Chapter 168: Xu Family

Early the next morning, Zhang Ping'an woke his father up to exercise; he had previously taught his father a set of Taiji Kung Fu, which was very suitable for elderly people to stretch their muscles and bones.

"How about it? Your father's form is not bad, right?" Half an hour later, after finishing the practice, Zhang Laohan said with a proud look on his face.

"It's alright, Dad. It seems you've been keeping at it all year."

"That's for sure. Your mother, grandfather, and grandmother are also doing it quite properly now. When I'm not busy, I usually call them in the morning, or we practice in the evening."

"I feel my body is indeed better than before, how should I put it? Refreshed, yes, that's it, refreshed."

The Taiji Kung Fu that Zhang Ping'an taught his father, when paired with a cup of refreshing tea in the morning and Damao's version of Tiger Bone Wine in the evening, had the effect of twice the result with half the effort.

"Yes, Dad, I'll bring some more tea leaves and wine back another day."

"Deal."

"Dad, when my younger brother reaches school age, you, Mom, and Grandfather and Grandmother should move to the city to live. The land at home can be rented to others to farm."

"This... let me think about it. I'll talk it over with your grandfather before deciding."

For Zhang Laohan, who had farmed for his whole life, it was impossible to make him give up farming all at once. He would try to persuade him again this time next year; perhaps he could change his mind.

"Deal. Anyway, there are still two years left, so there's no rush."

After finishing breakfast, Zhang Ping'an said goodbye to his family and pedaled the tricycle back to Sijiucheng.

Just as he returned to Procurement Section Three, Xu Kun stuck to him.

"Brother Zhang, my grandfather wants to invite you to our home as a guest. After all, you are my superior, and you have taken good care of me."

"Huh?"

Zhang Ping'an's mind raced. He didn't believe for a second that what Xu Kun just said was the truth. Superior? He was barely a superior; there must be something else going on.

But being invited by the old man was a good thing. He was just worrying about how to build connections. Of course, Zhang Ping'an still planned to find Li Huaide to probe and ask what it was about.

"Deal. See when Xu Shu is free, and I'll come over to visit."

"This weekend would work. Brother Zhang, you call my grandfather 'Uncle'?"

"Yeah, we address each other based on our own relationships; it doesn't interfere."

"Oh, okay." Xu Kun made a bitter face.

After leaving the Procurement Section, Zhang Ping'an thought for a moment and then took two bags of tea leaves to Li Huaide's office.

"Director, Section Chief Zhang Ping'an is here to see you."

"Oh? Quick, let him in."

"Director." Zhang Ping'an entered and greeted him first before closing the door.

"Hmm, are you done with your family matters?"

"All done. I also happened to pick some wild tea in the mountains. It's this year's new harvest; you should try the flavor."

"Hahaha, good. Ping'an, your tea leaves came just in time. You don't know, but my tea leaves were all swiped by Xu Kun's father." Li Huaide took the tea leaves and couldn't wait to brew two cups.

"..."

"Hmm? This tea?"

Li Huaide smelled that the scent was off. Compared to the previous mellow flavor, this tea seemed even more fragrant.

"This is green tea. The effect should be about the same as the previous black tea, but it's better to drink some green tea in the summer."

"Hahaha, good, good. A blessing in disguise." Li Huaide was now feeling a bit glad that the previous tea leaves had been taken away by his brother-in-law.

"Mmm~" Li Huaide took a sip and let out a satisfied moan, which gave Zhang Ping'an goosebumps all over.

"Ahem, Director, Xu Kun said Xu Shu invited me to his house for a meal."

"Huh? Oh, I guess he's probably thanking you? Xiao Kun has changed quite a bit this year; he has a bit of a man's sense of responsibility now."

Although Li Huaide said this, he was also pondering the meaning of his old father-in-law, and he couldn't guess it for the moment.

"Oh, okay. Deal, then Director, I'll head back."

"Good. If you have things to do, go ahead and do them. Xiao Kun will be fine in the section."

"Alright."

With Li Huaide's guarantee and Xu Kun's cover, Zhang Ping'an didn't plan to go wild, but slipping away from time to time was no problem. Anyway, he hadn't turned in less than his share of supplies.

