Chapter 138: 138
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Wang Yao did not distract him and quietly sat in a corner observing .
Fry, knead, fry and knead again .
With each repetition, the strength and time taken for each action were different .
The process relied on one's experience to control and operate . This was done without an advanced appliance and without a temperature gauge and timer . It was this handmade process that was very attractive .
Some things could never be created using machines .
The frying of the harvested tea leaves from Nanshan hill was completed in the afternoon . During the process, Master Xu did not rest; in fact, he continued to be immersed in a special state . Wang Yao silently observed and recorded and did not distract him .
Whew! When the final drying process completed, Master Xu let out a long sigh of relief .
"It's okay now . We haven't let down these quality tea leaves . " Looking at the finished product, Xu Maosheng used a towel and gently wiped away the perspiration that beaded on his forehead .
"You have worked hard!" Wang Yao remarked sincerely .
Frying tea was technical work . It was not the first time Wang Yao had seen Xu Maosheng's frying process . The process required control of the temperature, repeated frying, and kneading . Patience, physical strength and energy were required . It was extremely tiring to go through the whole process .
"It's alright; I am already used to it . Let's go over there to take a seat . This tea needs to cool for a bit and then get packaged . " Xu Maosheng used his towel to wipe his forehead again .
"Okay . "
In the house, Xu Maosheng's wife had already prepared water and fruits for them . She meticulously cooled a large glass of water for her husband . When Xu Maosheng sat down, he took up the cooled glass and gulped down the large glass of water . He didn't have a sip of water while he was frying the tea .
"Ah, I am getting old . If I were younger by five or six years old, this work would have been easy," Xu Maosheng sighed after drinking the glass of water .
"Your age is a healthful age," Wang Yao smiled and commented .
"Healthful age? Haha," Xu Maosheng laughed . "I really want to do this for a few more years . There is no one willing to learn this craft anymore . "
"Yes, there are not many who are willing to learn this," Wang Yao said .
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A handmade craft like this required meticulousness, patience, and intensive study . Young people these days tended to be flippant and always on the lookout to earn more money, and they lacked these traits .
"There are machines specially meant for processing tea leaves . There is no real requirement to hand process them . However, such tea leaves are not comparable to handmade ones . They seem to lack something . "
"Yes, the shape and taste of the tea, they seem to lack something—an artistic conception . "
The two of them rested a while and went back to the room for processing tea . The room's ventilation was very good, and the tea had cooled down already .
"These can now be packaged . The weight is around 600 grams . How many portions do you need?" Xu Maosheng weighed the completed tea leaves and asked Wang Yao .
"Six portions . "
"Okay . I have some packaging . Choose one . "
Xu Maosheng processed tea and also sold tea, so he had the packaging and the tools required to package them at his disposal .
"Anything is fine . Something simple will be good . " Wang Yao picked the simplest packaging .
The packaging he picked had the same interior and exterior designs—a simple picture of the mountains and water, with a Chinese character for "tea" written on the outside .
Originally, Xu Maosheng wanted to put the six portions of tea into another type of packaging, but Wang Yao declined .
"This is for me and some friends . There is no need to be so particular . Here, this is for you to try it fresh . " Wang Yao gave a portion of tea to Xu Maosheng .
"This is too precious . I don't want it . There is still a small portion left . " Xu Maosheng pointed to the remaining small portion of tea .
"That's too little . You have been busy the whole day, and yet you have earned lesser than your day's wages?"
"No, no, it's okay . But thank you, I shall accept them . " Xu Maosheng smilingly accepted the tea . After all, he was a lover of tea, and this tea was hand processed by him .
"Shall we try the tea?"
"Sure . "
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Xu Maosheng took out a tea set, took out an appropriate amount of tea leaves and poured boiling water into the teacups that held the tea leaves .
A tea fragrance wafted out immediately, the scent was pure, and it leisurely wafted out . The liquid was a mix of green and yellow, and it was crystal clear . The tea leaves were well shaped; each leaf and sapling literally had no damage . This was evidence of the tea master's skillful craftsmanship!
"Good tea, this is really good tea!" Xu Maosheng exclaimed . He was genuinely emotional .
To detect truly good quality tea, actually tasting it was not necessary . From smelling the aroma, looking at the color and observing its shape, these tea leaves had fulfilled all the criteria of a quality grade tea .
Xu Maosheng held up the teacup and carefully sniffed the aroma and then took a small sip . It was sweet, full-bodied and refreshing and left a fragrant taste in his mouth .
"Excellent!" Xu Maosheng exclaimed . "Ah He, come drink this tea!" He was about to dash into the courtyard to call for his wife who was busy with her chores . His wife heard him and entered the house .
"How fragrant!" She smiled and said upon entering the house .
"Try it . This is rare and excellent tea; it's wild tea planted by Doctor Wang on the hill, and it's of the highest grade!" having said that, Xu Maosheng poured his wife a cup .
"Hmmm, it's indeed very nice . Better than the ones we plant at home," his wife drank the cup and complimented .
"Of course . Wild tea and cultivated tea are different . Besides, we use fertilizers on our tea . " In front of Wang Yao, Xu Maosheng did not hold back and said directly what was on his mind .
