yournovel Chapter 377 Tea Chapter
Chapter 377 Tea Chapter
Chapter 377 Tea Talk
Brother Da Wu's gaze lingered on Yu Songnian, and with a smile in his eyes, he continued, "Looking at Brother Yu's face, I know he must be a very loyal person."
Yu Huan turned her head slightly to look at Yu Songnian and said with a smile, "Brother Da Wu has a discerning eye for talent. My younger brother is indeed loyal. Although he is not very good at speaking, he is a true man. If a friend is in trouble, he will definitely be the first to rush to help."
Brother Wu's eyes were full of admiration: "In this day and age, it's rare to find people who value loyalty."
Before he finished speaking, he raised his left arm and rested it on the back of the sofa, then comfortably crossed his legs.
Seeing that Yu Songnian remained silent, as if he wasn't the one being talked about and praised at all, Brother Da Wu suddenly burst into hearty laughter and turned to Yu Huan, saying:
"And another thing, Brother Yu, I finally see the true colors of you now. Your reputation as 'Brother Leader' is truly legendary!"
At this moment, Brother Wu spoke with a calm and composed demeanor that was also approachable, a stark contrast to the disheveled and drenched figure Yu Huan remembered.
However, when his younger brother got into trouble, he jumped into the river to retrieve his fishing rod without saying a word. This alone shows that he was truly capable of both yielding and standing firm, and had exceptional abilities to rise to the position of the eldest brother.
Upon hearing these flattering words, Yu Huan smiled calmly.
Although he was sitting on a slightly lower bamboo chair, he leaned back slightly and said in a calm and composed tone, "Brother Wu is joking. It's all just everyone's kind words and empty titles. I'm just doing my best to fulfill my duty."
As soon as he finished speaking, he vaguely heard the faint sound of the door being pushed open.
The next moment, a young woman in her early twenties walked in gracefully, carrying a basket in one hand and a kettle in the other.
She wore a light blue Chinese-style collared top and a black long skirt, with her hair simply tied back, giving her a fresh and elegant look.
Brother Wu looked up at the young girl and said with a smile, "Brother Yu, you are too modest. Your reputation is hard-earned, not just empty fame. Back when I was just starting out, I had no reputation and I had to put on a show and try my best to appear impressive. Unlike you, you are truly capable."
Hearing his experienced tone, Yu Huan smiled and said, "Brother Wu, you flatter me. Everyone's path is different. Like I said, I'm just doing my best in my own position."
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned to the little girl who had approached him and said gently, "Little sister, thank you for your trouble."
Upon hearing the voice, the young girl's gaze fell upon Yu Huan's angular face, and her previously composed steps faltered slightly.
She suddenly realized that she was still a little distance from the coffee table, so she quickly took a few steps closer and replied softly, "Brother, it's no trouble at all, this is my job."
Brother Wu's gaze shifted between Yu Huan and the little girl, and his smile deepened.
He softened his tone and asked, "Young lady, you must be new to your job, right?"
"No, big brother." The little girl lowered her head slightly, her face still showing restraint, and said softly, "I'm a winter break worker, here to help out at my relatives' place for a while."
"Oh, you're quite diligent." Brother Wu nodded knowingly.
The little girl pursed her lips, placed the basket on the coffee table, and then gently and carefully placed the kettle aside.
In the ensuing silence, though she didn't look up, she could vaguely feel the gazes of everyone around her, and for a moment she felt as if she were being pricked by needles.
She carefully took out a clear glass teapot and five handled glasses from the basket and arranged them neatly and orderly.
Then, she brought out plate after plate of snacks—
It contains sunflower seeds, peanuts, hawthorn shreds, dried yellow peaches, and winter dates.
Brother Da Wu leaned forward with great interest, casually grabbing a small handful of melon seeds with his large, fan-like hand.
Then, with his other hand, he took one out from his palm, brought it to his lips, cracked it open slightly, and said, "This combination is good, and there are snacks too."
The little girl is tearing open a 10-gram tea bag and pouring the tea leaves into a stainless steel tea strainer in a glass teapot.
She flicked the bag with her slender fingers, releasing the tea leaves tucked inside, and replied, "We always give a small snack to guests who book a private room."
talking.