When he wanted to slip away, he did; Zhang Ping'an pedaled the tricycle and slipped out of the Rolling Mill.

"Grandmother, where are Weijun and Weidong?"

"They didn't come over today. Xiao Ling said they went to play with the children's third aunt."

"Oh, okay, good."

It was likely that the two little ones saw there were no peers to play with here, so they followed San Jie and Zhang Xiaohua to the Clothing Shop.

Zhang Ping'an didn't disturb his grandmother chatting with others anymore and went straight to the front.

"Xiao Ling, I'm going to pick up the kids. Let's go eat out at noon."

"Okay, okay!"

"Alright, I'll come pick you up in a bit."

"Mmm, okay."

Although the food at home was healthy and delicious, one had to take the children out to see the world occasionally.

It was just past eleven, and the time was still early. When he arrived at the Clothing Shop, over a dozen children were playing in the courtyard.

"Dad!"

"Uncle!"

"Great-uncle!"

"Uncle!"

"..."

The children all swarmed over the moment they saw Zhang Ping'an.

"Hey, hey, alright, alright." Zhang Ping'an took out a dozen small apples from his satchel and handed one to each person.

"Xiao Zi, Donglai, take your younger brothers and sisters to wash up before eating."

"Oh, oh, okay."

"Whew~"

Zhang Ping'an had been a bit flustered just now watching the group of children pounce on him; there were two-year-olds, three-year-olds, four-year-olds, and seven or eight-year-olds—with them all rushing over at once, it was only natural to be flustered.

After leaving some hawthorn berries for the group of children, Zhang Ping'an took his sons back, glanced at his watch, and saw it was already nearly twelve o'clock.

"Weijun, Weidong, sit tight, we're going to pick up your mother."

"Yay!"

Zhang Ping'an hadn't even reached the Pharmacy with his sons when he saw Wang Xiaoling waiting outside.

"Get on, have you decided where you want to eat?"

"Brother Ping'an, I want to eat roast duck."

"Done." Zhang Ping'an pedaled the tricycle straight to Quanjude.

"Xiao Ling, you take the children and go find a seat first."

"Okay."

"Two roast ducks, with four side dishes, plus a duck frame soup, and plenty of pancakes. How much is that?"

"Thirteen yuan and five jiao in total, plus one jin and three liang of meat coupons and eight liang of Grain Coupon," the waiter said, clattering away on the abacus.

"Alright." Zhang Ping'an took a handful of coupons from his satchel and handed them to the waiter.

It wasn't a day off, so there weren't many people and no need to queue, but roast duck takes time; they waited for over half an hour before they could eat.

Not to mention the taste, just the knife work on the slices was pleasing to look at; after rolling five pancakes for each of the two children, Zhang Ping'an started devouring his own, finishing more than one duck by himself.

"Dad, Mom, it's delicious."

"If it's delicious, then eat more."

"Mm, okay."

Ever since Wang Xiaoling practiced the Body Refining Technique, her appetite had increased greatly; she ate more than half a duck, and Zhang Ping'an finished the rest, then drank some duck frame soup to settle his stomach—to be honest, it was a little greasy.

After the family finished eating, Zhang Ping'an took Wang Xiaoling back to the Pharmacy; the two children's eyelids were already drooping in the tricycle, so he decided to just go straight home.

In the small courtyard, under the grapevines, there were three lounge chairs, one for each of the three men; the two Lynx, having finished gnawing on the duck frames, also ran over and curled up nearby, purring as they dozed off.

At noon, Li Huaide thought about it for a while but still didn't understand what his father-in-law meant, so he asked his wife when he got home for lunch.

"Pfft." Xu Lijuan couldn't help but laugh after hearing it.

"My father's tea leaves must have been completely divided up by his comrades-in-arms."

Once Xu Lijuan said this, Li Huaide understood; so his father-in-law was short on tea leaves—no wonder the last half-bag they had at home was taken away.

"Then are we going or not?"

"Let's go. It just so happens my father has plenty of good cigarettes and liquor; I'll go pack some up for Ping'an."

"..."

"Done."