White tea legend

Chapter 223 Repaying the favor
The market was bustling with people, and all kinds of shouts came and went.

Zhuo Laosan shuttled among the crowd, looking sharply for the most affordable meat and vegetable stalls. With many years of experience in going to the market, he quickly bought high-quality and low-priced pork and fresh vegetables.

Thinking of his parents' hard work in the fields, Zhuo Laosan decided to give them a sumptuous dinner tonight.

Zhuo Laosan was holding the meat and vegetables in one hand and holding tightly the remaining Tongbao given by Zi Yao in the other, feeling a little warm in his heart.

He crossed the small stone bridge at the end of the village and followed the familiar dirt path back home. When he got home, Zhuo Laosan immediately got busy.

He cut the pork into pieces and stir-fried it in a hot oil pan. The meat was fragrant. He also washed and chopped the vegetables, preparing to make some refreshing and delicious side dishes. The kitchen was filled with smoke, and Zhuo Laosan's figure was busy and powerful in it.

At dinner time, my parents came back from the fields exhausted. When they opened the door, they smelled an alluring aroma of food. When they walked into the house, they couldn't help but be surprised when they saw that the table was already filled with delicious dishes.

"Lao San, what's going on? Where did you get the money to buy so many vegetables?" Mother asked in confusion.

Zhuo Laosan smiled and explained how he helped Zi Yao carry the medicine and obtained these ten treasures.

The tone of his story was calm, but he showed a hint of pride inadvertently.

My parents listened to Zhuo Laosan describing how he earned ten Tongbao by carrying medicine for others, and their confusion quickly climbed onto their brows.

"Third brother," Dad was smoking a dry cigarette, with a trace of doubt in his eyes, "You carried medicine, and that person gave you so much money? This thing is a bit weird, could it be..."

The mother also seemed uneasy: "Yes, third child, there is no such easy money in this world, why do people give you so many Tongbao for no reason?" The implication is that she is worried that the money comes from unknown sources.

Zhuo Laosan understood his parents' concerns, and he quickly explained: "I feel strange too, but I asked Madam Zi Yao, and she said it was a little bit of her intention. I can't shirk it, and she is determined not to go back."

"What do you mean?" Dad frowned, "Are you sure she doesn't have any other demands? We can't just accept the money in a daze."

"I have asked several times. Madam Zi Yao said it was just because I helped her, and she had no other intentions. I saw that she looked sincere and did not seem to have any malicious intentions." Zhuo Laosan tried his best to make his voice firm. I hope this will dispel parents' concerns.

The mother was still worried, "Let's do this, Third Brother, we will keep the money for you first. You can use it later when you get a wife."

"Mom, I'm still young, so it's not my turn to get a wife. Besides, my brothers have matchmakers to come to marry them, and now the family..." Before he finished speaking, Zhuo Laosan suddenly stopped, as if he had touched something. Sensitive topic.

The room suddenly fell silent. Dad's illness caused the family to spend almost all their savings and incur foreign debt. Getting a wife is indeed out of reach.

Dad sighed and blamed himself: "I have dragged you down. The marriage of the eldest and second child has been delayed..." His tone was full of powerlessness and guilt.

At this time, Zhuo Laosan looked at his father's increasingly haggard face and felt a sense of determination in his heart, "Dad, don't say that. I will work more and make more money. I will also try my best to help with my brothers' marriages." of."

The mother's eyes turned red when she looked at the sensible little son in front of her, "Third brother, you have done enough, it's hard for you to have such a heart."

"We are a family." Zhuo Laosan's words are simple and simple, but they are like the brightest star in the night sky, guiding this warm little family to face difficulties together in the days to come.

Zhuo Laosan didn't know that his life was getting better day by day.

Tea owner Wang Shanhe broke his leg. He first went to a private medical clinic in Wanghaili for treatment. The bone was repaired, but he walked with a limp. Wang Shanhe was very wealthy, so he went to the "Zhi Zishan Thatched Cottage" for treatment. The lady Zi Yao helped Wang Shanhe's leg bones to be re-broken and re-joined. I don't know what kind of weird decoction was used, but Boss Wang's feet unexpectedly... He recovered as before, and even a sixty-year-old man could walk as fast as a young man.

Wang Shanhe rewarded Zi Yao with a lot of money.

According to his memory, he asked a painter to draw a portrait of the boy who carried him down the mountain that day, and asked his servants to take the portrait with him and search for it in the streets.

"If it hadn't been for that upright young man carrying me down the mountain, I would have died a long time ago. He is my savior. I must find him no matter what." Wang Shanhe ordered his men.

However, several days of searching yielded no results, and the servants returned disappointed. No one recognized the young man in the portrait.

