The Whip and the Weasel
Outside, Luke was an invincible, ferocious tiger—the one who caused trouble for others, and no one dared to provoke him. But back home, the tiger turned into a cat. He had no choice; the old man before him was the maternal grandfather who had personally raised him—his true grandfather.
In front of him, Luke had to sheath his claws, tuck his tail, and behave like a good cat.
"So you finally decided to come home!"
The loud voice echoed in the hall, full of vigor. Luke's expression brightened; it seemed the old man's health was fine.
"Have your wings hardened, then? Am I unable to control you anymore!"
"You leave home for months without even making a single phone call! What's your goal? To abandon the family? To not recognize me as your grandfather, is that it?"
"Fine! I'll teach you to abandon me! I'll teach you to change your allegiance!"
"I'm going to whip you to death!"
The old man roared, grabbed the leather whip from the table, and with a crisp snap, the long whip flew toward him like a dragon.
Luke jumped in shock. Forgetting any explanation, he quickly darted to the side. The long whip struck the floor, kicking up a large cloud of dust.
"You dare to dodge! You've gone against the heavens!"
"I'll teach you to dodge! I'll teach you not to call!"
The old man was in a rage, wildly swinging his arms, managing to whip the leather strip into a blur of motion. Unfortunately, he was getting old, and his strength was waning. After just a few swings, he began to pant heavily.
Luke clutched his rapidly pounding heart and said with an ingratiating smile,
"Grandpa, please don't whip any more; it's bad for your health. How about I give you a shoulder rub? My technique is excellent; I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
"Get lost! You little bastard! I'm not old yet! I have plenty of strength!"
Luke quickly laughed it off. "You're not old at all! Your arms are powerful and strong, much better than those useless greenhorns. They're just silver-tipped wax arrows in front of you—all show and no use."
"Grandpa, we haven't seen each other in so long. I missed you so much! How about we sit down and chat?"
"Chat my ass!"
The old man glared at him. Then, his eyes flickered, and he changed his mind.
"I can chat with you, but let me whip you twice first."
Luke bit the bullet. "Go ahead, I won't dodge."
"You truly won't dodge?"
"I won't dodge!"
"Good. You said it! If you dare to dodge, you're a little bastard!"
The old man raised the whip and swung it horizontally. It looked ferocious, but the speed was slow, using at most half his strength. Just as the whip was about to land on his calf, Luke jumped slightly and evaded it.
The old man was stunned, then instantly exploded in anger.
"You little bastard! Didn't you say you wouldn't dodge?"
"I didn't dodge!"
Luke, with a straight face and a cheerful grin, explained, "Your whip is too strong, Grandpa! The wind it generated was like a hurricane and actually blew me away! I didn't want to dodge, I truly couldn't help it."
"Grandpa, you've gotten even stronger! You're practically Hegemon-King Chu reborn, or Li Sanlang resurrected!"
The old man: "..."
Luke gave an awkward laugh and suggested quietly,
"If you're still not satisfied, hit me one more time. This time, I promise I won't dodge."
The old man's cheek twitched violently, his expression morphing like a classic film character. A moment later, he dropped the whip and let out a long sigh.
"Fine. Get over here!"
Phew!
Luke quickly acknowledged him, scrambling over with his gifts, and placed his hands on the old man's shoulders, massaging them with just the right pressure.
"You've lost weight since I last saw you. What would you like to eat? I'll personally cook it for you."
"Forget it. Even a dog wouldn't eat your cooking."
Luke was momentarily embarrassed, but his skin was thick. Flattery and ridiculous comments flowed one after another, and soon he had the old man laughing heartily.
The old man wasn't truly angry; he was worried. His own grandson left home for months without a single call. Was he alive or dead? How was he doing? Was anyone bullying him (though highly unlikely)? He had no reliable news.
Worry turned into frustration. This unfilial boy! Gone so long and doesn't even call! Does he think he's all alone in the world? When he returns, I must give him a good whipping.
But the moment he saw Luke in person, that anger instantly vanished.
Grandparents always share a special bond with their grandchildren, and since Luke was raised by him, the feelings between them far surpassed those with his other children.
The Gifts: Tea, Gun, and Blade
"Grandpa, this time was my fault. I promise you, there will absolutely be no next time. To thank you for your concern, I specially prepared five gifts."
Saying this, he took out an exquisitely wrapped iron box. As the lid opened, a rich aroma of tea wafted out.
The old man's eyes lit up. "Longjing Tea!"
"Grandpa is truly discerning! It's premium Longjing Tea, which I specifically had someone bring over from China. There are three tins in total—enough for you to drink for years."
He set the iron box down and picked up the sandalwood case beneath it. He opened the box, revealing a beautifully decorated, antique hunting rifle. The rifle was expertly crafted, with every detail practically perfect, clearly the work of a master. Gold patterns were inlaid in the gun stock, and the purplish-red barrel had a layer of cloud-like grain, the red, gold, and black colors harmonizing to create a unique visual impact.
The old man reached out and stroked the gun body a few times. The faint friction brought to mind the rugged years of his youth.
Luke smiled. "Want to try it out?"
The old man picked up the rifle, examining it closely. The more he looked, the more satisfied he was.
"Let's go, push me to the backyard!"
"Right away!"
Luke gripped the handles and pushed the old man toward the backyard. Adam, who had been standing at the door, quickly stepped in, gathered the remaining gifts, and followed behind.
The backyard had an open area that was originally meant for a flower garden, but since both old men enjoyed shooting, it had been converted into a target range.
The old man raised the rifle, aiming at a target a hundred meters away.
BANG!
A crisp sound rang out. The bullet rushed out of the barrel, carrying the faint smell of gunpowder, and struck the bullseye at high speed.
After the shot, the rifle hadn't wavered at all; all its parts were perfectly coordinated. It was flawless.
"What a gun! Truly a fine gun!"
The old man couldn't put it down. His favorite weapon was the hunting rifle; a shotgun was a man's standard equipment. Assault rifles and submachine guns, in his opinion, should all be melted down into slag.
Lin Fu (Grandpa Fu) watched, his eyes burning with desire. He couldn't help but say,
"Boss, let me have a go!"
"Have a go, my ass! This was a gift from my grandson to me! What does it have to do with you?"
The old man glared at him, then continued, "Good grandson, what other gifts do you have? Let your grandpa take a look."
Luke waved his hand. Adam immediately took a wooden box wrapped in red cloth and placed it on the table.
Before the wooden lid was even opened, a faint aura of killing intent seemed to push against the box.
Both old men were veterans who had seen major events, and they immediately sensed the extraordinary presence.
Lin Fu personally stepped forward, unwrapped the red cloth, and opened the wooden box. A cold chill rushed out, revealing a Japanese katana with a black blade and vertical red markings etched into the edge.
He gasped in surprise.
"Well, I'll be! The Heavenly Pivot Divine Blade!"
"You actually managed to get your hands on this thing."
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