Tea, Tea

Wang Yan dealt with the matters that had piled up recently and gave some instructions for the operation against Old Liang's Family. He also had tea with two bosses and chatted about this and that. Just like that, the day was gone.

He felt like he hadn't done much at all. In the blink of an eye, it was already evening.

That evening, Gu Jia called and asked him to come with her to pick up Xu Ziyan.

Wang Yan drove over to pick up Gu Jia, then headed for the kindergarten.

"Xu Huanshan's coming 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 secretly watched Wang Yan's reaction.

Being a couple later in life was complicated, especially since they'd already met once at her birthday party. If her father were somebody important who could help Wang Yan's career, that would be one thing. The problem was, her father didn't have much to offer.

She worried Wang Yan might resent it. After all, nobody would be thrilled to suddenly have a living father-in-law show up.

Wang Yan was focused on driving and didn't react much. It was perfectly normal.

He immediately figured out what had happened.

Gu Jia wouldn't have told her father herself. She was a grown woman, and her father had a heart condition. She'd keep it from him as long as she could. Why worry him unnecessarily?

There was no need to guess. Xu Huanshan had probably realized last time that the two of them were together, and the more he thought about it afterward, the more it bothered him. In a fit of pique, he'd called Gu Jia's father to list her faults and pin all the blame on her. A grown man acting like a damn shrew, with a mouth as loose as a pair of old long johns.

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

Seeing Wang Yan respond so calmly, Gu Jia breathed a sigh of relief.

She called her father and asked him to wait while they came to pick him up.

Women always tended to overthink things. She'd barely relaxed when she started worrying about what to do when she saw Xu Huanshan later.

It wasn't anything else she was worried about. She knew Xu Huanshan's temperament; she was just afraid he'd make a scene in front of everyone, without caring about the consequences. She didn't mind, but Xu Ziyan still had to go to school there. How could a child handle all the gossip? Things weren't like before, when nothing had happened.

It wasn't far, just a couple of streets away. They arrived soon.

The kindergarten was very high-end. The area outside looked like a car show. If they were lining cars up by price, Wang Yan's A8 wouldn't stand a chance.

Cars were parked every which way, and it was rush hour at pickup time. Traffic was crawling.

They inched their way in and found a place to park.

Xu Huanshan had sharp eyes. As soon as they got out, he came over with Lin Youyou on his arm.

"Lao Wang, you're quite the friend," Xu Huanshan said sarcastically.

He didn't do anything outrageous. It had been a while, and he'd calmed down. Putting Wang Yan's status aside, making a scene or even getting into a fight wouldn't solve anything. It would only make Gu Jia look down on him, thinking he couldn't let her go. Besides, he knew Wang Yan had trained in martial arts and was taller than him. And then there was Wang Yan's status. Xu Huanshan wasn't stupid; he knew where the line was.

Gu Jia couldn't hold back. Hearing Xu Huanshan's sarcastic tone, she wanted to step forward and argue with him.

Wang Yan stopped her. What good would saying more do? Xu Huanshan would only believe what he wanted to believe. Otherwise, how could he live with himself?

He put an arm around Gu Jia and said warmly, "Come on, Old Xu, what's with the formalities? We're friends."

A man's possessiveness was strange. When it came to a woman he cared about—not just someone he'd fooled around with—whether she was an ex-wife or an ex-girlfriend, he'd get furious and miserable if she got close to another man. Was it because he still had feelings, or just because he didn't want anyone else touching what he'd once had?

Seeing Gu Jia nestled in Wang Yan's arms with a sweet smile, Xu Huanshan's face turned livid. Still, he managed to hold himself back. "Let me introduce you. This is my wife, Lin Youyou. We got our marriage license last week." As he spoke, he shifted from holding Lin Youyou by the arm to putting an arm around her shoulders, and the two of them stared defiantly at the couple opposite them.

But he was bound to be disappointed. The two of them didn't react at all to such a childish gesture. They simply looked at the pair calmly.

Wang Yan was tempted to say, "You got married the day after we did." But he held his tongue. Xu Huanshan was quick to anger, and there were so many parents around. Stirring him up here wouldn't be good.