"Sir, it seems that the person in this painting is not in the market. I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to find him." A servant reported to Wang Shanhe cautiously.

Wang Shanhe sighed and made an appointment with Zi Yao to come to the house for review. He had no choice but to go to the thatched cottage for review first.

In the thatched cottage, while Zi Yao was checking Wang Shanhe's legs and feet, they were all fine. She accidentally saw the portrait Wang Shanhe was carrying. The young man in the painting was handsome and honest, and Zi Yao recognized it at a glance.

"Who is this?" Zi Yao asked Wang Shanhe curiously.

"My savior was this young man who carried me down from the mountain. Otherwise, no matter how good your medical skills are, Mrs. Zi Yao, I would have died on the mountain long ago."

"Isn't this the young man who carried the medicine a few days ago, named Zhuo Laosan?" Gualou also recognized Zhuo Laosan.

"Do you know this young man?" Wang Shanhe was excited, "Do you know where he lives?"

Zi Yao said: "I know where his home is, he lives in Tianzhu Village!"

Wang Shanhe was overjoyed when he heard this.

Zi Yao told Wang Shanhe Zhuo Laosan's home address, and Wang Shanhe hurriedly prepared a generous gift to express his gratitude.

"Thank you for your advice, miss. I will definitely thank that little brother." Wang Shanhe said excitedly, and immediately started preparing a generous gift.

Soon after, Wang Shanhe and his party came to Tianzhu Village in a mighty manner. The villagers were very surprised to see this battle, and they all speculated about what happened.

Wang Shanhe found Zhuo Laosan's home and saw the face he had seen thousands of times in paintings.

"You are the young man who carried me down the mountain, right? I am Wang Shanhe, and I am here to express my gratitude to you." Wang Shanhe enthusiastically stepped forward and held Zhuo Laosan's hand.

Zhuo Laosan was a little shy, but still responded politely: "Thank you, Mr. Wang. I just did what I should do."

Wang Shanhe handed the generous gift to Zhuo Laosan: "Although this gift cannot fully express my gratitude, please accept it."

Zhuo Laosan's parents were also moved by this scene. They knew that their son had done a great thing and were proud of him.

The news spread quickly in the village, and everyone in the village was happy for Zhuo Laosan. Zhuo Laosan's good deeds not only won Wang Shanhe's respect and gratitude, but also established him a good reputation in his village. But trouble soon began.

Ever since Wang Shanhe gave Zhuo Laosan that generous gift, the peaceful Tianzhu Village has been in turmoil, making Zhuo Laosan's family the target of public criticism.

"Third father, your family is extremely rich now. Lend me some, and I promise to pay you back!" Ergouzi from the village drooled, rubbed his hands, and stood at the door of Zhuo's house with a fawning look. .

Faced with such a request, the third child's parents felt mixed emotions. They originally wanted to save the money for Zhuo Laosan's future marriage, but they didn't expect that people in the village would take notice and come to borrow money one after another.

"Er Gouzi, it's not that we don't want to help. This money was given to Lao San by Mr. Wang, and we want to leave it for him to get a wife." Lao Sanniang tried her best to speak tactfully.

"Huh, once you have money, you'll turn your back on me!" Ergouzi muttered dissatisfied, turned and left.

This kind of scene happens again and again in the Zhuo family. Whenever night falls, the third child's parents always sigh under the light. They don’t want to get into trouble with their neighbors over money, but they can’t satisfy everyone’s desires.

Soon, another wave of villagers swarmed in, this time with a more direct purpose - to propose marriage.

"Third child, my daughter is as beautiful as a flower and has good craftsmanship. She is right to marry you!" Aunt Li held her daughter's hand with a smile, as if she was already planning the details of the wedding.

The third child’s parents were even more troubled by this. They knew that these people who proposed marriage were not really thinking about their daughter, but were interested in the money in the hands of the third child.

"Aunt Li, we appreciate your kindness, but the third child has to make his own decision on marriage matters." The third child's father rejected Aunt Li firmly but politely.

As time goes by, the Zhuo family's situation becomes more and more embarrassing. The atmosphere in the village gradually became tense. In order to protect their son, the parents of the third child had to always be wary of those greedy eyes.

Fortunately, Zhuo Laosan no longer has to stay in the village.

In the past, he saved Mr. Wang, and now Mr. Wang came to save him.

That day, Tianzhu Village ushered in an unusual commotion in the early morning.

"Third brother, come out!" An excited call broke the morning tranquility.

