Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: This Girl’s Tea Is Not Bad
Chapter 149: This Girl’s Tea Is Not Bad
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
However, no matter how good her tea skills were, Master Samson still did not like her. That was why she never brewed tea again.
It had been three years so she wondered if her skills had deteriorated. All she hoped right now was that she would not embarrass herself today.
When Master Hoffman heard that she was going to burn incense and clean her hands, he couldn’t help but look at her a few more times. Although she was very young, she knew how to make tea.
He turned to the girl in the dress standing next to him. She understood his gesture and left the room. After a few minutes, two women in the same red dress came in with incense and water in their hands.
After Serenity cleaned her hands and burned the incense, she took the boiling water and heated the teapot. She then took a suitable amount of tea leaves and placed them into the teapot. The tea leaves were of the highest quality, Tie Guanyin.
She poured a small amount of boiling water into the teapot and then covered it. The teapot was transparent, so one could see the tea leaves sinking slowly as they absorbed the water and slowly unfolded, revealing the original color of the leaves.
This was merely the first step: to wash the tea leaves. She poured away the slightly turbid water and poured another cup of hot water into the teapot for the second time.
Serenity continued to calmly go through the various steps of brewing tea as she was taught.
Master Hoffman observed her skilled movements and the seriousness with which she was making tea. Soon, his eyes were filled with admiration.
This was also Gabriel’s first time watching her make tea. Since her head was slightly lowered, the fair nape of her neck was revealed. Her skin was porcelain white and smooth like white jade. The way she focused on her task made it seem as if she was dealing with something extremely delicate.
Her cheeks were very small, almost no bigger than his palm. The lines of her side profile were soft and delicate, and a wisp of playful hair stuck to her cheek, adding a little spirit to her.
Five minutes later, the water vapor carrying the fragrance of tea rose like clouds, filling the elegant room.
It had been too long since she had brewed tea in this traditional manner so she didn’t know how well she did.
She flipped over two small red clay teacups and poured two cups for them. “The tea’s temperature is higher than 60 degrees, and the fragrance is not as much as I expected. The taste should be astringent. But please, let me know whether it is to your liking.”
Master Hoffman picked up his teacup and sniffed it. The fragrance of the tea was refreshing. He hadn’t tasted it yet, but he knew this girl’s tea skills were not bad just by smelling it.
Serenity looked nervously at the two people who were tasting her tea. She was feeling even more nervous than when she attended the tea ceremony competition and waited for the judges’ decision.
Master Hoffman sipped the tea slowly. After it entered his mouth, the fragrance of the tea lingered on his tongue. It was much better than the tea brewed by the waitress of the teahouse just now.
Gabriel took a sip and saw her staring at him from the corner of his eye. He looked at Master Hoffman and said, “What do you think, Master Hoffman?”
“This girl’s tea brewing skills are not bad.” Master Hoffman put down his teacup and looked at Serenity. “Did you learn your tea-brewing skills from your grandfather?”
Master Samson hated her so he would never have taught her this. She shook her head and said, “I learned it from my mother.”
Although Helena Turner was not a socialite, she was well-educated and reasonable. Master Hoffman still had a good impression of her so his tone now sounded a little friendlier. “Has your grandfather been well in recent years?”
From his tone, the two of them must have known each other. She said, “He’s not doing too badly. He’s in Oakland right now.”
Master Hoffman picked up the teapot and poured himself another cup. “Say hello to him for me.”
Although Master Hoffman was as old-fashioned as Master Samson, he was still a little friendlier and more approachable.
Serenity said, “Alright.”
Gabriel looked at her and curled his lips slightly. “There is a garden in the backyard of the teahouse. If you are bored, you can go sit there.”
Of course, Serenity could tell that he was sending her away. The two of them probably wanted to talk about serious matters. She got up and left the room, walking through the corridor before arriving at the back garden..