She casually placed the bag on the coffee table, uncorked the kettle, and poured clear, steaming water into the glass teapot.
As the delicate tea leaves are washed by the flowing water, they tumble and swirl in the water, gradually releasing a faint aroma of tea.
Chen Fulai smiled as he looked at her focused expression and said, "This young lady is so meticulous; her service is truly impeccable."
The little girl was a little embarrassed by the sudden praise, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she replied softly, "It's all what I should do."
Brother Da Wu leisurely cracked sunflower seeds and said to Yu Huan, "Old teahouses like this are truly becoming increasingly rare; every time one closes down, it's one less to be found."
Yu Huan smiled, casually picked up a shredded hawthorn, put it in her mouth and bit off half, then said leisurely:
"The old teahouses in Changsha lack the elegance of West Lake teahouses, the skill of using long-spouted teapots in Sichuan, and the cultural depth of Gongfu tea. They're downright vulgar. They don't care much about the utensils used—it's all over the place—and everyone loves having a large tea mug. I remember when I was very young, I would come to the city with my father for tea. These 'meat teahouses' were everywhere, almost every one bustling with activity. The calls of waiters were constant, and if you were lucky, you might even catch a storyteller or ballad singer performing on stage. My favorite foods were still the silver thread rolls and the sister dumplings—"
During the pause in Yu Huan's speech, Chen Fulai gave him a thumbs up and praised him, "Brother Yu, you truly deserve to be called a cultured man. You speak so vividly and eloquently, even without words."
Yu Huan smiled and looked around at the furnishings.
The little girl was picking up the teapot and pouring tea into a glass, listening intently.
Yu Huan's gaze fell on her fingers, which were gripping the handle tightly and whose knuckles were white, and continued, "A teahouse like this is a 'pure teahouse,' which only serves tea and maybe some melon seeds and peanuts."
"Are there still any 'meat teahouses' in Xingcheng now?" Brother Wu asked, placing the sunflower seed shells in his palm on the corner of the coffee table.
Upon hearing this, Yu Huan looked at Brother Da Wu and said, "Yes, the Fire Palace."
Brother Da Wu raised his thick eyebrows in surprise: "Really? I thought Huogongdian was just a place to eat!" Yu Huan shook his head slightly and said with a smile: "Nowadays in Xingcheng, there are fewer and fewer proper teahouses, and tea culture has indeed declined. The rare teahouses that serve meat are leaning more towards Cantonese morning tea."
"The times are changing so fast these days, and old traditions are almost all gone!" Brother Wu sighed, grabbing another small handful of sunflower seeds and settling comfortably back on the sofa.
Just then, the little girl filled five cups with tea and added some boiling water to the pot.
After listening to this conversation, she felt that she had really learned a lot.
She glanced at Yu Huan's profile discreetly, then bowed slightly and moved the teacups in front of everyone, saying softly, "Brothers, please continue your conversation. Call me anytime if you need anything."
Yu Huan smiled gently and said to her, "Thank you for your help. We'll call you if we need anything."
"No trouble at all, brothers, just call me anytime if you need anything." After repeating this, she bowed slightly again, then turned and left with light steps.
They quickly bypassed the screen and disappeared from everyone's sight.
Hearing the slight sound of the door closing, Chen Fulai jokingly said with a smile, "Brother Yu, you're quite charming. I'm afraid you can easily get this girl's phone number when you leave."
"Tsk!" Yu Huan stuffed half a hawthorn shred into his mouth, the sweet and sour taste spreading in his mouth. He said, "With a shrewish wife at home who checks my phone all the time, how could I dare to have any other thoughts? Brother Chen, don't joke with me."
Chen Fulai waved his hand dismissively, his tone slightly flippant, and said with a grin, "Brother Yu, a man should have a stable home and plenty of women on the side. What are you afraid of? You just—"
Yu Songnian, who had been sitting upright and unmoved, frowned upon hearing this.
Seeing this, Brother Wu glanced at the nonchalant Yu Huan, then suddenly slapped Chen Fulai's thigh without making a sound, interrupting him with a smile: "Brother Yu, you not only won the heart of a beauty, but also gained a Goddess of Wealth!"
Yu Huan smiled, picked up the teacup, brought it close to her nose, and gently inhaled the rising steam.
