Chapter 80 is very familiar.
Qin Yi Tea Garden was a name Jiang An later adopted. The original tea garden had changed hands several times and was simply referred to as "tea garden." Later, as more tea gardens were purchased, it became necessary to differentiate them, hence the name Qin Yi Tea Garden.
The tea gardens are situated at an altitude of 800-1200 meters, facing southeast, enjoying perfect sunshine and nourishment from the clouds. The gardens are terraced, following the contours of the mountain, with different rare varieties planted in different sections. At the heart of the tea gardens stands a small, classically Chinese manor, blending traditional Chinese aesthetics with pavilions, terraces, and flowing water, evoking a sense of tranquility and comfort amidst the mountains.
As you approach the manor gate along the path, you can see tall ginkgo and red maple trees interspersed among the tea bushes. Mountain springs and streams flow around the area, forming several mirror-like pools that serve both irrigation and landscaping purposes, reflecting the sky and clouds. It's like a fairyland, so beautiful that Wen Lingshuang can hardly open her eyes.
The manor is named 'Hidden', a single character that is quite distinctive. It is carved from fine mahogany and hangs at the gate. Jiang An put his arm around Wen Lingshuang and walked inside. The ancient atmosphere that greeted them was that of brown wooden latticework, a path built of bluestone slabs, and a two-story wooden building. It was not extravagant, but it was a pleasant sight.
Wen Lingshuang felt extremely familiar with the surroundings and couldn't help but say, "This house... I feel like..."
Jiang An assumed she disliked the house, so he explained, "When I bought the tea plantation, this house was already in a dangerous state. I hired a professional team to protect it as much as possible, but there were still many parts that couldn't be saved, so we had to demolish and rebuild, like this one." He pointed to the right, "It was originally an attic and where the original owner slept. I couldn't bear to demolish it, so I tried to stay there as much as possible."
"Not staying?" Wen Lingshuang turned to look at him. "Then what's inside now?"
"It's the same as before. You can go in and take a look whenever you want."
Wen Lingshuang frowned, "Why are you reluctant to tear it down?"
Jiang An smiled. "I'm very familiar with the original owner of the tea garden..." He paused slightly.
Wen Lingshuang gave a vague "Oh," crossed her arms, and said, "I remember now, Zhao Tinghe said you two spent time in the tea garden when you were little, is this it?"
“Zhao Tinghe is a fake, but it’s true that she stayed here.” Jiang An led Wen Lingshuang inside, and after entering the hall, he said, “The environment here is not as good as in Beijing. If you are not used to living here, just tell me and I will have someone take you down the mountain.”
"If you're comfortable here, why shouldn't I?" Wen Lingshuang sat down in the chair, looked up at the dome. The building in the middle had been renovated and was almost unrecognizable from the original, except for the three exposed wooden beams overhead.
The wooden beams were also carved with very small characters.
Wen Lingshuang couldn't see clearly.
But it just feels so familiar, so very familiar.
"Chairman Jiang." A voice came from outside the door. A middle-aged man in his fifties walked in carrying several wooden boxes, saying as he walked, "I'm sorry, I was in the factory just now and couldn't make it to pick you up in time."
The man was the manager of the tea garden, named Huang Zhongshi, who was in his fifties. His whole family lived on the tea mountain.
Jiang An isn't here; he's the one who manages all the affairs, big and small, of the tea garden.
Jiang An nodded at him, "It's nothing."
"This is the new tea produced this year. It has just gone through the rolling process. Please take a look." Huang Zhongshi handed several wooden boxes to Jiang An.
Jiang An took it, looked at it, and smelled it. The faint aroma of tea filled his nostrils. He nodded in satisfaction, "It's very good."
"Would you like to visit the factory? The quality of this year's new tea is better than in previous years."
Jiang An turned to look at Wen Ling Shuang, "Yang Yang, want to come along?"
Wen Lingshuang was exhausted and waved her hand, "Go ahead, I want to stay here for a while."
"Okay, then you wait here for me. If you need anything, just call the servants here, or give me a call."
Wen Lingshuang nodded.
After Jiang An left, Wen Lingshuang felt increasingly uneasy. After thinking it over, she moved some stools and stacked them high, intending to stand on them to see what words were carved on the wooden beam. Just as she finished stacking the stools and was about to stand on them, the servants in the tea garden surrounded her, saying with frightened expressions, "Madam, this is too high, you can't climb it."
