Chapter 69 Jealousy Erupts in Li Yang's Business - Product Optimization (...)

"Ha, hi~"

Li Yang wasn't used to the way foreigners greeted her, so she gave a slightly stiff reply and then lifted her skirt and jogged towards the pavilion. Seeing this, Xiao Lu, who was following behind her, had no choice but to perk up and jog after her.

Today, both the young master and Bi Fang returned to town, and Xiao Lu lost all motivation to go to Gao County, so she had no choice but to come to Huaju with Li Yang.

She was still somewhat afraid of the foreigner's strange appearance with his high nose and deep-set eyes, but if the young mistress were in danger and she wasn't by her side, she was afraid... Therefore, she had to stay by the young mistress's side at all times.

Thinking of this, she frowned, quickened her pace, and caught up with the young mistress.

"Lu Jie, what tea did you bring today?" Li Yang asked impatiently as soon as he stepped into the pavilion, his gaze involuntarily turning to the stone table behind him.

Lu Jie smiled slightly, stepped aside, and gestured with one hand in a "please" manner. A row of blue-and-white porcelain vases was neatly arranged on the table. "These are all samples of tea."

“Sample…” Li Yang muttered to himself, mimicking Lu Jie, and then sat down on the stone bench, his eyes fixed intently on Lu Jie’s explanation.

The man simply smiled and didn't rush to explain. He slowly unfolded a piece of paper. Li Yang curiously leaned closer; the paper was covered with neat grids drawn horizontally and vertically.

“Name, aroma, flavor…” she read softly, and soon understood the beauty of the grid on the paper—the names of different teas were listed vertically, and the water sources were listed horizontally. The grids were filled with detailed records of various elements such as aroma and flavor.

This is so obvious! How come I didn't think of that!

She couldn't help but look up at Lu Jie, her eyes filled with admiration. This Persian merchant's way of doing things was unique; the form was arranged in an orderly and well-organized manner, clearly outlining each step of the tea-tasting process.

After reviewing the form again, Li Yang recalled his own record from yesterday and couldn't find any flaws. Moreover, his own rambling and disorganized record from yesterday paled in comparison.

"That's amazing!" Li Yang couldn't help but clap her hands in admiration. "With this form, we'll definitely be able to achieve twice the results with half the effort! Lu Jie, you're truly remarkable!" Her eyes shone even brighter as she looked at Lu Jie, filled with undisguised admiration.

Little did they know that these words fell precisely into the ears of Chen Junbo, who arrived late, and were particularly jarring.

Not long after Li Yang left home this morning, Chen Junbo woke up slowly. Thinking about the awkwardness between the two of them last night, he forced himself to get up despite his sleepiness and went to the flower shop.

At that moment, Li Yang was sitting in the pavilion, smiling at the foreigner with his eyes crinkling and sparkling.

He suddenly stopped, flicked his sleeve, turned around, and left the corridor.

"Let's begin." At this moment, Li Yang was completely immersed in the tea ceremony and had no idea that Chen Junbo had come and gone.

On this day, the two brewed tea, tasted the tea, and discussed philosophy, enjoying each other's company immensely.

"I see." Li Yang nodded repeatedly as he looked at the densely filled form. Lu Jie also suggested marking scores on each item, so that the quality of each tea would be even clearer.

Biluochun tea paired with spring water can achieve a 5/10 score in aroma, but the tea flavor is not long-lasting; Yunwu tea paired with well water is the best, although the aroma is slightly inferior, the tea soup can remain strong even after three infusions.

"Could I borrow this form to make a copy?" Li Yang stroked the form with obvious affection, looking at Lu Jie with expectant eyes.

"Of course." Lu Jie winked playfully, handed over the form, and then asked, "We've been chatting for so long, and I still don't know your name, miss?"

"Look at my brain." Li Yang couldn't help but chuckle. The two had been chatting for two days and still hadn't exchanged names. "My name is Li Yang, Li as in dawn and Yang as in the sun."

“Li Yang…” Lu Jie pondered the name, raising an eyebrow, “Then how about I call you Yangyang?”

Hearing the name 'Yangyang' gave her goosebumps, and she quickly waved her hand, saying, "Just call me Zhaozhao, that's the nickname my parents use for me."

“Zhao Zhao,” Lu Jie exclaimed dramatically, “what a beautiful name.”

