The Tea House

The view of the business district was an uncommon but welcome sight for Chan Lee, numerous skyscrapers along with fine establishments dotted the streets alongside ports. It was a tourist spot that youths like her would spend time with their peers. They'd visit shops, boutiques and other entertainment districts after classes if they weren't the studious type.

Chan Lee was really neither.

Relaxing on her seat, she rested her face on a hand. She enjoyed staying at home for peace and silence. Not that was a really foreseeable thing now by having a certain rabbit using her place as a den. 

It took some time before they reached their stop.

"Let's get down here~" Suyin soon declared as she stood up from her seat. Instead of taking the usual fast railway station, the three of them had taken a bus to the district. With the sun winking at them from over the horizons, the day was ending but the night would be quite young.

Chan Lee wondered how Xue and Han Jing were doing, though she felt assured that the latter would have gotten her cryptic message from his mother. She really had to repay him for taking care of Xue.

"Come on, let's go." Mei beckoned to her with an impish smile, pulling her from both her thoughts and her seat. The three of them stepped down from their ride and into the district, Suyin eventually leading and navigating them to the tea house that she worked at.

Her imagination of a quaint and small tea house that catered to the eldery soon proved to be a pipe dream. They stopped in front of the many available ports where an artificial lake was constructed. The tea house was in the center of it, a proud architecture of smooth stone, glass windows and ceramic roof tiles that resembled a temple from ages past. A small bridge served as a pathway to its main entry. It somehow looked both ancient and luxurious.

"Well this is it, welcome to Heavenly Jade Pavilion." Suyin motioned for them to follow after her. "Mei has joined me here on some occasions when I wasn't the one serving… it's a bit pricey here." The young woman then turned to her.

Perhaps the scrunched up expression was evident in her face. "Really?" She was coming here to look for work and not spend money.

"Hey but no worries, I got an employee's discount here and I know the owner." Suyin gave her a grin. "So don't be too nervous, okay?"

"You're teasing Chan Lee too aren't you?" Mei shook her head a bit, before turning to her. "Don't worry! If things become expensive, we can put it in Suyin's tab."

"Hey that's unfair!" Suyin pouted, though her eyes were twinkling a bit.

Entering the premises was walking into another era, young ladies and gentlemen waited clients while donning traditional attire. They wore cheongsam and other robes.

One of them moved over towards them,

"Good day, young Misses, shall we lead you to an available table or a private room?" The woman bowed with well-practiced grace and respect..

"Why thank you," Suyin gave a grin. "We'd like the private room please."

The three of them were led to a room. The window gave a view of the river, a splendid sight that sparkled with the sun glowing on its rippling surface. The sound of soft guqin played harmoniously in the background, Chan Lee and the others already encountering the live players in the main hallway.

"Please take off your shoes, and let's get cozy." Suyin remarked with a grin. 

Chan Lee stepped into the private quarters barefoot and sat on comfy cushions. She sat closest to the window, Mei sitting next to her and finally Suyin plopped down at last. Another lady walked in, "Good day, I shall be your host and sommelier, thus I shall be the one who will prepare the tea—oh, Suyin."

"Hiya Bo Lifen, it's been awhile." Suyin gave a grin. "I didn't expect that you'd be available right now or you'd be serving guests."

"That's because we haven't found a replacement for Ning when she left." The woman sighed before her expression returned to a more professional once. "It appears to me that this group has no need for a sommelier, our friend here can do it for you. I'll wait on other guests."

"Hey, hey—I'm a client today," Suyin protested with a pout. "Plus I wanted Chan Lee to see the ropes of how this thing works."

"Chan Lee?" The woman's gaze immediately went to her, as if already recognizing Mei. "A new friend… and, you are interested in working here?" The woman peered at her closely with narrowed eyes.

It was an uncomfortable moment.

Suyin simply answered for her. "I was thinking of letting her take a few shifts."