When Wen Lingshuang saw them trying to stop her, she frowned and said, "I'll just climb up and see what words are carved on the wooden beam."
“It’s too high, Madam. If you get hurt, Chairman Jiang will definitely hold you accountable.” Ji Hong, the youngest, was extremely anxious and grabbed Wen Lingshuang’s arm. “If you want to see what words are engraved on it, I’ll climb up and see for you.”
Wen Lingshuang was stunned and hadn't recovered yet when the servants next to her chimed in, "That's a good idea, Madam. Ji Hong is thin and grew up in the mountains. She can climb up easily. You should let her go up."
Wen Lingshuang looked Ji Hong up and down.
She was about the same age as Ah Shui and looked somewhat similar. She patted the dust off her hands, got off the chair, and said, "Okay, go up and take a look."
Wen Lingshuang walked to the wooden chair next to her and sat down. The person next to her immediately poured her a cup of green tea that was newly produced in the tea garden. The tea leaves swirled in the cup and slid over the green tea soup. It tasted smooth and delicious. She crossed her legs and looked up at Ji Hong. She was bolder than A Shui. She climbed more than two meters high without her legs trembling.
After climbing up, he strained to look up at the wooden beam and spoke each word clearly.
The Wei River flows mightily.
When Wen Lingshuang heard those four words, her hand holding the teacup trembled slightly.
This is her nickname.
Taken from the Book of Songs, Minor Odes, "Look at the Luo River": The water is vast and mighty.
It was Grandpa who named it.
"Madam, what do these four words mean?" Ji Hong climbed off the stool. "Do they have a special meaning?"
Wen Lingshuang slowly put down her teacup and rubbed her temples. Her childhood memories were numerous and mixed, and she wasn't sure if the scene that had just flashed through her mind was this piece of wood. After all, Jiang An had bought this place a long time ago, and he might have carved her nickname on it to commemorate their marriage.
But... but... what a coincidence!
Besides, they've only been married a short time. Jiang An hasn't even had time to come to the tea garden, so how could he have carved her name on it?
She rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache, and stood up. "Where is the place to sleep?"
"Upstairs."
Wen Lingshuang walked upstairs. The staircase was a well-preserved wooden staircase. Through restoration and reintegration, it had become sturdy and reliable. It just looked old, which was probably intentionally done by Jiang An to preserve the sense of age. There was not much decoration. Going up the stairs, you would find the bedroom on the second floor. It was indeed not as luxurious and grand as the one in Beijing, but since you were in the tea garden, you should enjoy the natural and refreshing atmosphere.
Wen Lingshuang walked to the bedside and lay down. As soon as she lay down, she could see the rolling tea mountains outside the large lattice window that opened to the side.
Even this scenery feels familiar.
She looked around for a while, then suddenly sat up. The more she thought about it, the more something seemed off. There was no reason why she could be so familiar with this place she was visiting for the first time, unless she had been here before!
Thinking about it this way, she couldn't sleep anymore, so she got up and went downstairs. Ji Hong saw her coming downstairs and said, "Madam, is there anything you need?"
"Where is the factory Jiang An went to? Take me there."
"Madam, it's hot at midday, why don't we wait a bit?"
"I can't wait, take me there."
Ji Hong said "Oh," put down the miscellaneous items in her hands, and led Wen Lingshuang out the door. The boundless tea mountains blended into the white clouds and blue sky, and the wind carried a fresh fragrance. Turning right from the villa led to the factory. Because the tea mountains needed to be protected, the mountain road had not been repaired much, and only a path was paved with gravel.
Due to regional differences, some areas in Jiangnan are already experiencing high temperatures. Wen Lingshuang felt unbearably hot after walking only a short distance. She fanned her face with her hand and said, "It's so hot. How much longer until we get there?"
Ji Hong turned to look at Wen Lingshuang.
Her face, without makeup, was flushed red from the heat, like the tender red of a peach—it was absolutely beautiful.
Ji Hong knew that Mrs. Jiang was famous, but she didn't expect that she could do such a simple slapping motion so beautifully. No wonder Chairman Jiang cherishes her so much.
She pointed to the silver factory in the distance, "Look, madam, it's not far, just a short walk away. See, it's right there."
