After dinner, Lei Zhengyang was ready to crash when Lei Qiuping grabbed him. "Zhengyang, you gotta help me!" he begged, face flushed. "The year-end military showdown's all on you, Third Uncle's counting on you! Grandpa gave me a dead order: lose, and I'm out—kicked from the family, my wife snatched by someone else. You don't want your Third Aunt to become someone else's Third Aunt, do you?"
Zhengyang stared at his uncle's shameless plea, stunned. He'd already boosted Qiuping's inner energy and helped him win Wu Xiaomin's heart—now this guy was piling on more? Did he think Zhengyang was his personal laborer, toiling endlessly?
"Third Uncle, forget it," Zhengyang said, unmoved. "This is your job, not mine. I'm swamped."
Qiuping's jaw dropped at the flat rejection. "Zhengyang, come on! I'm your Third Uncle! If I lose, it'll shame you too. My opponent's the Lin family—if I flop, they'll mock the Lei family to death. Help me out!"
Zhengyang shook his head. "Not interested. Lose if you must. If you're not up to it, step aside. Push your troops hard, whip them into shape—you've got a shot. Banking on me? Bad move."
It wasn't that Zhengyang didn't want to help; he just didn't want Qiuping leaning on him like a crutch. His uncle's newfound energy needed tempering in adversity—coddling wouldn't do him any favors.
"Hey, you little punk!" Qiuping fumed. "I've bailed you out plenty, even took the fall for you a few times! Now you're cutting me off? Don't walk away—let's talk this out!"
Zhengyang ignored him, heading for his room. From the hall door, Xu Miaoli's voice rang out. "Old Third, what's going on? Picking on Zhengyang again? You're a grown man, about to get married—stop acting like a kid. Do you even look like his uncle?"
Qiuping froze, embarrassed. Yanking Zhengyang's arm like that did lack elder dignity. But Grandpa's orders were iron, and he'd even dropped a hint: If it's tough, get Zhengyang to help—he's sharp. To Qiuping, that was a clear directive to rope in his nephew. "No way, Sis-in-law!" he protested. "Me, bother Zhengyang? You've got it wrong. Look how tight we are!" For emphasis, he slung an arm around Zhengyang's shoulder, grinning like they were best pals.
Xu Miaoli wasn't buying it. "Drop the act. I know that scheming look. I'm warning you—no more dragging Zhengyang into trouble, or I'll chew you out."
Qiuping wanted to cry. Scheming? If anyone was the mastermind, it was Zhengyang! That Wild Wolf nightclub raid had earned Qiuping a brutal tongue-lashing from Grandpa, calling him brainless, dumber than a pig.
Xu Miaoli tugged Zhengyang's hand. "Come on, son. I stewed black chicken soup—it's still hot. Let's get you a bowl before it overcooks."
As she led Zhengyang away, Fourth Uncle Lei Dongping materialized, smirking at Qiuping with mischief. "Old Fourth, what's with that creepy grin?" Qiuping jabbed. "Find a naked lady or something?"
Dongping nearly choked, coughing. "Third Bro, you're about to tie the knot—heard your future wife's a handful. Still eyeing other women? Not afraid of daily beatdowns?"
"Pfft," Qiuping scoffed. "You underestimate me. Once she's a Lei, I'll have her tamed, docile as a lamb. Spill it—what's with you skulking around? It's late, go home!"
Aside from Qiuping, the eternal bachelor, the brothers had their own families, only gathering for holidays. Grandpa lived with Eldest Uncle Chunping for daily care. Dongping's grin widened. "Third, we're brothers, but even brothers settle accounts. Stop hounding Zhengyang. Grandpa told me he's working on a submarine command program—fifty percent attack boost. Don't mess up my big break."
Qiuping's eyes darkened, roaring, "Bullshit! If my Fifth District loses the year-end military contest, I'm out—retired to farm dirt! You ungrateful jerk, after all I've done for you, you won't help me?"
"Third Bro, it's not like that," Dongping soothed. "I'm fighting for navy clout. You've got months to prep—mine's urgent." Grandpa's mention of the program had Dongping so thrilled he couldn't sleep. A fifty percent boost? Unthinkable. He'd decided: until Zhengyang finished, he was camping out here.
"Wait your turn, my ass!" Qiuping snapped. "If I don't start now, my team's too weak to compete. No contest, no wife, no future—you want me to off myself? Get lost, or I'll deck you!" Typical Qiuping—brother or not, he'd throw punches without hesitation.
Normally, Dongping yielded—Qiuping's fists spoke loudest. But not this time. Grandpa had placed him in the Navy General Staff, and years of effort hadn't yielded enough. This program could make him the navy's star at the upcoming inspection, securing unmatched prestige. No one—not even a brother—could derail it.
As the two glared, ready to brawl, Xu Miaoli appeared at the door. "Who wants chicken soup? Zhengyang can't finish it—your lucky day."
"I'm in!" Dongping bolted. "Sis-in-law, your soup's the best in the world. Been too long—can't miss this!"
"Thanks, Sis-in-law!" Qiuping chimed. "I'm starving. Soup's perfect—don't mind if I do!"
The cockfight dissolved, both men fawning over Xu Miaoli, who frowned. "You two got brain damage? It's just soup, not immortality pills. Like it? Say so—I'll make more next time." Clueless to their ulterior motive—currying favor with her son to get to Zhengyang—she'd unwittingly boosted her own clout.
That night, Dongping skipped his lovely wife to bunk at Chunping's, baffling Xu Miaoli. Watching her husband pore over documents, she frowned. "Chunping, what's with Old Fourth? His place isn't far—why stay? Trouble with Tian Yan?"
Chunping shook his head, half-amused, half-exasperated. "No way he's fighting with Tian Yan. He's glued to Zhengyang, itching for that submarine program—fifty percent attack boost. Honestly, I'm curious too. That kid wouldn't BS Grandpa, right? A program that powerful?"
Xu Miaoli froze. The weird vibes from Qiuping and Dongping at dinner clicked—they were after something. But her no-good, book-dumb son pulling this off? "No way," she gasped. "He can fool us, but Grandpa? What do we do?"
Chunping sighed at her doting panic. "Relax. Zhengyang's been solid since he came back. Notice I haven't chewed him out in ages? Maybe he can deliver. That new OS he's tied to? Could be real. Where'd he learn this stuff? I need a sit-down with him."
Xu Miaoli beamed, smug. "See? My son's a star! You big-shot men, so short-sighted. Only I knew Zhengyang's no ordinary fish—he'll soar like a dragon across the seas! Better kiss up to me, or I'll take my boy and go solo!"
She'd spouted that line a million times, forgetting it just as fast, but it was her go-to for flaunting her pride.
The night's scheming kept the Lei household restless. Come morning, Qiuping was gone. Per Xu Miaoli, he was off wooing Wu Xiaomin, so no one batted an eye.
But no one knew Wu Xiaomin was tearing into him. "You've got a head—use it! You're his Third Uncle—order him to help! He wouldn't dare disobey!"
Qiuping squirmed. "Better not. That kid barely listens to Grandpa—my words? Worthless as a fart."
"You—" Wu Xiaomin gaped, speechless. This guy was hopeless. She was doing this for him! Her father had laid it out: if Qiuping aced the year-end military contest, the Wu family wouldn't block the marriage. Knowing Zhengyang's prowess—elevating Qiuping in just three months—she saw a golden chance. If Zhengyang coached the Fifth District's special forces, victory was assured. But Zhengyang wouldn't even give his uncle face? Fine—time for the future Third Aunt to step in.