Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

Chapter 216 Hometown Sentiments

The group sat down, and a pot of fragrant, glossy porridge was ready.

The white rice, translucent and shimmering with a crystal-like luster, was simply lovely. Its aroma filled the air, causing the stomach, empty all night, to quickly secrete acid, and mouths to overflow with saliva.

Beside the stove, a pretty young girl skillfully prepared a spoon, serving each person a bowl of porridge.

At this moment, another girl walked in from outside the door, still yawning and with her eyes still a little hazy. However, her cute little nose had woken up early and was twitching, which was quite amusing.

She walked blankly to the stove, not noticing the people around her, but when she saw the pot of glistening, lovely porridge, her eyes lit up instantly. "It smells so good~ It must have been cooked by Rou'er." As she spoke, she reached out to take a bowl to scoop some out.

"Snapped!"

With a soft thud, the outstretched hand was slapped away.

"Go wash your face and rinse your mouth before you eat!" Li Xingzhi said lightly. With so many people watching, even if he didn't care much, he still felt the girl's behavior was somewhat embarrassing.

"Ah!" The girl was slightly startled, but immediately recognized the voice. Her eyes remained fixed on the bowl of porridge. She patted her tummy and said sweetly, "I'll just drink a little bit, a little bit, and then I'll go wash my face..."

A group of people looked at the girl's confused and dazed expression, their faces showing a variety of emotions. Besides finding it amusing, they also felt that the girl in front of them was unusually cute. If it were Li Xingzhi, he would say one word—cute.

Li Xingzhi looked at the girl's innocent and coquettish appearance and didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but he still knocked her outstretched hand away.

"Humph!"

The girl gave a soft snort, snapping out of her dazed state, and glared fiercely at Li Xingzhi, this 'big bad guy'. Just then, she noticed the others sitting with her, her expression instantly freezing, a barely perceptible blush creeping across her face. She stamped her foot to hide her embarrassment, gave Li Xingzhi another hateful look, and turned to leave.

Seeing the strange appearance of this 'young lady of the Li family', the others felt embarrassed and immediately stopped talking, instead gulping down the fragrant porridge in front of them. The old clan chief even pretended to be blind and said he hadn't seen anything.

The porridge was indeed excellent; not only did it look beautiful and smell wonderful, but it also tasted absolutely delicious. The group quickly swallowed several mouthfuls, each glistening grain of rice melting in their mouths and throats, perfectly showcasing the aroma of the grains! As it slid down their chests and stomachs, a warm feeling instantly spread through them, and a joyful and fulfilling sense of harvest, like seeing golden waves in autumn, surged from the deepest part of their hearts, filling their entire souls!

Even an elderly person in their seventies felt their withered and weak body instantly filled up after drinking just one bowl of porridge; their previously muddled and rusty mind became much clearer.

The group quickened their pace, their bodies urging them on. In less than a quarter of an hour, the large pot of porridge that Zhou Rou'er had painstakingly cooked was empty.

At this moment, Li Linzhi returned. She held up a clean, large bowl, gazing silently at the even cleaner wok. Her eyes, however, held no goodwill as she looked at Li Xingzhi.

"Father, Father! Are you there?!"

A loud but somewhat anxious voice rang out from outside.

"Baosheng, your father is here."

The visitor was Wang Baosheng, the eldest son of the old patriarch of the Wang family. He was extremely filial, and seeing that his father was getting old, he served him day and night.

Unexpectedly, after preparing breakfast early this morning, his father did not arrive for a long time. Worried, he went to the room, only to find it empty. He then ran outside to inquire, searching all over Wangjia Village, before finally managing to find news of Li Xingzhi's small courtyard.

My father is over seventy years old and walks with a shaky gait, which makes me anxious.

Hearing his father's voice, Wang Baosheng was overjoyed, and his heart was at ease.

"Father, why did you come out so early in the morning?" He walked into the house, squatted down next to the old man, and gently put one hand on the old man's shoulder.

"I can't rest easy until I see Li Dalang... He's a great benefactor of my Wangjia Village!"

"To see you again today, I can die in peace." The old man's voice was still weathered, but much louder, and even carried a hint of lightness.

"Father, next time you come out, please let me know." Wang Baosheng's voice was deep and full of concern.

Looking at his son's eyes full of concern and care, the old man couldn't bring himself to say anything he wanted to say. He leaned on his cane with one hand, and with the other hand, he pulled out of Wang Baosheng's arms, trembling, and reached into his own pocket, pulling out a piece of printed white paper covered with black writing.

Holding the paper carefully in his aged, trembling hand, he extended it to Li Xingzhi. "Li Dalang, our Wangjia Village has received a great favor from you. We have nothing to repay you with, so please accept these land deeds." Without waiting for Li Xingzhi's refusal, he had already stuffed the deeds into Li Xingzhi's hand. "I know you are a very capable person. However, these are just a small token of our Wangjia Village's appreciation, so please keep them safe."

After speaking, he pushed off with his cane with his right hand, stood up shakily, and, holding Wang Baosheng's hand, slowly walked out.

Wang Baosheng, supporting his elderly father, nodded to Li Xingzhi. The old man and the young man quickly left the courtyard.

Li Xingzhi didn't say anything more. He picked up the land deed and examined it for a long time before realizing that these were the other two plots of land in that small valley. Although the land wasn't very large, it was the two best plots of land in Wangjia Village. The people of Wangjia Village had given away their two most precious assets!

After the Wu couple finished breakfast, they rushed to clean up the dishes and tidied up the kitchen and yard. Seeing that there was nothing else to do, they were about to go back when suddenly, there was a commotion in the yard.

Hearing the commotion, Li Xingzhi ignored the girl who was filled with resentment and eating cold, dry pastries to fill her stomach. He went outside and saw villagers carrying ducks and chickens, or various kinds of food and fruits, walking into the courtyard.

"Li Dalang's back!" The somewhat simple-minded voice belonged to Wang Ermazi's family. He was carrying an old hen that kept clucking and had laid countless eggs for his family. He chuckled and said, "Father told me to bring this hen over. It's probably not laying eggs anymore, so it'll be good to stew it." Hens rarely lay eggs after being startled.

As soon as I finished speaking, I put the tied-up hen aside and walked out, saying in a simple voice as I went, "My dad said I should go back right away after delivering the things. I'm such a simpleton, I can't disturb your peace and quiet."

The group behind them, carrying fruits, vegetables, chickens, ducks, and salted eggs, followed suit after seeing what the person in front of them did. They exchanged a few pleasantries, put their things down, and left, leaving Li Xingzhi no time to refuse.

Before long, the courtyard was piled high with all kinds of agricultural products. Chicken feathers and duck droppings flew everywhere, and flour and potatoes were mixed together.

Looking at the piles of food filling the courtyard, Li Xingzhi smiled wryly, yet his heart was filled with a surge of warmth. The villagers may be simple-minded and unsophisticated, but they know how to be grateful! Isn't their simplicity a hundred times better than that of some people who are full of books?

He never imagined that his casual act would bring so much help to so many people and earn him such a profound sense of gratitude.

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Thanks to "reamaker" for the monthly pass! (To be continued.)