Looking in the direction Ji Hong was pointing, there was indeed a factory in sight.
Wen Lingshuang gritted her teeth and braved the high temperature to walk over.
Inside the factory, all the machines were running, and dozens of shelves were filled with freshly processed tea leaves, emitting a rich aroma. Jiang An followed the factory workers to inspect the production of the new tea. He picked up a tea leaf from the shelf and smelled it. Suddenly, he heard a delicate voice from outside the door, "Oh dear, it's so hot! I'm sure I have heatstroke."
That charming voice, that coquettish tone…
Jiang An put down what he was holding and walked towards the door. When he got to the door, he saw Wen Lingshuang, whose face was flushed from the heat, standing in the shade by the door. She was bitten by some kind of mosquito on her calves and was so itchy that she was stomping her feet and was almost crying.
How many years has it been since this pampered young lady visited such a primitive tea mountain? Jiang An felt a pang of heartache and quickly went to her side, "Yangyang."
"Jiang An, waah..." Wen Lingshuang looked up and saw that it was Jiang An. She threw herself into his arms. "I was so scared! A green bug flew by right in front of me..."
She performed vividly.
Jiang An felt both sorry for him and amused. "Didn't you say you weren't coming to the factory? Why are you here again?"
Wen Lingshuang nestled in his arms and mumbled, "This place feels so familiar. I'm sure I've been here before!"
"You're lying again. When were you here?" Jiang An looked at her bright red lips, resisting the urge to kiss them. He wiped the sweat from her temples and said, "You came all this way just to tell me this?"
"Do you think I'm making a mountain out of a molehill?"
“I was worried about you getting bitten by bugs. The tea produced on this tea plantation is for our own consumption, so it hasn’t been sprayed with pesticides. There are a lot of mosquitoes and bugs here, and their bites hurt.” He slowly squatted down, looking at her bare ankles. “Are they itchy?”
Wen Lingshuang nonchalantly lifted her foot and placed it on his clean and tidy suit trousers. "It tickles."
The employees following behind couldn't help but show expressions of shock when they saw this scene.
"I'll take you back to apply the medicine; the factory doesn't have any." Jiang An stood up after checking her redness and swelling. "Remember to apply insect repellent when you go out in the future."
Wen Lingshuang pouted, annoyed at the thought of going back.
She was exhausted from walking all that way.
So she wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "Carry me back, or I won't leave."
Jiang An wrapped his arms around her slender waist, his voice hoarse, "You're trying to seduce me in broad daylight, don't you know there are too many people here and I won't dare to do anything to you?"
Wen Lingshuang winked mischievously, "If you carry me back, I'll reward you."
There's just no way to deal with her.
Jiang An sighed, picked her up in his arms, and carried her toward the manor.
Compared to Beijing, the temperature here is practically like summer. Wen Lingshuang curled up in Jiang An's arms, feeling listless from the heat, lying limply, and whispered, "I want something cold."
Her voice was soft and sweet, incredibly sweet.
Jiang An carried her to a slightly shady spot, where a large bamboo grove shielded her from the heat, and he gently put her down.
Wen Lingshuang gave a low hum, realizing they hadn't reached the manor yet and were in a secluded, deserted place. She frowned in dissatisfaction and was about to speak when Jiang An sealed her lips with his. His large hand gripped the back of her neck, easily prying open her lips and conquering her, leaving her tongue nowhere to hide.
Wen Lingshuang never expected Jiang An to be so audacious! He dared to kiss her before even reaching the manor, and... and the kiss was so seductive, his tongue brushing over every inch of her fragrance, making her numb all over, making her unconscious, like a flower at his mercy, easily taking over all her senses.
Jiang An never expected that he would do something so outrageous.
He had underestimated Wen Lingshuang's charm. The way she blushed as she ran to the factory gate, spoke to him in such a sweet voice, and threw herself into his arms, easily stirred all his emotions. He wanted to kiss her, he wanted to bite her, he wanted to devour her, he wanted to eat her up piece by piece...
So even before they reached the manor, he couldn't resist anymore.
She said there would be a reward.
That doesn't count as a foul.
They kissed for a good ten minutes, until Wen Lingshuang was breathless and collapsed weakly in his arms.
If he hadn't wrapped his arms around her slender waist, she probably would have collapsed to the ground.
