The three chatted as they strolled, eventually arriving at a teahouse.
The teahouse exuded an antique charm. The proprietress, appearing no older than thirty, was curvaceous with a generous bosom and a face as picturesque as a painting.
“Xiao Xi, over here?”
“Mm. Brew us a pot of black tea. The usual spot.”
“You go up first. I’ll bring it up once it’s ready.”
As Li Minxi led them upstairs, she introduced, “This teahouse is quite nice. All the teas here are fresh. Yangyang and I come here often. The proprietress has excellent skills; watching her tea ceremony is a true delight.”
“I don’t know much about tea; I usually just drink plain boiled water. Good tea to me is like offering a peony to a cow – a sheer waste,” Xiao Hong chimed in.
“I don’t know tea tasting either, but I can tell if a tea is good or bad,” Li Minxi said as they walked, quickly reaching a teahouse room on the second floor facing the street.
“Come in.”
This teahouse room was furnished in an antique style, with four chairs and a tea table specifically placed within.
“These are specifically prepared for us. Other rooms have guests sit directly on cushions. Yangyang and I aren’t comfortable sitting on floor cushions, so these four chairs were arranged.”
“So you and Yangyang-jie come here often.”
“Yes, it’s also a form of prenatal education, a very good one. Every time I come here and watch the proprietress perform, I feel exceptionally calm and comfortable,” Li Minxi said, walking to a corner and starting a soothing Guqin melody. Xiao Hong had never heard this piece before, but it was indeed beautiful, though she couldn’t quite articulate why. Listening to the music, she felt as though the baby in her womb had fallen asleep.
The proprietress soon arrived, carrying exquisite tea ware, presumably containing black tea. The so-called tea ceremony involved preparing the tools, washing the pot and cups, appreciating the tea leaves, adding the tea, rinsing the leaves, brewing, pouring, appreciating the liquor, serving, and tasting, though each step had a rather unique name. Undoubtedly, the proprietress’s tea ceremony was a beautiful display; merely observing her fluid, cloud-like movements was a pleasure to behold. This entire process took about half an hour.
The performance was over, they had drunk their fill of tea, and they had rested adequately.
“Let’s go, Xiao Xin, come eat with us?”
“Xiao Xi, you go ahead. I’ll treat you another day. I have another appointment booked in advance today and really can’t get away.”
“Alright then, you’re a busy person. We’ll gather another time.” Li Minxi, along with Guo Yiyang and Wang Lihong, descended the stairs and stepped onto the street.
“What should we eat? My treat.”
“After drinking so much tea, I’m not hungry at all,” Wang Lihong said.
“Let’s stroll around a bit more; it’s not too late yet. We can find a place to eat later when we’re tired,” Guo Yiyang suggested.
“Okay then, let’s go buy Xiao Hong some clothes. It’s time for me to get some new ones too.”
“You just bought clothes not too long ago! You want to shop again?”
“A woman must pamper herself. Money is meant to be spent. What’s the point of saving it? Who is there to impress when you’re old? ‘A woman adorns herself for him who appreciates her.’ While Yangzi is still home these days, wear something nice for him to see.”
“He’ll still see the same you. You’re not going to get uglier, nor any prettier.”
“You wouldn’t understand this! If you don’t dress up and always wear drab clothes, he might not say it, but he won’t be happy in his heart. However, if you dress beautifully, even if he doesn’t praise you verbally, he’ll approve of you immensely in his heart. Men are driven by their lower halves; only by attracting him will he think of seeking you out. With so many women around him now, if we don’t make an effort, who knows how long it will be before he comes to us?”
“Xiao Xi, how come I find you increasingly desperate?” Guo Yiyang said with a laugh.
“Don’t you want it?”
“It’s a lie to say I don’t, but I feel this matter is rather optional.”
“You should go to the hospital for a check-up. See if you have frigidity?”
“Get lost,” Guo Yiyang said, playfully pushing Li Minxi.