Xia Zhi said, "Oh, Tangtang, I specially invited a Tea Artist to give everyone a demonstration today. You're so skilled at tea arts, so you can give the young lady some pointers."
With that, Xia Zhi raised her hand, and the girl began her practiced tea ceremony.
First, she washed the cups, then placed a teacup in an empty bowl, gripped it with tea tongs, and rotated it inside the bowl.
The girl's movements flowed like water, her long sleeves fluttering, the beaded ornaments on her head chiming against one another. It was such a lovely sight that she seemed to have stepped out of a painting.
It really was beautiful.
Although none of them understood it, they watched with great interest.
Tang Fangjing was secretly astonished too. Her father made tea by tossing some leaves into a big mug and adding hot water. Who would have imagined brewing tea could be so poetic and picturesque?
Xia Zhi commented, "The young lady wasn't careful enough when taking out the tea. Some leaves fell out."
"The angle she's holding the pot at isn't right either. Her technique needs a little work."
"She steeped it too long. The tea's overbrewed."
"..."
Tang Fangjing didn't understand a word of this professional commentary, but she still pretended to understand everything. "Mm, that's right. And the tea overflowed from the spout. She filled it too high."
Xia Zhi turned to Tang Fangjing in some disbelief. "Tangtang, that's skimming the foam."
Her expression seemed to say, You don't even know that?
Thoroughly embarrassed, Tang Fangjing hurriedly coughed to cover it up. "I know."
Luckily, Xia Zhi didn't press her any further. Instead, she took out her phone to film the girl's tea ceremony. Tang Fangjing asked curiously,
"What are you doing?"
Xia Zhi said casually, "Your brother really likes watching performances like this. He says girls who know tea arts have such elegance."
"Unfortunately, I'm too uncultured to learn it, no matter how I try. So I'm filming someone else to give him a visual treat."
The speaker was "casual," but the listener took it to heart.
Tang Fangjing thought, So Brother Heng likes this. This is the first I've heard of it. Still, this tea ceremony really does look beautiful. If I were the one performing up there...
Tang Fangjing's heart pounded. She could almost see Lu Heng watching her from below the stage, his gaze intent and entranced.
Her chance had come!
"Oh, Tangtang, once she's finished, why don't you go up and give us a demonstration too? Let this young lady learn a little more from a master like you."
Tang Fangjing hastily waved her hands. "Next time."
Just then, the young Tea Artist finished her performance. She served tea to everyone present and explained the uses of the Aroma Cup and Tasting Cup, as well as how to taste the tea.
Tang Fangjing's younger brother, Tang Fangquan, gulped his down in one go. "It's so bitter. I don't see what's so good about it."
Tang Fangquan was two years younger than Tang Fangjing and had dropped out of school early. In his early twenties, he wouldn't look for work and hung around with a bunch of disreputable friends, well versed in drinking, feasting, whoring, and gambling. Even his parents couldn't control him.
Tang Fangjing glared at her brother, then took a sip herself.
"Sweet beneath the bitterness, and very fragrant. Not bad."
Then she put down her cup with an affected air and thanked the Tea Artist.
The Tea Artist went on to explain the functions of the tea set and the grade of the tea leaves. When Tang Fangquan heard that such a small quantity of leaves sold for tens of thousands, he was so shocked that he hurriedly drank another two cups, despite having just complained about the bitterness.
While everyone was drinking tea, Xia Zhi suggested, "Tangtang, if you won't perform, just do a few poses. I'll take pictures for your brother."
Hearing that Brother Heng would see them, Tang Fangjing hurriedly straightened her dress. "Okay."
That was easy.
So Tang Fangjing picked up the teapot and struck a few poses, pretending she knew what she was doing.
Xia Zhi took several photos in succession, then edited them and handed them to Tang Fangjing to look at. "These two are good."
Tang Fangjing nodded too. Xia Zhi had made her look so beautiful in the edited photos, exactly like a wealthy young heiress.
