Drink Tea, Drink Tea

<Wang Yan> finished the backlog of tasks and gave some instructions regarding the actions against <Old Liang's Family>. He then had tea with two bosses and shot the breeze, and the day was gone.

He felt like he hadn't done much, and suddenly it was evening.

In the evening, <Gu Jia> called, suggesting they go pick up <Xu Ziyan> together.

<Wang Yan> drove to pick up <Gu Jia> and headed towards the kindergarten.

"<Xu Huanshan> will be here soon too," <Gu Jia> said in the car.

"Mm, I know."

After a moment of silence, <Gu Jia> continued, "My dad knows about us. He called me today and said he wants to meet you." As she spoke, she subtly observed <Wang Yan>'s reaction.

A couple formed later in life, this kind of situation was difficult to handle, especially since they had already met once at her birthday banquet. If her father was a capable person who could help <Wang Yan>'s career, it would be one thing, but her father lacked that kind of influence.

She worried <Wang Yan> might be put off, as no one would feel good about a biological father suddenly appearing.

<Wang Yan>, focused on driving, showed no reaction to the news. Wasn't this a normal situation?

He immediately understood the whole story.

<Gu Jia> wouldn't have told her father about this. She was an adult, and her father had a heart condition. She would hide it for as long as possible, thinking it was bad to make her father worry.

He didn't need to think to know that <Xu Huanshan> must have discovered them together last time. He couldn't let it go, and in his frustration, he directly called <Gu Jia>'s father, complained about her faults, and pushed all the blame onto <Gu Jia>. The grown man acted like a nagging old woman, his mouth as loose as the waistband of winter pants.

"Then let's have dinner at home tonight. I'll meet your father and put his mind at ease."

Seeing <Wang Yan>'s reply, <Gu Jia> breathed a sigh of relief.

She called her father and asked them to wait as they would pick him up.

Women, always overthinking. Just as she relaxed, she started worrying about how to handle meeting <Xu Huanshan> later.

She wasn't worried about anything else; she knew <Xu Huanshan>'s personality. She was just afraid he would make a scene in public, regardless of the consequences. She wouldn't care, but <Xu Ziyan> was still attending school there. How could the child handle the gossip? It wasn't like before, when nothing had happened.

It wasn't far, just two streets away, and they arrived quickly.

The kindergarten was quite high-end. The parking lot outside looked like a car show. If there were numbered spots, <Wang Yan>'s <A8> would definitely not be good enough.

Cars were parked haphazardly everywhere. It was peak pick-up time, and the traffic was terrible.

They slowly squeezed in to find a parking spot.

<Xu Huanshan> had sharp eyes. As soon as they got out of the car, he walked over, arm in arm with <Lin Youyou>.

"Old Wang, you're really my good brother," <Xu Huanshan> said sarcastically.

He didn't make a scene. Some time had passed, and he had calmed down. Not to mention <Wang Yan>'s status, making a big fuss or even fighting would be useless. It would only make <Gu Jia> look down on him, as if he couldn't let her go. Moreover, he knew <Wang Yan> was trained and taller than him. And considering <Wang Yan>'s status? He wasn't stupid; he knew where to draw the line.

<Gu Jia> couldn't hold back. Hearing <Xu Huanshan>'s passive-aggressive tone, she wanted to argue.

<Wang Yan> stopped <Gu Jia> beside him, thinking, what was the use of saying more? He would only believe what he thought was true, otherwise, how could he be at ease?

He put his arm around <Gu Jia>, pulling her into his embrace, and <Wang Yan> said warmly, "Hey, Old Xu, what are you talking about? That's not right."

Men's possessiveness was strange. When it came to their women, casual flings didn't count. As long as there was genuine emotion involved, whether it was an ex-wife or an ex-girlfriend, they would feel angry and sad if she got intimate with any man other than themselves. Was it because of the feelings, or simply because they didn't want what they discarded to be touched by others?

Seeing <Gu Jia>, who was in <Wang Yan>'s arms with a sweet expression, <Xu Huanshan>'s face turned ashen. However, he managed to hold back from erupting. "Let me introduce you, this is my wife, <Lin Youyou>. We got our license last week." As he spoke, he changed his arm to an embrace and, with <Lin Youyou>, they provocatively looked at the couple opposite them.

But he was destined to be disappointed. The two of them, <Wang Yan> and <Gu Jia>, showed no reaction to such a childish display, calmly watching them.

