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

"Aunt Ye," Lin Feng scratched the back of his head, "Manager Luo recruited me, saying he needs a male companion."

Ye Qinghan turned his head and glanced at Luo Ruoxi.

Luo Ruoxi, holding a champagne glass, gave a slight bow, her face bearing a perfectly professional smile. "Sister Ye, is this suit the brand you mentioned last time? The fabric is really nice." Ye Qinghan glanced down at her cuffs and said, "You have a sharp eye," her tone carrying a subtle familiarity.

The woman in the bright pink bodycon dress was still standing where Ye Qinghan had just passed, her smile frozen on her face, her fingers gripping the strap of her small handbag, her bright orange nails digging into the purse.

I watched as Ye Qinghan chatted with the young man named Lin Feng for several minutes, even straightening Lin Feng's collar for him, before taking a glass of red wine from the waiter's tray and clinking it with Lin Feng and Luo Ruoxi.

The three of them stood together and chatted for about three or four minutes. Ye Qinghan then chatted with a few acquaintances for a few more minutes, checked his watch a few times, and finally put down his wine glass.

Before leaving, he turned around, patted Lin Feng's shoulder lightly, and said to the people next to him, "This is a younger brother I know. He's just starting out in his career, so please take care of him." The people next to him smiled and nodded.

The crystal chandelier in the banquet hall was still dazzlingly bright. The woman in the bright pink bodycon dress was no longer in her original spot; she had probably left.

Luo Ruoxi stood next to Lin Feng with an empty wine glass in her hand. Her gaze fell on the direction where the woman had slunk away, then she looked back at Lin Feng beside her. "Your relationship with Sister Ye is much deeper than I thought." Lin Feng said ambiguously that he had helped her daughter once, and Aunt Ye remembered it well.

Luo Ruoxi didn't ask any further questions, but when she put down the empty wine glass, the way she looked at Lin Feng was different from before.

Lin Feng picked up a new glass of champagne from a passing waiter's tray. "Is Aunt Ye really that highly regarded by everyone? That woman just now acted like a mouse seeing a cat when she saw her."

"It's not just that woman." Luo Ruoxi pulled him closer to the long table, lowering her voice, "Who in this room isn't afraid of her? Half of them are wives of some leader, and another half are sisters or sisters-in-law of some leader. A few of them own their own businesses, and they didn't get into this circle based on their businesses. Ye Qinghan is among the highest-ranking people here. She's about to be promoted to Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, but that's not the most important thing. The important thing is that her father was once the Executive Deputy Minister of the Organization Department of the Jiangbei Provincial Party Committee. He retired several years ago, but his protégés and former associates are all over half the province. Now you understand why that woman's face turned green when she saw Ye Qinghan talking to you, right?"

Lin Feng held his champagne glass in silence for a while.

Shen Qianqian's grandfather was actually someone of that caliber. Lin Feng put down his champagne. "Who organized this party?"

"The wife of the deputy director of the Education Bureau." Luo Ruoxi slightly raised her chin towards the entrance hall, where a middle-aged woman in a purple suit was standing.

Lin Feng remembered that the other person was holding Ye Qinghan's hand and saying something at that time.

As Luo Ruoxi drank, she said, "This circle gathers once a month, and everyone exchanges information and resources. Those who can get in either have power or connections. I also benefited from Director Ye's influence."

……

As the banquet drew to a close, Luo Ruoxi led Lin Feng to greet several acquaintances.

Before leaving, the deputy director's wife held her hand and talked for a while, glancing at Lin Feng several times before smiling and saying, "Next time, bring your younger brother along too." Luo Ruoxi agreed, her tone more genuinely happy than usual.

As I stepped out of the clubhouse, the night breeze carried the bittersweet scent of camphor trees lining both sides of the tree-lined path.

The valet drove Luo Ruoxi's car to the porch. She didn't rush to get in. Instead, she stood under the copper wall lamp in the porch, her deep red evening gown gently clinging to her ankles in the evening breeze.