He had to consider Xu Ziyan, too. The kid had been the center of attention all day, happily bragging about his adventures. If he went back to school the next day only to be mocked, or even had to transfer, it would be a huge blow.

When Xu Huanshan got no response, he didn't dare provoke Wang Yan. Awkwardly, he found a way to change the subject. "I sold the house. I'll transfer the money to you once the payment comes through in a couple of days."

At last, Gu Jia gave him a small response. She nodded and then ignored him. Whatever affection there'd been was long gone. She couldn't spare him another glance.

Lin Youyou didn't cause any trouble, either. This wasn't her place to speak. Now that she and Xu Huanshan were married, she was annoyed that he compared her to Gu Jia, but she could understand it. On top of that, after seeing Gu Jia, the joy of getting what she wanted had reached its peak, so she magnanimously let it go.

Besides, Xu Huanshan had suddenly wanted to marry her a while back. She'd asked him why afterward, and knew exactly what had happened.

She'd even asked Xu Huanshan about Wang Yan's background. Although she was jealous that Gu Jia had landed a rich man, Lin Youyou knew better than to fool herself. For one thing, Xu Huanshan still had some affection for his son, so Wang Yan wouldn't go too far. But who was she? There was no way Wang Yan would indulge her, and she wouldn't dare provoke him.

Everyone waited outside for the children to come out. Gu Jia went to chat with some parents she knew.

The others had noticed the strange atmosphere and were waiting for a show. Nothing happened, though, which left them somewhat disappointed.

"Ziyan's mom, it's been ages since I saw you. What have you been busy with lately?"

Some of the parents she knew—gossipy women with nothing better to do—came over to chat with Gu Jia and pry for details.

Gu Jia was a skilled socializer. With a few casual remarks and laughs, she snuffed out a storm that Xu Ziyan knew nothing about.

Before long, the children were let out.

Xu Ziyan spotted them from a distance and came running over on his little legs.

Xu Huanshan thought he was running toward him. He crouched down with his arms open, waiting for Xu Ziyan to rush into them.

His son really knew how to make a point. He didn't even look at Xu Huanshan. Shouting, "Dad!" he threw his arms around Wang Yan's leg.

The little guy had been thrilled all day.

The other children knew he'd gone on a trip. They'd been wondering how it went, and now they bombarded him with questions.

The teacher had noticed that the children weren't paying attention in class. They were all curious about what Xu Ziyan had experienced. So she'd turned the lesson into a little tea party and had him stand up front to talk about what he'd seen along the way, answering everyone's questions as they came.

Xu Ziyan wasn't shy at all. He spoke confidently, clearly, and logically, using his childish words to make what he'd heard from Wang Yan and Gu Jia, as well as what he'd learned from the tour guide, sound fascinating.

The children listening below were all envious. They'd traveled around China and abroad, too, but none of them had ever taken more than twenty days off just to play, doing absolutely nothing else.

Xu Ziyan had stolen the show and was beside himself with excitement. He'd been eager to share it all with his dad, so without even looking at Xu Huanshan, he hugged Wang Yan's leg, tilted his head back, and said, "Dad, let me tell you, today..."

Xu Huanshan crouched there with his arms still raised, not knowing what to do. The feeling of being full of joy only to end up with nothing was utterly helpless, especially when it happened between a father and son.

Awkwardly, he lowered his arms and rubbed his stiff face, interrupting Xu Ziyan as he was about to start bragging. "Ziyan, look, I came to see you."

Xu Ziyan turned to look at Xu Huanshan, surprised. Then he grinned and walked over to hug him. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

"What, you're surprised to see me? Did you miss me?"

Xu Ziyan paused, then smiled and said, "Of course I did."

Xu Huanshan clearly felt that pause. His heart was a jumble, and it hurt. This was his son, his own flesh and blood. Did he really need to think before saying he missed him?

He wondered whether Wang Yan had brainwashed the boy somehow.

He quickly pulled Xu Ziyan aside and asked what he'd been doing with Wang Yan and Gu Jia lately, and how they'd treated him.

