aircannonsinc Page 284
Page 284
"Wow! This black tea is the color of amber! Crystal clear! This is the taste of love!"
The man in the suit who had been finding fault suddenly exclaimed, raised his teacup, and said with shining eyes,
"This is the taste of love! It's because you see the person you like that you infuse the tea with so much affection! You even want me to shout it out so that person can taste the delicious tea you brewed! What an enviable and jealous feeling!"
Nagase Tsukiyo, who was brewing him black tea, involuntarily stepped back in fright, her clear, bright eyes filled with the panic of a young girl.
"Um... what are you talking about? It's just a cup of black tea." Nagase Tsukiyo quickly spoke up, her fingertips gripping the plate so tightly they turned white.
"Even though it's just a cup of black tea! But it's because my sweetheart is here that I thought of it: cough cough..."
The man in the suit pinched his throat and spoke in a sharp, girlish voice, "I'll definitely show this guy how good my tea-making skills are, so everyone will ask me to make tea for him, hmph!" That's a roundabout way of expressing affection!
"Ugh, this is disgusting!"
"Don't take his money anymore, let him leave quickly, otherwise no one will dare to come in."
"Spray spray spray, so I'm talking about uncles."
The other tea ceremony girls, seeing his expression, all showed extreme disgust.
Nagase Tsukiyo's cheeks flushed slightly, her gaze wandering aimlessly, but in an instant, she met Kitahara Hakuba's eyes.
Her eyes darted away hastily, not wanting him to see her flushed face, and she quickly raised the round tray in her hand to cover it.
However, this shy behavior was too obvious, startling Nagase Tsukiyo so much that she put down the tray and turned her head to the side, letting him look at her blushing embarrassment.
"Ms. Nagase, I sincerely hope that your feelings can be fully expressed. My years of tea-tasting experience are absolutely correct."
In addition, I would like to ask you to convey my regards to your father. This 100,000 is a token of my support for the event.
The man in the suit took out his wallet, pulled out ten 10,000 RMB notes, placed them on the table, and left the classroom with resolute steps.
When he said those words and took out ten thousand yuan, the others suddenly felt relieved.
No wonder, they're here to curry favor with Nagase's family.
Chapter 223, Section 222: The Way of Divination Lies Within It (4K)
"But have we already reached the planned sales target?" At this moment, one of the tea ceremony girls belatedly realized that their small goal was to achieve 20,000 units of sales within three days, and now 100,000 units were practically in their grasp.
"Doesn't that mean we can just close the shop and go out to have fun?"
"Idiots! Do you really just want to have fun? The main thing is to experience the fun of running a shop, right?"
Kitahara Hakuba sat in the chair, his gaze returning to Nagase Tsukiyo, whose face was flushed.
Do people really find running a shop and working a regular job enjoyable? No, running a shop itself is enjoyable. It's just that combining it with a regular job might diminish the enjoyment.
Watanabe Hama stepped forward directly and put away the 100,000 Gates. His voice was soft but each word was powerful and full of rationality:
"Don't overthink it. We're students, and we need to earn what we can. We can only allocate 100 yuan out of this 100,000."
The remaining money was given to Nagase-kun.
Amidst the mournful cries of the tea ceremony girls, Watanabe Hama handed the 100,000 yen to Nagase Tsukiyo, who was standing still, and said...
"Nagase-kun, we don't have that much money in our class funds. Do you have a hundred bar?"
“Hmm, yes, but my wallet is in my uniform,” Nagase Tsukiyo said. “I’ll give it to you later.”
"Row."
Watanabe nodded, his gaze sweeping over her face, which seemed bathed in the glow of the sunset, and asked bluntly,
"Nagase-san, why is your face so red? Did that person just say something that hit the nail on the head, or are you not feeling well?"
Because it was so direct, Nagase Tsukiyo's breathing became rapid and erratic again. She raised her small hand and pressed it tightly against her cheek, saying with a hint of shame and helplessness:
As Nagase Tsukiyo spoke, he glanced furtively at Kitahara Hakuba, who was sitting and drinking tea. Because it was a little hot, he was only taking small sips.
I feel like I'm just foolishly waiting for him to call me, all in this state.
"If what he says is really that good, then Nagase-kun, why don't you make tea for Kitahara-sensei? My tea skills might make Kitahara-sensei feel that a hundred cups isn't worth it."
Watanabe Hama's tone was crisp and clear, without any hint of resignation; he was simply stating a simple fact.
"No, one hundred isn't expensive at all. Consider it an experience," Kitahara Hakuba said with a smile.
Watanabe Hama shook her head, reached out and gently pushed Nagase Tsukiyo's slender back, her elegant sleeves swaying slightly with the movement.
Feeling somewhat ashamed and being watched by her classmates, Nagase Tsukiyo bowed politely to Kitahara Hakuba to make it seem normal.
"Teacher Kitahara, please excuse my poor manners."
"Hard."
As soon as Nagase Tsukiyo started brewing tea, her previous shy, girlish demeanor abruptly changed, replaced by an extremely aloof and solemn expression.
