Phoenix Dancong
Chapter 15: Phoenix Cong
Gu Yanchen's perspective
Three months after Shen Qingci left, the groundbreaking ceremony for Gu Yanchen's cultural and tourism complex project was officially launched.
Standing on the bustling construction site, watching the massive excavator break ground, Gu Yanchen didn't feel the excitement he'd expected. His phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a project progress report from his assistant. He glanced at it and silently put it back in his pocket.
He once thought that this project was the cornerstone of his and Shen Qingci's future, and he wanted to give her a better life. But now, this project that carried the "future" seemed like a huge irony.
He returned to his office and opened a drawer. The can of Anji White Tea was still lying there, its packaging intact. He didn't touch it, but instead took out a brand new can of Phoenix Dancong from another cabinet.
He bought this during his last project inspection trip to Chaoshan. Phoenix Dancong tea has a sharp, rich aroma and a mellow flavor, imbued with a distinct mountain charm. This intense flavor temporarily overcame the lingering sense of emptiness in his heart.
He brewed it with boiling water, and the tea leaves rolled violently in the covered bowl, releasing an overbearing aroma. He drank it all in one gulp, the strong tea stimulating his taste buds and bringing a brief numbness.
He became more taciturn and worked even harder. People around him said he had changed, becoming more indifferent and unkind. Only Lin Hao knew that he was just hiding all his emotions deep in his heart.
"Yan Chen, don't be so hard on yourself." Lin Hao advised him after drinking. "Qing Ci just needs time. Maybe she will come back and everything will be fine."
Gu Yanchen just shook his head and said nothing. He knew that Shen Qingci's departure was not just a matter of time. He pushed her away with his own hands, using what he called "for your own good."
Occasionally, he would drive by Tea Street. "Wanxiang Tea House," still open to customers under the care of Granny Zhang and Grandpa Chen, remained open, though the sign at the entrance seemed a bit worn. He never stopped, simply taking a distant peek through the car window before driving away.
Outside his office's floor-to-ceiling windows, he could see the city's bustling night scene. But he felt that no matter how bright the lights were, they couldn't illuminate the darkness within him. He began to take to sitting alone late at night, brewing a pot of rich Phoenix Dancong tea, until dawn.
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