<Wang Yan> even thought of saying, "You guys got divorced, and we got married the next day." But he didn't. <Xu Huanshan> was already easily angered, and with so many parents around, provoking him would have bad consequences.

He also had to consider <Xu Ziyan>. The child had been the center of attention all day, happily bragging. To be mocked the next day and possibly have to transfer schools would be too much of a blow to the child.

<Xu Huanshan> received no response. He didn't dare to anger <Wang Yan>, as he could imagine the consequences. He awkwardly found an excuse: "I sold the house. I'll transfer the money to you when it arrives in a couple of days."

<Gu Jia> finally showed a reaction, nodding in acknowledgment, and stopped clinging to him. The affection was long gone; she wouldn't even spare them another glance.

<Lin Youyou> didn't cause any trouble. She didn't have a say here. Now that they were both married, although she was annoyed by <Xu Huanshan> comparing her to <Gu Jia>, she could understand. Moreover, the joy of achieving her goal reached its peak upon seeing <Gu Jia>, so she magnanimously let it go.

Besides, <Xu Huanshan> had suddenly proposed marriage a while ago. After they got married, she asked him the reason and understood what had happened.

She had even specifically inquired about <Wang Yan>'s identity from <Xu Huanshan>. Although she was resentful that <Gu Jia> could latch onto a rich man, <Lin Youyou> knew her own limitations. She wasn't stupid. If nothing else, regarding the child, <Xu Huanshan> still had some lingering feelings, and <Wang Yan> wouldn't go too far. What was she compared to them? They definitely wouldn't indulge her whims, and she dared not provoke <Wang Yan>.

Afterward, they all waited by the entrance for the children to finish school. <Gu Jia> chatted with some familiar parents.

The strange atmosphere here had long been noticed, and people were waiting for a show. However, nothing happened, which was a bit disappointing.

"Ziyan's mother, it's been a while. What have you been busy with lately?"

A familiar parent, a gossipy woman, came over to <Gu Jia> and chatted, subtly probing for information.

<Gu Jia> was also a master of social interaction. A storm that <Xu Ziyan> was unaware of was dissolved by her mother's casual conversation.

Soon, the children finished school.

<Xu Ziyan> saw them from afar. With his short legs churning, he ran towards them.

<Xu Huanshan> thought the child was running to him. He opened his arms and crouched down, waiting for <Xu Ziyan> to rush into his embrace.

But his son was truly remarkable. Without even looking at him, he shouted, "Dad!" and hugged <Wang Yan>'s leg.

The little guy was overjoyed today.

The children knew he had been out playing. They had been worried during this time, and now that they had him, they bombarded him with questions.

The teacher saw that the children weren't paying attention to class and were curious about what <Xu Ziyan> had experienced. So, she organized a small tea party, specifically asking him to stand at the front and recount his adventures, answering various questions in between.

<Xu Ziyan> wasn't nervous at all; he was poised, articulate, and logical. He recounted what he'd heard from <Wang Yan> and <Gu Jia>, along with what he learned from the tour guide, in a way that captivated his young audience with his childish words.

The children listening were filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment. They had traveled extensively domestically and abroad, but none had ever taken over twenty days off just to play like <Xu Ziyan>.

<Xu Ziyan> was the star of the show, so thrilled he was practically floating. He was eager to share his experience with his dad. Without even looking at <Xu Huanshan>, he grabbed his leg, tilted his head up, and said, "Dad, let me tell you, today..."

<Xu Huanshan> stood there with his arms outstretched, frozen and awkward. The feeling of being full of joy only to have it dashed was incredibly disheartening, especially between a father and son.

He awkwardly lowered his arms, rubbed his stiff face, and interrupted <Xu Ziyan>, who was about to boast, "Ziyan, I see you've arrived."

Hearing this, <Xu Ziyan> turned to look at <Xu Huanshan>, surprised. He walked over with a grin and hugged him, "Dad, why are you here?"

"What, are you surprised to see me? Did you miss me?"

<Xu Ziyan> paused for a moment, then grinned and said, "Of course I missed you."

<Xu Huanshan> clearly felt that pause and felt a complex mix of emotions, a deep sense of unease. This was his son, his biological son, and he had to think about whether he missed him?

He suspected <Wang Yan> might have brainwashed the child or something.