Jiang An, slightly out of breath, reached out a finger to wipe the water from her lips and said softly, "Let me ask for a reward first."
What a hypocrite! He wants a reward halfway through!
He kissed her so much her lips were swollen.
She had no strength left and groaned twice in his arms.
Jiang An chuckled and picked her up again, carrying her towards the manor.
It was too hot, and there was nowhere to find shade along the way, so Jiang An didn't dare to linger. After carrying her back to the manor, he quickly went up to the second floor, placed her on the bed, took out some ointment from the cabinet next to him, squeezed a little white ointment onto his finger, went back to the bedside, and evenly applied it to the places where she had been bitten by mosquitoes, saying, "This is specially made, the itching will stop soon."
Wen Lingshuang closed her eyes, enjoying his service.
After he finished applying the ointment, she regained some strength and said, "Jiang An."
"Um?"
“I really feel like I’ve been here before, to this room…” she paused slightly, “I’ve fallen here before.”
Jiang An, assuming she was talking nonsense, lay down beside her and held her tightly in his arms. "Did you fall down here?"
“Yes.” Wen Lingshuang opened her eyes, grabbed his tie, and looked up at him slightly. “I have a bruise on my forehead, it hurts so much.”
Jiang An didn't take her words to heart.
She knew that the Wen family originally owned a tea garden, but Old Master Wen liked it and didn't invest in its production or profit. Later, as he got older and none of his descendants liked drinking tea, he transferred all the tea gardens to others. Over the years, whenever the tea gardens produced new tea, she would always send some to Old Master Wen.
It's not surprising that Wen Lingshuang had worked in the tea garden, but what is strange is that she tripped and fell in this room.
Jiang An pictured a child in a white princess dress, with a pretty ponytail and hair accessories, pointing at him sweetly, "Now it's your turn to be the ghost. If you can't catch me, you can't eat!"
He was still young then, used to the deceit and beatings of adults. He looked at her with cold eyes and showed no reaction.
Hunger happens all the time, so one more time won't make a difference.
He disdained playing games with such a delicate young lady; he preferred to pick more tea leaves to earn a living.
Just as he was about to leave, the little girl grabbed his arm. "Don't go! Don't go! Aren't you afraid I won't give you food?!"
"I don't have time to play with you!" He abruptly flung her hand away. Due to the force, the little girl fell backward and hit her head on the cabinet next to her, letting out a sharp cry.
Jiang An hadn't expected her to be so resistant to force; she only gave him a very gentle push...
The little girl looks like a doll; even when she cries, she's so beautiful.
He walked over to her and slowly squatted down. "If you keep crying, I won't just go hungry, I might also be kicked out of the tea plantation."
The little girl cried uncontrollably, pointing her pink finger at him, "Do you know that no one has ever dared to treat me like this? How dare you! I'll make sure my grandpa punishes you!"
Jiang An's dark eyes narrowed, and he gritted his teeth without saying a word.
After a while, the little girl said again, "Aren't you going to help me up? Don't you want to eat dinner?!"
Jiang An: "..."
So pretentious.
He pulled her up and found that her fair forehead was already red. Without her saying a word, the tea plantation owner would definitely give him a hard time.
Jiang An pursed his lips. "I've already skipped dinner."
The little girl's round eyes were wet with tears, and her long, thick eyelashes were stained with teardrops. She looked at him and said, "You'll get it if you play with me!"
“Your forehead is swollen,” he said, pointing to her forehead. “I might get another beating.”
"You're so silly." She poked his forehead with her delicate fingers, and like an adult, she put her hands on her hips and said, "Just say I fell down myself!"
Jiang An was stunned.
The little girl grabbed his arm. "Anyway, I have something on you now. If you want to have dinner, play with me. I won't say anything about you pushing me."
Jiang An was used to being fooled, and he thought this was just a trick the young lady played on him. How could people like them, high and mighty, have any compassion? He had initially intended to walk away, but then he saw the injury on her forehead…
Anyway, we're going to get beaten up, and we're going to go hungry.
It doesn't matter anymore.
That afternoon, he played with her for a very long time.
When evening came, he was prepared to be beaten and go hungry, but instead, he was greeted with a meal of fish and meat in his cramped and dilapidated room.
The lunchbox was a pretty pink, as were the chopsticks and the spoon.
Just like her.
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