Chapter 317: Chapter 313: Longevity Fist Ranks

"Yes, Citizens works in a government department, so he needs to build his network. The broader his connections, the smoother his path will be in the future," Third Aunt Luo Bizhen said with a smile. "Don’t worry about it. Let him do his networking while we eat. Oh, right, why isn’t Xiuying here yet?"

"Xiuying is stuck in traffic. I just called her a moment ago. She’ll probably be another ten minutes or so," his dad, Ye Guozhong, said.

Just then, the hotel staff began bringing out the food, plate by plate. There were dishes made with all sorts of ingredients—vegetables, seafood, fish, and more. They were all steaming hot, intricate, and delicious, a feast for the senses.

"Well, let’s start then. The food’s all here, so everyone, dig in while it’s hot," Third Aunt Luo Bizhen said.

Everyone immediately started eating, making small talk as they enjoyed the meal.

"Big Brother, Sister-in-law, this dish is great. Have some more!"

"Here, Little Li, have some chicken soup to build up your strength. Big Brother, Sister-in-law, Little Li is pregnant! I’m going to be a grandmother soon! Haha."

"Oh, so soon! Congratulations, Sister-in-law!" his mom, Lin Yufang, said, her eyes drifting pointedly toward Ye Xing beside her.

"You useless brat! Why are you so disappointing? Look at Axiang—he’s younger than you and he’s about to be a father, but you don’t even have a girlfriend. You should learn a thing or two from your cousin!" His dad, Ye Guozhong, smacked him on the head in frustration.

Ye Xing could only smile wryly.

"Big Brother, you can’t rush these things. It all comes down to fate," Third Aunt Luo Bizhen placated, though she couldn’t hide a hint of smugness.

"Can’t rush it? How can I not be in a hurry? Our third brother is about to become a grandfather, and I, the eldest brother, am lagging behind. No, that’s not right—not just lagging, but lagging way behind. With this rotten kid’s sluggish personality, I’ll probably be waiting forever to hold a grandchild," his dad, Ye Guozhong, said gloomily.

"Didn’t Xiuying set Axing up on a blind date before? How did things go with that girl?" Third Aunt Luo Bizhen asked.

"Sigh, it didn’t work out," his mom, Lin Yufang, said, shaking her head.

"What happened? Was Axing not interested in her?" Third Aunt Luo Bizhen asked.

"No, the girl wasn’t interested in our Axing!"

Third Aunt Luo Bizhen continued, "That doesn’t sound right. Aside from his family’s modest circumstances, Axing isn’t bad-looking, right? And he’s a top student from Fushan University."

"She just looked down on our family’s modest means and the fact that we still have a mortgage." His mom, Lin Yufang, sighed, looking crestfallen. "Sigh, I guess it just goes to show that his father and I aren’t capable enough!"

"Ah, well, girls these days are just more pragmatic than they used to be. Don’t worry, when the time is right, Axing will meet a good girl," Third Aunt Luo Bizhen said.

"We can’t just rely on fate! This kid is never in a hurry. If Yu Fang and I don’t push him, I’m afraid... Oh, right, Third Brother has a wide network. I was thinking I should ask him to see if there are any single women at his workplace—" Ye Guozhong said.

"That’ll be tough. Women are very pragmatic these days, and I don’t think there are any single girls at Citizens’s office. Let’s not talk about this anymore. Come on, let’s eat!" Third Aunt Luo Bizhen said.

"Hey, Axiang, look! Longevity Fist is on the national news!" his cousin’s wife, Yang Xiaoli, suddenly exclaimed, pointing at the television on the wall of the private room.

Sure enough, the large LCD screen was playing a news broadcast. It was a report on Longevity Fist, a National Martial Art that had recently surged in popularity across the country.

"Haha, I told you! Longevity Fist may be new, but it’s a martial art with incredible potential. It won’t be long before it surpasses things like Taekwondo and Karate. It has a huge future ahead of it," his cousin, Ye Xiang, declared.

