"The tea has changed color, becoming quite bitter," Rong Dai explained. Her mouth was picky, and she would never eat something again after trying it once if she didn't like it.
This was her own upbringing and manners. Consuming something unpalatable would only harm her body and affect her mood.
"I'm just showing off my poor skills here, please forgive me for making you laugh, Uncle Jiang."
After Rong Dai spoke, she saw Jiang Ling take a sip of the tea, and she quickly added.
But this remedy didn't seem to have much effect. She really shouldn't have said too much just now.
Although consuming unpleasant things would make her uncomfortable, her current situation was precarious. She would have to be more cautious in the future.
"I think what you said makes a lot of sense. Do you know how to brew tea?" Jiang Ling was a tea expert. Everything Rong Dai had said was spot on.
This good tea had been ruined, so of course he was unhappy.
Rong Dai instinctively looked to Huo Shao Ting. She really wasn't showing off. This had become a habit, and she reacted instinctively.
Huo Shao Ting still nodded, looking at her with firm and trusting eyes.
He understood very clearly that even though he gave Rong Dai all the respect and care she needed, some things still required her to fight for herself.
What he could give her was actually very limited, such as other people's respect for her.
Perhaps some people would respect her because of his face, but that would only be temporary. She had to earn these things for herself.
He also wanted to know how much more there was about his wife that he didn't know.
Over the past few days, he had discovered that the more he got close to her and peeled back a layer of her secrets, there would be yet another layer.
She herself was like a treasure, attracting people. As her husband, he had the right and duty to get to know his wife well.
Rong Dai could only agree. Who else could she blame for the trouble caused by her mouth?
"Then let's go inside," Jiang Ling said, walking ahead first.
Once inside, the tea table in the living room was already set with a tea set, matching purple clay teaware, and a cabinet full of tea leaves.
Rong Dai had an eye for quality. There were many treasures in that tea cabinet. If sold, they could support an ordinary family to live in luxury for a lifetime.
"Just brew the Ming Qian tea. I'll be back down shortly," Jiang Ling pointed at the tea cabinet.
Rong Dai nodded. She was in no hurry to take the tea. Instead, she first asked the housekeeper what water she had used earlier. After searching the house, only bottled mineral water was available.
The tap water was dead water, useless for brewing tea.
She took the tea leaves and sat down, boiled the water, and washed the tea set thoroughly before starting to brew the tea.
As Jiang Ling watched her skilled movements, modest manners, and focused expression while brewing tea, the approval in his old eyes grew even more intense. He couldn't help but glance at Huo Shao Ting.
He had originally wanted to ask Huo Shao Ting some questions. He wasn't interested in the news while away from Shenjing, but now that he was back, some matters were hard to remain ignorant about.
For example, Rong Dai's affairs. Although the trending topics had been taken down, many people online were still talking about it enthusiastically.
But Huo Shao Ting's eyes were completely focused on watching Rong Dai, ignoring him entirely, which irritated him as he sat fanning himself in the solid wood chair.
Rong Dai's tea brewing skills came from the teachings of her mother in her previous life.
In her previous life, her mother was originally from a prestigious family, and the Rong family were meritorious aristocrats. They put tremendous effort into educating their children.
The prosperity of a family depended entirely on the younger generation, so the competition between families involved not just power and wealth, but also the upbringing and manners of their offspring.
What good was being well-read and accomplished? In her previous life she had mastered everything, studying under hundreds of top masters in every field for over a decade, day after day.
When brewing tea in her previous life, she was required not only to produce a clear, appealing tea liquor, but also the optimal flavor. The daughters of elite families were not the only ones with picky taste buds. They were all like that.
Moreover, when brewing tea, she had to pay attention to smooth movements, modest and elegant manners—every action was meticulously cultivated.
Although Huo Shao Ting did not study such things, he could discern that her tea brewing skills could be considered master class.
Jiang Ling was a tea connoisseur who sought out good tea and skilled tea masters wherever they could be found.
After retirement, he had basically traveled everywhere, but even he found Rong Dai's calm, graceful, and elegant tea brewing pleasing to watch.
"Uncle Jiang, please excuse any flaws and have a taste," she offered the first brew to Jiang Ling first, as courtesy demanded.
Jiang Ling did not stand on ceremony either, picking up the teacup and gently sipping a small mouthful. His eyes instantly brightened.
The appreciation of tea emphasized the right state of mind and a tranquil environment, with the tea itself secondary.
"I won't believe you achieved this skill in just over ten years," he said, putting down the teacup. His gaze toward her had changed a lot.
At his level of mastery, even if he acquiesced to someone's request, he might not truly devote himself fully.
At his stage, he had his own pride.
So when he first met Rong Dai, he had merely been polite for Huo Shao Ting's sake.
If she herself had no talents or skills, he would have had no patience to teach her, lest it damaged his reputation.
"Uncle Jiang flatters me. I've just casually read some books and learned a little on my own during my free time," Rong Dai said modestly.
While she spoke humbly, she knew Jiang Ling was right.
To be precise, from the time she started learning to brew tea until the day she died in her previous life, she had always been learning, able to discern every tiny flaw. This skill could not be achieved in just over ten years—it had taken her a lifetime to acquire.
She offered the second brew to Huo Shao Ting and took a sip herself.
"If Uncle Jiang had fresh, pure water here, the flavor of this Ming Qian tea could be elevated another level. The water here is slightly harsh, so although the tea is strong, there is still a hint of harshness."
"Hahaha! To be able to drink tea brewed by your skilled hand is bliss!" Jiang Ling laughed heartily, clearly in an excellent mood.
But he still did not intend to immediately teach Rong Dai acting. There was a saying that it took three years for a master to finish grinding an apprentice.
Let alone, she had just started following him today. How could Jiang Ling possibly agree to teach her so readily?
Rong Dai also understood this principle, and did not mention learning acting. Instead, she discussed tea with him.
Sitting in the chair, there were moments when Huo Shao Ting felt there was some distance between them. He actually felt as if she was speaking a foreign language.
If Assistant Zhang were here, he would surely be shocked to know of such thoughts from Huo Shao Ting, because whether in public or within the Huo clan, the name Huo Shao Ting was like that of a deity.
Watching her speak articulately and confidently, with brilliance emanating from the inside out, Huo Shao Ting felt like she was a beautiful jade—even if deliberately obscured, its radiance could not be blocked, attracting people irresistibly.