I need to show Kitahara-sensei how amazing I am. Harutori can't do it, Eri can't do it, only I can do it.
If the tea tastes good, he might come to me for tea in the future.
She turned and walked to the counter in the corner, where a small electronic scale, accurate to the gram, sat on a table covered with a white cloth.
Just as Saito Harukori's kindness in front of outsiders was a deception, everyone could feel that something passed down for hundreds of years was truly breathing within Nagase Tsukiyo's body.
Nagase Tsukiyo handled each step—warming the cup, adding tea leaves, pouring water, waking the tea, and filtering the tea—with extreme elegance and perfection, completely unlike the "instant noodle-making" methods used around her.
"Moonlight's technique is amazing! I usually just pinch a handful with my fingers and throw it directly into the pot to steep."
"Shhh—don't say it out loud, there are other customers in the store!"
Many people were drawn to Nagase Tsukiyo's tea-brewing technique, mainly because she was so beautiful; that was a major factor.
Soon, the aroma of tea rose from the maple-white teacup.
"Teacher Kitahara, please use this."
Nagase Tsukiyo gently placed the teacup on the table, but the faint clinking sound from the bottom of the cup could still be heard, and the surface of the tea rippled slightly.
Kitahara Hakuma felt rather awkward and uneasy. Her polite and courteous manner made him feel like a country bumpkin.
wrong
Isn't he the one who came from Tokyo?
Realizing this, and thinking he couldn't lose face, Kitahara Hakuba raised his teacup and took a small sip.
Small and exquisite teaware makes the brewed black tea taste even better. Although it is still bitter, the refreshing and healing feeling can penetrate deep into the body.
"Delicious."
Kitahara Hakuba put down his teacup and said with a smile,
"Nase-san's tea ceremony skills are truly unparalleled. I might try drinking more tea in the future."
Nagase Tsukiyo, who had great confidence in her tea ceremony skills, was not surprised at all. She pursed her lips and gave a serene smile, saying:
"You flatter me."
"Teacher Kitahara, does this really taste like that old man described?"
A girl with a red hairpin tied in her hair came over and asked, "That kind of feeling, wanting someone you like to drink it? What kind of feeling is it, full of affection?"
“Hmm::” Nagase Tsukiyo’s face suddenly turned red, and she almost dropped the teapot she was holding.
Kitahara Hakuba frowned slightly, took another sip, savored it carefully, and then explained with a wry smile:
"I'm sorry, I couldn't taste that flavor. Actually, what that gentleman said was a subjective opinion. Tasting tea is like listening to music; everyone will experience it differently. The difference between humans and other animals is that we have emotions. Perhaps he has drunk such delicious tea before, and in this context, it might trigger fragments of his memory."
"Oh, I get it, it's like the knee-jerk reflex?"
Kitahara Hakuba said with a smile:
"Objects can be carriers of emotions; sounds and smells can be too. For example, hearing the bells of a shrine can remind you of New Year's prayers, and smelling gunpowder can remind you of a fireworks festival."
Listening to him patiently explaining to his classmates, Nagase Tsukiyo couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
But at the same time, she felt a little lost. What was this emotion? Did she want him to taste it, or not?
Two conflicting thoughts kept tugging at her mind until Watanabe patted her on the shoulder and said:
“Nagase Tsukiyo, Kitahara-sensei’s teacup is empty.”
Nagase Tsukiyo finally snapped out of her daze, her face flushed with a cherry-red blush.
Just as he was about to pour tea, Kitahara Hakuba stood up, took out a hundred-yen coin from his wallet, and said:
"Thank you, no need. Actually, I've been slacking off for a long time. If I keep sitting like this, the other teachers will feel resentful."
Why is it that you get to be served tea and water by young girls, while we teachers have to do hard labor outside?
answer me!
"But you haven't finished drinking yet."
Nagase Tsukiyo felt a pang of regret. If she hadn't been so stunned as to continue the conversation for him, she could have spent more time with him.
Kitahara Hakuba said apologetically:
"Keep it for everyone to drink, and let them taste your cooking."
As he was about to leave, Watanabe Hama called out to him, "Teacher Kitahara, could I do you a favor?"
Kitahara Hakuba turned his head and noticed she was holding a phone in her hand.
"what happened?"
"Can I take a group photo with everyone? Just one."
Kitahara Hakuba tilted his head in confusion, glanced at the seven or eight tea ceremony girls around him, and said with a smile:
"alright."
The moment the confirmation was received, the rain guard outside abandoned her job as the signboard girl and walked straight in.
The tea ceremony girl put down her work and the customers, and took a commemorative photo with Kitahara Hakuba in front of the podium. The blackboard behind them read "Tea Ceremony Girl's House" in large letters.
Nagase Tsukiyo wasn't one to take initiative; while the other tea ceremony girls were already lining up, she was still standing aside watching.
But only she knew how conflicted she was inside.
Standing directly next to him would be too obvious, while standing in a corner would leave one feeling resentful.
Unlike her indecisiveness, Amemori and Watanabe Hama stood directly on either side of Kitahara Hakuba, and the others had no objections, after all, they were members of the brass band.