Chapter 170: To Get By in Life, You Have to Wear a Little Green
Chapter 170: Chapter 170: To Get By in Life, You Have to Wear a Little Green
The process of assembling the milk tea was simple. You just had to layer sago, mango puree, and pomelo sacs at the bottom of the cup, then pour in the coconut milk mixture and give it a shake.
Lu Wu made them all without ice. The little monk pressed the cup to his cheek, carefully feeling its slight coolness.
It cleared his mind and spirit.
"Go on, try it."
Chan Yu stood behind Tianhui, his heart itching with anticipation as he stared at the creamy yellow milk tea.
’It looks so delicious.’
Urged on by Chan Yu, Tianhui held the cup and took a sip.
Compared to other milk teas, the texture of the Yangzhi Ganlu was lighter. With one sip, both the sago and pomelo sacs were caught on the tip of his tongue.
The sago was slightly chewy, while the pomelo sacs were coated in a thin membrane. When bitten, the sacs would burst with juice, and the faint bitterness of the pomelo would rapidly conquer the taste buds.
Just when you thought that was all, the smooth fruit puree would sweep in at the last moment, aggressively conquering new ground.
The rich, sweet aroma of mango would dispel that faint bitterness. Then, with the addition of the milky liquid, all the ingredients collided, elevating the flavor of the entire milk tea.
The bitterness was merely the opening note; the sweet flavor that etched itself onto the heart was the true melody of the Yangzhi Ganlu.
And just when you thought the milky liquid was too sweet, the residual bitterness would reappear, keeping you on your toes.
"SLURP."
Tianhui clutched the cup, unable to stop. The more he drank, the better it tasted.
The seemingly ordinary ingredients came together in a divine combination, making one’s sense of happiness skyrocket.
Sweet but not cloying, with rich and complex layers.
This was Tianhui’s most direct impression. He nodded vigorously at his senior brothers but was unwilling to waste time talking.
The only sounds at the scene were Lu Wu mixing milk tea and Tianhui gulping his down.
The monks, who had been idly chatting just moments before, all turned their gazes to Tianhui.
No words were needed. Just from Tianhui’s expression, they knew that today’s milk tea would not disappoint.
"Senior Brother, if you just swap places with me, I’ll do your sweeping duty for tomorrow—no... for the next half a month."
A junior brother tugged on his senior brother’s sleeve, trying to negotiate.
That way, he could get his milk tea sooner.
The thought of those milk teas awaiting his royal favor made his heart burn with anticipation.
’Ah, you demons! This humble monk is coming to capture you!’
The two had a very good relationship. In the junior brother’s eyes, his senior brother’s love for him would surely outweigh his love for milk tea.
But in reality, the senior brother simply smiled at his junior, gently removed the younger monk’s hand from his sleeve, and shook his head with a hint of regret.
"Junior Brother, I had an epiphany while sweeping. I need to consolidate my insights for a while, so I don’t need any help for the time being."
’Swap places?’
’In your dreams!’
’If I swapped, wouldn’t I have to drink later?’
’If the senior and junior brothers ahead of me were willing to swap, I’d gladly do an extra month of sweeping.’
The senior brother’s rejection was so cold. The junior brother clutched his wounded heart and silently chanted, "Amitabha."
’Merciful Buddha, please forgive these demonic thoughts I’m having about betraying my brother.’
’I’ll deal with this minor inner demon as soon as I get my milk tea.’
Conversations like this were happening all up and down the line, but in the end, not a single person was willing to switch places.
Chan Yu straightened his sleeves. After Tianhui received the last cup of milk tea, Chan Yu ambled forward.
"Boss Lu, I’ll take the full set."
He placed a Spirit Stone on the stall. Chan Yu’s attitude was so magnanimous, anyone who didn’t know better would think he was walking into some kind of shady massage parlor.
"Where’s Xia Yi?"
Lu Wu’s hands never ceased their work as she curiously asked about Xia Yi.
She had just contacted her yesterday, saying she’d be staying here for a while and asking if they could meet up privately.
’So why isn’t she here now?’
"Mr. Xia has some business today, she’ll be late..."
Chan Yu paused mid-sentence. A shrewd glint flashed in his eyes as he changed his tune.
