msmithbooks Chapter 487 I'm almost completely lost
Chapter 487 I'm almost completely lost
Chapter 487 I'm almost completely lost
Yu Huan smiled broadly, her slender fingers deftly manipulating the tea tongs, gently handling each small, exquisite teacup and placing them neatly in their proper positions.
He has a clear mind.
Although my uncle said that drinking tea like this was too troublesome, being in officialdom, various business entertainment and government reception occasions were as frequent as eating a meal.
In such an environment, Kung Fu tea is almost indispensable.
Even if my uncle doesn't have an in-depth understanding of tea ceremony, he must have a good understanding of Gongfu tea through long-term exposure to it.
Knowing this well, Yu Huan dared not be negligent and strived to do her best in every step of brewing tea.
"Xiao Yu, the tea is in the drawer at the bottom," his uncle reminded him.
"Okay." Yu Huan nodded in agreement.
He turned to the side, bent down slightly, and reached out to touch the drawer handle.
The wooden drawer rubbed against the tracks, making a slight creaking sound.
Yu Huan's gaze swept back and forth among the many tea canisters in the drawer, and soon his attention was drawn to a sealed bag.
He could tell at a glance that it was most likely filled with Pu'er tea cakes.
He took out the sealed bag and placed it steadily on the tea table. Then he unsealed the bag and took out a yellowish-brown tea cake.
Yu Huan gently turned the tea cake and examined it carefully.
He immediately looked up at his uncle, a bright smile spreading across his face, and said, "Uncle, this tea looks very good. It should be ancient tree tea."
"This was brought to me from Yunnan by someone else. I don't know if it's any good or not, but it should be pretty good." My uncle smiled and took out a pack of He Tianxia cigarettes from his pocket.
He skillfully pulled out two cigarettes and handed them to his uncle.
The uncle turned his head, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over Lin Yourong, who was not wearing a mask, beside him. He then gently waved his hand and said in a calm tone, "Let's not smoke for now."
My uncle was stunned for a moment, and his hand, which had been enthusiastically offering me a cigarette, paused in mid-air.
But he quickly realized what was happening, his cheerful smile still on his face. He swiftly put the cigarette back into the pack and nodded, saying, "Okay, so the two kids don't have to inhale secondhand smoke."
Seeing this, Lin Yourong immediately said, "It's alright, just open the window a little."
As Yu Huan watched this scene, a warm feeling welled up in her heart, and she felt even more that this big family was full of warmth and care.
A brighter smile spread across his face. He put down the tea cake in his hand, turned around, and started to pry open the window. His fingers deftly gripped the edge of the window, and with a slight push, the window, which had been tightly closed, slid open along the track.
Although it was only opened a crack the width of a palm, a rush of fresh, cool air instantly flooded into the room.
My uncle took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "Opening the window for ventilation is good; it's made my head clearer."
That being said, he showed no intention of smoking.
Yu Huan turned around, picked up the tea needle, and gently inserted it into the edge of the tea cake at just the right angle.
Then, he slowly applied force, prying it little by little, the tea needle rubbing against the tea cake, making a soft "rustling" sound.
Yu Huan pried off a small piece of tea leaf and casually tossed it into the purple clay teapot.
At this moment, the water in the electric kettle had already boiled, and the gurgling sound echoed in the spacious and bright living room.
Yu Huan lifted the electric kettle, raised her arm slightly, and held it high. A stream of water fell precisely into the purple clay teapot like a silver thread.
He first rinsed the tea with a smooth, flowing motion. When brewing the second infusion, he gently turned his wrist while holding the purple clay teapot, pouring the golden, translucent tea into the fairness cup.
Uncle sat to the side, watching Yu Huan's every move, clicking his tongue in admiration, "Wow, Yu Huan, your technique is clearly professional! This style is just as good as those tea masters when you drink tea outside—so refined!"
"Uncle, you flatter me!" Yu Huan said with a humble smile as he poured the tea into small, exquisite teacups. He then turned to Lin Yourong and said with concern, "You probably don't like raw Pu'er tea. I see there's also Qimen black tea in here. I'll brew some for you later."
Hearing this, Lin Yourong's lips curved into a smile, and she said softly, "No need for that, I'm fine with anything."
