Volume 1: The Ivory Tower's Happy Life Chapter 25: Reunion at First Sight (2)

  "Quite a big change, this is now representative of the modern face, traditional above all, very creative."

  Xiao Nan looked down at Zuo's lone figure in a western-style suit and leather shoes, topped with a mismatched pot lid hat, and couldn't help but laugh.

  "Excuse me, sir, is it convenient for you now? If not, I'll come back later."

  Shan Yong smiled awkwardly and said a few words, holding a wooden box in his hands.

  "What's the matter? I'm getting anxious, come on in, we're all fellow tea enthusiasts, aren't we? I was just about to brew a cup of this year's autumn tea. Ah, you've arrived... San Yong, why are you alone? Where's Da Peng? How is he?"

  "Hehe, I've been caught by the city management," said Shanyong.

  "Oh, haha, great times create great careers, quite suitable for Da Peng. Sit... " Left South Down sat down beside the low table, on which was placed a rather exquisite travel tea set, made of pure bamboo, looking especially refreshing and elegant. Several wine cup-sized tea bowls were crystal clear and transparent, really beautiful to look at. The hot water on the table was bubbling away, with a bucket of Farmer's Spring water for washing cups. Left South Down looked at Single Courage, whose expression seemed a bit timid, and smiled."

  It's quite interesting and laughable, with a hint of teasing, but he hid this discovery and deliberately asked: "Shan Yong, what did you bring, and are you going to take advantage of me by bringing some local specialties?"

  "Hehe, I'd like to give you something valuable. You don't seem to care," said Dan Yong, opening the box.

  Zuo Nanxia smiled and said: "I'm not particular about local specialties either, after all I'm also from Lanzhou, I don't think much of them, and I'll reject them all."

  "You want to reject it, I really don't dare put it down." Shanyong said with a smile, this seemingly very confident, and this confidence also piqued the old man's curiosity, he looked up at him, Shanyong intentionally slowed down his movements, and when he lifted the lid, it was quick, and in that instant, Zuo Nanxia's eyes widened in astonishment.

  The lunchbox had five compartments, with distinct layers of green, yellow, white, and purple. As soon as it was opened, a savory aroma wafted out, making my eyes light up. When Old Man Shan handed it to me, he held it in his hands like it was a treasure, or rather, he treated this coarse thing like a precious gem. Not only that, but he also picked out a few grains and put them in his mouth, crunching away as he spoke: "Little millet, big yellow soybeans, highland barley, chess seeds, and sesame seeds... Hehe, these small stir-fried grains used to be called 'Five Sons Passing the Imperial Examination', and it's really hard to find these little things nowadays."

  "You're really knowledgeable, the pre-dinner snacks at Shen Nong's Five Grains Banquet are hard to find, especially the chess stir-fry and sesame seeds. And this soybean from the farmhouse fertilizer is carefully selected." Single Courage came with an old Wang selling melons, Left South Down ate with relish, suddenly heard the sound of boiling water, Single Courage quickly got up, holding the teapot, Left South Down received it in his hand, added tea leaves, washed the cup, filtered, and poured into a bowl. The new tea was paired with small stir-fries, and these two foodies started eating with gusto.

  Can't help but envy the old man's physique, over 70 years old, this grinding teeth and small stir-fry is really delicious, not only good oral health, but also a good attitude, looking at his optimistic demeanor can't help but make people feel convinced. After drinking two small bowls of strong tea, suddenly asked a curious question: "Do you know how to drink tea?"

  "Isn't this for drinking?" Dan Yong put down his small bowl and asked in surprise.

  "This is called cow drinking... come, I'll teach you." Zuo Nan said, and another stream of hot water like white silk flowed into the covered bowl. He taught Shan Yong that the steeping time for each infusion of Tieguanyin should be grasped well, the tea should be poured steadily and quickly, with a flick of the wrist, the colored tea water had already passed through the filter net into the public cup, after a brief settling, it was poured into the tea bowl. He also taught Shan Yong: "First smell, second sip, third savor, fourth drink..."

  He said as he deeply sniffed, sipping the tea water lightly, Shanyou did it again. When he smelled it, there was indeed a rich tea fragrance, and it seemed that smelling was more intense than tasting; when he sipped it lightly, his teeth and gums slowly unfolded the flavor with heat and tea fragrance, and the small stir-fry flavor in his mouth was even more harmonious. If you appreciate this elegant and refined atmosphere carefully, it's actually quite interesting. After tasting a few cups, Shanyou smiled and said: "The most comfortable feeling is smelling the fragrance, the clearest feeling is tasting, the initial taste is slightly bitter, but after the sweetness comes out, it feels very comfortable, let's call it 'bitterness turns to sweetness'?"

