"Zhizhi, Meng Qiu, here are a few cups of milk tea I brought back. Help yourselves to whichever you want."
"Mm-hmm, thanks, Sister Wanyin~!"
Once they went inside together, the two girls set their schoolbags down in the entryway with practiced familiarity. They first carried the groceries in their hands into the kitchen, then came over to the dining table to pick out their milk tea.
Having an older sister who could make milk tea-and sold it, too-was wonderful. There was free milk tea to drink whenever they wanted.
Li Wanyin had made all these drinks herself. They were new products Chen Shi'an had recently developed for her.
Continuing their previous naming style, every new milk tea used generous ingredients, had a distinctive appearance, and bore an elegant, old-fashioned name. Bamboo Dew Congealing Frost, Mossy Branch Adorned with Snow, Cloud Perch White Peach, Evening Mountain Cradling the Moon-literary-minded girls would fall in love just hearing the names. "Taoist! Which one do you want?"
"Anything's fine. You girls pick first."
"What about you, Sister Wanyin?"
"Anything's fine for me, too. You and Meng Qiu go ahead, Zhizhi. I brought several cups back. You can take some home later, too."
"Okay! Then I'll take two extra cups home for Younger Maternal Aunt and Qingqing."
"Put them in the fridge first, then."
"Mm-hmm!"
Wen Zhixia fetched a bag, picked out two cups, and put them in the fridge to take home later.
After a moment's thought, Lin Meng Qiu took an extra cup as well, to bring home for her dad later.
In the kitchen, Chen Shi'an was preparing the crucian carp they had bought, while Li Wanyin helped trim the vegetables.
Wen Zhixia was the quick-witted one. Although the Taoist had not come over to choose a drink, she picked one for