Chapter 196 - CH: 194 Don't ask. It was me!

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{Chapter: 194 Don't ask. It was me!}

"Y-Yes... Lieutenant General Cui..." Chen Zheng stammered, sweat beading on his forehead. His heart screamed for him to flee, to vanish from the party before things escalated—but how could he leave now that Cui Yunrong had directly addressed him?

With no choice left, Chen Zheng lowered his head and trailed closely behind Cui Yunrong, silently cursing his luck.

Meanwhile, Lin Yuan stood with a glass of red wine in hand, appearing completely unbothered by the tense atmosphere swirling around him. He looked like he was simply enjoying a leisurely evening, as if he were a guest at any other party and not the hidden focal point of a power struggle.

Seeing this, Cui Yunrong smiled warmly and remarked with playful sarcasm, "You, kid… look at you, all relaxed and enjoying yourself."

The old general's tone was light, but his words carried meaning. It was a deliberate contrast—when he appeared, others scrambled to greet him, eagerly trying to curry favor, while Lin Yuan sat calmly in his seat, completely unshaken. It was something Cui Yunrong noticed—and appreciated.

"Old Cui, have a bite." Lin Yuan grinned and offered him a forkful of cake.

Without hesitation, Cui Yunrong accepted it and took a bite.

Lin Yuan's casual and familiar gesture might have been seen as irreverent by others, but to Cui Yunrong, it was refreshing. Rather than being offended by Lin Yuan's lack of formality, he seemed to enjoy it. It was a sign of mutual respect—one not confined by age or hierarchy.

Cui Yunrong admired Lin Yuan deeply, not just for his personality but for his brilliant chess talent. The more he thought about it, the more he entertained the idea that if Lin Yuan continued to impress him, even the idea of marrying off his granddaughter Cui Susu to him might not be so far-fetched.

As if on cue, Cui Susu appeared beside her grandfather. With a bright smile, she rushed up to Lin Yuan and grabbed his arm. "Brother Lin Yuan, I missed you! It feels like forever since we last saw each other!"

"You little rascal. It's only been a few hours!" Cui Yunrong chuckled and gave his granddaughter a gentle scolding.

Lin Yuan merely smiled, then affectionately patted Cui Susu on the head.

But across the room, Gui Qingtong's expression darkened.

Her eyes narrowed with a smoldering intensity, her gaze fixed on Lin Yuan's hand gently resting on Cui Susu's head. She wasn't subtle about her feelings—and Cui Susu immediately noticed.

The two girls locked eyes. Both were from powerful families, raised in elite circles, and neither was willing to show weakness in front of the other. In an instant, the silent battlefield of rivalry had begun.

"Brother Lin Yuan!"

"Brother Lin Yuan!"

Two other girls—elegant and charming—rushed over as well. One clung to his left arm, the other to his right, both smiling sweetly and acting coquettish. Their timing couldn't have been worse.

Before either of them could begin their flirtatious antics, both were swiftly—and unceremoniously—driven away.

Cui Yunrong shooed away his granddaughter first. "Alright, Susu. Go and enjoy the rest of the party. Let the adults talk."

Lin Yuan turned to Gui Qingtong with a polite smile. "Qingtong, you too. Go have some fun."

With the girls momentarily out of the picture, the atmosphere lightened again. The seasoned general and the young prodigy chatted like old friends catching up. They spoke freely, laughed, and exchanged opinions as if they had known each other for years.

Across the room, several influential guests—prominent business leaders and patriarchs of elite families—watched the scene with disbelief. Many of them had been waiting for a chance to approach Cui Yunrong, to gain his attention, yet the old general seemed utterly uninterested in any of them.

Instead, he was laughing and chatting with Lin Yuan.

Even Lin Jianjun and Meng Yuelan were dumbfounded.

What was going on?

This was Lieutenant General Cui Yunrong—renowned, respected, and feared. And yet, he didn't seem to mind the blatant familiarity Lin Yuan showed him. On the contrary, he seemed to relish it.

It gradually became apparent to everyone: Lin Yuan didn't treat people based on age or rank. He didn't adhere to the typical hierarchical social rules.

He was polite, yes—but not submissive.

The way he had crushed Chen Zheng's hand earlier made that clear. Now, with Cui Yunrong's open admiration and casual demeanor around him, no one could dare pull rank on Lin Yuan anymore.

People began to reconsider their impressions. He was not just another junior tagging along with the Mei family.

After the earlier senior discussion ended, the atmosphere within the banquet hall shifted.

Lin Yuan was no longer simply viewed as a promising junior. No, he was now seen by many as one of the finest young talents in all of Jiangbei—perhaps the most outstanding. And what was even more astonishing was that his achievements and presence didn't rely on any ancestral shadow or familial power behind him. It came from himself.

More and more of the older generation found themselves hesitating. They wanted to engage with him, to build ties, yet felt uncertain. Could they still approach him from a position of superiority? Would that even be appropriate?

