in the dim light of the tent.

"Lin, I'm a little cold." Her English was much more fluent than when she was first rescued, but the last syllable still habitually rose, carrying the softness characteristic of Slavic languages.

Lin Feng pulled over a blanket from the side and draped it over the two of them, then casually pulled her closer to him. He was warm to the touch, and Sophia obediently snuggled into his arms, burying her face in his neck, her long legs curling up to press against his.

The tent swayed gently in the wind, the fabric rustling against the frame. The two were very close, their breaths mingling, carrying each other's warmth. Sofia clutched the fabric of his shirt, her tense nerves slowly relaxing, her breathing gradually becoming steady.

Lin Feng, worried that she wouldn't sleep soundly, gently patted her back. The wind outside gradually died down, and the lake and forest quieted down, leaving only their even breathing in the tent.

The morning mist hadn't completely dissipated, and the lake surface looked like it was covered with a thin layer of cotton gauze. She heard footsteps, turned around, glanced back, and handed over the brewed tea.

"How did you sleep last night?" she asked.

"It's alright." Lin Feng took the teacup; the water temperature was just right. Her nails were neatly trimmed, and as she handed him the cup, she gently brushed her fingertips against the back of his hand.

Ouyang Qian glanced behind him. "Where is she?"

"Still asleep," Lin Feng said.

"You seem to be in good spirits." Ouyang Qian picked up her cup, blew on it gently, and looked at his face. Lin Feng had a slight bluish tint under his eyes, but his complexion was indeed not bad.

"Youth is an asset," Ouyang Qian said.

Lin Feng took a sip of tea. "What do you want to say?"

"I'm just complimenting you. Don't act like you're guarding against a thief." Ouyang Qian smiled, crossed one leg, and rested her ankle on her knee.

She was wearing dark gray outdoor trousers, which made her legs look long and straight when she sat. "Seriously, don't think you can hold out just because you're young. Your physical fitness starts to decline after you turn thirty. We were chatting until midnight last night, weren't we? Either you have a lot of energy, or you exercise regularly."

"You seem to hear everything."

"It's very quiet in the middle of nowhere. Even through the two-meter-wide tent, you can hear any noise." Ouyang Qian turned her head, her tone slightly teasing. "But you two should be careful. If you keep talking so loudly in the middle of the night after you go back to China, the neighbors will complain."

Lin Feng smiled and said, "It's okay, I can stay in a villa."

Ouyang Qian didn't reply, took another sip from her cup, and looked back at the lake. The morning sun climbed up from behind the trees, peeling away the layers of mist from the lake.

The sound of a zipper being pulled open came from the other side of the tent. Sophia, wrapped in a coat, emerged with her hair disheveled and piled on top of her head. Seeing them sitting by the lake, she walked over and plopped down next to Lin Feng, resting her head on his shoulder.

Ouyang Qian glanced at her and said in a low voice, "You seem to be doing alright." Then she stood up, took the kettle off the stove, and said, "Go wash up, eat, pack up the tent, and we'll head back to Stockholm this morning."

Sophia looked up, her grey-green eyes glancing at Ouyang Qian before returning to Lin Feng, and whispered, "Is she making fun of me?"

"No, she was praising you," Lin Feng said.

……

On the day they returned to China, while the three of them were waiting at Stockholm Airport, Sofia's passport and visa documents were checked twice by airport staff.

Ouyang Qian explained a few words to the other person in English and handed over a printed copy of the personal assistant employment contract. The staff member flipped through a couple of pages, nodded, and handed the document back. Ouyang Qian put the document away and went to sit down in the waiting area.

"I will keep your identity documents from now on. When you go through border control in China, just say you are Mr. Lin's personal assistant and the company is processing your work visa. Don't say anything else," Ouyang Qian said to Sophia.

"I understand." Sophia nodded seriously.

Lin Feng sat next to her, twirling his phone in his hand, and glanced at Ouyang Qian. "You've arranged things quite well for her."

"If it's not arranged properly, it will be a hassle to bring it back to China." Ouyang Qian crossed her legs and checked the contract in her bag again. "Fortunately, the policy is still relatively relaxed now, and the border control usually won't be too strict. I can just submit the materials when I apply for a work visa later."

The plane landed in Kyoto at around 3 p.m.

As soon as Lin Feng turned on his phone, a news notification popped up.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has escalated significantly, causing oil and precious metal prices to surge instantly, with increases exceeding 20%.