Chapter 52: Yang the Retorter
Ren Boying stepped forward and patted Meng Fan’s head. “Meng Three-Year-Old, you’re still too young to understand.”
Meng Fan immediately jumped up indignantly. “And why is it Chang Five-Year-Old and Meng Three-Year-Old? Why not Chang Three-Year-Old and Meng Five-Year-Old?”
“Is there a difference?” Ren Boying crossed his arms and looked at him.
“Pah! I’m not a kid anymore, I’ve been an adult for ages. Whatever three-year-old or five-year-old has nothing to do with me.” Meng Fan refused to back down.
“Oh, really? Kids in kindergarten also say they’re not little anymore, that they’re big kids now.” With that, Ren Boying chuckled and walked out, leaving Meng Three-Year-Old stomping in place.
Wei Jing glanced at him and summed it up: “Seems like the past couple of days really wore you out, your IQ’s hit rock bottom.”
“Two jerks.” Meng Fan grumbled unhappily.
Yang Jiabo went to the kitchen and asked Chef Wang to prepare a table of good dishes. He then headed to the tea room, brewed a pot of aged Pu’er, and flipped through a magazine. The tea room played 'High Mountains and Flowing Water,' serene and distant. In his past life, when Yang Jiabo performed tea ceremonies, the background music had always been guzheng, he was used to it.
[High Mountains and Flowing Water (高山流水, Gāo Shān Liú Shuǐ): A famous guqin piece symbolizing deep friendship]
Sunlight streamed through the carved wooden window, casting floral shadows on the floor. In the porcelain vat by the door, white water lilies bloomed quietly, while little red koi occasionally surfaced.
When Wei Jing and the others entered, they were met with a picture of tranquil beauty, though not everyone could appreciate it.
“Jiajia, what’s got you so engrossed?” Wei Jing walked over.
“Just a gossip magazine, killing time.” Yang Jiabo casually set the magazine aside. “The food isn’t ready yet. Take a seat, what tea would you like?”
Ren Boying glanced at the tea in the fairness pitcher. “This is fine.”
“Do you have Lu’an Melon Seed tea?” Qin Rong asked.
[Lu’an Melon Seed tea (六安瓜片): A premium green tea from Anhui, China]
“My apologies, I should’ve been clearer. This is just a simple countryside home, we only have basic Longjing (龙井), Biluochun (碧螺春), Tieguanyin (铁观音), Pu’er, Yunwu (云雾), and some common floral teas. As for Lu’an Melon Seed, Wuyi Big Red Robe (武夷大红袍), Tianping Houkui (太平猴魁), and the like… we don’t have any of those.” Yang Jiabo smiled amiably, but his words weren’t nearly as polite.
“Jiajia, what tea are you brewing now?” Wei Jing changed the subject.
Yang Jiabo: “Pu’er. If you’re not used to it, I can brew you some Tieguanyin.”
“Sure.” Wei Jing nodded.
“Brother Wei Jing, let me brew the tea. I studied tea ceremony for a while, let everyone try my skills.” Qin Rong’s smile carried a hint of smugness.
“Thanks, but you’re a guest. Let Jiajia, the host, handle it.” Wei Jing declined politely. “Jiajia, sorry for the trouble.”
Yang Jiabo took an exquisite tea canister from the display shelf, boiled water, rinsed the cups, and brewed the tea. His movements flowed effortlessly, carrying a unique grace. Those who had initially been unimpressed were now staring in awe.
Performing tea ceremonies had once earned him commissions, anywhere from 20 to 80 yuan. To make extra money, Yang Jiabo had practiced relentlessly and read countless books on tea art. Though his performance style had been somewhat flashy, he gradually refined it after starting his own business.
“Jiajia, you’ve studied tea ceremony, right? Your movements are beautiful,” Meng Fan asked curiously.
Yang Jiabo replied modestly, “Just a little, barely scratching the surface.”
“Inhaling the aroma, savoring the taste, this is top-grade Tieguanyin King, isn’t it?” Xu Chen asked.
“Impressive.” Yang Jiabo gave him a thumbs-up, genuinely impressed.
“A delight for the eyes, and the tea’s excellent too. Good thing I didn’t embarrass myself in front of an expert.” Chang Jin glanced meaningfully at Qin Rong before looking ingratiatingly at Tang Yu. “But my favorite is still the ginger tea Sister Tang brews for me.”
“Show off your love, die faster.” Meng Fan rolled his eyes.
“The young boss’s tea-brewing skills are indeed good, but the best craftsmanship returns to simplicity.” Qin Ruiwen smiled.
“I don’t rely on tea-making for a living, nor do I pursue the tea ceremony. If you want to see the best skills, find a tea master. My meager abilities are just for my own amusement.” Yang Jiabo retorted.
“The water is too hot, the tea is over-brewed. Proper tea water shouldn’t reach 100 degrees,” Qin Rong criticized.
Yang Jiabo smiled without responding. Xu Chen sneered, “Pretending to know when you don’t, your IQ is truly moving.”
“Xu Chen, what do you mean by that?” Qin Rong set down her cup and glared at him.
“Didn’t you study tea ceremony? If you can’t even appreciate tea, you should be ashamed to show off.” Chang Jin mocked.
Qin Rong’s eyes reddened as she turned to Wei Jing, aggrieved. “Brother Wei Jing, look how they’re bullying me.”
“Are they?” Wei Jing looked puzzled.
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