Chapter 110: Milk Tea

Big Head had been found and returned home, and Wen Xiuyi had spoken with him as well. The boy seemed quite willing, after all; the guidance he had received from Shopkeeper Qiu during these past days had been of great benefit to him. It was only that having another father seemed unfair to Wen Xiuyi, so he had been wavering all this time, even leaning toward refusal.

Compared with studying, he liked his father more.

After learning what was in Big Head’s mind, Wen Xiuyi felt both moved and heartbroken. Such a young child, and already so considerate.

“Head,” he said gently, “let your father tell you something. Some opportunities in this world are once in a lifetime, impossible to seek out again. Shopkeeper Qiu is a man of great learning. It’s better for you to study with him than with me. All my life, I’ll only ever be able to amount to a scholar, but you’re different. You still have a bright future ahead of you.”

Big Head looked at him and suddenly felt a little sad.

“Father, aren’t you sad?” he asked. If he agreed, he would have to call someone else Father.

Wen Xiuyi laughed. “You silly boy, what would I be sad about? If you recognize Shopkeeper Qiu as your sworn father, does that mean you stop being my son?”

Big Head’s little brow furrowed tightly. Wen Xiuyi stroked his head and went on, “If you recognize Shopkeeper Qiu as your sworn father, it only means there will be one more person in this world who loves you, someone who, like me, treasures you. It doesn’t mean you’re no longer my son. Do you understand?”

He paused, then added, “I know what happened with your mother hurt you, but that was a matter between adults. There were reasons between your mother and me. Her leaving was her choice, but that doesn’t mean there is no one left to love you. Look at me, your brother, your sister, your grandfather and grandmother, your second uncle, third uncle, second aunt, and third aunt. We’re all your family. And in the future, you’ll have Shopkeeper Qiu loving you too. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Most importantly, son, this is a thick golden thigh. Hold on tight to it.

Big Head seemed to understand. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded. “Father, I’m willing. Uncle Qiu said he has no son, and I’ll take care of him in his old age.” After saying that, as though afraid Wen Xiuyi might be unhappy, he hurriedly added, “I’ll take care of you in your old age too.”

“Good boy.” Wen Xiuyi fought back the urge to scoop Big Head into his arms and kiss him hard a few times. Taking his hand, he led him back outside and, from a distance, nodded toward Shopkeeper Qiu.

Shopkeeper Qiu was grinning from ear to ear.

By evening, the New Year’s Eve feast was ready to be set on the table. In the main hall of the Wen household, two large tables had been arranged, and every face was lit with happiness and joy. Madam Luo, together with her two daughters-in-law and her granddaughters, brought out all the dishes and set them on the tables.

With Wen Yao in charge, the New Year’s Eve dinner was extraordinarily lavish. Though the dishes themselves were all ordinary fare, once they passed through Wen Yao’s hands, they became both beautiful and delicious.

Old Man Wen and Doctor Jin took the seats of honor, with Shopkeeper Qiu and Wen Xiuyi seated next. The others took their places according to seniority and age.

Madam Luo sat at the other table with the women and children.

Everyone was seated, yet no one picked up their chopsticks. Old Man Wen’s smile was practically stretching to his ears. He had wanted to say a few words, but remembering that Doctor Jin was present, he took the initiative to say, “Doctor Jin, why don’t you say a few words?”

Doctor Jin declined at once. “Big Brother, that won’t do. You’re the head of the family, so it should be you. Shopkeeper Qiu and I are only guests; we can’t steal the host’s thunder.”

Old Man Wen waved his hand with a laugh. “What guest and what not? You’re Xiao Jun’s master. We’re all family, all family, hahahaha.”

After the polite exchange, Old Man Wen looked around at everyone and cleared his throat. “Truth be told, I don’t have much to say. I just hope we all do well in the coming year. Come now, let’s raise our cups together and toast to a good year ahead for all of us, hahaha.”

He lifted his cup first, and the others followed suit. Those who could drink had wine; those who could not drank the milk tea Wen Yao had made.

The milk had been bought from her own portable storehouse. It had only been taken out after the family of three had gone for a walk outside, and they said they had simply happened upon someone selling cow’s milk and bought it then. No one suspected a thing.

It was the first time everyone had tasted such a tea. The fragrance of milk mingled with the aroma of tea, and it was wonderfully delicious.

Before long, they had forgotten their toasts and were all praising how good Wen Yao’s milk tea was.

“Milk tea? Can I have a taste?” Doctor Jin’s eyes lit up. He had thought the liquor was already excellent, never imagining there was something even better he had not yet tried.

Wen Yao poured another cup for Doctor Jin and Shopkeeper Qiu each. With one sip, tea fragrance and milk fragrance filled the mouth; two things that seemed utterly unrelated had come together to create a surprisingly delightful taste.

At this point, both Doctor Jin and Shopkeeper Qiu began to wonder whether they had truly been ignorant all along. The Wen family was plainly a farming household, yet the tea they used to entertain guests was even more fragrant than the finest tea leaves they themselves had ever drunk. Even the wine from earlier had been different in their estimation: rich in aroma, yet smooth as silk on the tongue.

They had thought that was the height of it, until they tasted the milk tea. That strange yet extraordinarily harmonious blend made one want a second sip after the first.

Seeing the two of them take several sips in succession, finishing an entire cup and even seeming ready for a second, Wen Yao revealed a confident smile.

From ancient times to the present, no one had ever been able to resist the temptation of milk tea.

“How is it? Is it good?” Wen Yao asked with a grin.

Doctor Jin nodded repeatedly in praise. “Yao girl, did you make this yourself?”

“Mm, I just tinkered with it in my spare time.” Wen Yao said this with a guilty conscience, yet also with confidence, silently offering an apology to the blogger she had once learned milk tea from.

“Good, very good. Pour me another cup.” Doctor Jin handed her his cup.

But Wen Yao did not refill it. Instead, she said, “If you like it, I’ll pack a flask for you when you leave tonight. For now, don’t you want to drink a bit more of this wine?”

What a waste to pour out the Moutai she had spent a fortune on, sob sob sob. If not for Professor Wen pestering and coaxing her endlessly, she would never have exchanged achievement points worth two taels of silver for these tiny two bottles.

Only then did Doctor Jin realize, and he laughed heartily. “Yes, yes, yes, this wine is excellent too. Where did you buy it? I’ve been in Cloud Mist Town for so long, and I’ve never tasted wine this good before. Fragrant indeed.”

Shopkeeper Qiu agreed wholeheartedly. Not just in Cloud Mist Town, even in the capital there was no wine this fine.

Wen Yao wanted to slap herself in the mouth. All she could do was force a smile and say, “I brewed it secretly myself before. There are only these two bottles.”

Doctor Jin and Shopkeeper Qiu were both astonished. Not only them, but even Old Man Wen and the others were shocked beyond measure. When had Wen Yao brewed wine? Why had they never known?

Just as Old Man Wen was about to speak, Wen Xiuyi, fearing the truth might be exposed, hurriedly steered the conversation elsewhere. “Exactly, Doctor Jin, Brother Qiu, come now, let’s drink, let’s drink. Leave the milk tea for the women and children.”

As he spoke, he pulled the two of them into a toast, and even drew Old Man Wen and his two younger brothers in with them, leaving no time at all for anyone to question Wen Yao further.