Chapter 136: Twins

Lujiazui, Yanlord Garden.

At six o'clock sharp, Liao Yuan woke up. After a brief wash, he put on his sportswear, a baseball cap, and Bluetooth earphones before heading toward the nearby park.

He listened to the news broadcast through his earphones as he ran. Since moving into his new home, he had made it a habit to wake up between five and six o'clock, provided he hadn't stayed up late. Summer days broke early, and although he was in the heart of the city, Yanlord Garden was a high-end residential complex with a price tag exceeding one hundred thousand per square meter. The landscaping was superb, the surrounding facilities were complete, and the air was fresh—all of which fueled Liao Yuan's desire to exercise.

He particularly enjoyed his morning runs in the nearby park. In the center of the park was a sizable lake. On one side, elderly folks gathered to play the erhu, yueqin, and handpans, singing away in soft, melodic tones.

The other side of the lake was much quieter. Beyond a few young men and women jogging or stretching, there was only a group of old men huddled around a chessboard, watching in concentrated silence.

Liao Yuan found it quite curious. It was only six in the morning, the sky barely bright and the sun yet to rise, but these elders looked as if they had been engaged in their mental battle all night long. No matter how early or late Liao Yuan arrived, the scene remained unchanged: the players were spirited and sharp-eyed, while the spectators remained stoic and silent.

Curiosity, however, did not mean interest. Every time, Liao Yuan would only steal a glance before continuing his jog, never intending to stop and watch. Even so, he couldn't help but notice that while the opponents of one particular player changed daily, the man himself remained constant: an old man with greying temples, wearing dark sunglasses and a fisherman’s hat.

Liao Yuan thought the man’s getup looked familiar. He reminded him of Master Roshi from the anime *Dragon Ball*—exuding a certain lecherous air that persisted even in his twilight years.

Today, the opponent facing "Master Roshi" had changed again, this time to a beautiful girl of about fifteen or sixteen, vibrant and full of youthful energy. Each time Liao Yuan passed the chessboard, he felt the girl stealing glances at him.

Mind you, this was not narcissism; it was a fact.

When Liao Yuan finished his workout and passed the board again on his way home, the girl finally stood up. "I'm done, I'm done! Old Qiao, you’re just bullying me now! I don’t like being humiliated! I’m quitting!"

As she stood, her silhouette was fully revealed. Clad in a casual hoodie and pink shorts, she displayed long, shapely, and flawlessly smooth legs. With her porcelain-like skin, she stood there looking truly graceful.

The elderly onlookers burst into laughter. "Little Plum, you were the one clamoring to challenge Old Qiao. And now you're reneging even after he gave you a three-stone handicap? So much for the National Youth Go Champion!"

The girl rolled her eyes. Suddenly, she pushed past the others and shouted toward the distance, "Hey! You, running over there! Hey, I’m talking to you, tall guy! Come here! I have something to say to you!"

Liao Yuan, who had already slowed down, frowned at the shout and immediately picked up his pace, walking straight away.

Seeing this, the girl chased after him. "Hey, tall guy in front! I'm calling you! Don't run! Hehe, I recognize you. Aren't you the guy who was dancing with the Miracle Girl yesterday? Haha, you sure know how to dance! Your hip movements were amazing! Teach me, won't you? By the way, I'm Mei Shuying, what's your name?"

Liao Yuan turned his Bluetooth volume to the max, ignored her, and broke into a run.

"Hey, tall guy, what kind of attitude is that!"

Mei Shuying hurried to keep up. "I'm trying to make friends with you, why are you being so cold? Are you even a man?"

Liao Yuan acted as if he hadn't heard a word and quickly put distance between himself and the park.

Mei Shuying, breathless and watching him disappear, stomped her feet in frustration before turning back to the chessboard.

"Little Plum, that's not how you make friends." Old Qiao said, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan and chuckling. "With that attitude, you'll scare most people off."

"Old Qiao, why are you picking on me too!" Mei Shuying brushed a strand of hair from her forehead and said dismissively, "That's just who I am. I’m not short on friends anyway. Hmph, take it or leave it!"

"Mm, straightforward and unrestrained—that's exactly how it should be." Old Qiao laughed happily, waving his hand. "Feiliu and Guoguo are on their way. Play one more game with Grandpa, and this time, I’ll give you a five-stone handicap."

"Five stones?" Mei Shuying put her hands on her hips, looking energized. "Fine! This time, you're going down!"

***

Meanwhile, just as Liao Yuan reached the entrance of his complex, a voice called out, "Brother Yuan? Brother Yuan! Holy cow, it really is you!"

A Porsche convertible pulled up sharply beside him. In the driver’s seat, Gao Feiliu took off his sunglasses, jumped out with a look of surprise, and greeted Liao Yuan with a bear hug.

"Little Feiliu? What are you doing here?" Liao Yuan asked, startled.

Gao Feiliu laughed. "I have a nine o'clock flight and was just heading to the airport with a friend. The Vienna Music Festival is coming up, and I’m going to check it out!"

As he spoke, a girl’s voice chimed in, "Eh? So you're Liao Yuan?"

Liao Yuan turned to see a girl stepping out of the passenger seat. "You look decent enough, but compared to my idol, you're definitely lacking!"

"It's you?" Liao Yuan frowned. Wasn't this the girl who had been yelling at him earlier?

The girl blinked in confusion. "You know me?"

Liao Yuan sensed something was off. Aside from the face, this girl's hairstyle, hair color, and outfit were completely different from the one in the park.

Liao Yuan caught on. "You have an older sister? Or a younger one?"

"Oh!" The girl laughed. "You mean my sister! Remember this: her name is Mei Shuying, and I am Mei Shuguo. We're twins, but we aren't the same person! Hey, I didn't expect you to know my sister. Not bad, we're fated!"

"I don't know your sister," Liao Yuan said dismissively. He turned to Gao Feiliu, "Little Feiliu, have a pleasant trip. I have to get to work. Let’s grab a meal and catch up when you're back."

"You got it, you got it!" Gao Feiliu nodded vigorously. "Brother Yuan, keep your word! See you when I’m back!"

After Liao Yuan left, Gao Feiliu and Mei Shuguo drove to the park. Upon meeting Mei Shuying, they recounted the encounter.

Mei Shuying laughed heartily. "So his name is Liao Yuan! He was right, we don't know each other, but we will soon enough. I'm going to hire him as my dance teacher!"

"Dance teacher?" Mei Shuguo asked, puzzled. "Sis, what kind of hobby is this? Hiring a pianist to be a dance teacher?"

Gao Feiliu clicked his tongue. "Do you have any idea who my Brother Yuan is? You think you can just hire him on a whim?"

"What did you say?" Mei Shuying arched her brows. "Mei Shuying wants to hire him as a dance teacher—you have a problem with that?"

"No problem, no problem." Gao Feiliu immediately shrank back, falling silent.

He had grown up with the Mei sisters, and while he could handle Mei Shuguo's temper, he dared not cross Mei Shuying. He could only offer a silent prayer for Brother Yuan.

At that moment, Old Qiao finished his game and stood up. With the help of an attendant, he stretched his limbs and said nonchalantly, "That young man comes here to run every morning. Little Plum, that's all I can do for you."