The uncle watched the young couple from the side, his smile growing even brighter.
He turned to his uncle and said, "Look at this couple, how loving they are!"
As he spoke, seeing Yu Huan place the teacup in front of him, his uncle raised a finger and gently tapped the table three times.
This is the hand-clasping gesture when pouring tea for a younger person; this is a common practice in tea ceremony.
My uncle, on the other hand, didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up his teacup and took a small sip of tea.
A slight smile appeared on his face as he said, "Xiao Yu's tea-making skills are indeed quite good. The teaware he uses is excellent, and the Pu'er tea is neither bitter nor astringent. It seems he has put a lot of effort into it."
"Uncle, you flatter me too much. Your praise has made me feel so flattered that I'm almost dizzy," Yu Huan replied jokingly.
Upon hearing this, everyone chuckled softly in unison.
Just then, a series of light, skipping footsteps came from the innermost room.
The sound immediately caught Yu Huan's attention.
He turned his head in the direction of the sound and saw a girl with pigtails skipping and hopping towards him like a happy little deer.
She wore a bright red, fleece-lined princess dress, the hem of which fluttered lightly with her lively movements. Her fair face was flushed from running, and her large, watery eyes sparkled with a lively light in her energetic little face.
The girl's eyes met Yu Huan's.
She was stunned for a moment, then a big smile spread across her face, and she cheered even more.
"The handsome uncle is here!" A clear and loud voice rang out from her, neither too close nor too far.
Upon hearing this address, the uncle turned around and watched the girl running towards him. His face showed a mixture of helplessness and doting affection. He corrected her gently, "Xixi, you should call me Uncle!"
Sisi blinked her bright, lively eyes.
Just then, she noticed Lin Yourong's gentle smile and immediately called out in a clear voice, "Auntie!" "Yes, Qianqian." Lin Yourong smiled and nodded, then asked softly, "Are you seven years old?"
Sisi ran quickly to Lin Yourong's side like a gust of wind.
First, she called out "Grandpa Uncle" to her uncle in a clear voice. Then, she grabbed Lin Yourong's hand, pouted, and said with a hint of grievance:
"Auntie, you haven't come to see me in so long! It was my birthday last week, and you didn't come to play with me. I'm really looking forward to you coming and playing badminton with me!"
Uncle chimed in with a smile, "Auntie's been busy with TV appearances lately, she's just so busy, she can't help it! Look, Auntie's here now, and she even brought your handsome uncle!"
To everyone's surprise, when Xixi heard this, she raised her head and gave her own grandfather a loud "humph".
She clasped her hands tightly to her chest, looking puffed out like a pufferfish with its cheeks puffed out.
"Uh..." Uncle was a little taken aback by the sudden 'humph', and scratched his head, asking with a puzzled look, "Sisi, what's wrong with you now?"
"You promised to take me to the sandbar today! You broke your promise!" Sisi said, stomping her little foot hard.
Seeing his precious granddaughter's expression, the uncle grinned, revealing his two large gold teeth, and hurriedly explained, "But there's a condition: if the weather is nice today—but the weather isn't nice today!"
Seeing this, Lin Yourong gently pulled Qianqian over, raised her hand and gently stroked her soft hair, and said with a smile, "Qianqian looks so beautiful today, like a little princess."
Sisi's originally puffed-up face instantly blossomed into a bright smile, successfully diverting her attention.
She said happily, "Really? Auntie, I'm wearing my favorite dress today, and I even picked out a bow hair clip myself!"
Seeing this, the uncle couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head, his tone tinged with a touch of wistfulness: "Women really do love to be beautiful no matter how old they are."
Hearing this, Sisi grinned at her uncle, then said to Yu Huan, "Uncle, I want you to play badminton with me, just like last time, in the living room! I want to grow taller!"
"Your cousin's husband is busy, he's making tea for us," the uncle quickly interjected.
However, as soon as she finished speaking, Sisi pouted again and gave her uncle a loud "humph".
Yu Huan picked up the fairness cup and poured tea for her uncle.
He looked up at Xixi, who was staring longingly to him, and couldn't help but chuckle as he said, "Xixi, let your aunt play badminton with you. I'm just a novice, but your aunt is a pro."
