Call Me Daddy

The moment Liu Yinghua heard Wang Shi’s sneer, she knew that the petty woman was at it again.

Wang Shi was one of the few women in the alley who didn’t get along with her. In the beginning, because she liked girls, Liu Yinghua had been quite nice to the daughters Wang Shi had borne. But Wang Shi took advantage of it. When she had her fifth daughter, she came to Liu Yinghua’s house before she had even finished her month of confinement, carrying the baby girl. She said that since Liu Yinghua liked daughters so much, she should raise this one.

Liu Yinghua already had a string of sons to feed, clothe, and care for, which cost quite a bit of money. Besides, the Liu and Xu families weren’t even related. If Wang Shi really wanted someone to raise her daughter, why didn’t she choose a relative from her husband’s or her own family?

Because of this incident, Liu Yinghua avoided getting too close to Wang Shi’s daughters, fearing that this strange woman might entangle her in some bizarre way again.

After all, the children were growing up, and Liu Yinghua’s eldest sons were reaching the age to marry, just as Wang Shi’s daughters were of an age to be matched. If she got too close to those girls, people might think she intended to have one of them as her daughter-in-law.

To be honest, as an outsider, she pitied the daughters who ended up in Wang Shi’s womb. But as a mother, she had no desire for her sons to marry women raised by Wang Shi.

***

“Why haven’t we seen the lady of the house?”

Wang Shi, showing no sense of decorum, asked with a glimmer of gossip in her eyes.

The lady of the house had not appeared at all. Had she died, or had she been divorced for some reason?

“My wife was in poor health and passed away when the child was very young.” Su Aobai didn’t hide the truth but used a bit of careful wording.

Saying she passed away when the child was very young was accurate, as Er Niang had indeed been very small when her mother died. Directly stating it was due to complications in childbirth might invite negative gossip about the child.

From a brief observation, Su Aobai could tell what kind of neighbors he was dealing with. The woman asking this question was definitely one of those who would spread rumors.

“Why didn’t you find another wife? The child isn’t small anymore; without a mother, who will teach her manners?” Wang Shi displayed a shocked expression.

Looking at Er Niang, her eyes revealed a hint of disdain. Among the various reasons for not marrying again, having a daughter who lost her mother was one of them.

She surveyed the spacious and impressive courtyard. Although the courtyards in this alley were all of similar design, their sizes did differ. The Su family’s house was particularly large, and with only two main occupants, it appeared even more spacious.

Moreover, the Su family had sent a servant to clean before moving in, indicating that their financial situation was quite solid.

Wang Shi was far from being reserved. She began to think about whether there were any suitable young girls from her own or her in-laws’ families. After all, having a wife who could help with housework and care for a young child while bringing in a good dowry was not a bad deal.

As she was about to suggest a young cousin from her family who was both pretty and of an appropriate age, Su Aobai interrupted her.

“My wife and I had a deep bond, and I have no plans to remarry after her passing.” He made it clear that he had no intention of taking another wife, and Su Aobai’s face had darkened, clearly displeased by Wang Shi’s earlier comment.

When Su Aobai was calm, he appeared imposing but friendly, but when his lips curled down and his eyes narrowed, he looked like a wrathful deity from the underworld. A single stern glance from him could make one’s hair stand on end.

Wang Shi was intimidated, her mouth hanging open for a long time before she remembered to close it.

However, she was still unconvinced. Was he planning to cut off his lineage by not remarrying? What was this Officer thinking?

“Your wife was truly fortunate.” The old lady of the Xu family quickly intervened to smooth things over. She felt that Wang Shi was foolish and lacked discretion, but she also thought Su Aobai’s approach was somewhat problematic.

If Su Aobai had married one of her daughters, she would have thought highly of him for his deep affection. If Su Aobai were her own son, even if he resented her, she would force him to marry again to ensure the continuation of the family line.

But since Su Aobai wasn’t her son, she had no business interfering in his affairs. The old lady of the Xu family remained calm, deciding that there was no point in complaining about things she didn’t want to deal with.

Liu Yinghua had similar thoughts. So what if they had only one daughter? They could set up a female household and then find a family like mine, with many sons to take in a son-in-law.

Sometimes, setting up a female household wasn’t even necessary. As long as the two families had an understanding, they could divide their children’s surnames equally between the paternal and maternal sides, ensuring that the family line continued.

Wang Shi’s remarks were indeed off-putting, and Liu Yinghua regretted coming to visit the Su family with her.

“It’s getting late, and my little rascals should be coming home to be disciplined. I need to head back and check on them.”

Liu Yinghua stood up to leave.

“Girl, come visit Aunt another day, and meet my little rascals. Let them see you, so they know not to bully you in these alleys.”

With that, Liu Yinghua kindly held Er Niang’s hand.

