"Chen Wanli gave a smile that was not quite a smile.
Zhao Min turned pale, so terrified she could barely stand.
Huang Shuyue swallowed nervously. "Mr. Chen, please give me a chance, and I'll give you an explanation right now!"
With that, he glared viciously at Zhao Min.
"Fifth Master, I'm Zhao Min from the Anyang Casino. Young Master Li Tianyang asked me to collect a debt for him, who could have known it was a case of friends fighting friends..." Zhao Min hastily explained.
"Using my name to run amok, are you?" Huang Shuyue's face turned green with rage. With a wave of his hand, he signaled his men to drag Zhao Min away.
Two burly men stepped forward, delivered a flurry of heavy punches to Zhao Min, and then hoisted her into the trunk of a car.
Chen Wanli's expression softened slightly. He had originally thought Zhao Min was a spy sent by the weasel to cause him trouble, but it now appeared he had overthought things.
Seeing this, Huang Shuyue heaved a sigh of relief and flicked his head toward his subordinates.
Immediately, his men began unloading gifts from the vehicles.
More than a dozen boxes of various aged Moutai, over a dozen boxes of Zhonghua cigarettes, along with precious ginseng, American ginseng, and cordyceps, were carried out box by box.
As they unloaded, Huang Shuyue flattering explained the categories of each item.
"Mr. Chen, you said today I would face three calamities, all involving bloodshed. Two of them have already come true. I was lucky to keep my life—how can I avert this third calamity?"
Huang Shuyue looked at Chen Wanli with a face full of supplication.
Chen Wanli glanced sideways at Huang Shuyue. "Your third calamity is especially perilous. Without the support of a noble person, you will surely die!"
"Your crimson aura reflects upon me, so this third calamity must be connected to me. When the time comes and you encounter it, come find me!"
Chen Wanli could not claim to feel any fondness for Huang Shuyue, but this fellow was clever enough to know which side his bread was buttered on, so there was no need to beat him to death with a single stick.
Besides, playing the role of his noble benefactor wouldn't be a thankless task.
Huang Shuyue now believed Chen Wanli's words implicitly. Hearing that it was especially perilous, he dropped straight to his knees at Chen Wanli's feet with a thud:
"Sir, you must save me! As long as I get through this calamity, I will treat Mr. Chen like a blood brother from now on!"
Chen Wanli pulled Huang Shuyue up and said slowly, "Since it is an opportunity for a noble person to lend a helping hand, it will not be a sudden disaster falling from the skies. There will be a window for buffer, so it will not be too late to find me then."
Only then did Huang Shuyue feel much more at ease. He stood up and immediately directed his men to carry the gifts upstairs.
"I scared your sister-in-law at the hospital. Should I go up and offer a personal apology?" Huang Shuyue asked cautiously.
Chen Wanli thought for a moment, figuring it would be good to let Tang Dapeng and the others know the matter was settled. "Go ahead!"
At the elevator lobby upstairs, Zhang Haimin and his wife were preparing to leave.
Tang Dapeng, Zhang Yuehong, and Tang Yanran were all seeing them off at the elevators.
Having already pocketed the two million, Zhang Haimin had dropped his director's airs and appeared much more amiable. "Don't worry, brother-in-law, I've already spoken to someone to smooth things over. Fifth Master Huang won't make trouble again. If there are any more issues, just give me a call! As for that bunch of punks downstairs, I've already called the precinct to handle them!"
With that, the couple stepped into the elevator. No sooner had the elevator descended than the doors of the adjacent one suddenly opened, and burly, fierce-looking men poured out.
The three members of the Tang family, still shaken from their ordeal, instinctively stepped back half a step. Fortunately, the men were all holding gift boxes in their arms and didn't look like they were there to pick a fight.
Assuming they were guests for a neighbor, the Tangs breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to leave. But then they saw a bald man step out of the elevator, heading straight toward the three of them.
Tang Dapeng instinctively shielded his wife and daughter behind him. The bald man's face was covered in fierce flesh, yet he forced a smile.
On the temple of that big bald head was a patch of gauze over an injury, looking unspeakably bizarre and awkward.
"Hehe, I'm Huang Laowu!"
"..."
Zhang Yuehong was so frightened she almost shrieked, and Tang Yanran's face drained of color.
