Spirit Pagoda, eighty-first floor.
Han Tianyi slowly walked toward the chair behind the desk. His sleeve swayed lightly as he settled into it.
He took a tin of aged tea leaves from the drawer, pinched a few between his fingertips, and gently placed them in the teapot before pouring in hot water.
His movements were unhurried and graceful, like flowing clouds and running water.
Before long, the room filled with the tea's fragrance, serene and refined. It wasn't overpowering, but seeped into the lungs, wisp by wisp, stilling the mind.
Fang Lin and Na'er sat quietly on a nearby sofa, waiting.
Han Tianyi poured the tea into three white porcelain cups. Steam curled upward.
Only then did he slowly speak. "Xiao Linzi, Na'er."
"Teacher, I don't drink tea."
Fang Lin glanced at the faintly green tea in his cup and politely declined.
"You brat, what are you blabbering about?"
Han Tianyi shot him a look, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If I tell you to drink, then drink."
"Fine."
Fang Lin said no more. He nodded and took the cup.
Seeing him do so, Na'er obediently picked up her teacup too, gently blowing on the steam in little puffs.
She puffed out her cheeks and blew with utmost concentration, her violet eyes fixed unblinking on the tea.
Fang Lin took a small sip. The tea tasted slightly astringent, with a hint of bitterness.
But the next moment, a gentle warmth slowly spread from his throat, like spring water thawing and flowing through every limb.
He suddenly froze.
Ever since leaving the Spirit Ascension Platform, Fang Lin had felt an inexplicable restlessness within him.
It was the bloodlust accumulated through battles to the death, the killing intent clinging to his blade.
Yet in that brief moment, it gradually subsided.
He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were clearer than ever before.
Na'er followed Fang Lin's example and took a sip. The moment the tea touched her tongue—
Her brows immediately scrunched together, her little face puckering as if she'd tasted something unbearably bitter.
"Teacher, it's so bitter."
Na'er stuck out her tongue and set down her teacup, looking pitifully at Han Tianyi.
She looked just like a little cat that had snuck a bite of bitter melon: aggrieved and adorable.
Seeing her like that, Han Tianyi's voice turned gentle, as though he'd become a different person. "It's okay, Na'er. If it's bitter, you don't have to drink it."
His voice held none of the sternness with which he'd just scolded Fang Lin. Instead, he coaxed her with the utmost care.
"Okay."
Na'er obediently nodded. She looked at the tea still filling most of her cup, then raised her eyes to Han Tianyi's gentle gaze.
She hesitated, but picked up the cup anyway and gulped down the rest of the tea in one go.
She looked less like she was drinking tea and more like she was accomplishing some heroic feat.
When she finished, Na'er shivered all over, her face so puckered with bitterness it looked ready to squeeze out tears.
She wiped her mouth, gently set the cup back on the table, and muttered, "It's still so bitter."
Fang Lin drained the rest of his tea.
The gentle warmth flowed through his body, becoming a faint heat that traveled slowly along his meridians.
His whole body relaxed. He leaned back against the sofa and let out a long breath of stale air.
Then Fang Lin turned toward Han Tianyi, a flattering smile in his eyes. "Teacher, why don't you give me a few dozen pounds of this tea?"
Han Tianyi's hand jerked as he held his cup. He nearly spilled the tea.
He stared at Fang Lin, the corner of his mouth twitching as if he couldn't believe his ears.
"You brat, dream on."
Han Tianyi couldn't help raising his voice. "Do you think tea leaves grow like cabbages?"
He took a deep breath, suppressing his exasperation, then lifted his teacup and took a sip to calm himself.
He'd gone to so much trouble to get this tea, and the brat had asked for a few dozen pounds right off the bat. He clearly had no idea how high the sky was or how deep the earth.
"I'll give you one tin at most. Not a leaf more."
Han Tianyi said irritably, taking a tin of tea leaves from the drawer and handing it over.
The tin was small and a deep shade of green. It was clearly no ordinary tea.