He quickly pulled <Xu Ziyan> aside and asked about him being with <Wang Yan> and <Gu Jia>, what they had been up to recently, and how they treated him.

<Xu Ziyan> perked up at this. He hadn't gotten to boast properly earlier, so he eagerly recounted his adventures to <Xu Huanshan> with great animation. <Xu Huanshan> understood from his son's rambling that <Wang Yan> hadn't done anything special, and he felt that he himself treated the child even better.

However, to <Xu Ziyan>, he seemed dispensable. His attitude just now, and the way he talked about "my dad this" and "my mom that," but never "how about you, Dad," confirmed this.

Distractedly listening to his son's childish words, past memories surfaced, and sorrow welled up within him.

<Xu Ziyan> continued chattering away, but after a while, he realized his dad wasn't really engaging.

Feeling bored and losing his enthusiasm, he said unhappily to <Xu Huanshan>, "Dad, are you even listening?"

This snapped <Xu Huanshan> out of his melancholy. He quickly gave a thumbs-up and forced a smile, "Of course, you're amazing! You really stole the show today."

They chatted for a while longer, and then <Xu Huanshan> said, "Dad will visit again in a few days," and, while he still had his wits about him, he quickly pulled <Lin Youyou> and left.

Although <Xu Ziyan> had been very enthusiastic earlier, he had raised him since he was little and keenly detected a hint of unfamiliarity in his words.

It would be strange if he felt good about it. His ex-wife had left with someone else, and now his own son was practically going to take the <Wang> surname. He was powerless to stop it, and that feeling was far from pleasant.

In the car.

<Lin Youyou> had witnessed the entire exchange and understood <Xu Huanshan>'s feelings.

It wasn't just women; men also needed comfort when they were sad and vulnerable. <Lin Youyou> was a professional.

She said to <Xu Huanshan>, who was driving slowly, "Huanshan, don't overthink it. At worst, we can have another child."

"Drive faster, let's go back and put in some effort."

Hearing this, <Xu Huanshan> perked up.

A single sentence was all it took; he could comfort himself with his own imagination. <Lin Youyou>'s words made sense. If not, he could have another child. Besides, no matter how capable <Wang Yan> was, <Xu Ziyan> was still his son.

Initially, he hadn't even considered having <Lin Youyou> bear him a child. After all, it was a matter for two people, and he couldn't force her if she didn't agree. Moreover, the general environment was like that, with late marriage and late childbirth being quite prevalent. He had even considered being childfree.

In his mind, he thought they would wait a few years until she was done playing before considering having a child. That way, he could afford to wait. At thirty, he was in his prime, strong and capable, and could strive for more to leave more for the child.

"If we have a child, you'll have your hands full. Do you really mean it? No regrets?" As someone who had been a father before, he knew what life with children was like.

At this moment, nothing was better than a firm affirmation. <Lin Youyou> said emotionally, "Huanshan, I love you. I'd do anything for you."

<Xu Huanshan> immediately floored the accelerator and sped off. The mood was set, and he was a little impatient. Making a new baby while venting his frustrations seemed like a win-win.

Not paying attention to <Xu Huanshan>, the family of three happily set off in the car to pick up <Gu Jia>'s father.

Along the way, <Xu Ziyan> couldn't stop talking about his day. His biological dad hadn't been supportive earlier, and he could tell he was just going through the motions, which was a real buzzkill. His other dad was much better; he was the one who really cheered him on.

They chatted and laughed as they picked up <Gu Jia>'s father, <Gu Jinghong>, from the nursing home.

On the way, <Gu Jia> interspersed comments to guide the conversation, while <Xu Ziyan> acted cute to keep the atmosphere lively.

Overall, the atmosphere was quite harmonious. They bought dinner along the way and returned to their home at Tian Yue Gong Guan.

As soon as they got home, <Gu Jia> busied herself with cooking. <Xu Ziyan> had been complaining for a while. Since the nursing home where <Gu Jinghong> lived was quite far from their place, the round trip had taken a considerable amount of time.

<Xu Ziyan> was watching cartoons in the living room. He had been chattering nonstop and was now tired and hungry, sulking on the sofa waiting for dinner.

That left <Wang Yan> and <Gu Jinghong>, his father-in-law.

<Wang Yan> brewed a pot of tea, which he had brought back from <Hengshan Village>. According to the old village chief, he had given him the top-tier tea, absolutely rare, and comparable to other famous teas.