  "Right, the child can be taught." Zuo Nanxia was delighted and gave a thumbs up, "This tea character is written like this, simply put, it's a person in between grass and trees. A tea tree absorbs the essence of mountains and rivers, the elegance of the sun and moon, and the spirit of wind and rain to condense into a plump tea leaf. The process of tasting it is just like experiencing the withering and flourishing of plants in a season. First, you taste bitterness, then smell the fragrance, feel the richness, and finally savor the endless aftertaste. It's a plain yet thrilling process. What kind of mood you're in determines what kind of flavor you can taste."

  It's simple and easy to understand, yet it's also very profound and requires a very subtle state of mind to appreciate. With just a furrowed brow, he savored more bitterness with his keen sense of taste. A hobby that you're not used to may be hard to enjoy before getting accustomed to it.

  Zuo Nanxia was a foodie who had reached the pinnacle of culinary expertise. With a smug expression, he said: "The taste you're experiencing now should be bitter. You don't have enough experience with Gongfu tea to truly appreciate it, so although what you said earlier was correct, it wasn't sincere. Right?"

  He tactfully changed the subject, perhaps to bring up the phrase "unintentionally speaking". Shuang Rong was stunned for a moment, and when he looked at Professor Zuo, the old man had a sly smile on his face. At this time, Shuang Rong probably also guessed that Professor Zuo was hinting at something, but didn't know how much he knew about his own affairs or whether he was aware of the severed relationship between him and his sister. After all, it's not like he could use a roundabout way to flirt with someone's father... For a moment, Shuang Rong couldn't find the right words to say.

  For a long time, Shanyong smiled and didn't dare to continue the conversation. Zuonan seemed to see something in Shanyong's expression, with a very understanding look, and poured another bowl of tea. The small teacup was filled to the brim without spilling a drop. Shanyong knew that this old man's eyes were still sharp and not only could he see things clearly but also people. With a smile, Zuonan asked, "Let's change the subject, I say young fellow, have you made a lot of money?"

  "Hmm?" Shan Yong nodded slightly and said: "A little, not much."

  "Then congratulations on taking the broad and easy road." said Zuo Nan.

  "Are you kidding me, Old Zuo? There are some things I just can't say, but... have you heard any rumors?" Zhang Yong smiled wryly and beat around the bush, but unexpectedly, Zuo Nan shook his head and said: "Do I need to hear it? One look at you is enough."

  "Can you tell? I'm like this... making money?" Yun Nan was puzzled, although he had deliberately dressed up a bit, but only politely, and this suit was still the cheap stuff bought at the opening, theoretically even if someone had sharp eyes, they shouldn't be able to tell that this outfit was worth a lot of gray income.

  "I'll tell you how I see it. All I know is that you got into a fight and ended up in the police station, and even got hospitalized, right?" Zuo Nanxia asked directly, Shuang Yong nodded, just thinking about how to gloss over it, but unexpectedly Zuo Nanxia said another thing, with a lively tone: "Given that you were injured, and now I see that you're sitting confidently and calmly in front of me, this doesn't need any thought to judge, you not only weren't knocked down, but instead turned the tables and stood up again. So I think, you must have made a lot."

  He couldn't help but admire the old man's sharp eyes, money is a hero's courage, and the timid appearance of those without money and the confidence of those with money are naturally not in the same league. This didn't surprise Shan Yong, he just responded with a smile that was neither affirmative nor negative.

  Perhaps Zuo Nan had already seen the answer he wanted, and with a smile of understanding, he said: "This is good news, so I congratulate you... Originally, I didn't plan to disturb anyone this time when I returned to Lushan, just to take a look at the progress of the folk culture museum project, and leave the day after tomorrow. I didn't expect you to sneak in through a loophole... Haha, it's good that way. Actually, I have a few things I want to ask you, do you want to chat with me?"

  Shan Yong nodded, and couldn't wait.

  "Don't be nervous, it's a conversation between men, not involving women, including my daughter. Actually, there are just a few small questions... The first question is, do you feel strong guilt now?" Suddenly asked by Zuo Nan.

  Single bravery eyes always, did not expect the old man so directly, directly stabbed his heart, suddenly stunned and didn't know what to do.

  He burst out laughing and said, "I'm not referring to anything specific. What have you done? I really don't know or care. My point is that merchants being stingy and scholars being pedantic are just their characteristics. However, in our great country, if you want to be a good merchant, it's not enough to just have the qualities of a merchant. You need to learn many things, such as cheating and deceiving others, flattering and bootlicking, welcoming and sending off, suppressing competitors... even if your nerves are made of copper or iron, there will still be some factor that makes you feel guilty. This is where the original sin of capitalism comes from - wealth has no clean origin, but in people's hearts, there is always a pure space... Tell me, do you have a deep sense of guilt?"

