Gu Xingzhao accidentally dropped the basin, startling Mo Li. “What’s wrong?” Mo Li asked, concerned that she might have said something wrong.
Gu Xingzhao gave an embarrassed smile. “I just didn’t hold it properly. Did I scare you?”
Mo Li quickly shook her head. “No, not at all.”
“I’ll go wash some fruit. Feel free to help yourself to the snacks and drinks, and there are some books on the shelf if you want to read. I’ve got a ticket, and once it’s almost time, we’ll head out for lunch.”
Mo Li smiled and nodded.
In the kitchen, Gu Xingzhao rinsed the basin and thought about the six baskets of vegetables. There was no way she could finish them all by herself, so she decided to give some to Aunt Wang and bring some over to the Lu family. Perhaps she could prepare a nice meal for them.
It’s amazing how people can surprise you. Who would have guessed that someone as unassuming as Mo Li was managing a thousand acres of land?
Gu Xingzhao couldn’t help but recall the words of that car salesman who once called Mo Li a “country bumpkin going back to farm.” Well, who’s the real bumpkin now?
Meanwhile, Mo Li, bored in the living room, checked the bookshelf. Most of the books were medical textbooks, which she realized she wouldn’t understand. Spotting the TV, she decided to pass the time by turning it on.
As the screen flickered to life, the image of a tall, elegant man appeared. Standing as straight as a bamboo stalk, his refined features were accentuated by a calm and gentle smile. His composed demeanor exuded sophistication, and his scholarly aura seemed to cleanse the room of worldly distractions. Despite his simple clothing, his inner grace and intelligence shone through, as if years of studying the classics had shaped his every movement.
Mo Li couldn’t take her eyes off the man. “What a refined and handsome gentleman,” she thought.
When Gu Xingzhao returned with the fruit and saw the TV on, her heart skipped a beat! Trying to remain calm, she said, “You’re watching TV?”
Mo Li, realizing she hadn’t asked permission to use the TV, blushed slightly. “Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to turn it on without asking first.”
Gu Xingzhao, feeling a bit guilty for making her guest feel uncomfortable, replied, “It’s fine. Go ahead.”
After a moment of watching, Mo Li pointed to the man on the screen, who was now sipping water, and asked Gu Xingzhao, “Do you know which actor that is? The one wearing the red scarf?”
Gu Xingzhao stifled a laugh, realizing Mo Li was talking about Lu Xingyao. “Why do you ask?” she replied.
“He seems so refined, like a gentleman from ancient times. I’m surprised I’ve never seen him in any shows before,” Mo Li said, clearly impressed.
Gu Xingzhao coughed nervously. Lu Xingyao, refined like a gentleman? she thought.
“I’m not sure which actor that is,” she lied. “This is just an old home video we found in the house. It’s probably something my family shot for fun.”
Mo Li nodded in understanding. “That makes sense. If he were in the entertainment industry, he’d probably be famous by now.”
Worried that Mo Li might start noticing inconsistencies, Gu Xingzhao quickly changed the subject. “It’s about time. Let’s head to the BBQ place.”
Mo Li smiled and stood up, following Gu Xingzhao out the door.
Later that evening, Gu Xingzhao delivered some of the vegetables to Aunt Wang and a few other neighbors. She also packed a few more baskets, along with several bags of hot pot soup bases, and wrote out instructions on how to use them before bringing everything to the Lu family.
“Lu Qing, I brought some vegetables and a few pots. You can cook them later or share with others if you like,” Gu Xingzhao said as she arrived.
Lu Qing was surprised. “Vegetables?!”
A relative, who had been carrying a bamboo basket in place of Lu Xingyao (who was injured), felt a sudden weight on his back and perked up. He’d been carrying that basket for two days without a break, and finally, the ancestor had come through with food!
He hurriedly set the basket down, only to find several pots and a few bags of what looked like liquid packages.
Curious, a few of the Lu family members gathered around. “Why would the ancestor send us pots?”
Just then, another relative exclaimed, “What’s that?”
Everyone turned to look. There, sitting on the ground, were two large baskets. Lu Xingyao was the first to check them, lifting the cloth to reveal two full baskets of vegetables, topped with a large bag of meat!
“Oh my god, our magnificent ancestor has blessed us with divine vegetables!” Lu Xingyao exclaimed in awe.
The Lu family finally understood. The ancestor had sent the pots so they could cook the vegetables, and the mysterious packages were probably soup bases to add to the boiling water.
It had been so long since they had seen fresh vegetables like these. Some of them were close to tears.
Leaning on his cane, Lu Qing walked over. He hadn’t expected the ancestor’s “few vegetables” to amount to this—two full baskets, enough to feed over a hundred people for two days.
The ancestor had even provided several barrels of water for cooking.
“Divide the vegetables and pots,” Lu Qing instructed. “Send half to the officials.”
There were plenty of vegetables, and while they could have shared with other prisoners, it wasn’t their place to decide. If they started giving things out, it could lead to trouble later.
This was a rule Lu Qing’s family couldn’t afford to break.
Two members of the family carried one basket, along with two pots, two packages of soup base, and some water to Du Hangwu and the other officials.
When the officials saw the bounty, they were stunned. “The Lu family’s ancestor is truly down to earth, blessing us with vegetables?” they marveled.
Swallowing nervously, one of them couldn’t help but wonder if eating these divine vegetables might even extend their lifespan.
Du Hangwu, feeling grateful, immediately thanked the Lu family. After eating dried rations for over a month, he was elated to see fresh vegetables. He quickly ordered his men to set up the stoves.
Back at the Lu family camp, they had already lit the fires and divided the vegetables among four pots. Following the ancestor’s instructions, they poured the soup bases into the water, waited for it to boil, and then added the fresh vegetables.
The mushroom-flavored broth was rich and perfect for cooking the vegetables.
Lu Yang took a bite of the tender greens and closed his eyes in satisfaction. The fresh, crisp vegetables paired with the savory broth were unbelievably delicious!
Others quickly grabbed their share, savoring the fresh vegetables for the first time in a month. As they ate, they silently thanked their ancestor.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Lu Xingyao carefully removed his scarf, worried it might get in the way of his feasting.
He devoured the food, reminiscing about the days when he used to eat hearty meals back at the Lu mansion. Who knew when they’d get to eat like this again? Better savor every bite while they could!
The enticing aroma of the hot pot soon drifted over to the other prisoners, making their mouths water. If it had been anyone else, they might have rushed over to grab some. But this was the Lu family—the family protected by divine intervention. No one dared.
Instead, they turned away, chewing their dried rations and imagining they were feasting on lavish dishes.
Meanwhile, the officials were too busy enjoying their own meal to care about the prisoners.
“Boss, these vegetables are so tender, and the soup is incredible!”
“Thank goodness for the Lu family. Otherwise, when would we ever get to eat such delicious food and drink such tasty soup?”
“Yeah, we should definitely treat the Lu family with more respect from now on.”
“And the Liu family, too. The two families seem pretty close!”
Du Hangwu, hearing his subordinates, took a sip of the soup himself. The rich broth danced on his tongue, and his eyes lit up. It really was delicious!
As he enjoyed the meal, he suddenly felt something in his pocket. Confused, he reached inside and pulled it out. The sight of it nearly made him spit out his soup. He quickly shoved it back into his pocket, his heart racing.
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