The warm aroma of tea is refreshing and invigorating.
He then blew on the scalding hot tea and jokingly said, "If you marry the Goddess of Wealth, you must treat her well and not have any ulterior motives."
A meaningful smile appeared on Brother Wu's face. At this moment, it really seemed like a casual chat between friends.
"Brother Yu, you're really something else. A recent college graduate, you've managed to make such a name for yourself in a public institution right after starting your career, and you even went fishing with the second-in-command of the planning bureau. If you're telling me your 'Goddess of Wealth' doesn't have a family background, I don't believe it."
As he spoke, Brother Da Wu leisurely cracked open some sunflower seeds, the crisp sound particularly clear in the quiet teahouse.
His thoughts drifted back to the scene at Da Hui Wan.
Especially the old man with the gold-rimmed glasses, who remained completely calm and chatted with Yu Huan's grandfather even as the argument raged on.
That pampered air about him made it clear at a glance that he was no ordinary person.
Before leaving, he even asked someone to stake out the place. Director Chen from the planning bureau was busy running around the old man, carrying his bag and fish basket, just like a waiter.
Yu Huan sipped her tea, her face still bearing that calm smile, but her eyes held a hint of seriousness.
"Brother Da Wu, don't make wild guesses. My wife does come from a well-off family, but at work, I'm a down-to-earth worker."
Chen Fulai, who had been silenced by Brother Wu, now had a big smile on his face. His lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to chime in, but he swallowed the words back down and dared not speak rashly.
He reached out and grabbed a small handful of peanuts to cover his unease, a stark contrast to his earlier frivolous demeanor.
Brother Wu's face was full of understanding. He nodded slightly and said, "I understand. Brother Yu's current success is mostly due to his own hard work, plus a little bit of luck."
Yu Huan simply smiled faintly at the flattery, and then said in a calm and relaxed tone, "Brother Da Wu, I heard that the land acquisition work seems to have been assigned to your company?"
He knew perfectly well that Brother Wu was only in charge of the demolition project, but he deliberately spoke vaguely.
After saying that, he leaned forward slightly, gently placed the teacup on the coffee table, and waited for Brother Wu's response with a hint of inquiry in his eyes.
Brother Wu cracked open a sunflower seed, a smile on his face, and said unhurriedly, "This is a key project in the city, involving the demolition of such a large area. I went through a lot of trouble to find the right connections to secure it. Brother Yu, to be honest, I've already signed the contract and am just waiting for construction to officially begin. This project is of great importance, and I can't afford to be careless in the slightest. I have to do a perfect job, otherwise I won't be able to explain it to anyone."
Brother Wu paused for a moment, then continued, "Brother Yu, I won't beat around the bush with you. Let's be frank. I genuinely want to be your friend, and you, on the other hand, want to inquire about prices and try to get a higher compensation and resettlement plan. Let me be frank with you, there's still room for maneuver here."
If Yu Huan were a freshman in his previous life, he would definitely give a thumbs up and flatter Brother Wu with a compliment for being "generous".
But now he narrowed his eyes slightly, and the smile on his face gradually faded like the tide, as if he was completely unmoved by Brother Wu's tempting words.
Yu Huan picked up his teacup, took a sip of hot tea, and said slowly, "Brother Da Wu, I was just concerned about the collection situation, after all, I am also a stakeholder. As for the room for maneuver you mentioned, I wouldn't dare to have any improper thoughts."
Brother Wu waved his hand casually and changed the subject, saying, "Brother Yu, I was just saying. This matter of tax collection is indeed complicated and must be done according to the rules."
At this moment, Yu Songnian, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up in a serious tone: "Indeed, we must follow the rules."
Brother Da Wu glanced at Yu Songnian and laughed heartily: "However, rules are rigid, but people are flexible. We can try to get more within the reasonable and legal scope. Brother Yu, you know so many capable people and work at the Jiangnan Morning Post, so you must be more informed than me. If there are any new policy developments, you must let me know."
As he spoke, he bent down and placed a handful of sunflower seed shells from his palm on the coffee table: "I, Da Wu, am not the kind of person who forgets kindness. If anything good happens, I will definitely not forget you, Brother Yu."
(End of this chapter)