Chapter 56: Uncle Xiang Comes to Pick Up at the Airport

Lin Chuanzhi and his companions walked out to the waiting area, searching for the person who was supposed to pick them up. When he caught sight of a somewhat familiar car and an even more familiar figure, Lin Chuanzhi could hardly believe his eyes. He stepped forward and asked softly, “Uncle Xiang, is that you?” Standing next to the car, he addressed the elderly man with great respect.

The old man turned to look at Lin Chuanzhi, squinting for a moment before speaking. “Ah, it’s the Third Young Master! My eyesight isn’t what it used to be—age has caught up with me, and I almost didn’t recognize you. I’m so sorry!”

“Please, Uncle Xiang, you’re too kind. If it weren’t for your help all these years, the Lin family wouldn’t be what it is today. I’m the one imposing on you by asking you to come pick me up!” Lin Chuanzhi hastily bowed in response, unwilling to accept the old man's apology.

Watching his father interact so respectfully with the old man, Lin Feng was puzzled. It seemed this was the person sent to fetch them, but what struck him as odd was how deferential his father was—something he had never witnessed before, not even when the family patriarch visited Zhanhai City. Curious, Lin Feng crept closer, eager to overhear their conversation.

After a long, contemplative silence, the old man finally remarked, “It’s been ten years since I last saw you—you’ve changed so much! All for the better, of course. You’re so much more mature now, not nearly as rash as you once were.”

Lin Chuanzhi laughed awkwardly at the comment. “Oh, come now, Uncle Xiang. I was always mature in my own way! But you, Uncle, you’ve grown older.”

“How could I not? All of you have children now. How can I not feel the years? Still, it’s good that you’ve come home for the New Year and come to see this old man—it’s a fine thing! Is that Lin Feng? I’ve heard the old master mention him over and over again lately. Let me have a look at the boy who was once just a little rascal, now being praised to the skies!” The old man’s eyes sparkled with genuine pleasure at the continued warmth in Lin Chuanzhi’s manner.

When the old man mentioned Lin Feng, Lin Chuanzhi quickly pulled his son forward. “Uncle Xiang, this is my son Lin Feng, the very same rascal who used to be terrified of you. Remember when he burned your beard while you were napping, and you gave him a good scolding?”

The old man burst into laughter. “You still remember that? The old master teased me about that for ages!”

Lin Feng, hearing his father’s introduction, stepped forward confidently to face the old man. At first glance, there was nothing unusual about him—just an ordinary elder. But as Lin Chuanzhi had called him Uncle Xiang, the elderly man grew interested. He hadn’t expected the young man to meet his gaze so directly. Given his position in the Lin family—senior to almost everyone—none of the sons or grandsons had ever dared to look him in the eye. Usually, the younger generation regarded him with the utmost reverence. This made him all the more curious to test this young man whom the old master had praised so highly.

At first, Lin Feng found nothing remarkable about the old man’s eyes or presence. But suddenly, the old man’s gaze sharpened like a drawn sword, piercing straight into Lin Feng’s own. At the same moment, a suffocating, bloodthirsty aura pressed down on him.

“So, he’s a true master. I really have underestimated the world,” Lin Feng mused. The old man’s strength surpassed even Zhao Ze’s, the strongest opponent Lin Feng had faced since he began his cultivation. Nevertheless, Lin Feng was confident he could defeat him, but the old man’s presence was still a clear warning not to take anyone lightly.

The old man had only meant to test Lin Feng’s composure, expecting to see how long the youth could withstand his aura. He was stunned to find Lin Feng not only unfazed, but perfectly at ease—an extraordinary feat. What on earth had the rascal experienced over the past decade to acquire such skill?

The silent contest lasted a while, but before anyone else could notice, Lin Feng broke the tension, turning to the old man with a smile. “Grandpa Xiang, it’s a pleasure to meet you. You’re as formidable as ever!”

Lin Chuanzhi, oblivious to the clash that had just occurred, scolded Lin Feng for his lack of decorum. “Watch your manners! That’s no way to address Grandpa Xiang. Show some respect!”