After all, Cui Yunrong himself—one of the most esteemed figures in the entire country—referred to Lin Yuan affectionately as "Little Friend Lin."

If even he chose to forgo seniority and speak to Lin Yuan as an equal, who among them had the qualifications to act superior? Were they greater than Cui Yunrong?

It was a sobering realization.

Whispers moved through the crowd. Several of the older aristocrats and business magnates who had dismissed Lin Yuan earlier now reconsidered their stance. It was becoming clear that the Lin family, previously considered middling, might require reevaluation. There was something deeper here.

Yet when their eyes drifted toward Lin Jianjun and Meng Yuelan, they found something odd. The couple appeared completely unaware of the blossoming friendship between their son and the great Lieutenant General Cui Yunrong.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the venue, Ye Feng's expression had grown dark and brooding.

Initially, when Chen Zheng had arrived with much fanfare, the tide seemed to turn in Ye Feng's favor. He had quickly seized the opportunity to network, exchanging contact information and discussing future collaborations with influential figures.

But everything changed the moment Cui Yunrong walked in.

Like a sudden thunderclap, the attention of the entire hall veered sharply away from Ye Feng and settled firmly on Lin Yuan once again. The shift was instantaneous, almost brutal.

The revelation that Lin Yuan and Cui Yunrong were not merely acquaintances—but friends—shocked everyone. And with that, any attention Ye Feng was receiving dried up instantly.

He stood alone, surrounded by small talk that no longer included him, his teeth clenched tightly in frustration.

He didn't know why, but as he watched Cui Yunrong chatting warmly with Lin Yuan, an uncomfortable feeling rose inside him. It felt as if something that was his had been ripped away—a spotlight that once briefly touched him was now gone.

He balled his fists tightly, nails digging into his palms.

Back in the center of attention, Lin Yuan, ever composed, smiled and casually said, "Old Cui, I'll send you a copy of that chess guide I mentioned. You'll enjoy it."

But Cui Yunrong chuckled and waved his hand.

"No rush, Little Friend Lin. There's something I need to deal with first."

Lin Yuan nodded, unbothered.

Cui Yunrong then turned with a serious face, scanning the crowd until his eyes landed on the man who had been sulking in silence—Chen Zheng.

"You," Cui Yunrong said firmly. "You're… Xiao Wang, right?"

Chen Zheng's face twitched. "No, no, Lieutenant General Cui. I… I'm not Xiao Wang. My surname is Chen…"

"Oh? My mistake then," Cui Yunrong said, nodding lightly. "I must be getting old—Xiao Chen it is."

Then his eyes narrowed slightly.

"You said earlier that a junior had beaten you up. Who was it? Call him out. I want to see just what kind of arrogant brat dares to bully one of our own."

There was genuine concern in his voice.

Despite his rank, Cui Yunrong had never abandoned the principle of protecting soldiers and officers around him. If Chen Zheng had truly been wronged, then Cui Yunrong wouldn't allow such behavior to go unpunished.

Especially since Chen Zheng claimed he didn't fight back because of military discipline. To a man like Cui Yunrong, that sort of restraint made his situation even more pitiful—and more deserving of justice.

But contrary to his expectations, Chen Zheng's expression turned stiff. His lips quivered, and he muttered nervously, "No... no, Lieutenant General Cui. It's not like that. I… I remembered wrong. My hand injury… it was self-inflicted."

The lie came out clumsily, but it was the only one Chen Zheng could afford to tell.

Though Chen Zheng often bullied and deceived others with arrogance, he was no fool. From everything he'd seen and heard during the party, it was now obvious that Lin Yuan had a very close relationship with Cui Yunrong—so close, in fact, that age and hierarchy didn't matter between them.

If he dared point fingers now, he would be digging his own grave.

Desperate to avoid further humiliation, Chen Zheng tried to make his escape.

"Lieutenant General Cui, I… I suddenly remembered I have urgent matters. I must leave early…"

But Cui Yunrong wasn't convinced. He reached out and grabbed Chen Zheng's shoulder firmly, pulling him back with a scowl.

"What are you so afraid of? From what you said, this junior didn't just disrespect you—he insulted the entire Kyushu Army. If that's the case, even I should step in! Identity, background, status—I don't care who he is. If he's wronged a soldier, then he's in the wrong. Speak up! I will stand by you!"

It was clear that Cui Yunrong was trying to protect what he believed was an innocent subordinate too afraid to fight back. He had no idea the "villain" in question was standing right beside him, smiling.

Chen Zheng opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Cold sweat trickled down his temples. He was trembling.

Just then, a calm and amused voice cut through the tension.

"Old man Cui, no need to keep asking," Lin Yuan said with a faint smile, raising his wine glass. "The one who crushed his hand… was me."

He said it openly, without fear, without regret.

The hall fell into stunned silence.

Even Cui Yunrong blinked in surprise, his hand still on Chen Zheng's shoulder.

*****

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