"Thank you, Teacher."
Fang Lin took the tea and slipped it straight into his storage ring. He moved so quickly, as if afraid Han Tianyi might change his mind.
Na'er watched from the side and pressed her lips together, seeming to want to laugh but holding it back.
Han Tianyi shook his head, too lazy to argue with his shameless disciple any further.
He set down his teacup, his expression gradually turning serious again as his gaze swept over them both.
"Xiao Linzi, Na'er, go back and get ready.
Han Tianyi spoke in an even tone. "We leave for Heaven Dou City tomorrow."
Fang Lin was slightly taken aback.
A thoughtful look flashed across his eyes, but he soon nodded. "Okay."
Na'er obediently answered as well.
Then Fang Lin and Na'er stood and left the office.
The door quietly closed behind them, leaving only the faint sound of their footsteps in the hallway.
"Big Brother, I want to go to the snack street."
Na'er gazed eagerly at Fang Lin, her violet eyes shining with anticipation.
"Okay."
Fang Lin nodded at her request.
Then he led Na'er toward the private elevator. He pressed the button, and the doors silently slid open.
He stepped inside and pressed the button for the first floor. The elevator began its smooth descent.
"Ding!"
A clear chime sounded. They had arrived at the first floor.
Fang Lin led Na'er out of the elevator and toward the Spirit Pagoda's entrance.
Night had fallen, and the streetlights had just come on.
The night in Shrek City slowly unfurled.
The snack street was brightly lit and bustling with people.
Stalls lined both sides of the street, one after another. White steam rose from the bamboo baskets.
Oil crackled on the griddles, and the glistening sugar coating on the candied hawthorns shimmered beneath the lights. Together, they formed a lively, warm portrait of everyday city life.
The aromas of all kinds of food mingled and drifted far away on the evening breeze.
Na'er's eyes lit up at once.
She hurried over to the nearest candied hawthorn stall
The bright red hawthorns, wrapped in amber-colored sugar, sparkled beneath the lights. She couldn't bear to blink.
"Big Brother, I want this."
Na'er turned and pointed at the candied hawthorns, her voice full of impatience.
Fang Lin walked over and took federation credits from his storage ring to pay the vendor.
The vendor was a kind-looking, stout middle-aged man. With a cheerful smile, he took down the biggest, reddest skewer. He carefully wrapped it in an extra layer of glutinous rice paper before handing it to Na'er.
Na'er took the candied hawthorns and bit into one.
The sugar shell cracked between her teeth with a crisp, pleasant sound. A sweet-and-sour taste burst across her tongue, and her eyes curved into two crescent moons.
"Big Brother, have a bite too."
She held the candied hawthorns up to Fang Lin's mouth, her violet eyes filled with anticipation.
Fang Lin bit off one hawthorn. It was sweet and sour, and pretty tasty.
The evening breeze brushed past them, and the lights glowed warmly.
Na'er held the candied hawthorns in one hand and tugged at Fang Lin's sleeve with the other as they wandered through the crowd, stopping now and then.
Whenever she spotted a stall that caught her interest, she stopped to look for a while, then turned to Fang Lin with her sparkling eyes.
Fang Lin bought everything she wanted, one by one.
Roasted sweet potatoes, fried rice cakes, osmanthus cakes, candied fruit, chicken cartilage...
Before long, Na'er's hands were full. She had Fang Lin hold everything for her so she could free her hands and keep eating.
The snack street wasn't long, but they took their time walking through it.
By the time they reached the end of the street, Na'er was finally content. She patted her belly and let out a tiny burp.
A little sugar clung to the corner of her mouth, and her cheeks were puffed out like a hamster that had eaten its fill.
"Big Brother, let's go home."
Na'er spoke with the languid satisfaction of someone who'd eaten her fill.
"Okay."
Fang Lin answered, wiped the sugar from the corner of her mouth, then took her hand and headed back toward the Spirit Pagoda.