True Solution of the Sword Dao

Sitting at the desk, Lin Fei completed the blank test paper in less than half an hour. Although there were some questions that he couldn't fully solve due to the scarcity of remembered formulas and types, the sensation of his thoughts flowing like a spring made him somewhat addicted.

During the afternoon classes, he was immersed in this heightened sense of swift cognitive function.

When he got home from school, he had planned to use his current state to catch up on past lessons he'd missed. However, it just so happened that his father made a rare trip back home.

"Join me tonight for a visit to Uncle Chen's house. Last time I went, he mentioned you, saying he wanted to see how you're doing now," Lin Jianguo said after dinner while sitting in the kitchen chair, once again puffing out smoke. He spoke to Lin Fei, who had stood up and was about to leave.

Meanwhile, his mother Jiang Feng was busy tidying up the dishes. "I won't go this time; I went last time. It's better if just the two of you go. But to be honest, constantly troubling others doesn't sit well with me. Old Lin, have you got everything ready?"

Lin Jianguo flicked his ash: "Don't worry, I'll bring two bottles of Moutai over this time. If there's one thing Uncle Chen loves, it's his drink. Without his looking after our little bookstore, who knows how much trouble we would have had. We need to show our gratitude. We have to make it clear that we remember the kindness he has shown us."

"Uncle Chen? Which Uncle Chen?" Lin Fei asked from the kitchen doorway.

"The one who used to like you the most, Uncle Chen Jingde, remember? His children, Chen Tao and Chen Yuanyuan, used to be your best playmates," Lin Jianguo took a deep drag and then stubbed out the cigarette butt. "Go get ready, we'll leave with the gifts soon."

On hearing Lin Jianguo mention this, Lin Fei suddenly recalled the relevant details about Uncle Chen's family.

Uncle Chen Jingde is the current director of the Ping City Bureau of Industry and Commerce. It was under his auspices that their bookstore obtained its business license. Whenever there was any other matter to ask of him, Uncle Chen would resolve it promptly and without hesitation.

This relationship stemmed from Lin Jianguo and him being close as brothers in arms back in the days when they shared a bunk bed. Lin Fei remembered, in his childhood, when Uncle Chen was rather down on his luck, he would often come by their home. Along with him, came his two children whom he was raising on his own: Chen Tao and Chen Yuanyuan, twins. Those were the days when he was six or seven years old, being followed around by two snot-nosed kids. Meanwhile, Lin You, who was only five, stood by quietly watching the three kids play their Ultraman vs. little monsters games...

"In my past life, I can't remember clearly what I was doing during this period. However, I seem to recall that my visit to Uncle Chen's house coincided with some significant event," Lin Fei hesitated for a moment. But right now, what's most important is to seize the time to practice Qi Cultivation and Basic Sword Technique. Ever since the last incident when he was completely powerless against a firearm, the thought of possibly encountering guns again would cause an intense sense of crisis to surge from the depths of his heart, urging him to tirelessly strengthen himself.

"By the way, have you been preoccupied with something lately? Is it related to your studies? Speak up if there's anything you need; your mother and I are fully supportive of anything that benefits your learning!" Lin Jianguo suddenly said.

Lin Fei was taken aback and immediately became slightly vigilant.

Due to his recent rebirth, there had been a stark change in his personality, which came off as quite abrupt. Such a change might not be noticed by strangers, but those familiar with him would definitely see the difference.

Previously, at his age, he was introverted, impulsive, had a strong sense of pride, and was somewhat childish. However, after his rebirth, he returned with the full maturity of an adult. The gap was simply too wide. It was no wonder Lin Jianguo would suddenly ask such a question. Perhaps he suspected something adverse had happened to cause his transformation.

"It's nothing, just that my recent exam grades weren't very good," Lin Fei replied in a lowered voice, which was heard by Lin You as she was about to walk out of the kitchen. She gave him a scornful glance. Lin Fei instantly understood her meaning — as if this time your grades weren't very good, when have they ever been good?