"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous. I'm just here to apologize!" Huang Shuyue said hurriedly.
"Those unprincipled subordinates of mine went to the hospital to cause trouble today, and I've already taught them a lesson."
"From now on, absolutely no one will dare to harass you again. These gifts are just a small token of my apology! Please forgive me!"
As he spoke, Huang Shuyue stepped back half a step.
With the gifts piled up at the doorstep of the Tang home, Tang Dapeng finally believed that Huang Shuyue had come to apologize.
"Alright, the apology has been made, now get back!" Chen Wanli's voice drifted from the elevator.
Huang Shuyue nodded repeatedly, leading his group away even faster than they had arrived.
Once everyone had cleared out, Zhang Yuehong said with a pale face, "That scared the life out of me. The aura on that man is terrifying!"
Tang Dapeng said nothing. Staring at the floor full of gifts, he muttered, "We can't accept his things! They have to be sent back!"
"They should compensate my wife, seeing how scared she was today!" Chen Wanli said, hauling the items inside on his own initiative.
Zhang Yuehong snapped irritably, "Compensation for what? Your dad already forked over two million, and it was your cousin who invited a noble person to help!"
"He might have connections, but he only sent a few text messages to a noble person, and Fifth Master Huang showed up with gifts to apologize!"
At this, Zhang Yuehong glared at Chen Wanli again. "It's all your fault, you prodigal! You've only been well for two days, and you're already trying to bankrupt the family!"
Chen Wanli frowned. "I was the one who solved the weasel problem. What does that have to do with the cousin? Why did you give them two million in the first place?"
"You ungrateful wretch, still boasting? If you had that kind of ability, would I have had to swallow my pride and hand two million over to someone on a silver platter?"
"Two million! We were originally planning to expand the plantation, and now that's down the drain!"
The more Zhang Yuehong talked, the angrier she became, her eye rims turning red.
Chen Wanli's heart softened slightly. Although this mother-in-law had a sharp tongue and was deeply dissatisfied with him, the fact that she had agreed to hand over two million just like that still shocked him.
He had originally expected that, given Zhang Yuehong's disdain over the past two days, she would have tied him up and delivered him to the weasel as a peace offering.
Tang Yanran also looked somewhat gloomy. Having caused trouble and forcing her parents to spend so much money, it would be a miracle if she didn't harbor any resentment.
"Forget it, I won't say anymore. I'll make up that two million for you later!" Chen Wanli placated, and began moving the items.
"Make it up? What are you going to make it up with? Do you think two million is two hundred yuan, something you can earn just by going out and laying bricks for a day?"
"Say less!" Tang Dapeng barked.
With the items brought inside, the mother-in-law was still weeping over the two million.
Remembering the scar on Fifth Master Huang's head, Tang Yanran subconsciously thought that maybe Chen Wanli really was the one who did it!
This violent maniac was entirely capable of such a thing!
Yet, thinking of Huang Laowu's clout as described by Tang Dapeng, she decided she was probably overthinking it.
"Tsk, these things aren't cheap! Put together, they're probably worth well over three million!" Having finished counting the gifts, Tang Dapeng furrowed his brow suspiciously.
"That financial parasite Zhang Haimin finally did something decent for once. He must have brought in a high-ranking official with serious pull; that's why Huang Laowu got scared and sent such heavy gifts!"
Hearing that the gifts were of immense value, Zhang Yuehong's expression finally softened quite a bit.
Tang Dapeng nodded in agreement, then turned to Chen Wanli with earnest gravity. "Wanli, a fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. You must never act so impulsively in the future! We owe this to your cousin, next time..."
The corners of Chen Wanli's mouth twitched. "Dad, this really has nothing to do with him! I..."
This time, not only Zhang Yuehong, but Tang Yanran also knitted her brows. The initial cause of the incident was Chen Wanli stepping in to protect Tang Dapeng, so she hadn't blamed him.
However, when retaliation came, Chen Wanli hadn't dared to make a sound and had even refused to call the police—that had deeply disappointed her.
Now, everyone clearly saw that the cousin had helped, yet Chen Wanli was still being stubbornly argumentative!
Disappointed and annoyed, Tang Yanran happened to receive a call from her best friend Jiang Li, inviting her out to hang out. She immediately agreed.