"Well a pleasure to meet you, Miss Chan Lee." The older woman inclined her head, "I hope that you are able to appreciate the fine work needed to become a sommelier, unlike your companion here."

"Hey, I do my work decently." Suyin pointed out with a pout.

"Decent work is not enough here, I wonder how you were accepted here again—" 

"Pardon me," A young voice erupted, entering the enclosed room was a young boy around the age of seven to nine? No older than an elementary youngster, but they held a large tray filled with multiple porcelain and earthen along with ingredients as if it was thin air. "I have brought the necessary tea sets for this party."

"Ah, thank you brother." A smile curled on the older woman's lips. "I'll take it from here, you can head back to your studies."

Chan Lee stared at the young boy, he looked oddly familiar for some reason. Once he placed the tray on their table, he stepped out of the room.

"Quite cute isn't he? Unlike my other brother." Bo Lifen coughed and sat down in front of them. "Now then ladies, what would you like to drink and eat?" She handed them menus from what seemed to be underneath the table. A hidden drawer of some sort.

"I'll be having oolong tea, Dan Chong please. I think Mei will be having Chrystanthenum tea, I recall that you thoroughly enjoyed its flavor?" Suyin glanced at Mei.

"Its health benefits intrigue me." Mei answered with a smile.

Chan Lee stared at the menu, taking in not only the tea but also the prices. "Uh… can I get a green tea? Or just whatever Mei is having." She placed the menu back on the table with a slight grimace.

"Alright, I hope you'll later appreciate our long standing culture and connection with tea." The older woman began to prepare and demonstrate the process. "Choosing the proper tea set is necessary, for example, if we were to prepare a type of green tea then we shall use this white porcelain but if we were to prepare red tea, I believe you at least know the different classifications of…"

Initially it seemed like their trip to the tea house would be an expensive but overall relaxing time, but as Bo Lifen held the teacup towards her with both hands, Chan Lee blinked and inclined her head. "Thank you." That was all she could muster in reply. The sweet aroma wafted to her nose, a subtle floral scent mixed with goji berries.

It took all her willpower to not just drink it all in one go, where was a glass of cold water when you needed it?

"Ah this is refreshing~" Mei remarked with a happy sigh.

"Yeah, it is, but I'm a bit hungry... is there no complimentary tea snacks, Respected Sister?" Suyin batted her eyes at Bo Lifen.

The older lady simply gave her a resigned look, "Well…"

"Big sister! They're here!" Her younger brother came bursting back into the room, his earlier composure now replaced with a slightly frazzled expression on their face. "Come quick!"

A note of displeasure crossed the lady's features before it morphed back into a blank state. She bowed her head towards them, "Do forgive me for having to leave abruptly, but I think Suyin can handle things from here—"

"What's up—"  Gen backed away and allowed a young man to walk in prior to him.

"I beg my pardon for the intrusion, Elder Sister Bo Lifen, I have no intention to impose your time when you are already serving clients." A charming smile along with a quick duck of the head, the young man then glanced at them. "My fellow university peers at that. My greetings to the three of you."

"My humble gratitude towards Sir Liu Guiren," Bo Lifen bowed deeply, though to Chan Lee it seemed to be a reluctant one. She was older than the man in front of her after all. This was the man who walked into the room unannounced at that, though they seemed to be some big shot."I have already finished my time with them and can now cater to you."

"Is that so?" Liu Guiren raised his brows, "Well it seems that some of my company has close ties to the people present here, isn't that right, Gen?" 

"Oh, well, yeah… kinda?" Gen shrugged, "We're all in the same class together, isn't that true, Xiaobo?" The taller man paused for a moment before nodding.

"How nice of Gen." Suyin clicked her tongue but didn't say anything else.

"Would it be alright if we share this room with the three of you?" Liu Guiren smiled. "I'm more than happy to pick up the tab."

Chan Lee blinked, he really seemed to be a big shot. A generous one at that.