The pot of tea was brewed multiple times, yet the taste remained strong, and the liquid continued to be crystal clear .
"This is really the highest grade of tea, the best quality tea!" Xu Maosheng complimented . He smiled constantly . As a tea master that had made tea for decades, the happiest thing for him was to personally hand process high-quality tea leaves . Such high-quality tea leaves were so elusive!
The feeling of happiness was similar to how Wang Yao felt when he successfully treated a patient . This was a sense of accomplishment . At the point of starting a certain career, attaining certain achievements created a sense of accomplishment .
When Wang Yao left Xu Maosheng's place, it was already past 4 pm in the afternoon .
When he returned home, he presented a portion of tea to his parents .
"Mom and Dad, this is the tea that I planted on the hill, help yourself to it," he said .
"Okay," his father responded . Since a few of Wang Yao's friends had gifted some renowned tea, his parents had started to like drinking tea . Whenever they felt like it, they would brew a pot daily . Hearing that this was their son's planted tea, they were even more delighted .
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Wang Yao was prepared to gift the remaining portions of tea to Tian Yuantu and the rest of Wang Yao's friends .
The next day, after his morning's exercise, Wang Yao went down the hill and drove his car to the city . He stopped by at Wang Mingbao's place first . Wang Mingbao's business was doing better than ever; there were numerous customers at his shop looking at the renovation materials that morning .
"Hey, how come you have the free time to visit me?" Wang Mingbao showed him into his office and made him a cup of tea .
"Don't bother . I am here to give you something . I will be leaving soon," Wang Yao said and then placed a package of tea on Wang Mingbao's desk .
"Tea?" Wang Mingbao was slightly surprised .
"I planted them myself and asked a tea master to hand process them . I don't have much so please try it . "
"I bet they taste great!" Wang Mingbao remarked . To the things coming from Wang Yao's hill, Wang Mingbao had almost blind faith in them . Previously, the unbelievably delicious taste of the dates and chestnuts were fresh in his memory . He was certain that the hill's tea would be of high quality .
"I think I have to put this away . " Wang Mingbao put the package of tea into his drawer .
Wang Yao did not stay long at Wang Mingbao's place . Subsequently, he departed and drove his car to Tian Yuantu's office . Upon arriving, it happened that Tian Yuantu had a guest . It was an old gentleman in his 60's . He was quite skinny but looked full of vigor, and he had a profound expression on his face . Tian Yuantu treated Wang Yao with familiarity and asked him to join him in his office .
"You've found time to come today?"
"I'm here to give you something . It's tea from my hill and hand processed by Master Xu . Do try it, it's fresh . " Wang Yao placed the package down .
"Is it? I have such good fortune to enjoy this!" Tian Yuantu smiled, took the small package of tea and put it away .
"Stay for lunch, why don't you?"
"It's okay . You go ahead with whatever you're busy with . I'll take my leave now . "
Eh? After passing by the old gentleman, Wang Yao paused momentarily . He could detect some noise in the man's breathing . It was similar to bellows, and his breathing was quite rapid . There was a foreign matter in his lungs that caused unsteady breathing . It was likely to be phlegm .
"What is it?" Tian Yuantu was a little surprised . He noticed Wang Yao looking at the old gentleman and immediately smiled .
"I forgot to introduce you guys earlier . This is Professor Lu, a civil engineering expert . This is Wang Yao, my friend . He may be young, but his medical skills are exceptional!"
"Oh?!" Professor Lu was a little shocked . Using the word "exceptional" on such a young man—he must be gifted .
"Mr . Tian has given me too much credit . "
"Young lad, why were you staring at me?" Professor Lu smiled and said .
"Professor, were you unwell recently? You are breathing unevenly and have phlegm . "
"That's right!" Professor Lu was stunned upon hearing these words . If he was shocked earlier by Tian Yuantu's praise for Wang Yao, he was now shocked by the young man's ability . Merely by looking at him, Wang Yao could tell that he was unwell and could even accurately say where Professor Lu was unwell . Wang Yao was indeed extraordinary .
"That's amazing, young lad! I had a cold a few days ago, and I have phlegm in my lungs . I am feeling better today," said Professor Lu .
"Do you want to let Wang Yao take a look?" Tian Yuantu suggested .
"Sure!" Professor Lu agreed .
"Okay, I'll take a look . " Wang Yao sat down and took Professor Lu's pulse . There were some problems detected from taking the pulse .
"Professor Lu, you have kidney stones . Is this an old ailment?"
"Yes, it is," Professor Lu replied .
"You like to eat meat . Also, you had slightly more serious constipation this morning?"
"My god, you can detect all this just by taking my pulse?" Professor Lu was stunned .
Wang Yao merely smiled and did not reply to him .
"You don't have many problems with your body . However, you may need to make some changes to your lifestyle," Wang Yao commented after the diagnosis .
"Drink more water daily; take more vegetables and less meat . You can consider consuming some white fungus and walnuts . "
"Can you prescribe medicine for me?" Professor Lu had now withdrawn his biases towards this young man . A youth who possessed such abilities at this age—it was impressive .
"Your condition is not too serious . It will be ideal if you can start by improving your lifestyle habits . I can decoct you something . However, it can only treat you for the moment, the effects won't be lasting," replied Wang Yao .