His comical appearance made Li Yang cover his mouth and chuckle.

The little deer behind him secretly spat, thinking to himself, "This foreigner is definitely up to no good!"

Her gaze toward Lu Jie grew increasingly wary, and she secretly vowed to keep a close watch on this foreigner and never allow him to overstep his bounds with the young mistress, otherwise how could she explain it to the young master?

The two people in the pavilion continued their enthusiastic discussion about tea.

Sometimes Li Yang had doubts about Lu Jie's judgments, while Lu Jie was always confident in his own. As they talked back and forth, the sun gradually set, and their conversation shifted from tea tasting to the philosophy of tea ceremony.

When it comes to tea, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Otherwise, how could people have such diverse tastes and preferences, each with their own favorite?

The two debated from afternoon until dusk, becoming increasingly engrossed in the discussion.

After a full day of discussion, Li Yang felt that his understanding of tea had deepened, and he now knew which teas to choose for a flower arrangement.

"It's a pity you're leaving tomorrow," Li Yang said with regret. "Otherwise, I would definitely introduce you to Sister Ziyan. She would be very happy to discuss the art of tea with you."

Lu Jie, however, felt no regret: "Two months later, I will return to Songshan Town on a merchant ship. At that time, I will come to find Zhaozhao to drink tea and pay my respects to Miss Ziyan."

Li Yang was overjoyed to hear this and repeatedly said that she would definitely meet him again at the flower market when he returned, and she would personally host a banquet for him.

When she rushed back to the Chen residence, it was already dusk, only to learn that Chen Junbo had not yet returned home.

She waited in the room for a long time, the tea got cold and was changed again and again, and she couldn't help but feel resentful.

If he hasn't returned by this hour, he probably won't be coming back for dinner. If I had known this, I should have invited Lu Jie to dine with me at the flower shop today.

Why didn't Chen Junbo send anyone to tell him that he wasn't coming back for a meal?

She served herself the meal with little interest, ate hastily, then asked someone to clear away the dishes and took out the form she had copied from Lu Jie to study it carefully.

It was past midnight, and Chen Junbo was still nowhere to be seen. She compared today's spreadsheet with yesterday's records, and before she knew it, it was almost midnight.

Having not slept well for days and forcing herself to study tea, she finally couldn't hold on any longer and fell into a deep sleep, slumped over the table, facing the densely packed tiny characters under the dim candlelight.

Chen Junbo was also unhappy that day.

Fortunately, Liu Yitong insisted that since he had finally returned from the harsh and cold Gao County, he must have a good drink, so the two of them agreed to go to the pleasure boat.

On the pleasure boat, Liu Yitong was enjoying himself immensely, with women on either side of him. Chen Junbai, however, continued to drink alone as usual, the image of the Persian merchant from earlier that day and the smiling face Li Yang had shown him kept replaying in his mind.

The two were busy with their own things and didn't realize how late it was.

After Liu Yitong was so drunk that he was unconscious, he was helped into a carriage by his servants and sent back to his residence. Chen Junbai watched the departing carriage and suddenly felt like taking a walk by himself.

He didn't call for a carriage, but strolled towards the Chen residence.

He wasn't in a hurry to return home. Along the way, the scene of Li Yang chatting happily with the Persian merchant kept flashing through his mind.

The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I became. Suddenly, I lost interest in taking a walk, so I quickened my pace and hurried home.

As soon as I stepped into the room, I saw a bright red figure lying on the table, with only its back facing the door.

It was the same dress she wore during the day, such a vibrant color, yet she looked exceptionally beautiful in it. When I saw her in the morning, her fair skin was flushed with a faint blush against the red dress, like a ripe apple; no wonder the foreigner stared at her intently.

Thinking of this, Chen Junbo clenched his fist at his side, his fingertips turning white.

Looking at the young woman in front of him, she was bending over at her desk, her vest slightly raised, making her waist appear even more slender and delicate.

Chen Junbo unconsciously loosened his grip, slowed his steps, and leaned closer to take a closer look. She was fast asleep, her head resting on his arm, her breathing shallow. Only her slightly pouting lips were glistening with moisture, revealing a childlike innocence.

His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. This was the first time he had seen her asleep. The scent of yesterday's stolen kiss still lingered on his lips. He couldn't help but lower his head and peck her cheek, his eyes softening.

