Chapter 68 Before the Engagement

  "Little nephew Liu, pay respects to Uncle Zhang and Auntie Zhang!" In the front hall of the Zhang family mansion, Liu Yitiao respectfully bowed to Mr. and Mrs. Zhang.

  Zhang Wulang and Zhang Liu sat steadily, enduring the courtesy of Liu Yitiao. After the courtesy was over, Zhang Wulang slightly raised his right arm and said lightly: "Liu Xianzhong has been polite, please sit down first."

  "Thank you, Uncle Zhang and Auntie Zhang." Liu Yitia bowed to them and then retreated to sit down beside Old Liu.

  "Zhang, my younger brother," Old Liu said with a smile as soon as Liu Yitiao sat down. "The formalities have been completed and the faces have been seen. How about we set a date for the marriage of those two children? If it weren't for Yitiao's nonsense last time, wanting to give Chuchu a riddle to solve, our two families wouldn't have had to wait so long."

  "Hey, Old Liu, how can you blame our dear nephew for this? If anyone's to blame, it's us two old folks for spoiling our daughter Chuchu rotten. And what's the big deal about setting an exam question or two? Luckily, our clever nephew was able to answer them all correctly, otherwise who knows when we'd be able to marry off our daughter, haha..."

  "Oh? So Zhang has agreed to this marriage?" Old Liu asked excitedly, catching the implication of Zhang's words.

  "Hasn't little brother always been obedient? Isn't that right, Uncle?" Zhang Wu's one sentence of address explained everything.

  Old Liu heard this and stood up, laughing loudly: "Good good good, dear father-in-law, dear mother-in-law. Hehehe, come on, quickly give your future father-in-law, mother-in-law, and big brother-in-law a bow."

  Liu Yitiao got up and walked to Zhang Liang's couple, knelt down on the ground, and said: "Xiaozheng Yitiao, pays respects to his father-in-law and mother-in-law, thank you for your support!"

  "Alright, alright, haha, the son-in-law is polite. Quickly get up!" Zhang Youliang warmly helped Liu Yitiao up and said: "This marriage can be considered settled, from now on our two families will become one family, we are not outsiders, so let's not be too formal."

  After finishing, Zhang Houliang turned his head to Zhang Chuwu and gave him a wink, instructing: "Chuwu, take your brother-in-law to the inner room for a while. From now on, we are all one family. You young people should get closer to each other."

  Knowing that these old men still had many things to discuss, Zhang Chu got up and made an inviting gesture to Liu Yitiao, saying: "Yitiao Xiongdi, please."

  "Thanks, Brother Chu." Although it was a bit awkward to address someone younger than himself in this way, Liu Yitiao still called out the words. After all, he was his elder brother-in-law. He bowed and followed Zhang Chuwu into the inner chamber.

  The room is not large, but it's also exquisite. In the center there is a square table, and next to the square table are four stools. On one of the stools sits a delicate figure.

  Zhang Chuchu, Liu Yitiaolooked at Zhang Chuhun unexpectedly, isn't this a bit over the line? Although the customs of the Tang Dynasty were open-minded, it seemed that the newly engaged couple should still avoid some things.

  "Please don't mind, younger brother," Zhang Chuhuai explained with a smile: "According to traditional etiquette, after the engagement and before the wedding night, it's not suitable for the couple to see each other. However, the three elderly people are still discussing our engagement outside, so this matter hasn't been officially settled yet. So it won't be considered impolite. You two can take this opportunity to chat for a bit." After finishing speaking, Zhang Chuhuai patted Liu Yitiao's shoulder and said: "Chu Chu has something to say to you. I'll excuse myself first. When the discussion outside is done, I'll come in and call for you."

  "Chu heard that his elder brother had invited him." Liu Yitia bowed with his hands clasped together. Zhang Chuhun got up and walked out again.

  "Mr. Liu, I bid you farewell." As soon as Zhang Chuyun left, Zhang Chuchu stood up from the stool and bowed to Liu Yitiao. Liu Yitiao saw that her face was still covered with a veil.

  Liu Yitiao bowed and returned the courtesy: "Miss Chu has been polite. I don't know what Miss Chu is calling me for, what's the matter?"

  "Please sit down, Mr. Liu." Zhang Chuchu stretched out her small hand to invite Liu Yitiao to take a seat, then picked up the teapot on the table and poured a cup of clear tea for Liu Yitiao, handing it to him and saying: "This is a special Steamed Sun Tea made by Chuchu for you, Mr. Liu, please taste it."

  What's Bu Ri tea? Liu Yi Tiao, who has done some research on Chinese tea culture, quickly thought of the origin of this tea. Bu Ri, also known as Yin Sheng, is actually the predecessor of Yunnan Pu'er tea, just with a different name.

  "Thanks, Chu Chu." Liu Yitiao took over the tea bowl and placed it under his nose to take a light sniff. The fragrance was rich and lingered for a long time. He then observed the color of the tea soup, which was deep and yellow, indicating that it was an old Pu'er tea that had been stored for at least three years or more.

  "Good tea! The flavor is as smooth as a summer day, and the aroma is refreshing. Miss Chu, this tea must be at least three years old, right?" Liu Yitiao spoke up in praise.

  After hearing Liu Yitiao's evaluation, Zhang Chuchu's eyes lit up. She didn't expect Liu Yitiao to have such a profound understanding of tea ceremony. Just by taking a glance and smelling it, he could tell the exact year of the tea leaves. It wasn't simple. She spoke: "Liu Gongzi has a discerning eye. This tea has been stored for three years and six months. It has been dried several times in between, without any hint of moldiness. Please, Liu Gongzi, have a taste."

  "In that case, I won't be polite." Liu Yitiao gently placed the tea bowl to his lips, took a small sip, and felt the fragrance was rich and the taste was sweet. After swallowing, he had a refreshing feeling.

  "Mellow and sweet aftertaste, great! It's a deep flavor of Pu'er tea. Unfortunately, it was steeped for a bit too long, if it were drunk immediately after brewing, the flavor would be even better." Liu Yitia put down his teacup and expressed his evaluation, or rather, his sigh.

  Zhang Chuchu was stunned after hearing Liu Yitiao's words, and this person's evaluation was exactly the same as what his father had said years ago.

  "Miss Chuchu, Miss Chuchu!" Seeing her dazed expression, Liu Yitiao thought his previous words had offended her and hastily said: "My previous words were a bit too straightforward, I hope Miss Chuchu will forgive me."

  "Master Liu misunderstood." Zhang Chuchu came back to her senses and said, "Chuchu was just thinking of Father. A few years ago, when Father drank the tea that Chuchu brewed, he also said something similar to Master Liu."

  "Uncle Zhang? I didn't expect Uncle Zhang to be a connoisseur of tea, and I admire him for it." But in his heart, Liu Yitiao felt very strange. Zhang Boliang was just an ordinary farmer, how could he understand such refined tea art? Moreover, this Tieguanyin tea must not be cheap, and the Zhang family was just an ordinary farming household, how could they afford to drink it?

  "Mr. Liu seems to have seen some clues," Zhang Chuchu stood up, turned his back on Liu Yitiao, and said in a low voice: "In fact, this time Chuchu invited Mr. Liu to come in with a thick face, it was because there was something that wanted to be clear with Mr. Liu before the engagement."

  "In fact, Chuchu is not my father's biological daughter."