"Dad, Jiang Li wants me to go have tea with her, I'm heading out!" Tang Yanran gave a quick word and made to leave.
Suddenly, Tang Dapeng said, "Take Wanli with you. Now that he's well, you should introduce him to more of your friends!"
"..." Tang Yanran frowned in silence. After a long moment, she gave a slight nod.
....
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Chapter 18: Understanding a Tiny Bit
Chen Wanli hesitated. Tang Dapeng had been willing to spend two million to protect him, and trying to bridge the gap now was a good intention; he didn't want to refuse.
So he simply followed Tang Yanran out of the Tang household, just a step behind her.
Downstairs, he saw Jiang Li waiting by a black sedan.
Seeing Chen Wanli, Jiang Li froze for a second, casting a suspicious glance at Tang Yanran.
Tang Yanran remained expressionless. "This is my friend Jiang Li. You two say hello!"
"He's cured?" Jiang Li clearly knew about Chen Wanli's condition.
Tang Yanran nodded.
The corners of Jiang Li's mouth turned down in undisguised disdain. Even if he was cured, he was still a penniless orphan with neither power nor backing, and he didn't even look exceptional. How could he possibly be worthy of a great beauty like Tang Yanran?
"Hello!" Chen Wanli said calmly, extending his hand.
Jiang Li ignored the gesture entirely and walked straight to the driver's seat. "Get in, Tao Yuze and the others are already waiting over there!"
"Tao Yuze is there too?" Hearing that name, Tang Yanran visibly hesitated.
Jiang Li giggled. "We're just going for tea, don't overthink it!"
Seeing this, and not wanting to ruin her best friend's mood, Tang Yanran nodded.
The car sped all the way, finally stopping in front of a lavishly decorated teahouse.
"Yanran, Jiang Li, you're finally here, we've been waiting ages!"
Several well-dressed young gentlemen stepped forward to welcome them.
The leader possessed a scholar-like temperament with a hint of arrogance in his brows. He was Tang Yanran's classmate and admirer, Tao Yuze.
Seeing a man step out of the car as well, Tao Yuze's expression shifted slightly. "And this is?"
"Cow dung!" Jiang Li introduced with a smile that wasn't a smile.
"Cow dung?" Tao Yuze blinked for three seconds before it registered: fresh flowers inserted in cow dung! Wasn't that Tang Yanran's idiot husband?
A flash of displeasure crossed Tao Yuze's eyes. He looked Chen Wanli up and down, concluding he was utterly unremarkable.
He'd heard the guy's family background was entirely ordinary, and they'd suffered some family misfortune later on.
Such a piece of trash, and mentally ill to boot, had actually managed to marry Tang Yanran.
Tang Yanran frowned, but ultimately only said to Chen Wanli, "My friend speaks without a filter, don't take it to heart!"
Chen Wanli raised an eyebrow and couldn't be bothered to speak.
"Doesn't he have that, you know, that illness? Why bring him here?" Fu Yuan glanced sideways at Chen Wanli.
Fu Yuan was a close friend of Tao Yuze, and he was intentionally trying to humiliate Chen Wanli.
"He's cured!" Jiang Li tilted her head, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
"Heh! Since he's here, he can sit with us. Though I'm afraid he won't care for a place like a teahouse!"
Tao Yuze's annoyance was fleeting, and he quickly resumed his posture of a polished gentleman.
He had always known that Tang Yanran's marriage to her idiot husband was in name only, arranged purely out of filial obedience to her father's wishes.
Now that the guy was cured, it was even better—divorcing him would be completely burden-free.
An orphan with no background was nothing he needed to care about.
Resuming his warm smile, Tao Yuze said to Tang Yanran, "Yanran, didn't you express interest in the art of tea recently? The tea master here has incredible skill and artistry, so I wanted to bring you to experience it!"
"Hahaha, the owner of this teahouse is Sister Shu, Shu Yiyan. She's the president of the Jiangnan Tea Ceremony Association; ordinary people can't even get in here, let alone taste her private new harvest of tea!"
"Only Brother Tao has this kind of pull. We're just basking in Young Master Tao's glory!"
Fu Yuan and another fellow named Deng Zeng chimed in one after another with extravagant flattery.
