Chapter 21 of 100

Chapter 21: Precious Notes

14 min read3,376 words

Liu Dong had only heard of Da Hongpao, the supreme tea, but had never seen it in person. This type of Oolong tea, which was only offered to the royal family before the Republic of China and had an extremely limited annual production, is now worth more than ten times the price of gold, with each gram costing over ten thousand yuan. He never thought he would have the chance to taste it today!

Seeing Uncle Long and Old Li raise their teacups, Liu Dong did not hesitate to pick up the purple clay teacup on the table. He held it with his thumb and index finger on the rim and his middle finger supporting the bottom. However, he did not drink it directly. Instead, he first brought it to his nose to smell it, then took three sips slowly, the entire process flowing smoothly without any pretense.

Seeing Liu Dong's skilled movements, Old Li and Uncle Long could not help but show surprise on their faces.

"Good, it takes three sips to truly taste the flavor, and three rounds to truly move the heart. I didn't expect that you, Xiao Dong, are also an expert in tea ceremony. There are not many young people who understand this nowadays," Old Li said with admiration. To be honest, after this interaction, he liked this polite and knowledgeable young man even more.

Just like in antiques, where there are 'one-glance goods,' Liu Dong's first impression on Old Li was very good.

"Old Li, you flatter me. I just learned from watching my father at home," Liu Dong said humbly. Normally, he wouldn't drink tea this way, but today, with the top-grade old purple clay and the national treasure Da Hongpao, his interest in tea was truly piqued.

"It seems your father is not an ordinary person!" Old Li said with a smile.

"In China, the history of tea drinking is long and profound. The tea ceremony is considered a form of life art, a social etiquette, and a way of life. Cultivation is the essence and purpose of the tea ceremony. Tea practitioners cultivate their emotions, refine their character, and seek enlightenment through tea activities. Therefore, in modern times, the true tea ceremony is regarded as a refined art, and those who understand its essence are few," Liu Dong said, recalling his father. In his memory, his father's habits and behavior were not those of an ordinary farmer. Besides the tea ceremony, his father was also proficient in Go and calligraphy, and his interest in carving was largely influenced by his father.

"Grandpa, Grandpa, I want to drink Da Hongpao too!" The little girl, who had been quietly snuggling in Old Li's arms, sniffed the fragrant tea and could not resist the urge, shaking the old man's arm and pouting.

"Do you want to drink it, too?" Old Li affectionately stroked the soft black hair on his granddaughter's head and asked gently.

"Uh-huh!" The little girl nodded vigorously, her face showing eagerness, her big, black eyes fixed on the teacup in Old Li's hand.

"Okay, Grandpa will pour you a cup!" The old man picked up another teacup from the tray on the stone table, filled it halfway with tea from the purple clay teapot, blew on it to cool it down, and then handed it to his granddaughter after testing it to ensure it wasn't too hot.

"Be careful, drink slowly, and don't burn yourself!"

The little girl nodded, holding the teacup with her small hands, mimicking how Liu Dong and the others drank tea. She first brought it to her delicate nose to smell it, then took a small sip.

"Ouch, it's bitter!" The little girl pouted, holding the teacup.

"Ha ha, ha ha!" The little girl's innocent expression brought laughter to the small courtyard.

Amidst the inviting tea aroma, the lush greenery, and the warm family atmosphere, the scene was indeed natural and harmonious, making the courtyard even more serene.

"Ha ha, okay, take another sip, don't swallow it too quickly, drink slowly!" At this moment, Uncle Long, sitting beside them, could not help but start teaching the little girl the steps of tea tasting.

While they were talking, the middle-aged female servant, surnamed Zhang, walked over with a book, a sixteen-page, nearly four-centimeter-thick, line-bound volume.

Taking the book from the servant, Old Li touched the rough cover, which had been worn from frequent handling, and his face showed a touch of nostalgia. "Xiao Dong, this book is a collection of notes I've compiled over forty years in the antique business. It records my insights and experiences with all the antiques I've seen. Although it's not a classic, I believe it will be helpful for your collecting journey." Saying this, Old Li placed the book on the stone table in front of Liu Dong. "Today, I formally hand it over to you!"

Seeing the old man's gesture, Liu Dong was eager to accept the book, but he was not greedy. He understood how valuable this thick book of antique appraisal notes was to those in the antique business. With the old man's decades of experience and some basic knowledge, even a novice could quickly become a competent antique appraiser. This book was exactly what Liu Dong, who was planning to enter the antique business, needed. Compared to the general antique books in the bookstore, Old Li's notes were undoubtedly much more precious.

"Old Li, this is too precious, I can't accept it!"

"Yes, Old Li! This is your life's work. Although I know Xiao Dong is a good kid, isn't it a bit hasty to give it to him on the first meeting?" Uncle Long also could not help but advise.

Although he regarded Liu Dong as a nephew, he understood the value of the old friend's notes. This was a true family treasure. With this book, the Li family would not lack excellent antique appraisers, and the Chenxiang Pavilion could continue to exist in the antique market of Quancheng. In the field of antique appraisal, this was a true treasure, a secret not to be passed on.

After hearing his friend's words, Old Li sighed and waved his hand, his face showing a hint of helplessness. "Old Long, you don't need to say more. You know the situation in my family. None of my children are interested in antiques, and among my grandchildren, only a few are still minors, and the others are not interested in these old things. My Chenxiang Pavilion is now without a successor!"

Hearing this, Uncle Long's face also turned somewhat melancholy. His Taiyi Pavilion faced the same situation; his son and grandson were abroad, and his lifelong achievements were also at risk of having no successor.

Thinking of this, the old man could not help but look at Liu Dong, who was sitting calmly beside him, with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes, thinking, "At least my skills have a successor!"

"Xiao Dong, since Old Li is so generous, you don't need to refuse. Accept it!" Uncle Long suddenly said.

"Uncle Long, Old Li, is this appropriate?" Liu Dong said hesitantly.

"Appropriate, why not? Just take it. Young man, why are you so hesitant?" Old Li said with a hint of impatience.

Seeing the determination in the old man's eyes, Liu Dong hesitated for a moment, then took the book from the stone table. After a moment of contemplation, he looked at the old man with a firm expression and said, "Old Li, I want to be your disciple and learn antique collecting from you!"

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