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

Over the next two days, Lin Feng followed Secretary Zhou and toured the city and its suburbs.

From the district's government service hall to the rusty old factory buildings on the outskirts of the city, and then to several half-dead collective tea factories and canneries, after going around in circles, the list of things I had to say about the city became even heavier.

In government offices, many people clock in and out on time, wasting half a day with just a cup of tea and a newspaper; in companies, managers sigh when talking about orders and shipping.

At first, Secretary Zhou maintained an official tone, but as they became more familiar with each other, he couldn't help but utter a few complaints when they ate noodles together in private.

"Mr. Lin, you've seen it too. It's not that we don't want to do it, it's that we can't." The fan in the small shop whirred as Secretary Zhou shoveled at the noodles in his bowl, his voice low. "Successive leaders have been talking about revitalizing the economy, but it's not that easy. The mines and tea from the mountains can't be transported out, and we can't attract outside capital. Whether you do a good job or a bad job, the salary is so low. Who has the motivation?"

Lin Feng picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, didn't respond, and only said in a formal, neither-soft-nor-hard, official tone: "The province also has its own considerations. There are many cities in Jiangbei with similar situations, and things will gradually improve."

He said it politely, but he knew exactly what was going on in his mind.

The deathly atmosphere here permeates from the very roots. The system is rigid, people's hearts are scattered, and local tyrants are deeply entrenched in their pursuit of profit, making it impossible for normal economic logic to move forward.

Back in the city in the afternoon, Secretary Zhou was supposed to accompany him to the Commerce Bureau to handle some paperwork, but Lin Feng waved his hand and said, "No need, Secretary Zhou. Thank you for your help these past two days. I can handle the rest myself."

Secretary Zhou didn't press the matter. After arranging a time for follow-up communication, he took his notebook and returned to the municipal government.

Lin Feng turned and entered a narrow alley in the old town.

The cobblestone path was uneven and bumpy. At the end of the path was a private restaurant without a sign. The wooden door was mottled, but pushing it open revealed a hidden world. There were old pomegranate trees in the courtyard, and the private rooms were all in the backyard. Once the door was closed, it was a private little world where you could talk without fear of being told.

Kui Zi and Biao Ge were already waiting inside.

Several plates of cold dishes were laid out on the table, untouched. Both men were smoking, filling the room with smoke. Upon seeing Lin Feng enter, they simultaneously stubbed out their cigarettes and stood up, their movements perfectly synchronized.

"Brother Lin."

"Sit down." Lin Feng casually closed the door, sat down in the main seat, and glanced at the two of them. "Judging from their expressions, the situation doesn't look good?"

Brother Biao spoke first, his voice low and somewhat muffled: "It didn't go smoothly. We followed the rules and paid our respects to the local patron, Wu Laoliu."

"Old Wu?"

"Yes, the woman from the east of Cangzhou." Kui Zi chimed in, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "She's in her early fifties, skinny as a monkey, and has a sharp eye. I heard her sister, Wu Yumei, is Zhu Laosan's mistress, and has been with him for almost twenty years. She oversees the freight lines, entertainment venues, and scrap metal recycling stations in the east, both openly and secretly. She's Zhu Laosan's most capable subordinate."

Lin Feng nodded. This was pretty much what he had predicted. Zhu Laosan was the boss, with subordinates in charge of different areas. Wu Laoliu was the regional governor, with a group of idle people under his command, ostensibly to oversee the business, but secretly to collect debts and run shady businesses.

"How much did it cost to pay the visit?"

"A 20,000 yuan opening gift, plus monthly payments," Brother Biao said in a low voice. "He didn't make things difficult, but he was subtly warning us that there are rules here, and outsiders have to follow them. The guys here have figured it out; this place is definitely murky, involved in prostitution, gambling, and drugs. The local police stations are all in cahoots with them, turning a blind eye to many things. We're new here, with shallow roots, and we'll definitely suffer if we try to force our way in."

Lin Feng tapped his finger slowly on the edge of the table, remaining silent for a long time.

He knew that local bullies were difficult to deal with, but he didn't expect them to be so deeply entrenched. Wu Laoliu's connection with Zhu Laosan was like having half an official talisman, allowing him to openly do business while secretly taking a cut, making him virtually untouchable by ordinary people.

"Remember two things."

After a long pause, Lin Feng raised his eyes, his tone heavy, and slammed each word onto the table.

"First, keep a close eye on my men. Gambling is okay, but drugs are absolutely forbidden. Anyone who touches them is fired, and I won't cover for them if anything happens."

This is a red line. Getting involved with poison will inevitably lead to disaster sooner or later, not only ruining oneself but also jeopardizing Ye Qinghan's career. This risk cannot be taken in the slightest.

"Secondly, don't be aggressive lately. Keep the venue open as usual, do business as usual, don't fight for territory, and don't cause trouble. First, get to know all sorts of people and clarify the relationships between them before making any moves."

He paused, then added, "My relationship with you guys must not be known to anyone in the city. We'll meet less often from now on, and talk on the phone if anything comes up. People from Hehai will be transferred over in batches, one or two at a time, so they don't crowd together and attract attention."

Brother Biao nodded, then added, feeling a bit stifled, "Are we just going to put up with this? Just watch them boss us around?"

"What's the rush? We have to play our cards slowly." Lin Feng glanced at him and tapped the table with his fingertips. "The new energy trucks will arrive next week, twenty of them. The drivers are all veterans selected from Hebei and Haikou, and they're all reliable. They usually run logistics, but if anything happens, they can be mobilized with just one phone call. These guys don't need to show their faces; they're more useful in critical moments than the two of you leading a dozen or so brothers."

Kui Zi's eyes lit up immediately.

The twenty retired soldiers who were drivers were all Lin Feng's trusted subordinates. They were usually hidden in the logistics system and ran transportation legitimately.

If a conflict were to break out, they could pull out a well-organized force, and no one could find fault with them. They were just drivers from a logistics company, working normally.

This is the hidden card beneath the surface.

"Okay, I understand." Kui Zi nodded. "Let's take it slow and start weaving the net first."

Lin Feng picked up the iced tea on the table and took a sip, his gaze drifting through the window to the old town outside the courtyard wall. Rows of gray tiles stretched as far as the eye could see, and alleyways crisscrossed the landscape.

But it's okay.

Overtly, there are logistics parks and road construction projects, a well-known scheme that controls the economic lifeline; covertly, there are informants in billiard halls and mahjong parlors, as well as spies in logistics truck fleets. One overt, one covert, two lines slowly creeping in.

No matter how thick the iron bucket is, it will eventually be pried open.

"Alright, you guys go ahead." Lin Feng waved his hand. "I'll sit for a while longer."

Kui Zi and Biao Ge didn't linger. They got up and left through the back door, their footsteps light so as not to disturb anyone.

Lin Feng was the only one left in the private room. He took out a cigarette and smoked one after another.