Although he found it amusing to be so combative with a middle schooler, Lin Fei didn't show any signs of backing down on the surface and glared back at her fiercely. After all, this was the usual way he interacted with Lin You.

"Just make sure to do well next time. Grades only reflect the past; don't carry too heavy a burden," Lin Jianguo said, not sure how else to comfort him. He was well aware of the intense competition among the students at his son's key high school. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Lin Fei responded softly, "Then I'll go change," and he turned to follow Lin You out.

Once they had walked a few steps away, Lin Fei deliberately said in a low voice, "Mind your own business when it comes to my affairs, or don't blame me for not being polite!!"

"You!" Lin You felt a surge of anger. From childhood, her struggles with Lin Fei had never ceased, but she always held the upper hand. She had not expected the tables to turn, with Lin Fei now holding leverage over her. Watching Lin Fei return to her room, Lin You let out a stifled breath of frustration and entered her own bedroom, slamming the door shut and immediately drawing complaints from their parents.

*************

Uncle Chen Jingde's home was located in an upscale residential area not far from the city center.

Lin Fei and her father, Lin Jianguo, carried gifts as they visited; coincidentally, Uncle Chen was at home watching the news.

Chen Jingde looked much like the image Lin Fei remembered: a square face, broom-shaped eyebrows, and spirited eyes. His entire demeanor exuded strong confidence. He was the kind of person one would recognize at first glance as an official, or to put it colloquially, he had an air of authority.

"Ah, you're here, Old Lin," Chen Jingde said with a smile as he opened the door. Noticing the gifts in Lin Jianguo's hands, he continued, "Why bring anything to my place?"

"You've helped us so much, it wouldn't be right to let you cover everything yourself, would it?" Lin Jianguo replied with a hearty laugh, and the atmosphere between the two was relaxed and casual, indicating a genuinely good relationship.

Through the black security door, Chen Jingde's gaze naturally fell on the young man following behind Lin Jianguo.

The young man wore a clean, neatly tucked white shirt, black trousers, and black leather shoes. His appearance was as unpolished as it gets.

"This would be Lin Fei, right? Haven't seen you in many years," Chen Jingde said with a smile, making room for Lin Jianguo and his son to enter, "Come in first, let's talk inside."

The young man politely greeted him as Uncle Chen and then quietly followed Lin Jianguo inside.

In his youth, Chen Jingde's wife passed away due to postpartum hemorrhage, leaving him with twins, Chen Tao and Chen Yuanyuan. To this day, he had not sought out a new partner, a testament to his deep affections. Previously implicated in a bribery and corruption scandal, when everyone thought he would certainly be pulled down, people were unwilling to associate with him, and his so-called friends and classmates ceased contact. Only Lin Jianguo continued to treat him as before, which deeply moved Chen Jingde.

This was also why he and Lin Jianguo later developed an unbreakable friendship.

"Feifei, do you still recognize your Uncle Chen?" Chen Jingde asked Lin Fei kindly.

"Of course, I remember. You even taught me how to play Go before," Lin Fei replied politely with a smile.

"Heh, you've grown so much before I knew it. Time really flies," he said.

The three of them entered the living room where a large screen television was on, playing an interview program from the central channel. A faint smell of smoke lingered in the air. The house was beautifully decorated. The walls were draped in grey-white with a tinge of green, and opposite the TV was an arched sofa with two realistic Western oil paintings hanging above it, both depicting pastoral landscapes. The center of the living room had a rectangular white rug with black patterns. To the left were broad floor-to-ceiling windows with brown curtains tied to the sides, beyond which lay the nighttime cityscape of Ping City.

The whole decor was elegant and dignified, yet it held a hint of warmth and coziness.

Lin Jianguo and Chen Jingde sat down and exchanged a few words before the conversation swiftly shifted to commentary on policies relating to the cultural and commerce bureaus of the city. Typically, Chen Jingde would speak, and Lin Jianguo would intermittently offer advice and his own viewpoints. No matter how Lin Fei looked at it, it seemed as though her father had become something like an advisor to Uncle Chen.