Junshan Silver Needle
Chapter 4: Junshan Silver Needle
Gu Yanchen was "challenged" by the old tea drinkers in public and left the "Wanxiang Tea House" with a grim look on his face.
He got into the car, and his assistant, Xiao Chen, carefully handed him a bottle of water, barely daring to breathe. Gu Yanchen took the water but didn't drink. Instead, he stared out the window at the quaint teahouse, his eyes dark and unclear.
It's not like he had never encountered stubborn residents before, but Shen Qingci was the first one who refused to give in to persuasion and even managed to incite the surrounding residents to join in the boycott. What surprised him even more was that he didn't resort to forceful measures as usual. Instead, he stopped and considered the issue because of the words of the elderly people.
"Check the history of 'Evening Fragrance Tea House' and all the information about Shen Qingci." Gu Yanchen suddenly spoke in a low voice.
"Yes, Mr. Gu." Xiao Chen responded immediately, took out his mobile phone and started making arrangements.
Gu Yanchen leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. But Shen Qingci's image involuntarily emerged in his mind—her simple cotton and linen dress, busy in the teahouse; her serious and focused eyes as she brewed Biluochun for him; and her stubborn and unyielding expression when facing his pressure.
This woman is quite interesting.
Gu Yanchen didn't show up again for the next few days. Shen Qingci was relieved, but she didn't let her guard down. She knew Gu Yanchen wouldn't give up and was just waiting for the right moment.
She used this time to manage the teahouse even more diligently. Following the advice of longtime tea patrons, she added some traditional snacks, such as mung bean cakes and osmanthus cakes, which proved very popular. Business gradually picked up, attracting not only regular customers but also young tourists.
That afternoon, a special guest came to the teahouse.
An elderly gentleman in a Tang suit, looking energetic and holding an antique purple clay teapot, walked straight to the counter upon entering, his eyes set on a tea set on the antique shelf.
"Little girl, where did you get this set of 'Rain After Blue Sky' porcelain tea set on your antique shelf?" The old man said in a loud voice.
Shen Qingci was stunned for a moment, and followed his gaze. The tea set was left by her grandmother, and she didn't know its specific origin.
"Old man, this tea set was left by my grandmother. I don't know the details."
The old man nodded, took a closer look, and exclaimed, "What a wonderful piece! This is in the style of the Ru kiln from the Song Dynasty. Although it's not the real thing, it's a replica from the early Qing Dynasty. The craftsmanship is quite exquisite and it's very collectible."
Shen Qingci was a little surprised. She didn't expect that her grandmother had such a treasure.
Just then, the doorbell rang and Gu Yanchen walked in.
He was wearing a beige casual suit today, looking much gentler than usual. Seeing the old man in the teahouse, he was stunned for a moment, then smiled politely.
"Mr. Zhang? Why are you here?"
The old man in a Tang suit, known as Mr. Zhang, turned around and saw Gu Yanchen. He was also a little surprised: "Little Gu? Do you also know the owner of this teahouse?"
"I guess we know each other." Gu Yanchen walked over to Shen Qingci and looked at her. "Miss Shen, I'm not here today for the transformation."
Shen Qingci looked at him with some confusion.
"I'm here to apologize." Gu Yanchen's tone was sincere. "I was a little impatient and my attitude wasn't good last time. I hope you don't mind."
Shen Qingci was even more surprised. She had never expected Gu Yanchen to apologize suddenly.
"You're too polite, Mr. Gu." She said a little uncomfortably.
Mr. Zhang looked at the two of them and said with a smile, "It seems there's some misunderstanding between you. Xiao Gu, you can't just bully a young girl by relying on your wealth. This teahouse is a great place. I used to come here often when I was young."
"Mr. Zhang is right." Gu Yanchen nodded, then said to Shen Qingci, "Miss Shen, I know you cherish this teahouse. In fact, our company's renovation plan is not static. If the teahouse is indeed worth preserving, we can consider adjusting the plan."
Shen Qingci's heart skipped a beat: "Mr. Gu, are you telling the truth?"