Xu Ziyan lit up at the chance to talk about it. He hadn't finished bragging earlier, so he eagerly told Xu Huanshan all about it, beaming from ear to ear. As he listened to the bits and pieces, Xu Huanshan realized Wang Yan hadn't done anything at all. If anything, he'd treated Xu Ziyan even better than Xu Huanshan had.

It was just that Xu Huanshan had become dispensable to Xu Ziyan. He'd seen it in the boy's attitude, and in the way he talked about what "Dad" and "Mom" had done. There was no "Dad, what did you..."

Xu Huanshan listened absently to the child's innocent chatter. Memories surfaced, and grief washed over him.

Xu Ziyan chattered on, but after a while he realized his father wasn't responding.

His enthusiasm vanished. He asked Xu Huanshan unhappily, "Dad, are you listening?"

His words interrupted Xu Huanshan's melancholy. Xu Huanshan quickly gave him a thumbs-up and forced a smile. "Of course. You're really something. You were the star of the show today."

The two of them talked quietly for a while. Then Xu Huanshan said, "I'll come see you again in a few days," and left with Lin Youyou while he could still keep his composure.

Xu Ziyan had been enthusiastic with him just now, but Xu Huanshan had raised him from childhood. He was sensitive enough to notice a trace of distance in the boy's words.

He'd have to be made of stone not to feel awful. His ex-wife had gone off with another man, and now even his own son was about to take Wang's surname. He couldn't do a thing to stop it. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

In the car.

Lin Youyou had watched everything from beginning to end. She understood what Xu Huanshan was going through.

Women weren't the only ones who needed comfort when they were hurt and vulnerable. Men did, too, and Lin Youyou knew just what to do.

As Xu Huanshan drove slowly, she said, "Huanshan, don't overthink it. We can always have another child."

"Step on it. Let's go home and get to work."

At that, Xu Huanshan perked right up.

All it took was one sentence. He could fill in the rest with his imagination and comfort himself. Lin Youyou had a point: if that didn't work, he could have another child. Besides, no matter how impressive Wang Yan was, Xu Ziyan was still his son.

At first, he'd never considered asking Lin Youyou to have a child. It was something that took two people, and he couldn't force her if she didn't want one. Besides, the current climate was all about marrying late and having children late. Some people even chose to be child-free.

He figured it'd take a few years before she got tired of playing around and started thinking about having a child. He could wait. At thirty, he was still in his prime, and he had time to work hard and leave more for his child.

"Having a child would be a lot of work for you. Are you sure? You won't regret it?" He'd been a father before, so he knew what having a child was like.

There was no better answer than a straightforward one. Lin Youyou said passionately, "Huanshan, I love you. I'd do anything for you."

Xu Huanshan hit the gas and sped off. The mood was just right, and he was getting impatient. Making a baby and venting his frustration would kill two birds with one stone.

Wang Yan didn't care what Xu Huanshan was up to. The happy family of three set off to pick up Gu Jia's father.

All the way there, Xu Ziyan chattered about his day. His biological father hadn't played along, and he could tell he'd just been humoring him. What a disappointment. His dad was much better. He knew how to react.

They chatted and laughed as they went to the nursing home to pick up Gu Jia's father, Gu Jinghong.

Gu Jia kept the conversation going along the way, while Xu Ziyan added his share of cuteness to prevent any awkward silences.

All in all, the atmosphere was fairly pleasant. They picked up some food on the way and returned home to Tianyue Mansion.

As soon as they got home, Gu Jia hurried into the kitchen to cook. Xu Ziyan had been complaining that he was hungry. The nursing home where Gu Jinghong lived wasn't close to their home, and the round trip had taken quite a while.

Xu Ziyan watched cartoons in the living room. He'd been chattering away the whole trip, and now he was tired and hungry, curled up on the sofa waiting for dinner.

That left Wang Yan alone with his father-in-law, Gu Jinghong.

Wang Yan brewed a pot of tea. It was the tea he'd brought back from Hengshan Village. According to the old village chief, he'd given Wang Yan some of the finest tea they had, exceptionally rare and absolutely comparable to the other famous teas.

Honestly, after drinking tea for so many years, Wang Yan still couldn't tell one variety from another. Masters of classical studies and Taoist experts all loved this sort of thing. They were decked out from head to toe, and their tea was the rarest of the rare, unavailable for any price. Some of them even had their disciples arrange for special water to be brought in from some far-off place.

