She watched Li Feng sitting on the sofa with Li Xian, the little girl chattering excitedly about her drawings. A soft smile curved Zhao Lihua's lips as she simply took it in — the laughter, the warmth, the ease of a family together.
Li Feng noticed her and looked up.
"Welcome home," Zhao Lihua said.
Li Feng didn't know how to respond. This was the first time she had walked toward him without quickly leaving or looking away. He could only stare. She looked beautiful, as she always did, and he still couldn't control his gaze.
Zhao Lihua shifted slightly, uncomfortable under the weight of his silence.
Seeing this, he finally spoke. "Hmm… I'll be going out for a job tomorrow." He picked up his bag and pulled out a small box. "I got you this."
Zhao Lihua's eyes fell on his hand. It was a phone. The original Li Feng had forbidden her from ever owning one, locking her away and cutting her off from the world.
"The groceries need refilling," he continued. "I opened an account for you and transferred some money. What I'm saying is — I want you and Li Xian to go out, buy the groceries, and maybe get a few things for yourself."
*Come on, just take the phone*, he thought.
To his surprise, Zhao Lihua stepped closer and accepted it.
Li Xian broke the silence. "I want one too," she said firmly, clutching Baozi.
Li Feng tilted his head toward her. "Daddy will get you one when you're older."
Li Xian puffed her cheeks, clearly dissatisfied.
Zhao Lihua picked up her daughter and tapped her little nose. "We can both share it," she said with a smile, brushing back Li Xian's hair.
Li Feng wished he could capture this moment forever. Quietly, he picked up his phone and took a picture of them, both completely unaware.
He stood up. "I'll be in the room. Check the box for all the necessary passwords."
---
Closing the door behind him, he stretched, changed into something comfortable, and lay down on the bed.
"Chen Long," he said quietly.
He thought about everything Madam Chen had told him that morning. She was an interesting woman.
Opening his laptop, he checked his U-tube channel. Over the past three weeks it had seen a major boom, thanks to Chao Yiran. During one of their tutoring sessions she had pulled up one of his videos and laughed. "Mr. Li," she had said between laughs, "you know a lot about many things, but if you want a video to go viral, you need editing. You need something that doesn't just explain — but entertains." She had offered to help.
From then on his videos began going viral. Still educational, explaining difficult concepts clearly, but now engaging as well. Most of his audience were students. Based on popular comments he started covering different topics, explaining them in his usual calm way while leaving the editing and final polish to Chao Yiran.
Ten thousand followers.
*My student is really talented*, he thought, *even if she can be a handful.*
The channel had even started generating income. Nearly ¥25,000.
He opened Chao Yiran's chat, preparing for their lesson that night.
---
Night came quickly.
Li Feng stepped outside his room and inhaled the sweet aroma of food. Zhao Lihua was cooking in the kitchen. Li Xian sat on the floor nearby, playing with her toys. Li Feng crouched beside her and joined in.
"Food's ready," Zhao Lihua said as she came out of the kitchen, slightly surprised to see him there. "I'll go serve." She turned back toward the kitchen.
Soon the table was ready. Li Feng picked up Li Xian and carried her to the table, placing her gently on a chair. He picked up his plate, preparing to step away as he usually did.
"Daddy! Daddy! Eat with Xian!"
He stopped mid-step. Li Xian was looking at him seriously. "Xian wants to eat with Daddy," she insisted.
Zhao Lihua wasn't sure what Li Feng had done to their daughter. Recently Li Xian had become much more open with him. *Is this really my daughter?* she thought, feeling a little conflicted.
Li Feng hesitated. His gaze briefly shifted toward Zhao Lihua. She simply looked down, taking a bite of her food.
Li Feng sighed and pulled out a chair. He sat down across from her.
"Yay!" Li Xian cheered. "Daddy, Daddy — try some of Xian's food!"
He leaned forward and took a bite. "Mmm… delicious. Mommy's cooking is really good."
Zhao Lihua still didn't look up, but a small smile appeared on her lips.
The evening passed quietly.
---
Later that night, Zhao Lihua and Li Xian went to bed.
"Mr. Liiii!" Yiran's excited voice burst from the laptop. "My test scores just came out! I got one of the highest scores in my class!"
Li Feng remained calm. "Oh really?"
"At least try to smile!" Yiran complained. "As promised," she continued, "I'll be increasing your fee." She picked up her phone and began typing.
A notification appeared on Li Feng's phone.
*Your account ending 5678 has received ¥30,000.*
*Updated balance: ¥35,000.*
*A rich kid is a rich kid*, he thought. Considering she was part of the Chen family, this amount meant very little to her.