  After some thought, Dan Yong didn't make a sound, but nodded deeply, so deeply that it affected his psyche; otherwise, he wouldn't have lacked the courage to even call his master sister.

  No blame, of course no encouragement, Zuo Nanxia smiled and said with a hint of regret: "Now some people talk about everything, so the term 'business Tao' has emerged. It's a bit ridiculous to say that, whether it's under the guise of people's livelihood or national greatness, at its core is still the stench of greed and corruption. No matter how noble the appearance, it's pale in front of human nature's greed... If you insist on talking about business Tao, I do have some ideas, let's exchange them and see if my understanding of Tao is applicable to you."

  Shan Yong hastily sat up straight, with a look of rapt attention, and now he felt that his previous admiration for the old man was not enough; these few sentences made him admire him from the bottom of his heart.

  But unexpectedly, the old man picked up his tea bowl and took a sip, smiling as he glanced at Dan Yong and asked after a while: "Haven't you been to the reservoir for a long time?"

  "Hmm, can't be bothered," Danyong said.

  "Haven't you cooked a delicious meal for your friends in a long time?" the old man asked.

  "Hmm, everyone is busy." said Shan Yong.

  "Isn't it a long time since you sat down with your parents, had a chat, and pulled their legs to make them happy?" the old man asked.

  He had a bitter face, and every sentence asked reached his heart. Suddenly, he found that it was wrong, and no one had discovered that for such a long time, he had already strayed so far from his original life.

  "And, do you often feel anxious and worried, haven't laughed heartily for a long time, or even your sense of taste has degenerated, and it's been a long time since you've enjoyed the beauty of good food? Everything tastes the same." Zuo Nanxia smiled, leaning back in her chair, sitting up straight, looking like she was watching a child who had done something wrong.

  Shan Yong nodded, his eyes gazing around in a daze, the direction was clear but the road ahead was still uncertain.

  "Then my question arises, have you made money or has money made you?" Zuo Nanxia smiled and said, counting on his fingers: "It's taken away your cheerfulness, it's taken away your happiness, it's taken away your sincerity... perhaps in the future it will even take away your conscience."

  Speechless, Shanyong may be struggling with these in his heart, but he is not good at expressing them accurately. At this time, being said so clearly by an outsider who doesn't know the situation makes him feel a chill in his heart. Looking at Professor Zuo's white hair and youthful face, his elegant demeanor makes Shanyong inevitably feel ashamed.

  "Thank you, Old Zuo. No one has ever told me these things before. It seems I wasn't making money, but rather being taken advantage of instead." Yan Yong thanked him sincerely after a moment's pause.

  "It was I who should thank you, after Huiying's mother passed away, the blow to her was huge, and it was also because I was too harsh on her. She was like a flower that grew in a greenhouse, without experiencing any wind or rain. When her dearest person passed away, she couldn't bear this reality, crying every day, and later developed into a state of mental confusion, almost not recognizing me anymore. Severe depression made her sleepless for nights on end, twice attempting to cut her wrists, dropping out of school for treatment for over a year, but still having occasional relapses...". Zuo Nan wiped away the tears that had welled up in his eyes, perhaps he also hadn't lived to transcend this world, and still had so many attachments. He sighed, but his tone was lighter, looking at Shan Yong with kindness:

  However, an unexpected event or turning point appeared in her life. I was afraid she would be bored at home, so I took her to Lucheng to relax, but unexpectedly ran into you. Perhaps you don't know how much influence you have on her. I can feel it, though - she was very happy, played with abandon, laughed heartily, and even forgot to take her medicine sometimes due to exhaustion. After we returned to Xiamen, we took her to the hospital, where the doctor kept asking what kind of miracle drug she had taken to recover so quickly... but no one knew that you were actually the best medicine for her heart.

  Xiang Nan smiled kindly, feeling extremely delighted. Jian Yong also smiled, and the joy that had once surged forth now reflected in his eyes, heart, and mind. Those days filled with laughter were indeed a balm to his soul.

  "Alright, your knot in the heart should be untied now? You can earn money, that's not wrong. But don't let money earn you. You also have many choices, but don't make choices that will make you regret and feel too guilty in the future. People can live a little more freely, but cannot go off track." Zuonanxia said, seemingly hinting at something, Shanyong listened, not knowing whether this was referring to earning money or pursuing his sister, Zuonanxia directly reminded him:

  "What's wrong? Don't you want to give Xiying a call? Even if I'm being open-minded, in my opinion, the possibility of you becoming my son-in-law is not great. But I think people don't need to be so stubborn, sometimes being too stubborn is just being obstinate. In my opinion, even becoming friends is a good choice. I don't know what you're thinking, but Xiying considers you her best friend. When I came, she was very angry and said she wouldn't forgive you and wouldn't return to Lanzhou again."

