Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

Chapter 213 The Wu Family

Just as he finished preparing a pot of potato and beef, he heard heavy footsteps outside, followed by slow, drawn-out breathing.

The heavy footsteps grew closer, and soon a tall, muscular figure appeared at the doorway.

The visitor was none other than Wu Laoliu.

"You came."

Li Xingzhi sat by the fire without turning his head and spoke in a calm tone.

"Ah."

Wu Laoliu still had a wooden face, but his eyes were filled with deep gratitude as he looked at Li Xingzhi. Although he didn't show any emotion, his demeanor was even more respectful than before.

"It's been quite a while since I've seen Ah Lang." His words carried a rare hint of concern.

“Don’t call me Ah Lang anymore. After all, you’re no longer a servant of the Li family. Even if not for yourself, you should think about your family.” Li Xingzhi felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing Wu Laoliu’s words, and then offered a few words of concern in return.

In ancient times, the distinction between good and lowly status was absolutely crucial and must not be confused. Back then, it took Wang Xiucai considerable effort to remove Wu Laoliu from this lowly status. Fortunately, Wu Laoliu's ordinary background kept him out of the public eye, which is why it was successful.

"It's a pity I couldn't attend your wedding banquet." Li Xingzhi stirred the fire and said with a smile, "If you have a child, remember to let me know. A birthday gift is a must."

Li Xingzhi is ultimately a sentimental person.

Aside from his adoptive grandfather's family, he had no other relatives in this world. He still felt a sense of attachment and affection for the elderly people in the Li family.

Upon hearing Li Xingzhi's words, Wu Laoliu was pleased, but a strange glint flashed in his eyes.

Li Xingzhi noticed this unusual behavior. "What's wrong?"

Wu Laoliu moved his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and said, "My lord, I already have two children."

"And then you had a child?"

Li Xingzhi was slightly surprised, then suddenly remembered that he had been here for six years, and Wu Laoliu had been married for three or four years and should have two children.

Thinking of this, he was slightly lost in thought, somewhat dazed. Perhaps it was the atmosphere in the room that gave him the feeling that everything was 'as if it were yesterday'. He couldn't help but sigh: Time flies like an arrow, never ceasing day or night!

"Two children—? Boys and girls? How old are they?"

"My eldest daughter is four years old; my youngest son is one year old," Wu Laoliu said, still reluctant to speak.

As the two were talking, steam began to rise from the large wok beside them. The lid of the wok rattled loudly. A rich aroma of beef, mixed with the mellow scent of potatoes, wafted out.

His superb culinary skills meant that even the simplest potato stew with beef was divinely inspired—extraordinary. The aroma alone was enough to make the hungry group unable to resist.

The two women inside, smelling the fragrance, touched their bellies and came out.

"Wow! It smells so good! Brother Li, is today's stewed beef and potatoes? It seems to be cooked already. Let me taste it for you first." Li Linzhi said, her delicate little hands, unafraid of the hot wok, reached out and took the large wok of stewed beef and potatoes off the stove.

"Just say you want some, why wouldn't you want some?" Li Xingzhi grabbed her sneaky outstretched hand and scolded her with a laugh, "Can't you see there are other guests here?"

"Ah—" At this moment, the girl, whose mind was always in her stomach, turned her eyes to another place for the first time and saw a tall and big person sitting next to her. A faint blush flashed across her face.

"Brother Li, why didn't you tell me sooner? Did you just want to see me make a fool of myself?" It would be more accurate to say that she was embarrassed and annoyed than embarrassed.

Although she may sometimes seem oblivious and indifferent to others' opinions, once exposed, her true nature as a daughter is revealed without a doubt.

"Hey! How was I supposed to know? You can't even see a big person sitting in the room? All you ever see is food. How come you haven't turned into a chubby little girl?"

"Hmph! If you didn't make it, I wouldn't eat it even if you begged me. Besides, I'm so thin right now—it would be great if I could gain some weight."

Li Linzhi's current slender figure best matches Li Xingzhi's aesthetic standards, but according to the aesthetic standards of the Tang Dynasty, she should be slightly plump to appear healthy and beautiful.

Wu Laoliu sat to the side, as still as a wooden statue, completely ignoring the two's intimate and unrestrained words. His eyes remained fixed on the fire in front of him, occasionally adding a few thin pieces of firewood. Wu Laoliu was already used to Li Xingzhi's unusual behavior, and even the unusual words spoken by the girl beside Li Xingzhi didn't seem strange to him.

"I've made a lot of food today, why don't you go and invite your family over to eat with us? I'd also like to see the two kids."

Logically speaking, a wife and daughters in the inner chambers of a household should not receive outside guests, but Wu Laoliu did not hesitate at all when he heard Li Xingzhi's words. He nodded and got up to call someone.

Not long after, Wu Laoliu returned to the house. His tall figure stepped aside, revealing a pretty woman behind him, who was none other than Liu Shi, whom he had seen earlier.

Liu kept her head down, not daring to look around, clearly unaccustomed to such situations. Beside her was a simply dressed, rosy-cheeked little girl with a curious yet shy expression, and she was also holding a chubby, fair-skinned boy in her arms.

Without Li Xingzhi even needing to speak, Wu Laoliu took three short stakes, placed them on the side like small stools, and sat down with an air of authority. He then gestured for Liu Shi and the little girl next to him to sit down as well.

In the Li residence, unless someone is present, there are no strict rules; one simply needs to do their duty. Li Xingzhi often ate with his servants and guards. Wu Laoliu, seemingly dull-witted, was actually quite shrewd; knowing Li Xingzhi disliked formalities, he acted accordingly.

Liu had little contact with Li Xingzhi, and seeing Wu Laoliu's casual and even somewhat 'rude' and 'offensive' behavior, she felt a little uneasy.

After all, Li Xingzhi and his companions looked like they were either rich or noble, and Wu Laoliu had once been a servant of the Li family. Even though he was now a married man, he should still be more respectful.

However, after Wu Laoliu's gesture, although Liu felt uneasy, she sat down after a little hesitation. If it were any other woman, she might have tried to test the waters with a few polite words first, but Liu was not good at speaking, and her obedience to her husband was ingrained in her bones. She simply followed his gesture, even if she did not agree with it in her heart.

Looking at Liu's actions, Li Xingzhi nodded silently to himself, thinking to himself: Wu Laoliu, that blockhead, has gotten a good wife!

He ignored the shy and uneasy woman beside him, touched the timid little girl sitting next to her who had infected her mother with some of her unease, and said gently, "Little lady, you're so pretty. Can I hold you?"

The little girl felt incredibly comfortable after Li Xingzhi touched her face. Listening to his kind words, she suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity with the handsome older brother in front of her. Her unease about the unfamiliar surroundings subsided, leaving only curiosity and an unusual sense of warmth.

"it is good."

The little girl's voice was so soft that Li Xingzhi probably wouldn't have heard it if he hadn't had good hearing.

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Finally, thank you "reamaker" for the monthly pass! (To be continued.)