Uncle quickly chimed in, beaming, "That's right! Playing ball with your aunt will teach you so many amazing skills. Growing taller will be a piece of cake!"
Upon hearing this, Sisi shook her head vigorously, her little mouth pouting so high it could hold an oil bottle.
She shouted back, "No way! I want my uncle to play with me! My aunt is good at badminton, I definitely can't beat her, it's not fun at all!"
Yu Huan burst into laughter at her appearance and said, "Qianqian, I need to make tea for everyone. I'll definitely play with you later, okay?"
But Sisi wasn't about to give up so easily. Her brows furrowed into a tight knot, and she crossed her arms angrily over her chest, rattling off a string of words: "No, no, I want to play now! I can't wait a second longer! Uncle, just play with me for a little while, just a little while. It won't make a difference if we make tea in a little while, okay?"
Her soft, eager voice was full of coquettishness.
Lin Yourong chuckled and said to Yu Huan with a smile, "King of the kids, why don't you play with her for a while? I'll make some tea."
Upon hearing this, Uncle's eyes widened instantly. He exclaimed "Oh!" with surprise on his face: "Yourong, when did you learn how to brew Kung Fu tea?"
The uncle chuckled and chimed in, "Don't underestimate your niece; she's been clever since she was little."
Yu Huan explained with a smile, "Someone gave Rongrong a tea set before, which is also a teapot. She plays with it at home when she has nothing to do, and drinks tea. She is very comfortable using it."
As soon as he stood up, Sisi, like a nimble little rabbit, hopped quickly to his side, grabbed his hand, and pulled him outside, cheerfully calling out, "Uncle, come on, I'll take you to get the badminton racket!"
Yu Huan obediently followed her steps, repeatedly replying, "Okay, okay, let's go now."
Lin Yourong gracefully rose, walked around to the host's seat, and watched the departing figures of the two people, one big and one small, and a smile involuntarily appeared on her lips.
My uncle rubbed his hands together and said excitedly, "We're so lucky today! We actually get to drink tea brewed by You Rong. What a treat!"
Lin Yourong gently shook her head and said with a smile, "Uncle, what you're saying is... It's not like I haven't made tea for you before, even if it was just throwing a handful of tea leaves into the cup—"
“That’s different!” Her uncle interrupted her with a chuckle, his eyes narrowing into slits with laughter. “You’re a big star now, the tea you brew has a special meaning!”
The uncle even cracked a joke, which was rare for him: "If your uncle drinks this tea, he'll have more bragging rights to share with people in the future!"
Lin Yourong poured hot water into the purple clay teapot. Amidst the rising steam, she smiled and replied, "Uncle, Uncle, please stop joking. I'm still the same person I always was, not as exaggerated as you're making it out to be."
Amidst the laughter and chatter, the two people, one big and one small, returned with their rackets, instantly transforming the spacious, high-ceilinged living room into a badminton court.
Sisi's face flushed with excitement. She couldn't wait to get into position, tossing the shuttlecock high into the air and then swinging her racket with all her might to hit it.
With a "whoosh," the badminton shuttlecock flew towards Yu Huan like an arrow released from a bow.
Yu Huan reacted quickly, moving nimbly and steadily returning the shuttlecock to Qianqian's front, just right...
The white shuttlecock darted back and forth in the air, accompanied by the crisp sound of hitting the shuttlecock and Sisi's cheerful laughter.
Uncle turned around and looked at the lively scene, and shouted to Qianqian, "Qianqian, play for a while, don't make your uncle too tired."
However, Sisi didn't have time to pay attention to him at all. Her eyes were fixed on the badminton shuttlecock flying in the air. Her head turned left and right following the trajectory of the shuttlecock, and her twin ponytails swayed happily back and forth.
"Uncle, please don't hold back! I'm going to beat you!" Qianqian's clear and loud voice echoed in the living room.
Yu Huan had previously practiced with badminton expert Chen Chen, so he faced Qianqian's attack with ease, as if strolling in a garden.
A slight smile played on his lips as he calmly said, "Xixi, not bad! You're improving so much, I'm starting to struggle against you!"
"Uncle, watch how powerful I am!" Sisi suddenly shouted and jumped high into the air.
However, the racket only lightly grazed the shuttlecock...
(End of this chapter)