On their wedding day, because of the pre-arranged agreement, he voluntarily arranged his bed in a separate room and gave it to her. At that time, she happily took the bed, without any of the usual coyness of a young lady, which made him feel relieved.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye, and the two became increasingly familiar with each other. Gazing at her peaceful sleeping face, he realized she was still a young girl who hadn't grown up yet. Thinking of the contract between them, he gave a self-deprecating smile, sighed softly, bent down, picked her up, and gently placed her on the bed.

He simply removed her embroidered shoes and carefully covered her with the brocade quilt.

She was clearly exhausted, yet she insisted on going out for tea with someone. The man looked like he had ill intentions, but the young woman was completely unsuspecting. Thinking of this, Chen Junbai couldn't help but pinch the young woman's face, still resentful of her decision to go out today.

Just as he let go and got up, he heard the person on the bed making soft sobs. He couldn't make out what she was muttering, but he saw that her brows were furrowed and she was sleeping very restlessly.

"Zhaozhao, Zhaozhao." He gently patted her shoulder, but saw that her eyes were still tightly closed, only her sobs were becoming more and more urgent, and fine beads of sweat were seeping from her forehead.

Li Yang was half-awake amidst a jolt, her body burning hot, yet her forehead beaded with cold sweat. In her hazy state, she felt herself being gently lifted, a wisp of clear, cool sandalwood fragrance lingering around her nose—the unique scent of Chen Junbai. Unable to open her eyes, she only managed a mumbled murmur before drifting back into a deep sleep.

Sensing something was wrong, Chen Junbo reached out and touched her forehead. The burning heat from his fingertips made his heart tighten.

Why did it suddenly get hot?

The unnatural heat of her skin was unbearable to the touch, and Chen Junbai's brows furrowed instantly, all traces of his previous romantic feelings vanishing. After quickly confirming that the person on the bed had a fever, he strode out, his voice unusually cold and hard in the quiet night: "Someone come here!"

The maids and servants were hurriedly awakened and gathered around, still sleepy-eyed, "Young Master."

Chen Junbo carefully placed the handkerchief soaked in cold water on Li Yang's forehead, his gaze sweeping over everyone like a blade, his voice suppressed: "Help the young mistress change her clothes, prepare hot water, and quickly summon a doctor!"

In an instant, the Lanxin Pavilion was brightly lit and bustling with people.

The commotion startled Xiaolu, who was sleeping in the side room. She put on her clothes and rushed over, only to see Chen Junbo standing solemnly outside the screen, his figure long and slender in the candlelight.

She frowned, thinking, "It's the middle of the night..." She curtsied and called out "Young Master" in a low voice before hurrying into the inner room to help.

In the dead of night, the servants were suddenly awakened from their sleep, their faces inevitably showing some weariness and reluctance. Behind the screen, a maid was helping Li Yang change her clothes, her movements anything but gentle, her impatience undisguised. If Chen Junbai hadn't been standing outside, she probably would have been cursing right then and there.

Seeing that the young mistress's eyes were closed, her lips were pale, her brows were furrowed, and she was sobbing uncontrollably, clearly in great discomfort, yet the maid was roughly tearing off her outer garment, Xiao Lu felt a pang of pity.

She suddenly remembered that she was also pinned down and unable to move at home in Chashan, and it was only because of the young mistress's pity that she was allowed to enter the Chen residence... Not wanting to criticize her, she could only step forward and say softly, "Sister, you've worked hard. Let me do it."

The maid, eager to get rid of him, immediately loosened her clothes upon hearing this, tossed out a sentence, "I'll go see if the doctor has arrived yet," and turned to walk around the screen. As soon as she stepped out of the inner room, she was met with Chen Junbai's icy gaze. She hurriedly curtsied, but only heard a cold voice above her head: "Get out."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the inner room paused in their work.

The chilling aura emanating from him startled the maid, causing her to stagger backward and nearly fall to the ground.

Young Master Chen usually spoke very little in the house and had never interacted with these servants; he was merely seen as a gentle and refined gentleman from afar. Now, however, he was enraged! Although the word he uttered just now was not loud, it was filled with chilling intent.

The air inside the room suddenly froze, and all the servants were silenced by this unprecedented rage.