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

Lin Feng really went to great lengths to pave this path for Ye Qinghan.

That same night, upon returning to the hotel, he called the company's finance department and instructed them to transfer the 30 million yuan in cash directly from the group's account to the independent account of the Cangzhou branch.

Five million of it went into a separate, hidden reserve account and was transferred to Kui Zi and Biao Ge's side for daily expenses, maintaining relationships, gathering information, and paving the way—enough for the two groups to make a living for about half a year.

The remaining 25 million was all poured into the early stages of the project. On the surface, it was the start-up capital for the new energy branch, but in reality, it was his stepping stone to enter the murky waters of Cangzhou.

He understood the implications of this decision.

Cangzhou may be poor and have a weak industrial base, but it's not entirely without merit.

Deep in the western hills lies a medium-sized lithium mine. Its grade isn't top-tier, but its reserves are large enough to sustain the mine for over a decade.

The mine had been contracted by Zhu Laosan, a local resident, for over ten years. However, due to the poor road conditions, the mine couldn't be transported out, and large equipment couldn't be brought in. It could only be hauled out piecemeal by small trucks, like rats moving house, turning the gold mine into a useless burden.

The locals don't not want to build roads; they just can't afford it.

A paved road leading into the mountains, stretching over ten kilometers, requires an investment of tens of millions of yuan. The city's finances are so tight that they can barely pay salaries, let alone afford this kind of money.

This is precisely where Raymond Lam's point of entry lies.

The welcome banquet on the second night was held in a private room at the only four-star hotel in Cangzhou.

When the door was pushed open, there were already seven or eight people sitting inside. Mayor Liu was in the main seat, and Vice Mayor Zhang, who was in charge of industry, was sitting next to him. The rest of them were all local bigwigs, each with a round belly and an air of slickness from years of navigating the underworld.

The most conspicuous one is the man directly facing the door.

He was in his early fifties, with a fat head and big ears. His face was as round as a millstone. He wore a thick gold chain around his neck that could tether a dog. He had three rings and a ring on his fingers. He was holding a pair of shiny walnuts in his hands. When he smiled, the flesh on his face piled up, and his eyes narrowed into slits.

Without needing an introduction, Lin Feng recognized him at a glance—Zhu Laosan.

"President Lin is here! Please have a seat!" Mayor Liu was overly enthusiastic, standing up and pulling Lin Feng's hand to the seat next to the head of the table. "Let me introduce you, this is President Zhu Hongyuan, a well-known entrepreneur in Cangzhou, whose mining business is quite large."

Old Zhu grinned, his voice booming, and as he reached out, his hand reeked of cigarette smoke mixed with the smell of sweat: "President Lin is young and promising! To run such a large company at such a young age, I admire you!"

Lin Feng reached out and shook hands with him. The other man's hand was thick, but his grip was strong, with a hint of probing pressure. He withdrew his hand without showing any emotion, smiled and greeted him, then calmly sat down.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Mayor Liu, his cheeks flushed from drinking, kept saying "Welcome to invest" while holding up his glass. Lin Feng drank two glasses with him, and seeing that the time was right, he put down his chopsticks, took out a tissue to wipe his mouth, and presented the plan he had prepared beforehand.

"Mayor Liu, distinguished leaders, to be honest, I came here for this inspection because I am truly impressed by the potential of Cangzhou." He spoke slowly and clearly, "Shuke plans to register a new energy transportation company here, starting with twenty electric freight vehicles to run routes from the city to various towns and villages, and building several village-level logistics points to open up the urban-rural circulation network."

Mayor Liu's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly, "Great! This is wonderful!"

"Having vehicles alone isn't enough; we also need roads." Lin Feng changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "I've looked around, and the roads in the western mining area are just too difficult to navigate; large trucks simply can't get in. If the city could provide some matching funds, I could contribute money to build a paved county-level road directly from the city to the lithium mining area, a two-lane road in both directions, large enough for trucks to pass. Once the road is built, transportation will be more efficient, the ore can be hauled out, and the towns and villages along the route will also benefit."

The table fell silent for a second.

Mayor Liu and Deputy Mayor Zhang exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

Road construction? This has been a major headache for successive administrations in Cangzhou!

The minerals from the mountains can't be transported out, and the local produce can't be sold—it's all because of the road conditions. But the city's finances are dirt tight; repairing a road costs tens of millions, which is unthinkable. Is there anyone willing to pay for it now?

"President Lin, are you serious?" Vice Mayor Zhang leaned forward, forgetting to drink his wine.

"Why would I lie to you all?" Lin Feng smiled. "Of course, I have a condition. After the road is built, the right to use it for thirty years will belong to our company, and we will cover the maintenance and repairs during that period. The city only needs to issue a policy and cooperate in the approval process."

"No problem!" Mayor Liu approved on the spot, his wine glass trembling with excitement. "This is a great thing for the people and the city! The policy will definitely give it the green light! As for funding... although the city is tight, we will definitely squeeze out some! Don't worry, President Lin!"

As he spoke, he picked up his glass and downed a full glass of baijiu in one gulp. Vice Mayor Zhang followed suit, raising his glass as well, and everyone at the table cheered, instantly bringing the atmosphere to a fever pitch.

