{Chapter: 151 Set up Ye Feng!}
"Old man, your strength is no longer what it once was. You're still using the same movements, but because your power has declined with age, the form looks off now," Lin Yuan explained with a calm smile.
Cui Yunrong immediately understood what he meant—it struck him like a moment of sudden clarity.
It was like comparing the act of climbing a 50-story staircase at the age of thirty to climbing that same staircase at the age of seventy. Back then, he could scale it with ease, but now, just the thought of it made his knees ache.
Now in his seventies—or perhaps even older—Cui Yunrong had to accept a simple truth: his body was not what it used to be. The power, agility, and balance he once had had slowly faded away with time, though his determination and love for Tai Chi had never wavered.
Sighing deeply, he muttered, "Ah… time shows no mercy. There are so many things I can't do as I once could. Even Tai Chi seems to be slipping away from me."
"Grandpa! Don't say things like that. I've never thought of you as old!" Cui Susu immediately protested, her voice full of emotion. She looked at him with concern, as if afraid he might truly give up on the one thing he cherished most.
Cui Yunrong shook his head gently and smiled wryly. "Silly girl. Even if you don't think I'm old, my body does."
At that moment, Lin Yuan grinned. "Actually, losing some strength doesn't mean you can't still perform the movements properly. There's a way."
Cui Yunrong's eyes immediately lit up with hope. "Brother, are you serious? You really have a method?"
"Of course," Lin Yuan nodded. "Based on your physical condition, your muscle structure, and your fighting foundation, if you slightly adjust your posture here and shift your center of gravity like this…"
He demonstrated patiently, combining his deep understanding of Tai Chi, his background in combat, and even some practical knowledge of human anatomy and rehabilitation techniques. His movements were smooth, deliberate, and efficient—each action optimized to minimize strain while preserving the core essence of the technique.
Cui Yunrong paid close attention, and as he tried Lin Yuan's method himself, he could immediately feel the difference.
He began to mimic the new style and was surprised by how natural it felt. The movements flowed more easily, and he didn't feel exhausted or stiff. Instead, a wave of comfort and familiarity washed over him.
"Ah… this is incredible!" he exclaimed. "I feel like I'm moving like I did twenty years ago!"
He continued practicing with growing excitement, his movements becoming more confident and fluid with each repetition.
Nearby, Cui Susu's eyes sparkled with anticipation. Watching Lin Yuan guide her grandfather inspired her, and she eagerly stepped forward, hoping to receive some instruction as well.
Lin Yuan smiled and began teaching her. "Okay, straighten your waist a little more—no, that's too much. Relax your hips… right there. Now, this next movement—head up, chest out, shift your weight slowly…"
As he corrected her form, their interaction naturally involved physical contact. Lin Yuan was careful and respectful, only touching her hands or arms when necessary to guide her posture. But Cui Susu, enthusiastic and clearly enjoying the lesson a little too much, didn't shy away from the contact at all. In fact, she often initiated it herself.
It was as if a dam had broken—her long-suppressed feelings were bubbling to the surface, expressed through every lingering touch and lingering gaze. Like a girl who had kept her emotions hidden for too long, she finally had an excuse to stay close to him.
While Lin Yuan tried to maintain a professional demeanor, Cui Susu clearly had other intentions. She leaned closer, refusing to let him move away after correcting her hands. Eventually, her entire body pressed softly against him, and there was little Lin Yuan could do but sigh inwardly and focus on the lesson.
He couldn't help but notice the softness and warmth of her presence.
Just then—
[Ding! Tai Chi instruction of Cui Susu complete! Bonus skill acquired: Advanced Chess.]
A crisp system notification rang in his mind, reminding him that while he might have been unintentionally getting close to someone's granddaughter, there were still benefits involved.
Lin Yuan, however, remained utterly unfazed—unbothered by what might embarrass a lesser man. Truth be told, he had no aversion to the touch of a woman. On the contrary, he welcomed it—especially when the hands belonged to someone young, graceful, and beautiful. There was no shame in indulging in life's finer pleasures, and Lin Yuan had always been the type to savor every moment gifted to him.
As for Old Man Cui? Judging from Cui Yunrong's earlier demeanor, the elder clearly held Lin Yuan in considerable esteem. Whether he noticed the subtle exchanges or not, it hardly mattered. If he did, he showed no sign of disapproval—either because he truly didn't care,—or perhaps he just chose to turn a blind eye.
Now that Tai Chi instruction was complete, Lin Yuan moved on to the next part of his plan. He tapped his foot three times in a rhythmic pattern—clearly a signal to someone in the distance.
---
Not far away, Shi Shengnan saw the signal and immediately pulled out her phone to make a call.
Moments later, a vehicle equipped with sprinklers and automated sweeping equipment rumbled its way into Ma'anshan Park.
Water sprayed in wide arcs on both sides of the plaza, while rotating brooms swept debris away with surprising efficiency.
A man leaned out from the driver's seat, waving at the crowd of elderly dancers. "Grandpas and aunties, I'm here to clean the square today! Once I'm done, you're all welcome to continue your dancing and punching!"
With that, he lowered the window and focused on cleaning.
The square-dancing aunts who had been dominating the space looked on with annoyance, muttering under their breath. Grumbling and complaining, they had no choice but to shuffle away for now, unable to continue their music or movements while the cleaning was underway.