The old man, brought back to himself by Lin Feng’s words, merely chuckled. “I like this boy’s spirit. None of the others—elders or juniors—ever dare speak to me so freely.”

Hearing the old man defend Lin Feng, Lin Chuanzhi could only swallow his frustration and nod. “Uncle Xiang, you really shouldn’t spoil him. His mother already indulges him far too much at home. If you do the same, he’ll become utterly uncontrollable!”

The old man laughed heartily at Lin Chuanzhi’s complaint. “By the way, where’s the third mistress? Didn’t she come back with you?”

Until now, the old man’s attention had been fixed on Lin Chuanzhi and Lin Feng, and he hadn’t noticed Liu Runli and Xia Ruoxi standing to the side. Hearing his question, Liu Runli quickly took Xia Ruoxi by the hand and approached. “Uncle Xiang, I’m here. You simply didn’t see me just now!”

Seeing Liu Runli step forward, the old man sighed. “Age really has caught up with me—I barely recognized the Third Young Master, and now I almost didn’t recognize the mistress either!”

Liu Runli harbored no resentment. As the Lin family’s daughter-in-law, she was well aware of the old man’s status. She even teased him gently, “Not at all, Uncle Xiang. You’re still young and spry as ever!”

The old man beamed at her flattery, clearly enjoying both her words and the conversation. But then his eyes fell on Xia Ruoxi, who stood beside Liu Runli. Uncertain who the young woman was, he asked, “Mistress, who is this young lady?”

Liu Runli quickly explained, “This is Lin Feng’s girlfriend. She’s come home with us for the New Year.”

Hearing this, and noting how formal both Lin Chuanzhi and Liu Runli were with him, Xia Ruoxi guessed that the old man was no ordinary figure. She stepped forward and greeted him respectfully.

The old man returned Xia Ruoxi’s greeting with a nod, but studied her intently. He recalled that the old master had told him to collect Lin Chuanzhi’s family, but there’d been no mention of Xia Ruoxi. Clearly, the old master was unaware of her, so the old man made no comment, simply acknowledging her presence.

With the whole family gathered, the old man slapped his forehead in self-mockery. “Look at me, so caught up in conversation that I nearly forgot the main reason I’m here. Come, Third Young Master and Mistress, let’s head home!” He gestured to a nearby Red Flag limousine.

“Uncle Xiang, are we really taking this car? Isn’t that the old master’s personal vehicle? Why did you bring it to collect us?” Lin Chuanzhi asked in surprise, recognizing the familiar limousine.

“Don’t worry, Third Young Master. The old master arranged this himself. He knows how much you’ve endured over the years, so he sent me with this car to pick you up, to show the Lin family’s regard for your return to the capital for New Year,” Uncle Xiang explained.

The significance of this gesture was not lost on Lin Chuanzhi and his wife. Outsiders might not understand the car’s importance, but family members certainly did. The old master rarely used this limousine except for major state occasions. Vehicles like this, earned through wartime merit, were reserved for a select few—the old master himself, or the highest leaders in the land. Ordinary people could never hope to own such a car. No wonder Lin Chuanzhi and his wife were so moved.

Lin Feng, meanwhile, was astonished—not by the car itself, but by the license plate. It was the kind of plate that commanded respect throughout China, even in the heart of the capital’s government district—no one would dare stop it.

“Come on, get in,” the old man called, seeing Lin Chuanzhi and his wife still standing there in a daze.

In such a solemn moment, Liu Runli waited for her husband to act. Only after Lin Chuanzhi finally boarded the car did she follow. Once they were settled, the old man instructed the driver to load their luggage into the trunk, and had Lin Feng and Xia Ruoxi take seats in the following car.

When everyone was settled and the luggage stowed, the old man ordered the driver to head for the Lin family’s ancestral home. Sure enough, the effect of the license plate was immediate—traffic police along the route not only let the car pass, but even escorted it, sirens blaring. The sound of the police sirens drew the attention of Beijing’s citizens. At first, people were curious, but when they recognized the car and its plate, every vehicle on the road made way, and all who saw it were filled with awe and respect.