Chapter 57: What Are You Pretending For?

Chen Gongming was a guest adviser to the Liu family, a fifth-rank martial artist, and held a measure of renown in Luocheng.

Lin Yang sat in the living room, waiting, as Yu Ping and Liu Fuyu soon came downstairs.

"Xiaoyang, just sit for a while. I've already sent someone to fetch the money," Yu Ping said.

"Aunt Yu, really, there's no need. I don't lack money," Lin Yang replied.

"My mother is giving it to you, so just take it. Why pretend? Isn't all your money from that woman who keeps you?" Liu Fuyu still showed Lin Yang no kindness.

"You must be hungry. Aunt Yu will go cook. You always loved my stewed noodles and sweet and sour pork the most," Yu Ping said, treating Lin Yang as affectionately as a soon-to-be mother-in-law from years past.

"It's been years since I tasted your stewed noodles and sweet and sour pork. Now you've got me craving them," Lin Yang said with a smile.

Yu Ping stood and went to the kitchen, worried that Liu Fuyu might say something she shouldn't, so she called her in to help.

Lin Yang felt genuinely happy; he didn't want things to become too strained with the Liu family. He secretly planned to reveal his current identity to Yu Ping and Liu Fuyu over dinner, to give them a surprise.

Soon, the aroma from the kitchen began to waft through the house, and just then, Liu Chengzhi returned.

"Xiaoyang? What are you doing here?" Liu Chengzhi asked hurriedly.

"I ran into Aunt Yu earlier. She invited me for dinner and even said she was preparing some money for me to make an escape," Lin Yang replied, standing up.

"Are you sure?" Liu Chengzhi was baffled. That very morning, Yu Ping had scolded him, saying they had to find Lin Yang and turn him over to the Liang family. How had her attitude changed so quickly?

"Aunt Yu is in the kitchen making noodles for me, and she's preparing my favorite sweet and sour pork," Lin Yang said.

"Forget the meal, Xiaoyang. Come with me. I've got the money ready in the car. Take it and leave quickly," Liu Chengzhi said, grabbing Lin Yang's hand.

"Uncle Liu, it's been so long since I last tasted Aunt Yu's cooking; I'm really craving it! And I don't need to run. I'll give you all a surprise at dinner," Lin Yang replied.

"Listen to Uncle Liu. Leave now, not a minute longer," Liu Chengzhi insisted, trying to pull him out.

Lin Yang was puzzled—had Liu Chengzhi and Yu Ping swapped personalities?

At that moment, Yu Ping emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of noodles, glaring coldly. "Liu Chengzhi, what are you doing?"

"I have something to discuss with Xiaoyang. We'll skip the meal," Liu Chengzhi replied.

Liu Chengzhi knew his wife too well and guessed her intentions.

"Stop! No one's going anywhere," Yu Ping snapped, her face dark.

"Liu Chengzhi, if you dare take him out of this house today, don't blame me for turning against you."

Sensing something was wrong, Lin Yang said, "Uncle Liu, Aunt Yu has already made the noodles. Let me eat first before I go."

He had already guessed Yu Ping's sudden change of attitude, but he didn't want to trouble Liu Chengzhi. Besides, he paid the Liang family no heed.

"No. Come with me," Liu Chengzhi said, gritting his teeth for once instead of backing down.

"Liu Chengzhi! Do you think my words mean nothing?" Yu Ping shouted, smashing a teacup on the floor in fury.

"I... I know what you want to do, but I can't let you harm Xiaoyang. Otherwise, how could I ever face Brother Lin in the afterlife?" Liu Chengzhi, though usually cowed by his wife, stood firm.

"Who is harming whom? He's the one putting us in danger! Liu Chengzhi, you must follow my plan. If you have a problem, go back to the company," Yu Ping retorted, equally unyielding.

"Uncle Liu, I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me," Lin Yang said, not wanting to see Liu Chengzhi caught in the middle.

"Xiaoyang, don't be reckless. You'll die. Come with me—let's see who dares stop us," Liu Chengzhi said, standing up to Yu Ping and choosing to protect Lin Yang.

For Lin Yang, that was enough. It moved him deeply; for a man so henpecked, this was no small feat.

Just then, Chen Gongming arrived.

"Uncle Chen, you came just in time. Quickly, seize this brat," Yu Ping urged.

"Aunt Yu, I thought you genuinely wanted to cook me a meal, but it was all a ruse—to lure me back, capture me, and hand me over to the Liang family," Lin Yang said, his heart heavy despite having guessed as much.

"Nonsense! Do you think you deserve a meal from me? I'd sooner feed this bowl of noodles to a dog than to you," Yu Ping sneered.

Lin Yang shook his head, chilled to the core.

"Uncle Chen, seize him now," Yu Ping pressed.

"No," Liu Chengzhi said, shielding Lin Yang. "Uncle Chen, this is our family affair. Please, leave it to us."

Seeing the couple divided, Chen Gongming hesitated to act.

"Liu Chengzhi, are you mad? Don't forget, without the Liang family's help, we never would have secured the contract with Prosperity Group. We can't afford to offend them," Yu Ping raged.

"You really think the Liang family has such influence? You think they got us that contract with Prosperity Group?" Lin Yang said with a scornful smile.

"If not the Liang family, then who? You?" Yu Ping retorted with contempt.

Lin Yang couldn't be bothered to explain further—no one would believe him anyway.

"Uncle Chen, do it. Ignore Liu Chengzhi. In this house, I make the decisions," Yu Ping ordered.

Chen Gongming knew well who truly held power in the Liu household, so without further delay, he moved to seize Lin Yang.

Liu Chengzhi tried to intervene, but Lin Yang stepped out from behind him, facing Chen Gongming head-on.

"With just you? You won't catch me," Lin Yang said.

"Such arrogance! I am a fifth-rank master—one hand is all I need to string you up and thrash you," Chen Gongming boasted, raising one hand to use his grappling technique, reaching for Lin Yang's shoulder.

But Lin Yang moved with lightning speed, seizing Chen Gongming's tiger's mouth, and with one twist, broke four of his fingers.

Chen Gongming let out a scream, having no chance to react before Lin Yang sent him flying out the door with a single palm strike.

A fifth-rank expert was nothing more than a paper tiger before Lin Yang—utterly defenseless.

The fight ended in less than a minute, leaving not only Chen Gongming stunned, but the whole Liu family dumbfounded.

Yu Ping and Liu Fuyu stared in shock, their faces frozen.

"Only a fifth-rank martial artist—what's there to boast about?" Lin Yang said indifferently.

"Xiaoyang... how did you do that?" Liu Chengzhi exclaimed in disbelief.

"Uncle Liu, I'm quite capable. You don't have to worry about me," Lin Yang replied with a wide grin.

Yu Ping muttered, "How can this brat be so powerful? Not even Uncle Chen could withstand a single move from him?"

"It must be because Grandpa Chen underestimated him and was caught off guard," Liu Fuyu insisted.

Lin Yang turned, gazing at Yu Ping and Liu Fuyu, then slowly began to walk toward them.

Startled, Yu Ping and Liu Fuyu hurriedly backed away.