Zhengyang's stellar performance today left Xu Miaoli over the moon, so she pulled out all the stops for dinner, whipping up a lavish spread. The table hosted only Patriarch Yunbao, Zhengyang, and his parents, the mood less boisterous but brimming with joy. Even Yunbao quipped he was mooching off Zhengyang's luck to enjoy such a feast.
As a national leader, Yunbao's diet was strictly regulated. The middle-aged aide hovering nearby was tasked with enforcing it, but the Lei family's high spirits and Yunbao's good mood kept him from playing the villain. No one wanted to sour the vibe.
Yunbao's well-being was the Lei family's cornerstone—everyone knew it. They'd rather bleed than let him suffer. Their deepest wish was for him to outlive them all. Zhengyang tore into the meal, ditching chopsticks to gnaw on a braised pig's trotter, its greasy, chewy richness pure bliss.
His ravenous eating sparked Yunbao's appetite. The patriarch reached for a plump chicken drumstick, only for Lei Chunping to snatch it. "Father, you're in a rest phase—no greasy foods. I'll take this." Chunping bit into it, then mused, "Why's this drumstick so tasty today?"
It wasn't the drumstick—it was Zhengyang's gusto making everyone hungry. Yunbao's face soured. Dieting for longevity was one thing, but being stuck with bland cabbage and watery soup while others feasted felt like a fate worse than death. Zhengyang, noticing, plopped a trotter before him. "Radishes and cabbage every day? That's no life. Eat, drink, live! Grandpa, dig in. I'll teach you a Sunset Routine later—guarantees no extra fat."
Chunping and Xu Miaoli opened their mouths to protest, but Yunbao slammed his chopsticks down, grabbed the trotter, and took a big bite, laughing heartily. "I'm in the mood today—no holding back!"
Bite taken, objections died. Chunping and Xu Miaoli exchanged glances, swallowing their words. Just this once, they thought. Yunbao savored it. "Tasty, Xiaoli! Your cooking's top-notch. Next time, make a Chenjing Five-Spice Duck—not that Beijing roast hassle with peeling and dipping. I had one years ago, still unforgettable."
His words sounded almost pitiful. The Leis weren't poor, but Yunbao's health demanded strict control. Even duck was rationed by nutritionists, sliced precisely. Gnawing a trotter like this? Unthinkable. For most, nutrition was abstract—eat this today, that tomorrow, and you're fine. For Yunbao, every bite was tailored to prevent diet-related ailments. He wasn't just family wealth—he was a national asset.
This was Yunbao's most satisfying meal in years, the freedom to eat what he craved utterly liberating. The trotter's flavor? Divine.
After dinner, servants cleared the table, and Zhengyang led Yunbao to the hall's entrance. The sun dipped low, its final rays casting a crimson glow across a sky streaked with soaring clouds. A gentle breeze eased the body, pure relaxation. Zhengyang began teaching the Sunset Routine, a fitness regimen from twenty years in the future. With twenty-one deliberate moves, it resembled tai chi but outstripped it in function—practicality over show, designed for the human body.
"Grandpa, this beats military boxing any day. Watch my moves. It's a bit complex but worth it. Let's go step-by-step. First move—" As Zhengyang demonstrated, Lei Qiuping roared in, barreling through the estate in a half-new military jeep. Spotting Zhengyang and Yunbao, he leaped out, shouting, "Zhengyang, what's this? Teaching Grandpa tricks? Quit wasting time—your uncle's happiness needs saving!"
Yunbao, unimpressed, swatted Qiuping's head. "Wasting time? I'm learning a fitness routine. Got a problem with that?"
Qiuping, defiant elsewhere, shrank before Yunbao but pressed on for love. "Father, cut me some slack! I've finally found my soulmate. You don't want me single forever, do you?"
Yunbao smirked. "Didn't you call bachelorhood 'free'? I'm not forcing you. Wait a few years—no rush. I've got plenty of grandkids, don't need yours."
"I—I mean, everyone settles down eventually, right? You don't want me mooching off Big Brother and Sister-in-Law forever, do you?" Qiuping scrambled for excuses.
Xu Miaoli, joining them, chimed in. "Old Third, the Leis aren't broke. Mooch all you want—stay forever. I won't mind."
Outnumbered, Qiuping deflated. Before, the family nagged him to marry; now, when he'd found someone, they shrugged? If he were his old self, he might've stayed single out of spite. But no—his promise to Xiaomin was ironclad. A man's word was his bond, or she'd mock him forever.
Grabbing Zhengyang's arm, he pleaded, "Zhengyang, three months to beat Xiaomin—it's tough! Help me. You're my only shot."
Zhengyang shook his head, amused. His uncle, the tough guy, was mush for love. Even steel melted before romance. "Alright, Third Uncle. See how happy everyone is for you? I'll help, but you'd better be ready to suffer. No grit, no gain."
Qiuping didn't hesitate. "Three months? I'm no good at much, but I can take pain. Tell me the plan—I'll stick it out and marry Xiaomin by year's end."
Yunbao, Xu Miaoli, and the others roared with laughter. This guy, forgetting family for a woman—classic ingrate. Yunbao waved. "Zhengyang, help him. I'll practice on my own." He'd learned a few moves and could drill them. Seeing Qiuping so smitten, he let it slide—love was a rare win.
As Xu Miaoli guided Yunbao away, Qiuping buzzed with excitement. "Zhengyang, what's the plan? Start now? I'm meeting Xiaomin tonight—she's waiting for me to beat her in three months. Said she's not young, wants to settle down. When I win her, you're getting a fat red envelope!"
Zhengyang, done with his uncle's antics, said, "Third Uncle, strength-building takes time. For a leap in three months, we need extreme methods. You sure you're in?"
Qiuping, desperate for instant power, nodded. "Whatever it takes, I'm game."
Zhengyang smirked. "Alright, Third Uncle. Brace yourself."
Before anyone blinked, Zhengyang moved. No one expected him to strike. Like a leaf in the wind, he glided, his palm slamming Qiuping's neck with precision. "Zhengyang, you—" Qiuping's words cut off as he crumpled, out cold.
Xu Miaoli and Yunbao, witnessing it, gasped. "Zhengyang, what are you doing? Why'd you knock him out?" Xu Miaoli cried.
Zhengyang's grin was sly. "Training him, of course. Beating future Third Aunt in three months? Ordinary methods won't cut it. Don't worry, he won't die."