After all that uproarious bickering, Mu Liang placed the heated stones into the large wooden tub and brought the water to just the right temperature for bathing, then sent the two girls off to wash. They had spent a busy day and were covered in grime, sweat, and dust.
"I need to slowly change their habits," Mu Liang shook his head. Having the ability to live better, why wouldn't you?
"While I still have time, I'll roast the tea." He glanced toward the washroom, ignoring Mino's distant squeals. He hung the cleaned iron pot over the fire and added the tender tea leaves and buds that Mino had picked.
"Activate Mimicry Scale Hardening." Mu Liang used his ability to spin the leaves, skipping many manual steps—in tea terms, he performed a light pan-firing.
"I still need to roll the leaves." He recalled a tea-loving comrade in the army lecturing him on the process. Since gaining Enhancement, memories surfaced at will.
"All right, that'll do." Mu Liang shook the pot, watching the transformed tea leaves. He emptied them onto a wooden board to cool for steeping.
At that moment, the washroom door opened and the two girls emerged, transformed by their bath. Mino wore a white dress—oddly styled, yet youthful and fresh. Li Yue stood in her long robe, snow-white hair and skin giving her the air of a flower frozen in ice: elegant and resolute.
"They look great." Mu Liang gave a thumbs-up.
"I'm going back to my room." Li Yue bowed her head shyly, clutching her old clothes as she tried to slip back to the room she'd helped build.
"Wait." Mu Liang called gently. "Your room has no bed—you'll sleep in mine tonight."
"No, I can manage." Li Yue shook her head stubbornly. She'd slept outdoors before; surely a bare room was better than the cold night air.
"Then have some tea." Mu Liang coaxed, preparing two bowls of tea in wooden cups.
Splash…
He watched in wonder as the leaves unfurled, the green-glint spots on each one gleaming like stars reflected in water.
"So beautiful." Mino's blue eyes sparkled with delight.
"So lovely." Li Yue, too, was entranced. No one could resist something so beautiful.
"Quick—see how it tastes," Mu Liang urged.
"All right." Mino recovered first, blowing on her cup and sipping carefully.
"Wow!" Mino exclaimed after swallowing. "It's so bitter!"
"Huh?"
Then Mino's eyes widened. "Now it's sweet…and it cools my head."
"Tea is bitter first, then sweet." Mu Liang laughed at Mino's dramatic expression, like the quick-changing masks of an opera performer.
"Is that so? Heeheehee…" Mino giggled, embarrassed but amused.
"It's delicious," Li Yue said softly after tasting. With her eyes closed, she savored the flavor. "Its sweetness lingers, and it refreshes the mind. It's the finest tea I've ever heard of."
"How many Feral Beast Crystals do you think one cup could fetch?" Mu Liang asked, curious. The Starlight Tea Tree produced plenty of leaves—enough to trade as a specialty.
"I don't know." Li Yue shook her head. She'd only heard tales of great tea, never handled it herself—if not for Mu Liang, she might never have tasted real tea.
"I should find someone who knows tea to sample it," Mu Liang mused. "Someone with many Feral Beast Crystals and a willingness to pay."
Li Yue caught his meaning. "Important figures will love it—trade only a little at a time."
"I understand. I won't trade it yet." He eyed the nearly empty board of leaves.
Mino glanced at the scant leaves left and asked shyly, "Did we drink too much?"
"No—this is premium. It must sell for a high price." Mu Liang shook his head. Or better yet, keep it for ourselves.
"Premium?" Li Yue frowned, unsure what he meant.
"You can make tea from ordinary leaves, but it won't taste as good." Mu Liang's smile was wry.
"Aren't there more leaves to pick?" Mino's eyes glowed with excitement.
"Yes—picking is your job." Mu Liang said softly.
"I'll go now." Mino leapt up and dashed toward the door.
"Shouldn't you stop her? It's already evening." Li Yue called after her.
"She'll be back soon." Mu Liang smiled and raised an eyebrow. He sipped Mino's wooden cup and savored the tea.
Indeed, it was superb—better than any tea he'd had on Earth. He decided to charge ten times the usual price or risk a huge loss.
Li Yue stared at him, puzzled by his meaning.
Within ten seconds:
"Wow, wow, wow—Mu Liang, come see!"
Mino's excited shout rang from the doorway before she reappeared. "The tea tree is glowing—so beautiful!"
"I know." Mu Liang chuckled.
"How could you know? Come look!" Mino tugged his arm impatiently.
"All right, I'll see." Mu Liang rose, his dark eyes full of fondness. He patted Li Yue on the shoulder.
Li Yue hesitated, silver eyes blinking, then joined them. Outside, the two stood entranced by a green-glint radiance emanating from the tea tree, its leaves sparkling like countless stars.
"So beautiful." Li Yue couldn't help herself.
"Like a night sky." Mu Liang said softly.
"I can't bear to pick any now," Mino murmured.
"Okay—if you want leaves, come back tomorrow." Mu Liang gently tugged Mino's rabbit ear.
"But I'm free now." Mino pouted, covering her ear.
"Starlight Tea Tree only glows twice a day—once by day, once by night." Mu Liang turned back toward the house. "Also, your hands are filthy—how can you pick leaves?"
"Heeheehee…I just forgot." Mino scratched her ear guiltily.
"Hurry inside—it's cold." Mu Liang still needed his bath.
"Mu Liang—what about the drawing?" Mino looked back.
"Fetch it yourself." Mu Liang called after her.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。