She turned to look at Lin Feng, the warm yellow light of the wall lamp falling on her face, the delicate lace below her collarbone rising and falling slightly with her breath.

"Thanks for today." Her voice was softer than usual, not in the polite tone of a professional manager, but genuinely speaking to a friend. "That woman has been a thorn in my side for the past few years. Every time we get together, she comes over and says something sarcastic. Sometimes I'm too lazy to argue with her, but that doesn't mean I don't mind."

Lin Feng was about to say it was nothing when Luo Ruoxi took a half step forward and stood on tiptoe.

Her lips landed on his cheek, perfectly positioned, right in the center.

The lips were soft, with a lingering sweetness of champagne and a faint waxy feel of lipstick. I lingered there for about two or three seconds before moving away.

Luo Ruoxi landed on her heels, gently patted Lin Feng's chest, and the scent of her perfume lingered on his nose for a moment. "This is a reward for you. Don't overthink it."

I opened the car door, got into the driver's seat, and before starting the engine, I stuck half my head out of the window and said, "Sister's leaving first." Then the car glided out of the tree-lined road, its taillights fading into the distance in the night.

Su's mother's condition has stabilized a lot recently. She is relatively lucid during the day and spends her time taking care of Su Mengya in the ward.

In the afternoon, I received an address from Yang Ru. It was in an upscale residential area in the east of the city. I had promised to have dinner with her last time, but I had been delayed by other things these past two days.

When Raymond Lam arrived, it wasn't completely dark yet.

After registering at the gate, I quickly arrived at Building 9. After waiting for about half a minute, the door finally opened.

Yang Ru was wearing a dark gray vest and black yoga shorts, her hair was loose over her shoulders, and she wasn't wearing makeup. She looked much more casual than she did at the club.

I stepped aside to let him in, said "Sit wherever you like," and then turned and walked towards the kitchen.

Lin Feng changed into slippers and followed him inside.

Yang Ru's home is very large, with a living room ceiling that is over three meters high. The decor is in cool tones, with marble floor tiles, gray fabric sofas, and several abstract paintings hanging on the walls. The whole space is clean and uncluttered.

"Sister Yang, your house is so clean." Lin Feng stood next to the island counter.

Yang Ru took things out of the refrigerator with quick, efficient movements. "I live alone, there's no need to make a mess." She placed a box of beef and a bag of vegetables on the table, then looked up at him. "You said you'd cook today?"

"Yes, I'll do it." Lin Feng took the beef and vegetables and started washing them in the sink. Yang Ru leaned against the refrigerator, watching him with her arms crossed and saying nothing.

The kitchen was quiet for a while, with only the sound of running water.

Lin Feng sliced ​​the beef into thin slices; his knife skills weren't particularly professional, but they were quick and efficient. He noticed that Yang Ru kept watching him, her gaze different from when they were in the yoga studio.

Normally, when she looks at him, her gaze is direct, with a hint of scrutiny, but now her eyes are a little unfocused, as if she's thinking about something else.

"Sister Yang, you live alone, how do you manage your meals?"

"I usually order takeout," Yang Ru said briefly, "or I don't eat at all."

Lin Feng put the sliced ​​beef into a bowl, added some light soy sauce and starch, and mixed it well. "That's a treat for us today."

Yang Ru did not respond.

She walked from next to the refrigerator to the front of the island counter, rested her hands on the countertop, and watched him cook.

This pose caused the neckline of her vest to open slightly, and the fair skin below her collarbone shimmered faintly in the kitchen light.

Lin Feng stir-fried the vegetables in the pan, the sizzling sound filling the silence. He felt that Yang Ru had something to say today, but she remained silent.

Three dishes and a soup were served: stir-fried seasonal vegetables, beef with green peppers, braised pork ribs, and tomato and egg drop soup.