  "What... what am I supposed to do?" Dan Yong knew it was this kind of situation and felt a bit at a loss.

  But unexpectedly, Zuo Nanxia smiled slyly and said: "If she didn't care about you, why would she be angry... I remember when I was pursuing her mother, a similar situation occurred, the difference between us was even greater than yours now, later..."

  "What happened afterwards?" Dan Yong asked curiously, and he couldn't help but laugh at himself, for afterwards, there was Zuo Xiying.

  "I was more than 20 years older than her mother at that time, and I was already a middle-aged man, a poor teacher who had been divorced, but I still surpassed a group of young handsome men. However, this successful model cannot be replicated, I relied on my extensive knowledge and academic achievements, what you rely on, I don't know." Zuo Nan said with a few points of pride, probably with a bit of provocative meaning towards Shan Yong.

  Dan Yong thought for a moment, searching for inspiration in his food-filled brain. He looked at Professor Zuo's expectant gaze and hesitated for a while before saying uncertainly: "How about I try relying on my thick skin?"

  He heard a loud "Pffft" sound and spat out his tea, staring at Dan Yong in shock, then burst out laughing with tears in his eyes. However, he knew that relying on this advantage alone wouldn't give him much of a chance to succeed.

  ……………………

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  "Dad, why hasn't Director Guo arrived yet?"

  Tao Xuanhe pressed on with her questioning, and Tao Chengzhang, who had just put down the phone, was also getting a bit impatient, saying: "He said to wait a bit longer, there's a meeting in the city that he can't get out of."

  "What's the meeting about at this late hour?" Tao Xuehe was a bit displeased, she and her father had been waiting with her fiancé in the lobby of the Dongming Hotel for some time. It seemed that there was something on his mind, and it wasn't a simple matter, or else he wouldn't have bothered to bring his daughter along. Tao Xuehe glanced at the direction of the arriving car, then turned back to ask her boyfriend: "Wenjie, who is this Old Zuo? Is he really as famous as my dad said?"

  "Yeah, roughly. I read some of his essays when I was in Zhejiang University, and later thought they were pretty good. When chatting with my supervisor, I found out that he was actually his student. Not only did he make significant contributions to aesthetics and philosophy, but after retirement, his essays often appeared in many food magazines at home and abroad. If we're talking about reputation, then Langzhou's celebrities can't compare to him." Pan Wenjie spoke fluently, but Tao Xuanhe didn't quite believe it, rolling her eyes and saying: "Maybe he's just seeking fame and fortune."

  "Wrong, absolutely wrong."

  Tao Chengzhang scolded his daughter, saying that she didn't invite some leaders from the city's relevant departments to attend today, and instead went to accompany Professor Zuo. It was either Director Guo or Professor Zuo who suggested that Donkey Meat Fragrance Hotel should take the initiative to invite Professor Zuo, as it would shorten the distance between Donkey Meat Fragrance Hot Pot and the world, and might even have a greater impact than spending tens of thousands of yuan on advertising with just one casual article. His daughter was initially skeptical, but after hearing the introduction, she realized that he was actually the father of the chairman of Tianji Chemicals, which was no small matter. Tao brought his daughter to try to take advantage of Director Guo's relationship to get a photo opportunity, and maybe even invite Professor Zuo to write an inscription or take a photo with them at the hotel.

  The merchant's usual tricks. After talking for half a day, they were all just flattering words, and the Tianji Chemical Plant in Lanzhou was already well-known far and wide, with such a heavy weight that even Pan Wenjie admired it, speaking with intention but listening without interest, looking at his daughter turning her head unintentionally seeing something stunned, Tao Chengzhang was about to remind a few key points, but unexpectedly Tao Xuehe quietly pointed and asked: "Dad, does that person look like Professor Zuo?"

  Tao Chengzhang turned his head and saw that in the hall, Dan Yong was shaking hands with an old man to bid farewell. This surprise was not small, he took out a photo from his pocket, a pair, and asked Pan Wenjie in surprise: "Does it look like?"

  "It's a bit like that." Pan Wenjie nodded, this is a photo of the city leaders accompanying Zuo Nan down, given by Director Guo.

  However, all three of them were stunned, and beside the target was another person they had recognized - Shan Yong.

  Watching the two say goodbye, Dan Yong walked out of the hall without noticing the three at the side door. After going down a few steps, Tao Chengzhang was still in a daze when Tao Xuanhe suddenly chased after him with a few quick steps in her high heels, shouting:

  "Alone and brave!?"