Tao Yuze gave a faint smile. "I'm just basking in my grandfather's glory!"
With that, he turned back to Tang Yanran. "Regarding the matter of your promotion to attending physician being suppressed by your hospital director, I already asked my grandfather to put in a good word. There should be news very soon."
Tang Yanran nodded, a trace of joy flashing in her eyes.
As they spoke, the group entered the teahouse.
A female attendant with an exquisite figure immediately hurried over, her gaze landing directly on Tao Yuze. "Mr. Tao, the same private room as last time?"
"Mm!"
The waitress immediately led them toward a private room on the second floor.
The room was styled in the classic, refined aesthetics of the Song Dynasty aristocracy, with every decoration and display piece showcasing meticulous thought and high-end taste—exuding a low-key luxury beneath its antique simplicity.
On one side sat a carved wooden tea table large enough for six people, where a tea master was already washing and boiling the tea sets.
Opposite the tea table stood a guqin, with a zither player clad in a pale blue robe seated before it.
"Today we are drinking *Qing Feng Sui*! Burning incense to appreciate tea, and tea cannot be done without incense—we'll use agarwood for the incense!" Tao Yuze smiled and nodded toward the tea master.
"What a strange name!" Jiang Li muttered.
"Haha, *Qing Feng Sui* is a famous Song Dynasty tea, a steamed pressed tea, which, along with the *Dragon Tribute Cake*, is hailed as the twin pinnacles of tea art. Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty and the renowned statesman Su Shi both praised *Qing Feng Sui* to no end!"
Tao Yuze expounded eloquently.
"Young Master Tao really is a man of refined taste! Unlike us uncultured folks who only know how to chew peonies like cattle..."
Jiang Li was adept at flattering, a single sentence leaving Tao Yuze—who fancied himself part of a scholarly pedigree—beaming with delight.
"Qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, flowers, and tea—these have always been the eight refinements of ancient scholars. Just like Yanran, I have a deep reverence for antiquity!"
Tang Yanran shook her head. "I only got a glimpse of it because Jiang Li introduced me, I was just a bit curious, I don't really understand much!"
While they chatted, Chen Wanli sat blankly in his seat without saying a word.
"Mr. Chen, outsiders all say that you and Yanran are an ill-matched pair, but I feel that might not entirely be the case. To have caught Yanran's eye, you must surely share similar interests and tastes. I wonder how much you know about the art of tea?"
Tao Yuze abruptly threw the topic toward Chen Wanli.
Chen Wanli rubbed his chin. "I understand a tiny bit!"
The subtext of Tao Yuze's words was obvious: outsiders said they didn't belong together, and if Chen Wanli didn't even understand Tang Yanran's tastes and preferences, it would merely confirm that verdict!
"Understanding a little bit is already impressive. What kind of tea do you usually drink?" Jiang Li was classmates with Tao Yuze and disliked Chen Wanli, so she immediately jumped in to undermine him.
The corners of Tang Yanran's mouth drooped; she was starting to regret bringing Chen Wanli along.
Chen Wanli didn't seem troubled at all, offering a very calm smile. "Ration tea. Just drink whatever."
The group exchanged glances and laughed with undisguised contempt.
Ration tea? Wasn't that just cheap tea leaves costing a hundred yuan a catting?
The tea-tasting they spoke of involved high-end teas costing thousands or tens of thousands of yuan perliang, or even more.
Tao Yuze couldn't be bothered to waste any more words on Chen Wanli.
As they spoke, the tea master had finished her preparations.
She readied the teapot, stood up, and held the pot with one hand, lifting it three feet above the tea cup. The water cascaded down in a single stream from the spout.
The pouring motion was as graceful as a dance.
Very soon, patterns resembling overlapping green mountain peaks floated across the surface of the tea bowl.
Everyone expressed amazement.
"This is called *Cha Baixi*, capable of creating all sorts of patterns. *Qing Feng Sui* and the *Dragon Tribute Cake* were said to be Emperor Huizong's absolute favorites. I couldn't get my hands on the *Dragon Tribute Cake*, so let's taste this *Qing Feng Sui* first!" With that, Tao Yuze snapped his fingers.
