The morning air outside was cool and fresh. The street below was already busy, filled with people heading to work, students rushing to school, and vendors setting up their stalls.
Li Feng took a deep breath.
A new day.
He checked the time. 7:40 AM. By the time he arrived, it was 8:00. The café was already open.
Li Feng pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside. The staff noticed him immediately.
"Good morning, Mr. Li."
Li Feng gave a small bow. "Good morning."
Before he could say anything else, a voice called from the back.
"Mr. Li."
Madam Chen walked out from the back room, wiping her hands lightly with a towel as she approached. "Welcome," she said, her face filled with her usual warm smile. "My niece called me this morning. I don't know what you did, but she said she loved your teaching. She said you were different from all her previous tutors."
Li Feng let out a small chuckle. "It's nothing."
"Well, keep it up," Madam Chen replied with a satisfied nod.
---
Li Feng chose not to sit in the back today. Instead, he took a table near the window. He brought out his laptop, planning to prepare the materials he had promised Chao Yiran. Even if she was a handful, she had paid for his service and he intended to fulfill his end of the deal.
His fingers began moving across the keyboard.
The café slowly filled and emptied around him as the morning turned into afternoon. After finishing, Li Feng leaned back and read through the document once more. He nodded to himself.
"Even an idiot should understand it now."
He sent the file to Chao Yiran. A cup of coffee had been placed on his table earlier. He picked it up and took a sip while glancing through the glass window.
At that moment, the door opened.
A heavy man walked inside. He waddled slightly toward the counter, breathing loudly, his belly stretched tightly against his shirt as he ordered a coffee. After collecting his drink, he turned casually —
Then froze.
His eyes locked onto Li Feng.
"Feng!"
His voice rang out loudly. Li Feng looked up. At first he didn't recognize him. But as the man approached, memories surfaced.
Hao Yu. A fake friend. Someone who had pretended to help the original Li Feng while secretly lusting after Zhao Lihua. The original Li Feng had tolerated him simply because Hao Yu occasionally gave him money.
Hao Yu dragged a chair and sat down without asking.
"Feng… what are you doing in this part of the city?" he laughed. "Haven't seen you for three days. Don't tell me you've got new drinking buddies."
Li Feng remained silent.
Hao Yu chuckled awkwardly. "If you were short on cash you should've waited. We could've met at our usual place." He took a sip of his coffee.
Still no reply.
Hao Yu leaned forward. "Oh… and how's Zhao Lihua?" A nasty smile crept onto his face. "Tell you what… bring her tonight. I'll give you more cash."
The café grew quiet.
Li Feng finally spoke. His voice was calm, but loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
"I don't understand what you mean, Hao Yu." He stared directly at him. "My wife is not a whore I can trade for money."
Heads turned across the café.
Hao Yu stiffened. "Hey… Li Feng, what's wrong with you?" he scoffed. "Did you hit your head?"
Li Feng's eyes turned cold. "Hao Yu." His voice was firm. "You slobbering lump of wasted flesh — do you really think my wife would lower herself to the likes of you?" Gasps erupted around the café. "You're not even a man. You're a cautionary tale in sweatpants… destined to rot alone while the rest of us actually live."
The entire café broke into murmurs.
Madam Chen walked quickly to the table. "Mr. Li," she said calmly. "Is this man disturbing you?"
"Yes," Li Feng replied. "Please throw him out."
Hao Yu exploded with rage. "You bastard!" He lunged forward and threw a punch.
Li Feng moved instantly. He grabbed Hao Yu's wrist and twisted, sending the fat man crashing hard onto the floor. The impact shook the table.
"Get up," Li Feng said calmly. "And get out."
Hao Yu struggled to his feet, humiliated. Under the gaze of the entire café, he had no choice but to leave.
Li Feng turned to the customers and bowed politely. "Please forgive the disturbance."
Many customers nodded. After all, they had heard exactly what Hao Yu said about his wife. To them, Li Feng was simply defending her honor. Madam Chen said a few calm words and the murmuring slowly faded.
---
Later, after finishing the day's work, Li Feng prepared to leave. Madam Chen walked over and tapped the table lightly.
"Mr. Li. About what happened today… it was completely unacceptable."
Li Feng lowered his head. "Madam Chen, I understand if you—"
She cut him off. "But," she said with a small smile, "there's nothing I hate more than men who can't defend their wife's honor." Li Feng blinked. "Just don't let it happen again."
A smile appeared on his face. "Thank you."
She waved him away. "Your wife must be waiting. Go."
Li Feng bowed slightly and left.
---
That evening he stopped briefly and bought something before heading home. When he opened the apartment door, he was holding a large bag. Li Xian was playing in the living room. She looked up when he came in, then her eyes dropped immediately to the bag.
Li Feng set it down and crouched to her level. "Come here," he said.
She came slowly, the way she always did — careful, watching. He reached into the bag and pulled out a large teddy bear.
Li Xian went completely still. For a moment she just stared at it. Then her hand came up slowly and touched the bear's ear, as if checking whether it was real.
"Yours," Li Feng said simply.
Something shifted in her face. She grabbed the bear with both arms and pulled it against her chest, squeezing it so hard he almost laughed.
Just then Zhao Lihua came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a cloth. She stopped when she saw them. Li Xian spun around immediately.
"Mummy! Mummy! Xian has a new friend!"
Zhao Lihua looked at the bear. Then at Li Feng. He reached into the bag and held something out toward her without a word. She looked at him for a moment before taking it. He didn't wait for her to open it.
"I'll go settle in," he said, and walked to the bedroom.
---
Later that night, after dinner, Li Feng came out to wash his plate. Li Xian was on the sofa with the teddy bear in her lap, already half asleep against her mother's side. When she heard him she lifted her head.
"Daddy."
"Hmm?"
She held the bear up slightly, eyes drooping with sleep. "Xian named him Baozi."
Li Feng stopped. Then a quiet laugh escaped him — the kind he couldn't quite hold back.
"Good name," he said.
Li Xian smiled, satisfied, and tucked the bear back under her chin.
Zhao Lihua was watching him. When their eyes met she looked down, but not quickly enough to hide it — the faint curve at the corner of her mouth, there and gone before she could stop it.
Li Feng said nothing. He rinsed his plate, dried his hands, and went back to the sofa.