"Of course." Gu Yanchen pulled a document from his pocket and handed it to her. "This is a preliminary plan I asked my team to rework. Take a look. We're considering listing the teahouse as a 'historic building' for protection. The renovation plan will be based on this and will not damage its original structure and style."
Shen Qingci took the document and quickly skimmed through it. The plan detailed how to protect the teahouse, how to optimize the surrounding environment, and even mentioned providing funds to help the teahouse carry out necessary repairs.
This is a world of difference from Gu Yanchen's previous attitude.
"Why?" Shen Qingci raised his head and looked at him puzzledly, "Why did you suddenly change your mind?"
Gu Yanchen smiled and didn't answer directly. Instead, he looked at Mr. Zhang and asked, "Mr. Zhang, what kind of tea would you like to drink today?"
Mr. Zhang stroked his beard and said, "It's been a while since I've had authentic Junshan Yinzhen tea. I wonder if there's any here?"
"What a coincidence! I just happened to bring some." Gu Yanchen pulled out an exquisite tea canister from his bag. "This is some Mingqian Silver Needle tea that I asked a friend to bring from Junshan Island in Hunan. Mr. Zhang, please taste it."
He handed the tea can to Shen Qingci: "Miss Shen, thank you for your help."
Shen Qingci hesitated for a moment, then took the tea can. She opened it, and a delicate aroma filled her face. The Junshan Silver Needle tea was straight as a needle, silvery white in color, and had plump buds.
She brewed tea for them in glass cups, following the standard method. As the hot water poured into the cups, the silver needle tea leaves first floated to the surface, then slowly stood upright, rising and falling like a silver sword unsheathed, a truly beautiful sight. The tea soup was apricot yellow, clear and bright.
Gu Yanchen first picked up a cup and handed it to Mr. Zhang, then poured a cup for himself and Shen Qingci.
"Miss Shen, try it."
Shen Qingci picked up the teacup and took a sip. The tea was mellow and refreshing, with a long-lasting sweetness and a cool feeling in the throat.
"Good tea." She praised sincerely.
Mr. Zhang nodded and praised it highly. "Not bad, not bad, that's exactly the taste. Xiao Gu, I didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable about tea."
"I only have a basic understanding of it. I learned it from you, Mr. Zhang." Gu Yanchen said modestly.
Shen Qingci watched them chatting happily, and his confusion grew even greater. Gu Yanchen's transformation was truly drastic. What on earth was he trying to do?
After finishing his tea, Mr. Zhang stood up to say goodbye. Before leaving, he patted Gu Yanchen on the shoulder and said to Shen Qingci, "Little girl, manage this teahouse well. It is our treasure."
After Mr. Zhang left, only Shen Qingci and Gu Yanchen were left in the teahouse.
"You can take your time to think about the plan." Gu Yanchen broke the silence. "If you have any suggestions for revisions, feel free to contact me."
"Mr. Gu, you haven't answered my question yet." Shen Qingci looked at him, "Why are you helping me?"
Gu Yanchen looked into her clear eyes, was silent for a few seconds, and then said: "First, Mr. Zhang is my elder, he likes this teahouse very much. Second, I looked up the history of the 'Wanxiang Teahouse', it does have a history of more than a hundred years and is worthy of protection. Third..."
He paused, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly: "I think this teahouse will become even better in your hands."
Shen Qingci's heart skipped a beat. She avoided Gu Yanchen's gaze and looked out the window. "I will seriously consider this plan."
"Okay." Gu Yanchen stood up. "Then I won't disturb you from doing business."
He walked to the door, stopped again, turned around and said, "Ms. Shen, in fact, I am not a businessman who only uses tough tactics."
After saying that, he opened the door and walked out.
Shen Qingci stood there, still holding the plan. The sunlight streamed through the window, warming her. She watched Gu Yanchen's departing back, a mixture of emotions welling up in her heart.
This man seemed different from what she had initially imagined.
The plan for protecting the teahouse was like a ray of sunshine, shining into her originally gloomy heart.
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