"Axiang, what’s your rank in Longevity Fist now?" Third Aunt Luo Bizhen asked.

"Mom, I’m already a fourth-dan in Longevity Fist. The average instructor at a branch school is only about this level," his cousin Ye Xiang said, his voice brimming with pride.

"Well, you were never good at your studies, but who knew you’d be such a natural at martial arts," Luo Bizhen said with a smile. "You could even apply to be an instructor later on. Oh, right, since you’re in Luoxian County, you should take this chance to teach your uncle and aunt Longevity Fist!"

Luo Bizhen turned to Ye Guozhong and Lin Yufang and said, "Big Brother, Sister-in-law, Longevity Fist is a martial art that’s good for your health. I’ll have Axiang teach you how to practice it tomorrow!"

"Oh, good! We can compare notes. Yu Fang and I practice Longevity Fist every day. And I have to say, this fist skill is really incredible. I injured my back back when I was working as a mover, but after practicing Longevity Fist, the old injury feels a lot better," his dad, Ye Guozhong, said.

"The fist skill really is wonderful, and it’s perfect for us middle-aged and older people. Every day after practicing a routine, I feel so refreshed and invigorated, as if I’ve become younger," his mom, Lin Yufang, added with a sigh of appreciation.

The moment Ye Guozhong and Lin Yufang finished speaking, Third Aunt Luo Bizhen and her son, Ye Xiang, were completely stunned.

"B-Big Brother, Sister-in-law, you know how to practice Longevity Fist too?" Third Aunt Luo Bizhen asked, her face a mask of astonishment.

’Longevity Fist is incredibly popular,’ Luo Bizhen thought, ’but even though lots of people practice it, it’s mostly the upper class and some middle-class folks. Big Brother is a mover and Sister-in-law runs a fruit stall. They’re just ordinary blue-collar workers. It should be impossible for them to have any exposure to a trendy martial art like Longevity Fist.’

"Yes, we do. Guozhong and I practice it once every morning when we wake up," his mom, Lin Yufang, said with a laugh. "To be honest, Guozhong and I were dead set against it at first, but our Axing kept pestering us until we gave in. After just two days, we were hooked. It’s so comfortable! Now we have to practice Longevity Fist every day. It’s become a habit, and if we skip a day, we just don’t feel right."

"Oh, so it was Axing who taught you," Third Aunt Luo Bizhen said dismissively. "I thought you and Big Brother had gone to a proper martial arts school to learn."

"Auntie, what rank is my cousin?" his cousin, Ye Xiang, suddenly asked, a glint in his eye.

"Rank? We wouldn’t know, you’d have to ask Axing," his mom, Lin Yufang, said awkwardly. "Really, we’re just practicing on our own as amateurs. We could never compare to a professional like you, Axiang!"

"It’s alright. The quality of the form determines its effectiveness. But don’t worry, Uncle and Auntie. Tomorrow, you can perform the routine for me, and I can help correct your movements," his cousin, Ye Xiang, said, before turning to Ye Xing. "Longevity Fist has nine dan ranks; the higher the rank, the better and more standard your form. So, Cousin, what’s your rank?"

Meanwhile, Ye Xing was eating with one hand and holding his phone with the other, completely engrossed in a novel he was reading. He was lost in the world of the story, his mind a million miles away. Coupled with the fact that his cousin Ye Xiang hadn’t spoken very loudly, he naturally didn’t hear a thing.

"Axing, your cousin is talking to you!" his dad, Ye Guozhong, said, patting him on the arm.

"Huh?" Ye Xing snapped out of it, looking at his cousin Ye Xiang with a confused expression.

"Cousin Ye Xing, I hear you know Longevity Fist. You’re the one who taught Uncle and Auntie, right? We should compare notes some other day." His cousin, Ye Xiang, smiled, then paused, a smirk playing on his lips. "By the way, Cousin, what rank are you in Longevity Fist?"

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