"Mr. Xia wanted me to ask Boss Lu if I could buy her portion of milk tea along with mine."
’If this works, I can have a double portion of milk tea.’
’Mr. Xia didn’t actually ask me for help. If I can get the milk tea, I don’t have to give it to her at all.’
"But I got a message from Xia Yi first thing this morning. She said she’d come buy her milk tea herself."
Lu Wu raised an eyebrow, sizing up Chan Yu.
’He’s so handsome and looks like an honest monk. How can he be so mischievous?’
"Ahem, this humble monk must have misremembered. Please don’t take offense, Boss Lu."
Sighing with regret in his heart, Chan Yu’s expression remained unchanged, but he avoided Lu Wu’s gaze.
’A sin, a sin.’
’My first attempt at deception, and it was a failure.’
’Looks like I need some remedial study in this area.’
Amidst the banter, Lu Wu had made enough milk tea for almost every monk to have a cup.
"Senior Brother, doesn’t the color of this matcha milk pudding look like that hat you used to have?"
"..."
A junior brother muttered under his breath, earning a furious glare from his senior brother.
’He once had a wife. He thought they were a loving couple, but that wife of his dumped him for the old Wang next door. But so what?’
’Who makes it through this life without a little color on their head?’
’Wasn’t that why he saw through the mortal world and joined the Buddhist Sect?’
’Not long ago, that wife of his had a "sudden change of heart" and wanted to get back together, but he refused her outright.’
’A wife?’
’Hah!’
’Boss Lu’s milk tea is far more attractive to me now.’
"One more word out of you, and you can forget about slacking off during morning chants tomorrow."
The senior brother threatened in a low voice, and the junior brother shrank back, indicating that he knew he was wrong.
Lu Wu, who had happened to overhear, couldn’t help but let her gaze fall upon the senior brother’s bald head.
’Hmm...’
’A bald head gets cold in the winter. He really does need a hat to keep warm. The color, however, needs careful consideration.’
"How about... you try a different flavor?"
Lu Wu suggested. This milk pudding was quite green; it would clash a bit.
"No need!"
The senior brother stiffened his neck and said stubbornly, "That’s all in the past. The first lesson for a disciple of the Buddhist Sect is to face one’s history squarely."
’So what if I was abandoned? I don’t care at all.’
’The pitiful bald monk who took a moment during his daily chants before the Buddha to pray that his ex-wife would never find a good man in her life—that certainly wasn’t me.’
’Swallow the tears. Face it with strength.’
"As you wish."
Lu Wu was utterly shocked.
A moment later, the senior brother fell silent, holding a cup of matcha milk pudding that seemed distinctly, vividly green.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
’Truly, a great Cultivator can injure you without leaving a single trace.’
At this moment, he felt as if his heart had been pierced by ten thousand arrows.
’My heart is breaking, but I’m not saying a word.’
The senior brother savored the bitterness welling up in his chest as he held the milk tea and began to taste it carefully.
A gentle sip was enough to fill his mouth with the cool, silky milk tea. Inside, the milky-white pudding quivered, as smooth and tender as tofu, wobbling with the movement of his hand, making him want to take a bite.
The smooth texture of the milk tea was a pleasant surprise.
Matcha is also slightly bitter, but this bitterness was completely different from that of a bitter pomelo.
He pressed the milky liquid against the roof of his mouth with his tongue, carefully experiencing the bitterness. But before the bitterness could reach its peak, the sweetness of the milk pudding easily rescued him.
’This must be Boss Lu’s way of telling me that life, like this milk tea, is bitter before it is sweet.’
’As long as I endure the initial bitterness, I can welcome the sweetness of the future.’
"Boss Lu, I see it now."
’I see the path I must walk. Boss Lu, I will not fail to live up to your painstaking efforts.’
A thousand flavors settled in his heart, and the senior brother achieved enlightenment.
A Buddhist light suddenly appeared around him, only to be quickly suppressed by the great formation. He had broken through.
He clasped his hands together and thanked Lu Wu.
At this moment, he wore a smile, and his eyes held a look of release.
Lu Wu: Huh?
’Don’t tell me he found out I secretly added extra matcha powder.’