Right in front of Tang Fangjing, Xia Zhi sent the photos and typed,
-Aheng, Tangtang really likes the tea set you gave her.
When the archvillain saw Tang Fangjing's photos, he would surely feel that his gift had been exactly what she wanted.
Only after seeing the message Xia Zhi sent was Tang Fangjing finally certain that Brother Heng really had given her the tea set, rather than Xia Zhi playing a trick on her.
Tang Fangjing's expression finally improved. She linked her arm through Xia Zhi's. "Xia Xia, thank you and Brother Heng for the tea set. I really like it."
Xia Zhi smiled without saying anything.
After the tea ceremony ended, the girl said goodbye and left.
The meal officially began. After that little interlude, Tang Fangjing seemed even closer to Xia Zhi, making Zhao Qingqing roll her eyes repeatedly beside them.
There were eight people at the table. Apart from Zhao Qingqing, Fu Ting'an, and the others, the remaining three were Tang Fangjing's poor relatives. Although they were around the same age, Zhao Qingqing and the original owner normally looked down on them.
Tang Fangjing always liked to boast to those relatives about her friendships with wealthy young ladies, claiming that every one of them fawned over her.
Which of her female cousins didn't know it was all because of Lu Heng?
If Lu Heng hadn't been close to Tang Fangjing's family, which of these wealthy young men and women would have given her the time of day?
Tang Fangjing's older female cousin had seen that tea ceremony perfectly clearly. Xia Zhi had been putting Tang Fangjing in her place, yet Tang Fangjing thought she was currying favor with her.
Laughable.
Most of the people at the table were women. Fu Ting'an and Tang Fangquan were the only two men.
Using the excuse of urging her to drink, Fu Ting'an kept edging closer to Xia Zhi. Naturally, Xia Zhi wasn't about to let a groper take advantage of her. She stood up and quietly told Tang Fangjing beside her,
"I'm going to the restroom."
Fu Ting'an thought Xia Zhi wanted to meet him alone and eagerly followed her out.
At the table, Tang Fangjing and Zhao Qingqing exchanged a look, their smiles unmistakably gloating.
"Xia Xia."
Xia Zhi turned to see Fu Ting'an and couldn't help frowning. "Did you need something, Mr. Fu?"
Fu Ting'an stepped forward, grabbed Xia Zhi's arm, and pulled her toward his embrace. "Xia Xia, you have no idea how much I've missed you."
"I've been running all over the country with my dad these past few days. I'm exhausted."
"Can't you show me a little sympathy..."
Xia Zhi hurriedly stepped back twice. "Don't touch me!"
The original owner was at fault here. Fu Ting'an dared to get handsy because the original owner had maintained an ambiguous relationship with him. She didn't like Fu Ting'an, but she enjoyed his pursuit.
She could only find the tenderness she couldn't get from Lu Heng in Fu Ting'an.
What Xia Zhi needed to do now was sever the original owner's relationship with Fu Ting'an and keep those two little bitches from laughing at her.
How could Fu Ting'an possibly be willing to let go?
The two struggled back and forth. The more fiercely Xia Zhi resisted, the stronger Fu Ting'an's urge to overpower her became.
How could a woman's strength compare to a man's?
Finally, Xia Zhi had nowhere left to retreat, her back pressed against the wall behind her. Fu Ting'an stared deeply at her, his eyes filled with anger.
"Xia Xia, you've changed."
Xia Zhi nearly rolled her eyes at him right there. Of course she had changed. From top to bottom, inside and out, she had a completely different soul now.
"Fu Ting'an, let go of me, or I won't hold back!"
The original owner had always had a fiery temper.
Xia Zhi imitated her to perfection.
Faced with the glare from her beautiful eyes, Fu Ting'an felt no fear. Instead, it ignited a wicked fire within him.
"Not only am I not letting go today, I'm going to have you."
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