Feeling the thin calluses on Er Niang’s palm, she knew the girl must be diligent. She thought to herself that the Su family must have strict household rules. Even though there was a servant, the child was still learning household chores from a young age.

Despite this, she liked the girl even more. After all, who didn’t appreciate a hardworking and sensible child?

The old lady of the Xu family and her eldest daughter-in-law also made their farewells. As for the dish they had brought, it could be returned after they finished eating.

Wang Shi, watching the two families’ departure, had a face that shifted from green to white. She could only leave, as she, a married woman, staying alone at the Su household was out of place.

This visit had been a deeply frustrating experience for Wang Shi.

***

That afternoon, Su Aobai reported to the military camp.

He was received by Captain Wang Chunmu. Before Su Aobai’s arrival, Wang Chunmu had already chosen a suitable candidate to take over as Officer. However, someone had come from above and taken the position that Wang Chunmu had planned to offer.

Originally, Wang Chunmu was still disgruntled, thinking that the newcomer was probably some official’s relative. He wondered if the man could handle a sword or spear. On the battlefield, where blades and weapons were merciless, having someone unqualified as an Officer would only harm his troops.

However, this dissatisfaction nearly vanished when he saw Su Aobai’s large physique. Even though Su Aobai looked like a bear, Wang Chunmu was confident that he could train him well, even if he lacked prior experience.

“Have you practiced martial arts? Do you understand military strategy?”

Wang Chunmu, admiring Su Aobai’s well-developed chest muscles, asked him these two simple questions.

“I haven’t practiced martial arts, but I’m very strong. As for military strategy… I haven’t studied much and don’t know many characters, but my memory is excellent.”

Wang Chunmu believed in Su Aobai’s strength but was skeptical about his memory. It was a prejudice, but Wang Chunmu thought that someone with such a large chest probably didn’t have much brainpower.

“Let’s go. We’ll have a match in the training ground. It will also give your soldiers a chance to see your abilities as an Officer. The southern front has been restless lately, and we may need to fight at any time. Going to the battlefield isn’t a joke. If you’re not up to it, I won’t let you mess around with my troops.”

With that, Wang Chunmu led Su Aobai out of the tent.

His troops had been waiting on the training ground, with several hundred, almost a thousand men, lined up neatly, creating a formidable sight.

“This is the new Officer, Su Aobai. These are your fellow Officers; Yang Yong, Xu Dazhu, Wang…”

Wang Chunmu introduced Su Aobai to the seven Officers standing at the front. These men did appear stronger than the soldiers behind them, both in physique and spirit.

“Who will try their hand against this new colleague?”

Wang Chunmu asked his seven trusted Officers.

“Why don’t we all go at once? My strength is quite considerable.” Su Aobai scratched his head, looking honest and straightforward.

This suggestion annoyed several of them, especially Yang Yong. Yang Yong, true to his name, was exceptionally brave. Had it not been for his lowly origins, he wouldn’t have only been an Officer by now.

During a battle with the southern forces, Yang Yong had personally slain over seventy enemy soldiers, his entire body drenched in their blood. Born of lowly status, he was a mere foot soldier at first, and even lacked proper weapons. The blade he used to kill his first enemy was taken from the dead hands of a victim.

Because of that feat, he was given special recognition, allowed to join the regular troops despite his lowly background. Later, as he continued to achieve military success, his lowly status was abolished, and he was integrated into the military households.

If it had been anyone else, with Yang Yong’s achievements, they would probably have been a commanding officer by now.

“Alright, let’s teach this kid a lesson and show him that on the battlefield, just having a good physique isn’t enough.”

Yang Yong thought that since the guy wanted to be beaten up, they might as well do it. It would be a good way to suppress his arrogance.

***

So, amid the cheers of the other soldiers, the eight of them climbed onto the stage. Since it was just a sparring match, they didn’t use weapons.

The seven men simultaneously attacked Su Aobai, with some going for his legs and others targeting his upper body.

Yang Yong was the fastest. He attempted a sweeping kick to knock Su Aobai down, but it felt like he had kicked a steel plate. Su Aobai remained completely unmoved.

He simply grabbed the collar of the nearest Officer and tossed him off the stage. He then grabbed the two men who were punching his chest, tossing them off with one hand each.

One after another, he knocked down the rest, including Yang Yong, who was the last to be thrown.

The resistance they put up was so insignificant that it felt like they were just scratching him. There was no real threat at all.

Bang—

Yang Yong was slammed to the ground, his head ringing.

He looked up at the man on the stage, who was still smiling innocently. Was that it? Shouldn’t there have been a back-and-forth exchange, with each side taking some hits and then admiring each other’s strength? Was it really over so soon?

QAQ Bullying people with brute strength, without any martial ethics!

Does he even know what manners are?