"Let's begin," he said calmly.
Behind him, Zhao Lihua stood quietly by the wall. She had come out because she was thirsty, but stopped when she saw Li Feng at the dining table with his laptop open. Curious, she tiptoed closer and leaned slightly against the wall.
*What is he doing?*
Then she heard a woman's voice.
She couldn't make out the words clearly, but the voice was unmistakably feminine. Her heart tightened.
*Is he talking to another woman? So he didn't change after all… He's having an affair.*
"No… no…" she whispered to herself, trying to calm down. She stayed where she was and listened carefully.
"Before that," Yiran said from the laptop, "you promised me something. Remember?"
Li Feng shrugged. "Promise? What did I promise you?"
Yiran had been pestering him for a week, asking to see Zhao Lihua or at least a picture of her. Eventually, annoyed by her persistence, he had agreed to show her if she aced her upcoming test.
"Haa! Mr. Li, are you going back on your word?"
Li Feng sighed and reluctantly pulled out his phone. He showed the picture he had taken earlier.
Zhao Lihua moved slightly closer, careful not to make a sound. From where she stood she could only see Li Feng's back and the glow of the laptop screen.
"…there," Li Feng said.
On the other side of the call, Chen Yiran leaned closer to her screen. For a moment there was silence.
Then — "WOOOW!" Her voice exploded through the speakers. "She's gorgeous!" Zhao Lihua froze. "She looks like a movie star! Mr. Li, are you sure she's your wife and not some celebrity you kidnapped?"
Li Feng frowned. "Miss Chen."
"Okay, okay," Yiran laughed. "But seriously… she's really beautiful."
Zhao Lihua's brows slowly furrowed. *My picture?*
She leaned slightly to the side and finally saw the laptop screen. A young woman — bright-eyed, energetic, probably in her early twenties. Not a lover. A student.
The tight knot in Zhao Lihua's chest loosened instantly.
"So this is the legendary Mrs. Li," Yiran continued dramatically. "No wonder you refused to show her before. If I had a wife like that, I'd be showing her off everywhere."
Li Feng sighed. "You said you wanted to see the picture. Now focus."
"Cold," Yiran muttered. "You're too cold, Mr. Li. If I were Mrs. Li, I'd make you sleep on the sofa."
Zhao Lihua quickly stepped back, her cheeks warming slightly. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop.
Still… the words lingered in her mind.
*Mrs. Li.*
For the first time in a long while, hearing it didn't feel heavy.
Back at the table, Li Feng turned the phone away. "Open your notes," he said calmly. "Let's begin."
Yiran groaned but obeyed.
Zhao Lihua quietly returned to the bedroom. But this time, a small smile remained on her face.
---
The next morning, Li Feng finished dressing. Soft morning air brushed against the apartment windows. He checked the location Madam Chen had sent.
Chen Long Logistics Branch.
*Time to move*, he murmured.
He walked into the living room. His laptop was still on the dining table. But beside it sat a small box. He paused. Curious, he opened it. Inside was neatly packed food. Simple. Carefully arranged. Zhao Lihua had prepared it.
A small smile appeared on his lips. He placed the box in his bag along with his laptop. The apartment door closed softly behind him.
From the hallway near the bedroom, Zhao Lihua watched quietly. She had seen him pick up the box. And the small smile on his face. Only after the door closed did she relax.
---
An hour later, Li Feng arrived at Chen Long Logistics. The building stood tall and modern, its glass reflecting the morning sun. Employees moved in and out with quiet efficiency. Li Feng entered. After speaking briefly with the receptionist, a staff member guided him upstairs.
"This way, Mr. Li."
They stopped outside a large office. The door opened.
"You must be Mr. Li." A middle-aged man stood behind a desk. "Please, please — have a seat." The office was spacious, two sofas facing each other with a small glass table between them. Li Feng nodded and sat down.
"My wife told me great things about you," the man said with a polite smile. He bowed slightly before sitting. "I'm Tao Jun. Branch manager here."
---
Elsewhere in the building, far from the manager's office, another conversation was happening.
A phone pressed against his ear, the man spoke cautiously. "Hello, Mr —"
"Shut up." The voice from the other end was sharp and cold. "How many times have I told you not to call me by name?"
"S-sorry, sir," the man stammered. "The auditor has arrived."
"So?"
"He's not one of us, sir. The boss brought him personally."
Silence filled the line for a moment. Then the voice spoke again, calm but heavy. "Try to confuse him. And if he proves difficult…" The man holding the phone felt the air grow heavier. "You know what to do."
"Y-yes, sir."
His hand trembled slightly as he lowered the phone. The call ended. He let out a long breath.