Tea Encounters
XiYou One Shot - Before and during the early events of Meteor Garden 2018
[Xiao You, Shan Cai, Qing He and Li Zhen in their senior year in high school. All senior students were required to join on a field trip of Old Shanghai. And one of their destination is the Way of Tea Museum.]
My name is Jiang Xiao You. A senior high school student. My schoolmates and I are currently on a field trip of the Old Shanghai. It’s kind of a requirement before we graduate. At the moment we’re now on our last destination which is the Way of Tea Museum. I’ve never been interested in tea before or of its history and culture so I am feeling bored as we walk around the museum. As our tour guide was explaining to us the Way of Tea, something caught my attention. In another room, there were a couple of guys dressed in traditional Chinese clothes. They’re seated behind a long table and on the opposite side was an old man who is probably their Tea Master. The Tea Master was explaining something to them as he served them tea. One of the guys suddenly stood up and we happen to lock eyes on each other. He winked at me and went to the back of their room. It made me giggled and my best friend and classmate Shan Cai nudged me on the side.
The guy who winked at me was tall and handsome. It was like love at first sight for me. I never saw him after that since our group has moved on to the other areas of the museum.
On the second floor of the museum, we were all asked to sit on the auditorium to experience a proper Chinese Tea Ceremony. To my surprise, there was the handsome guy again. I don’t know how we managed to lock eyes again when I was seated way above the bleachers and he was down below the stage but we did. He winked at me again. And my schoolmates who were sitting ahead of me turned their heads towards me. I don’t know how they knew that handsome guy was winking at me. Wait! Maybe I’m just imagining things and he wasn’t winking at me at all. I looked behind me and saw that mostly the guys were sitting behind me.
His Tea Master walked towards the center of the stage where the ceremony was conducted. The handsome guy and another one followed behind him and they all sat by the table set up on the stage.
I watched closely and listened intently as the three of them show us a proper Chinese Tea Ceremony. The Tea Master mostly did the talking. About fifteen minutes later they were done and we all applauded and said our thanks.
One by one we exited the auditorium but I hanged back a bit which surprised Shan Cai, Qing He and Li Zhen. I told them to go ahead as I wanted to take more notes, I lied. Then it was just me alone on the auditorium. I had hoped to see again my mysterious and handsome tea man. After two to three minutes I decided to leave or else my class adviser would worry where I was. And that’s when I heard a voice from behind me.
“Leaving already Miss Cute Girl?”
I turned around. It took me awhile to recognize him since he has changed into his regular clothes.
“Yes.”
“Without giving me your name and phone number?” He smiled.
He shouldn’t be allowed to smile like that. It’s dangerous.
“Why should I give you my name and phone number? I don’t even know you.” I said.
“Well, I know you like me. And I think I like you too.”
My heart was beating faster at this time. I’ve never talked to a handsome guy like him before. I’ve never talked to a guy like this before. Period.
“Is that so?”
He nodded his head. “Do you like teas?”
“Not really.” I replied.
“Too bad.” He shook his head.
Then I heard my name being called. “Well, bye.” I said as I walked towards the door.
“I’ll see you around Miss Cute Girl.” He waved his hand goodbye at me.
On the bus on our way to our school, Shan Cai asked me a lot of questions of what I was doing when they left the auditorium. I didn’t tell her about my encounter with Mr. Mysterious and Handsome Tea Man. But I did tell her that I suddenly wanted to learn more about our country’s tea culture and history.
Months later we graduated from high school and I invited Shan Cai to do part-time work together with me on a tea shop I passed by a few weeks ago. We got hired over the summer. And much to the surprise of both my parents and Shan Cai, I enrolled at Chaoyang University’s Tea Culture Department.
We enjoyed so much working at Talent’s Tea Shop that we continued on even when we started our college semester already.
I never realized how much I love the Chinese tea culture and history. I’m glad that our school made us go to the Way of Tea Museum where I got my inspiration and motivation to learn more and hone my skills in tea ceremony among other things.
Shan Cai was enrolled at the prestigious Ming De University and she was having some problems with a few of her schoolmates. We were just talking about them in the shop when to my surprise Mr. Mysterious and Handsome Tea Man walked in and even more when he talked to Shan Cai.
He turned to me and greeted me. “Hi Cute Milk Tea Girl.”
I didn’t know if he recognized me from before so I just said “Hi, how are you?”
After months of hoping to see him again we finally have our encounter at the shop I’m working.
“It’s nice to see you again.” He winked at me.
“Nice to see you too.” I smiled. So he did remember me.
“Interested in teas now?” He teased.
Before I could answer him I had to call Shan Cai’s attention since she was so lost staring at the other guy.
“So you work here too?” He asked.
I nodded.
“If I had known this is where I can find a cute girl, I should have come over to this place more often.”
This guy is slick! And I don’t know but I can’t stop my heart from beating so fast everytime he looked at me and talked to me. I wish we could have talked more but he and his friend left immediately.
“Bye Miss Cute Milk Tea Girl.” And he was gone. I tried to ask Shan Cai about him but she was just too focused on his other friend named Hua Ze Lei whom Shan Cai has a crush on.
Later that afternoon, I Googled about F4 and learned that my mysterious and handsome tea man is named Xi Men Yan. Graduating student of Ming De University, majoring in Business Administration. Part of the elite group F4 along with Hua Ze Lei, Dao Ming Si and Feng Mei Zuo. He is also the heir and successor of one of the top tea trading companies in China.
Xi Men Yan. Mr. Tea Man. Handsome and still mysterious to me.
Since our first encounter at the museum he has become the man of my dreams. And I mean literally. How many times have I dreamed about him? About us?
He and Shan Cai know each other. What are the chances we would have more encounters in the future? What are the chances he and I would end up together? Because I know I am not just infatuated with him. I know I am falling in love with him and I hope he would fall in love with me too.
END
© Franzz P. Follow on Instagram @onceinlifetimearc2018
Date written: December 15-16, 2018