Zhuo Laosan rubbed his sleepy eyes and walked out the door. He saw his parents talking to a sixty-year-old man in gorgeous clothes. The old man was Wang Shanhe, and before he put down the gifts in his hands, the entourage behind him had already attracted the neighbors to peep their heads.

"Brother Zhuo, I want to invite you to work in my tea shop. Are you willing?"

Zhuo Laosan's parents were a little overwhelmed by this sudden good luck. They know that this job is undoubtedly a rare opportunity for Zhuo Laosan, who comes from a difficult family.

"Master Wang, where is your tea shop?" Zhuo Laosan's father asked cautiously.

"In the city, that's where I do business. I think your son is smart and will be able to get started quickly. Working there is much easier than farming here, and the income is stable." Wang Shanhe said with a smile. .

Zhuo Laosan's heart was filled with ups and downs. He had indeed wanted to work in the village a long time ago to improve his family's living conditions, but he didn't expect that the opportunity would come just like this.

"Third brother, if you are willing, I can arrange a good position for you and give you generous treatment." Wang Shanhe's words were sincere.

Everyone in the village looked at Zhuo Laosan with envy. It was indeed a rare opportunity to have such an opportunity.

"I...I am willing to give it a try." Zhuo Laosan finally made up his mind. He knew that this was an opportunity to change his destiny and he could not give up.

Seeing the determined expression on their son's face, the parents knew they could say nothing more. Although they were reluctant to give up, they were more happy for their son.

"Then it's settled, I will send someone to pick you up in a few days." Wang Shanhe nodded with satisfaction, knowing that he had made the right decision.

Finally, Wang Shanhe sent vehicles and entourage as promised and took Zhuo Laosan to the tea shop in Wanghaili. The bustling place and the huge crowds of people formed a sharp contrast with the tranquility of Tianzhu Village.

In the tea shop, Zhuo Laosan was diligent and studious, and quickly became familiar with the work process. He was smart and capable, and soon gained the appreciation of Wang Shanhe, and gradually established a firm foothold in the tea business.

Zhuo Laosan has been working in Wang Shanhe's tea shop for some time. He is diligent and studious, and is highly appreciated by Wang Shanhe, the owner of the tea shop. However, recently, the atmosphere in the tea shop has become dull. Wang Shanhe, who had always been open-minded, began to look gloomy.

That day, Zhuo Laosan saw Wang Shanhe sitting alone in the tea room, with some account books and orders spread out in front of him, and he kept sighing. He walked over gently and asked in a low voice: "Boss, you look very troubled. Is there something wrong with the tea shop?"

Wang Shanhe raised his head and gave a wry smile: "Third brother, you came at the right time. I don't want to hide it from you. The business of our tea shop is indeed sluggish during this period. Many old customers have gone to Lu Yu's 'Xiangming Yaxu' Placed an order.”

"Lu Yu? Is he the legendary tea master?" Zhuo Laosan remembered hearing this name in Wanghai.

"Yes, that's him." Wang Shanhe sighed and continued, "He developed a brand-new white tea making technology. The white tea produced by this processing technology is similar to black tea, green tea, oolong tea, yellow tea and other teas. It’s completely different, with a unique aroma and elegant taste, which is very popular among customers. I also wanted to learn from it, but I just couldn’t resist this old face.”

"Why is this so?" Zhuo Laosan asked puzzledly.

Wang Shanhe smiled bitterly and shook his head: "It's all due to pride. Last time I heard that Lu Yu had mastered this new tea-making technology, I wanted to learn a few tricks secretly. Not only did I not learn it, but I also lost my temper when I went down the mountain. I fell down and broke my leg. This incident became a joke in the industry, and my old face was completely lost.”

After hearing this narration, Zhuo Laosan couldn't help but feel some sympathy. He knew that Wang Shanhe was an arrogant person, and this blow must be very difficult for him to accept.

"Boss, we can't just give up. The business of the tea shop is not good, we can find ways to improve it." Zhuo Laosan encouraged, "Have you ever tried to cooperate with Master Lu Yu or learn his skills?"

Wang Shanhe shook his head: "I was too conceited before and didn't seize the opportunity. Now I want to ask for advice, but I feel like I can't start."

"Then let me go." Zhuo Laosan suddenly said, "I am willing to represent the tea shop to learn tea making from Boss Lu. I believe that as long as we are sincere, Lu Yu will definitely be willing to teach us the skills."

Wang Shanhe was infected by Zhuo Laosan's enthusiasm, and a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes: "Are you really willing to go?"

"Of course, for the sake of the tea business, I am willing." Zhuo Laosan replied firmly.

"But colleagues are enemies, and it is impossible for Lu Yu to be willing to teach."

"How about not letting him know that I am from our tea shop?" Zhuo Laosan suggested.