Lin Yuan, watching all of this from the side, smiled to himself. Everything was going according to plan.
---
Lin Yuan was just about to say something when Cui Susu interrupted him with a sweet and eager tone.
"Brother Lin, have you had breakfast yet? If not, would you like to join us? You've just finished teaching me so seriously, you must be hungry," she asked, her eyes full of anticipation.
Lin Yuan was momentarily taken aback by her sudden invitation. He blinked in surprise, then gave a soft chuckle.
In truth, his original plan had been to invite Cui Yunrong and Cui Susu out to breakfast himself. It was part of his carefully constructed strategy to intercept Ye Feng's upcoming encounter with them. According to the novel's timeline, Ye Feng was supposed to meet Cui Yunrong by chance this morning, hoping to impress him and potentially form an alliance.
But to his surprise, Cui Susu had extended the invitation first, turning the tables in his favor even more effortlessly than he expected.
Cui Yunrong, seated nearby and in a good mood after the Tai Chi session, also nodded warmly in agreement. "Yes, young man. It must be fate that we met today. There's a lovely little teahouse next door—The Pearl Teahouse. Their breakfast dishes are quite good. Come, let's enjoy a meal together."
He pointed at a quaint, traditional-looking restaurant right beside Maanshan Park.
Lin Yuan gave them both a relaxed and grateful smile. "Well then, I'd be honored to join you. Thank you for the invitation."
Soon, the three of them walked over to the Pearl Teahouse, just a short stroll away. The place had a charming atmosphere, with warm wooden interiors, calligraphy scrolls on the walls, and a gentle aroma of steamed buns and brewed tea in the air.
They chose a window-side table, from which the trio could still see Maanshan Park in the distance. The familiar scene of morning exercise and bustling activity remained visible, creating a pleasant backdrop for their meal.
As they settled in, Lin Yuan observed from the corner of his eye: the sprinkler truck that had been cleaning the square earlier had now departed. Everything was falling into place. He knew that in the original plot, Ye Feng was supposed to meet Cui Yunrong around this time. So, naturally, Lin Yuan had set a trap—an old man dressed similarly to Cui Yunrong had been planted in the park to serve as a decoy.
If Ye Feng appeared and mistook the fake for the real one, the misunderstanding would work perfectly in Lin Yuan's favor. And if Ye Feng didn't show up today, the decoy would continue to appear in the park over the next few days.
It was a long game—but Lin Yuan had patience.
He temporarily shifted his gaze back to his companions and focused on the meal.
As they began eating, Lin Yuan made easy conversation with Cui Yunrong. Their chat flowed smoothly—topics ranged from martial arts philosophy to family upbringing to cultural traditions.
Oddly enough, instead of sitting next to her grandfather, Cui Susu deliberately chose the seat beside Lin Yuan. Throughout the meal, she kept turning to him, handing him pieces of dim sum, offering him tea, and smiling at his every word. She even peeled a soft egg roll and placed it on his plate.
Lin Yuan responded politely, matching her enthusiasm with restrained charm.
During the course of their light-hearted exchange, both parties began to gather a clearer picture of each other. Lin Yuan had already done his homework—he understood both Cui Yunrong's upright, traditional values and Cui Susu's bright and impulsive personality. His next goal was to continue raising their favorability toward him—making them view him not only as a friend but as a reliable young man with potential.
He knew the Cui family's support would be important later.
---
At that very moment, Lin Yuan's eyes briefly caught a familiar figure walking outside the teahouse toward the Maanshan Park square.
It was Ye Feng.
---
Ye Feng has not been doing well lately.
Ever since his return from abroad, he had expected the world to welcome him like a prodigy. He thought his future would be smooth—an open sea of opportunities, a wide sky for him to soar through. But reality hit him hard.
Almost immediately after he returned to China, he was detained.
Then, just when he thought he had support, the Gu Qingshan brothers and their Qingshan Gang tried to help—but they were suppressed almost instantly by the powerful Lin and Tang Families.
And behind it all… rumors pointed to one person.
The Lin Family's young master.
Ye Feng had come to deeply resent that name. Everything that went wrong somehow circled back to him. Still, Ye Feng had no plans to sit still and accept defeat.
Today, he heard from the Chen family that a major banquet would be held that evening at the Mei Family residence. It would be a grand gathering—an elite event where nearly all the powerful families of Jiangbei would attend.
The Chen family, having no interest in attending, had casually passed the invitation to Ye Feng and Gu Qingshan. This was Ye Feng's chance. He intended to use the opportunity to make powerful new allies, win back respect, and begin his comeback. He wanted revenge—not just for himself, but also for the humiliation of Gu Qingshan and the fall of their gang.
But to impress the elite, he first needed to prepare gifts and make a good impression.
That was why he had come to this part of town—to find something suitable to bring to the banquet.
As he passed through Maanshan Park, his eyes caught sight of an elderly man practicing Tai Chi in the square.
Though the man wore simple clothes, his movements were smooth, steady, and refined. Each form looked elegant yet powerful, as if concealing decades of martial wisdom beneath calm expressions.
Ye Feng's eyes lit up instantly.
"There must be something!" he thought excitedly.
Without hesitation, he quickened his pace and approached the old man—completely unaware that the real Cui Yunrong was currently eating breakfast just next door.