When Zhao Wubi left, he had grown a bit taller, his features more developed. His skin tone was a bit darker, not as white as before, but not dark either. His eyes curved when he smiled, making his dimples appear deeper.
This child is less immature, and even with his bright smile, you can see that he has more masculine toughness.
Grown up again!
Zhao Wu saw Xu Lanyin staring at him blankly, and then smiled and said, "Could it be that I have grown more handsome, so handsome that even I don't recognize me?"
Xu Lanting and Zhao Xingchen, who were standing by, said anxiously, "Sister (Aunt), he is Brother Zhao (my father), we all recognized him."
Xu Lanyin tried her best to resist the urge to pull his ears, and complained hypocritically, "You still remember to come back? What did you tell me at the beginning? You said you'd be back in at least two months, or at most a year, but it's already the end of March. Do you know how anxiously we've been waiting, afraid that you'd never come back..."
As he spoke, his voice became choked.
Zhao Wushang took two steps forward, wanting to pull her sleeve as before, but felt that was too childish, so he clenched his fists and held back. He said, "Sister, I broke my promise. I'm sorry. I really encountered some unexpected events and was late for my return. Please don't be angry. If you are angry, I will feel bad..."
Xu Lanyin said with a smile, "You're always so sweet. When have I ever been really angry with you? Your room has been cleaned up a long time ago. Go back and wash up and change your clothes."
Zhao Wu smiled and winked at Xu Lanyin, meaning, "I knew my sister wouldn't really be angry with me." He turned around and told Ding Gu what kind of feed the horses ate, then took two packages from the horse's back and walked into the Chuihua Gate with Xu Lanyin and others.
Xu Lanyin opened the door of the west wing and asked Aunt Qian to boil water for him to take a bath. She went to her room, took out the clothes and shoes she had prepared for him and put them in the west wing, then went to the kitchen to cook lunch.
She really wanted to know about Zhao Wu's trip to Xixia and wanted to see him more. But the two little kids were clinging to him so tightly that she couldn't say much, so she had to wait until after lunch to ask him privately.
There is more beef and mutton in the west. Since Xu Lan did not make these two dishes for lunch, she planned to make boiled chicken, sweet and sour fish, and twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts, stir-fried rapeseed tips, stir-fried bean sprouts, and mushroom chicken soup.
While she, Aunt Yang and Aunt Qian were busy in the kitchen, Zhao Wu, who had finished washing and wearing new clothes, led Xu Lanting and Zhao Xingchen out of the kitchen. The two little kids each held a bull horn inlaid with copper patterns in their hands.
Zhao Wu's bamboo-leaf green robe fitted him perfectly, his damp, dark hair cascading down his back. Perhaps because he'd just showered, his skin was rosy, his eyes still watery, his lips a vibrant crimson. He was enveloped in the sunlight's golden glow... He seemed warm and casual, possessing the aura of a banished immortal.
Exiled immortal... This was the first time Xu Lanyin used this word to describe Zhao Wu, and at least it was quite appropriate at this moment.
Xu Lanyin looked at him several times and said with a smile, "I thought you would grow taller, so I made the clothes and shoes longer and wider."
Zhao Wu smiled and said, "Sister's hands are always so skillful. The clothes fit me very well."
Xu Lanyin blushed at the compliment. Zhao Wuyi was the only one who praised her needlework, and he praised her in such an unrealistic way. However, everyone liked to hear good things, and ever since Zhao Wuyi came back, Xu Lanyin's mood had been as cheerful and happy as the waves in a mountain stream.
Zhao Wuben wanted to follow Xu Lanyin into the kitchen as before, but there were too many people, so he could only stand at the door and talk to Xu Lanyin. His eyes followed Xu Lanyin's movements, and even when he was answering Xiaodouding's words, his eyes were on Xu Lanyin.
Aunt Yang and Aunt Qian looked at each other and seemed to understand something.
Xu Lanyin asked some unimportant questions, such as whether the food and accommodation were good on the way, whether he was injured, whether the journey was smooth, etc.
The two little ones reported the important events at home: how their eldest brother (uncle) passed the county exam, how the teahouse was doing good business, how popular several chess games were, how they and their families cried when they heard that he had died, and so on.
By the time the meal was ready, it was already noon, so the meal was brought to the upper living room.
Zhao Wu smelled each dish and smiled, "It smells so good. When I was in the west, I felt miserable whenever I saw those meals. I especially missed my sister and the meals she cooked. Especially when I was extremely hungry, I would just drool just thinking about them."
Xu Lanyin felt extremely distressed, so she picked up some of each dish for him, piling his bowl to the brim, and said, "Eat quickly. I'll cook for you tonight." She then casually asked, "Did you rescue the person?"
Zhao Wuzheng was putting a piece of chicken into his mouth. After hearing this, he put the chicken back into the bowl, looked at Xu Lanyin, then at Xu Lanting, and said, "Well, he's saved."
Seeing that he didn't answer the question right away, Xu Lanyin thought the case was not over yet and that the matter had to be kept secret, so she added, "If it's a secret, then I didn't ask."
Zhao Wu smiled and asked, "Where's my aunt? Is she still in her hometown?"
Xu Lanyin said, "Lan Zhou is going to take the military examination, so my mother has gone back to his hometown with him." She then asked, "After you finish your mission, will you return to Nanping County to continue your work, or will you be transferred?"
Zhao Wu said, "Old Grand Tutor Zhou originally wanted me to stay in the capital, saying I could join the army, the Ministry of Justice, or Jingzhao Prefecture. I don't want to stay in the capital yet, so I requested to serve under Lord Min. My order to be an inspector has been issued. I will return to the Nanping County Office in a few days to complete the formalities and then come here to serve. Old Grand Tutor Zhou also said that there will be rewards after all the major cases are resolved."
When they heard that Zhao Wu had become an official and was working in the provincial capital, Xu Lanting and Zhao Xingchen laughed heartily.
Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "When you go back, I will go back too. It's time to move the house and the shop here."
Zhao Wu looked at Xu Lanyin, hesitant to speak, then nodded. He didn't know how to tell her and Aunt Xu about that matter, and Uncle Xu wouldn't let him. He also said that he would go back and apologize to his wife...
He looked at Zhao Xingchen and smiled again, "Before leaving the capital, Lord Chai and Commander Chai asked me to meet. I didn't expect it to be such a coincidence. Surprisingly, surprisingly... Commander Chai even said that I have good skills and would help if I was willing to serve in the Imperial Guard... but I declined."
He had never expected that Zhao Xingchen was actually the grandson of Commander Chai and the great-grandson of Princess Nanyang. He had also known Chai Jun in the capital, but he wasn't very familiar with him.
After dinner, Xu Lanting and Zhao Xingchen wanted to play with Zhao Wu for a while, but Xu Lanyin refused and sent them to take a nap. They turned their attention to Zhao Wu again, hoping he could help them intercede.
Zhao Wu waved his hand and smiled, "Don't look at me, I have to listen to my sister too."
The two little kids had no choice but to go to bed.
Xu Lanyin and Zhao Wu continued to have a secret conversation in the upper room.
The two of them sat at the table. With no outsiders around, Zhao Wu looked at Xu Lanyin without blinking, looking at her unscrupulously.
Even though Ren Xulan was a tough-minded person, her face turned red after being looked at. She said angrily, "What kind of look is that? Have you seen enough?"
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