Lin Feng drank half a glass with him, glancing at Zhu Laosan out of the corner of his eye.

The other person still had a smile on their face, but the smile didn't reach their eyes.

He spun the walnuts in his hand faster, squinting as he scrutinized Lin Feng, as if trying to see right through him. After a long pause, he finally picked up his wine glass, forcing a smile: "Mr. Lin, you have quite the spirit. Then, on behalf of the people of the mining area, I'd like to thank you in advance, Mr. Lin."

The words sounded polite, but there was a barb hidden in the tone.

The lithium mine was Zhu Laosan's territory. The road construction meant that a gap had been torn in his monopoly barrier.

But in front of the city leaders, he couldn't utter a single word of objection. He couldn't very well say, "I don't want to build roads; I just want to monopolize mineral prices by relying on these bad roads."

Lin Feng pretended not to notice, raised his glass and clinked it with Zhu's, pressing the rim of his glass down half an inch lower than the other's, being very polite: "Mr. Zhu, you're too kind. It's all for the sake of local development."

The meal lasted until after nine o'clock, and three bottles of baijiu were emptied. Mayor Liu was so drunk that his tongue was slurred, and he kept saying "I wish we had met sooner" while putting his arm around Lin Feng's shoulder.

When the party was over, Zhu Laosan insisted on paying the bill, patting Lin Feng's arm and laughing, "It's Mr. Lin's first time here, how can I let you treat us? Come on, I've arranged some entertainment upstairs, everyone relax!"

The group walked upstairs to the clubhouse.

The elevator went straight to the top floor. When the door to the private room was opened, there were already seven or eight young women standing inside. They were all wearing tight-fitting dresses, with exquisite makeup, and tall figures. Their breasts were full and firm because of the dresses, and they were dazzling to the eye.

"They're all local girls, clean and tidy." Zhu Laosan chuckled, waved to the girls, and said, "Keep your company, bosses entertained."

The girls swarmed around them, their fragrance filling the air. Mayor Liu and Deputy Mayor Zhang didn't refuse; each put their arm around one of them and sat her on the sofa, hands on their hips, acting as if they knew the place well, clearly not first-timers.

A girl in a black halter dress approached Lin Feng, smelling faintly of perfume. Her dress was low-cut, revealing large expanses of her smooth, white skin when she bent over, her full breasts almost spilling out. She reached out to take Lin Feng's arm, her voice soft and sweet: "Boss, shall I have a drink with you?"

Lin Feng stepped aside to let her hold him properly, only lightly placing his hand on her waist as a gesture of courtesy before withdrawing it.

What kind of scene hasn't he seen?

Xu Qing's mature charm, Zhou Mei's aloofness, and Su Mengya's vivacity—aren't they all exceptional? Although these girls are good-looking and have great figures, they're nothing special in his eyes.

He leaned back on the sofa, took the wine glass handed to him by the girl, and glanced around the private room. Zhu Laosan had one woman in his left arm and his right hand was still pinching the girl's waist. He was laughing so hard that his fat jiggled. The other leaders were not much better off.

Bright lights and dazzling lights, extravagant and decadent lifestyle.

Lin Feng's heart sank slightly.

This was no ordinary social gathering. Their familiarity clearly indicated they were regulars. Zhu Laosan's relationship with the city leaders was already deeply entrenched and intertwined.

No wonder Cangzhou is such a formidable place, with successive secretaries unable to get involved. With such rampant collusion between officials and businessmen, even policies implemented have to be discounted.

The water in the pool was even muddier than he had expected.

"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."

Lin Feng stood up and walked out of the private room. The corridor was dimly lit. He took out his phone, and two unread messages lay silently on the screen.

Kui Zi: [Photos of the billiards hall opening] It's in the best location at the entrance of the pedestrian street. Today is the first day, and the flow of people is very strong. I've already chatted with a few local people who run the venue.

Brother Biao: The mahjong parlor is all set up. There are six private rooms on the second floor and tables downstairs. Quite a few gangsters came today, trying to find out what we're up to.

The covert investigation has been launched, which is a good thing.

He put his phone back in his pocket and turned to walk towards the private room. He could hear laughter and playful complaints from inside, mixed with the girl's coquettish tone, even through the door.

Lin Feng stood at the doorway and paused for two seconds.

On the surface, road construction and the establishment of transportation companies were legitimate political achievements, and even if they were wary, they couldn't refuse. Secretly, Kui Zi and Biao Ge's billiards room and mahjong parlor were like spies, slowly penetrating the depths of the city to gradually uncover the intricacies of this network of relationships.

So what if it's an iron bucket?

As long as there's a crack, you can pry it open.

He straightened his shirt collar, put on a perfectly appropriate smile again, and pushed open the door to go inside.

The private room was filled with smoke, and the music was blasting. When Zhu Laosan saw him enter, he laughed and waved, "Why has President Lin been gone for so long! Come on, three cups of punishment!"

Lin Feng walked over with a smile and picked up a wine glass.

You can drink alcohol, and you can act in plays.

But he absolutely had to take over this territory of Cangzhou!