One Life, One Incarnation, Beautiful Bones

28

Chapter 9.1 – How Can Love be Unraveled? (1)

While Shi Yi had still been alone in the hotel, she had already discovered that Zhousheng Chen’s day-to-day necessities and clothing were also in this particular hotel suite. In other words, he was not intending for them to stay in separate rooms anymore. During the day, she had not really thought anything of this, but when the two of them returned to the hotel after dinner, she started to become restless and unsettled. Fortunately, it was still early and Mei Xing and his assistants were present, so her thoughts did not jump directly to tonight’s time alone with him.

The conversations between the men were somewhat solemn.

Listening to their conversation, she could only understand a smattering of what they were discussing, so instead, she asked him lightly, “Can I make some tea for you?”

Zhousheng Chen smiled, “Is this boring to listen to?”

The corner of her lips turned up. “No, I’ve just noticed that you like tea and I happen to know how to make tea.”

Her voice was rather soft, and subtle veiled feelings could be heard in it, telling him that what she actually wanted was to make him happy. Zhousheng Chen had originally intended to ask her to wait for a few moments for he would be finishing soon, but hearing her say this in such a manner, he suppressed his words. “You have learned the art of tea?”

Shi Yi smiled but did not answer.

Their dialogue attracted the attention of Mei Xing, and he looked at Shi Yi with interest. “I suspect, Zhousheng, that your wife does not just know how to steep tea. Maybe she will give us an even bigger surprise.”

Afraid that he would tease her and give her a hard time, Zhousheng pointed his finger at Mei Xing. “Alright now, you are not allowed to use her as the target of your jokes.”

“I’m not, ah. I just have this feeling that your wife might like tea culture very much.” Mei Xing looked at Shi Yi. “Shi Yi, I, too, really like to drink tea. What’s more, so long as you can execute the method you choose, I can provide you with the tea utensils.”

Shi Yi understood that this man was talking about the different methods of drinking tea throughout the eras.

Those truly were not difficult for her.

She was not a person who liked to showoff. Perhaps it was because Zhousheng Chen was by her side and the one challenging her was his good friend, but she did not want to concede. “I have read Lu Yu’s ‘Classic of Tea[1]’, and I enjoy studying the various methods of tea preparation. If Mr. Mei, you would like give it a try, it would not be difficult task for me to do.”

Mei Xing was very pleased. “How about cooking tea[2]?”

Shi Yi burst out in a laugh. “Let’s forget about that –– putting in seasonings like scallions, ginger, chinese dates, orange peel, dogwood leaves, and mint and heating it to a rolling boil for an extended period of time. It’s not a problem for me to prepare some tea using this method, but I’m afraid you guys wouldn’t drink it.”

With a grin, Mei Xing persuaded, “Just give it a try. It won’t be a big deal.”

Shi Yi thought about that taste, and while she was still hesitating slightly, Zhousheng Chen gave her a gentle pat on her arm. “You can ignore him. Just steeped tea will be fine.”

“Eh?” Mei Xing wagged his hand. “There’s actually a knowledgeable person here right now. How could we waste this chance? Since cooking tea would not be good, I will send someone right now to bring some tea cakes[3] and the tea ware and utensils. We will taste your wife’s boiled tea[4].”