The zither player understood the cue, stood up, and stepped aside. Tao Yuze stepped forward, seated himself before the guqin, smiled slightly, and said, "Burning incense and tasting tea cannot be complete without the accompaniment of the zither! I'll play a tune for everyone!"
"*Feng Qiu Huang*!"
Jiang Li smiled demurely and teased, "Who is Young Master Tao trying to woo with this?!"
Tao Yuze put on the airs of a polished, elegant gentleman, gave a faint smile, and touched the strings!
The intoxicating aroma of tea, mixed with the faint scent of agarwood, lingered in the air.
Tao Yuze's guqin skills had been professionally trained; back in college, he had used this talent to pick up girls and had made quite a splash.
Jiang Li had said that Tang Yanran wasn't the kind of girl obsessed with money and power; she liked men with depth.
When Tao Yuze showed off in front of Tang Yanran now, he was simply putting on airs to present himself as a cultured man of letters, unlike those vulgar, crude men.
As the tea aroma filled the air, the tea master put down the teapot, picked up a salt cellar, and sprinkled a tiny bit of salt into each tea cup.
"Please enjoy!"
When it reached Chen Wanli's cup, he covered the rim with his hand and shook his head to indicate he didn't need salt.
"Heh, looks like you really don't understand. *Qing Feng Sui* requires a pinch of salt to bring out its flavor!" Tao Yuze said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"I don't like it!" Chen Wanli shook his head.
"You don't even know what it tastes like, yet you're talking about liking or not liking it. You really know how to put on an act!" Fu Yuan curled his lip in contempt.
"Pfft..." Jiang Li couldn't help laughing out loud.
"Hey, don't pick on him, maybe Brother Chen actually understands?" Deng Zeng said with a hint of provocation, looking at Chen Wanli with a smile that wasn't a smile. "Why don't you explain it to everyone?"
Jiang Li and the others cooperatively turned their gazes back to Chen Wanli, filled with mockery and ridicule.
Tang Yanran awkwardly interjected, "He's like me, he doesn't really understand this stuff, don't give him a hard time..."
Before her voice had even faded, Chen Wanli chuckled. "Well, for my wife's sake, I'll reluctantly explain it to you all!"
"I'd love to hear what kind of nonsense you can come up with!" Tao Yuze also stopped playing.
....
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Chapter 19: Just Listen to This Tune of *Shui Long Yin*!
Both Tao Yuze's paternal and maternal grandfathers were retired high-ranking officials; they were well-accustomed to fine wine and exceptional tea.
Even Jiang Li and the others could be considered second-generation wealth from their upbringing.
In their eyes, Chen Wanli, an orphan from a humble background, didn't even have the qualifications or the opportunity to drink tea of this caliber, let alone evaluate it.
Tao Yuze didn't even bother to conceal the mockery in his eyes; he just wanted to watch Chen Wanli make a fool of himself.
Tang Yanran's delicate brows knitted into a tight knot. She didn't understand why Chen Wanli had to be so contrarian. Not understanding wasn't shameful—she didn't really understand it either—but trying to grandstand for attention made her feel deeply humiliated.
Chen Wanli sighed. He wasn't unfamiliar with the tea ceremony; back in the day, his father had loved tea, and he had tasted plenty of fine teas alongside him. Later on, when he went to college, he happened to read *The Classic of Tea* and related literature.
He understood the history of how the ancients turned tea drinking into a true appreciation of tea, making it one of the eight refinements cherished by refined scholars, down to the finest detail.
He had no interest in telling them the fascinating historical tidbits, choosing instead to pick from the material he had read: "The salt is added because tea leaves contain glutamic acid, second in content only to free theanine.
When brewing tea, adding an appropriate amount of sodium chloride—that is, salt—triggers a chemical reaction with the glutamic acid in the tea soup, generating a certain amount of monosodium glutamate.
Monosodium glutamate is MSG, the very seasoning we often add when cooking stir-fries to enhance the fresh taste of the tea soup.
Because of ancient tea-processing techniques, the astringency of the tea was somewhat heavy. Umami flavor can suppress bitterness.
However, tasting tea involves a blend of umami, sweetness, bitterness, and astringency, all fusing together in a single sip that leaves a lingering aftertaste, mirroring the five flavors of human life. That's why Huang Tingjian said that adding salt to tea is like inviting thieves to loot the house, draining away its essence!"
"..."