Honestly, after drinking tea for so many years, <Wang Yan> couldn't discern anything special about it. Chinese scholars and Taoist masters all enjoyed this sort of thing. Their equipment was top-notch, and their tea was priceless, top-grade stuff. If you met someone impressive, their water would have been transported by disciples of some renowned figure.

But <Wang Yan> still couldn't taste anything special. It was like writing. Even though <Wang Yan> was the financier, these old men wouldn't tolerate his ignorance. They would curse him for "casting pearls before swine," saying it was a waste to give such good tea to him.

<Wang Yan> humbly asked for guidance, but they wouldn't say much, just spewing a bunch of jargon. Then they would tell him it was all about feeling, that he had to "comprehend" it.

<Wang Yan> could only smile on the surface. Comprehend what? He knew they genuinely felt it, but he truly couldn't. Later, <Wang Yan> learned to play along. His cultural literacy wasn't lacking either. They would all pretend together. He would also chime in with fancy words like "fragrant as orchids and osmanthus," "taste like sweet dew," "lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth," "rich and fragrant," and "exotic aroma."

If you asked him what kind of tea it was, he would say, "My knowledge is shallow, and it's truly not worthy of the grand occasion. May I ask for your guidance?" This would trigger the masters' penchant for teaching, and they would launch into a lecture, spitting and sputtering. <Wang Yan> would then put on an expression of a junior benefiting greatly from the senior's guidance, thanking them for their wisdom. They would think he was teachable, and the masters would stop scolding him. Everyone would be happy.

And so, after drinking a lot of tea, he remembered the taste and could even identify the origin of famous teas with a single sip.

Anyway, he had been drinking it for so many years and was used to it, so he just carried on.

After brewing the tea, he poured a cup for <Gu Jinghong>: "Uncle, please try. This is from <Gu Jia>'s tea factory."

It wasn't that <Wang Yan> was pretending; he genuinely couldn't bring himself to call him "Dad." <Gu Jia> and her father understood, so they let it be.

"Tsk tsk," Gu Jinghong tasted it. "Hmm, not bad, actually better than what I buy at the supermarket."

Wang Yan was speechless. He understood; there was a bit of awkwardness between them, and Gu Jinghong was just being polite to keep the conversation going.

In this situation, it was better to just get straight to the point.

He knew Gu Jinghong was worried about his daughter, wanting to use his life experience to see if Wang Yan was a reliable person. He understood that parents do things for their children.

Some people might think it's wrong for parents to interfere in their children's lives under the guise of "for your own good." But more understanding is needed. Except for a few truly unreasonable ones, parents genuinely want what's best for their children. Sometimes, they just use the wrong methods. Generational gaps are a real thing. For parents and children, these matters aren't always black and white.

"Uncle, I know what you're worried about. Didn't Gu Jia tell you?"

Gu Jinghong was confused. What did Gu Jia tell him?

Seeing his expression, Wang Yan understood and said, "Uncle, the apartment we're in now is in Gu Jia's name. You know Junyue Mansion? They used to live on the twelfth floor, and I have a place on the eighteenth floor, which I've also transferred to her."

"Ah!" Gu Jinghong exclaimed in surprise, nearly having a heart attack.

He knew the price of apartments in Junyue Mansion. He hadn't looked closely since entering, but he had a general idea of the current place. The renovation was meticulous, and considering the location, he had a rough estimate of its value. He had been thinking his daughter had found a really good match, someone clearly capable.

He truly hadn't expected Wang Yan to be so generous. What else did he need to consider? Was there any greater guarantee than this? He took a big gulp of tea to calm himself and his rapidly beating heart.

"Haha, what worries? Gu Jia didn't tell me about something so big? You two just got married, I just came to see how you're doing." Gu Jinghong chuckled with a hint of awkwardness.

As long as Gu Jia was doing well, his own awkwardness didn't matter.

"Here, have some tea, have some tea. This tea is really good."

Seeing Gu Jinghong reach for the teapot to pour him tea, Wang Yan quickly grabbed the pot and refilled both their cups.

"I'll prepare some for you later. I have a lot of different kinds of tea, and you can help me see if any are fake. Oh, right, I'll also prepare a set of tea ware for you, I have an extra one. Drink more when you have time. Gu Jia mentioned you have heart problems. I don't know if this tea will help, but it's good for cultivating one's character."

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