But Wang Yan still couldn't tell the difference. It was like calligraphy. Even though he was the one paying, those old men wouldn't go easy on him. They'd lambaste him for ruining peony flowers by feeding them to cattle, saying such fine tea was wasted on him.

Wang Yan humbly asked for advice, but they didn't say much. They rattled off a string of fancy phrases, then told him that tea was all about feeling, that he had to learn to appreciate it.

Wang Yan could only smile on the outside. What the hell was he supposed to appreciate? He knew they genuinely felt something, but he just couldn't. Eventually, he learned his lesson. He wasn't lacking in culture, after all. They could all have a good time showing off together. He'd throw in phrases of his own: "fragrant as orchids and cassia," "sweet as nectar," "leaves a lingering taste on the lips," "richly fragrant," and "an extraordinary aroma."

If they asked what kind of tea it was, he'd say, "I'm too inexperienced to appreciate its finer qualities. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me?" Then the master's love of teaching would kick in, and he'd lecture away, spittle flying. Wang Yan would put on an expression of having learned a great deal and thank him for his guidance. "A promising student," the master would think, and stop scolding him. Everyone was happy.

After drinking so much tea over the years, he'd grown familiar with the different flavors. He could even identify the origins of famous varieties with a single sip.

Anyway, he'd gotten used to it after all these years, and kept it up.

Once the tea was ready, he poured Gu Jinghong a cup. "Uncle, give this a try. It's from Gu Jia's tea business."

Wang Yan wasn't trying to act familiar. He really couldn't bring himself to call this man "Dad." Gu Jia and her father understood, so they let things be.

Gu Jinghong took a small sip with an appreciative smack of his lips. "Mm, I'll give you that. It really is better than what I get at the supermarket."

Wang Yan was speechless. He understood, though. The two of them felt a bit awkward, and Gu Jinghong was just trying to humor him.

There was no point in beating around the bush. It was better to speak frankly.

He knew Gu Jinghong was worried about his daughter and wanted to use his life experience to judge whether Wang Yan was a reliable man. That was only natural for a father.

Some people thought it was wrong of parents to interfere in their children's lives under the pretense of knowing what was best for them. But people should try to be more understanding. Aside from a few who were utterly unreasonable, parents genuinely wanted what was best for their children. They just sometimes went about it the wrong way. And the generation gap was real. When it came to parents and children, it wasn't always so easy to say who was right or wrong.

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

Gu Jinghong was confused. What was Gu Jia supposed to tell him?

Seeing his expression, Wang Yan understood. "Uncle, this house we're standing in is in Gu Jia's name. You know Junyue Mansion. They used to live on the twelfth floor, and I have an apartment on the eighteenth floor. I transferred that to her, too."

Gu Jinghong cried out in surprise. His heart nearly gave out.

He knew how much apartments at Junyue Mansion cost. He hadn't taken a close look at the house when he entered, but he'd gotten a rough idea. The furnishings were elegant, and with the location factored in, he could estimate its value. He'd been thinking that his daughter really knew how to choose a man. Just looking at him, you could tell he had plenty to offer.

He hadn't expected Wang Yan to be this generous. What more was there to judge? What better guarantee could there be? He downed the tea in his cup to calm himself and steady his wildly beating heart.

"Haha, what would I have to worry about? Gu Jia didn't tell me about something this important. You two just got married, so I came by to see if you were doing well." Gu Jinghong laughed, a little awkwardly.

As long as Gu Jia was happy, he didn't mind feeling awkward.

"Come on, have some tea. It really is good."

Seeing Gu Jinghong reach for the teapot to refill their cups, Wang Yan quickly took it and poured for them both.

"I'll get some ready for you later. I have all kinds of tea, so you can help me check whether any of it's fake. Oh, and I'll get you a tea set, too. I have an extra one. You should drink more tea when you have time. Gu Jia said you have a heart condition. I don't know if tea will help, but it can at least be calming."

Thanks to Big Brother (Wu Guan Feng Yu Yue) for the 1,500 coins.

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