"It's really hard to see you go," Madam Chen said. "Thanks to you, my business profits have increased by a very reasonable margin."
Li Feng smiled as he closed his laptop.
Three weeks had passed since he first walked into Little Nest Café with nothing but a proposal and a willingness to work. The café's numbers had quietly corrected themselves over that time. Inventory tracking tightened, scheduling balanced, the menu trimmed of what was costing more than it returned. Madam Chen had left a review on the freelancing platform generous enough to bring in three more clients — small businesses, straightforward work, enough to keep money moving.
At home things had shifted in ways that were harder to measure. Zhao Lihua no longer flinched when he came through the door. She cooked without being told, left his plate at the table, occasionally said things — small things, careful things — that suggested she was beginning to believe the change was real. Li Xian had started coming to find him in the evenings instead of waiting to be noticed.
Small things. But they were there.
It almost felt as though Madam Chen had become his lucky charm.
"You don't need me anymore," Li Feng said, looking up at her. "I've fulfilled my end of the deal."
Truthfully, he was going to miss the little café. Over the past few weeks he had developed a quiet sense of familiarity with the place.
"Right," Madam Chen said, her voice lowering slightly. "A man of your standard can't stay cooped up in a small café like this forever."
Li Feng was about to respond —
"It's a joke," Madam Chen interrupted, her usual smile curving across her face. "A man of your level deserves something much bigger."
A small smile appeared on Li Feng's lips. It seemed today really would be the last day he spent here.
Madam Chen moved toward the counter and returned with two cups. She placed one in front of Li Feng before pulling the chair across from him and sitting down. She took a slow sip.
"It's a shame, though," she said casually. "I never got the chance to meet your wife."
Li Feng chuckled lightly. "She's not the kind of person who enjoys meeting strangers. And our situation at home… things have been a bit complicated." He paused. "But she's a good woman."
Madam Chen studied him for a moment. Then suddenly she gasped softly. "Right, right…" she said, as if something had just come back to her. "Mr. Li." Her voice turned firm. She wrapped both hands around her cup and looked down at it for a moment.
"My husband has been having trouble at work for a while now," she began, her voice losing some of its usual lightness.
Li Feng said nothing. He listened.
"He's a branch manager. Has been for years. Good at his job, careful with people." She paused. "But lately the numbers at his branch haven't been adding up. Not by a little — by a lot." She took a slow sip. "He's been trying to find the problem himself, but every time he gets close to something, the trail just… disappears."
Li Feng's fingers rested still against his cup.
"His superiors are starting to ask questions," Madam Chen said quietly. "And when people at that level start asking questions…" She didn't finish the sentence. She didn't need to.
A brief silence settled between them. Then she looked up.
"He manages one of the logistics branches under Chen Long."
Li Feng stilled.
The name landed differently than she could have known. Chen Long wasn't just another company — it was a massive conglomerate whose operations stretched across multiple industries. Anyone familiar with logistics or corporate finance knew it.
Li Feng took a slow sip of his coffee. "Chen Long," he repeated calmly.
"Yes." Her eyes searched his face, perhaps expecting surprise. None came.
"The branch your husband manages," Li Feng asked quietly. "How long has the discrepancy been happening?"
Madam Chen looked slightly surprised he had moved directly to the problem. "At least three years," she said. "Possibly longer."
Li Feng nodded slowly. Three years. That meant it wasn't a simple accounting error. Someone had been manipulating the numbers deliberately. And if it had gone on that long inside a Chen Long logistics branch, then whoever was responsible was either extremely careful — or extremely confident. Possibly both.
"Mr. Li," Madam Chen said after a moment. She placed her cup down and folded her hands together. "I know this is beyond what I originally hired you for. And I know today is supposed to be your last day." Li Feng waited. "My brother called me last week. He's been looking for someone discreet. Someone who can look at numbers the way you do." She paused briefly. "I told him I might know someone."
The café was quiet around them.
"He runs Chen Long now," she added calmly. "And he doesn't trust easily." Her gaze remained steady. "But he trusts me."
Li Feng looked at her for a long moment. Then he picked up his cup and took a slow sip.
"Tell your brother," he said calmly, "that I'm available."
A bright smile returned to Madam Chen's face. "Thank you," she said sincerely. She relaxed slightly in her chair. "My husband will be expecting you tomorrow. I'll send you the branch location tonight. He already knows someone will be coming to review the accounts."
Li Feng nodded. "That's fine."
Madam Chen stood, gathering the empty cups. "Just do what you did here," she said lightly. "Find the problem."
Li Feng nodded and stood as well. For the first time since arriving weeks ago, the small café felt less like a workplace and more like somewhere he used to belong. He gave Madam Chen a small bow.
"Thank you for the opportunity."
Madam Chen waved it off. "You've earned it."
---
Later that afternoon, Li Feng opened the apartment door slowly and closed it behind him.
"Daddy! Daddy!"
Li Xian ran toward him excitedly, holding out a small notebook proudly. "Look!"
Li Feng smiled and bent down, lifting her into his arms. "And what is this?" he asked gently, glancing at the book in her hand.
Li Xian looked a little shy. "Xian drew Daddy," she said softly, pointing at the page.
Li Feng looked down at the notebook. A simple child's drawing — three figures holding hands. He walked over to the sofa and sat down with her still in his arms.
"And who is this?" he asked, pointing to one of the figures.
"It's Xian!" she said happily, giggling.
"And this one?"
She pointed to the third figure. "That's Mummy."
Li Feng looked at the drawing again.
"Daddy, Mummy, and Xian," she said proudly. "A happy family."
A quiet warmth spread through Li Feng's chest.
At that moment, Zhao Lihua had already heard the door open, but she hadn't expected Li Feng to be home so early. Curious, she opened the bedroom door slightly, just enough to see the living room.
What she saw made her freeze.
Li Feng was sitting on the sofa with Li Xian in his arms, listening seriously as their daughter explained her drawing. For a moment Zhao Lihua simply stood there. She had always wished for days like this. Simple moments. A family sitting together, laughing over something small.
She raised a hand and lightly pinched herself. Just to make sure it was real.
A small tear slipped down her cheek.
Li Feng had really changed.
Unaware that Zhao Lihua was watching, Li Feng continued talking with Li Xian, asking her questions about the drawing and listening to every excited answer she gave. He hadn't had many chances to play with her like this before. And he had no intention of wasting this one.
After a while, Zhao Lihua quietly wiped her tears and stepped out of the bedroom.