"Supre Dahongpao Tea, in terms of appearance, shows even, clean strips with a jewel-like or oily sheen. Aromatically, it is sharp, rich and prolonged or ethereal and distant. In taste, it exhibits distinctive rocky tones, full-bodied flavor, a refreshing and solid taste, and a lingering aroma at the bottom of the cup, while the liquor is clear, brightly colored, and deep orange-yellow. The leaves at the bottom are soft, even, and shiny, with red edges or a touch of cinnabar."
"Fine Dahongpao, the appearance presents as tight, sturdy, slightly twisted, with a slight jewel-like or oily sheen, overall quite even. Aromatically, it is rich and prolonged or ethereal and distant. In taste, it has pronounced rocky tones, full-bodied, swift in returning sweetness, and lingering aroma at the bottom of the cup. The color of the infusion tends to be clear, bright, deep orange-yellow. The leaves at the bottom are softer, evenly shiny, with red edges or a touch of cinnabar."
"Fine Dahongpao, in form, color, aroma, and the bottom of the leaves, greatly falls short of the first two, but in taste, still possesses pronounced rocky tones, full-bodied, swift in returning sweetness, and lingering aroma at the bottom of the cup."
"You say this tea has all these characteristics, how could it not be Fine Dahongpao then?" Mr. Luo glared as he spoke, thinking that the tea he ordered t all those qualities, right?
Hearing Mr. Luo say this, everyone also nodded unanimously, casting curious glances at Hao Jian.
"What's the rush? I haven't finished yet." Hao Jian rolled his eyes and continued, "The thod of making Oolong Tea varies significantly between north and south. As a representative of the northern Oolongs, Dahongpao Tea is an ambassador of traditional teas, characterized as a mature-fragrance tea with relatively ample roasting. Initially, the tea presents a natural dry aroma of tea leaves and charred firewood, with a strong fired flavor, free from any miscellaneous flavors. At the sa ti, drinking Dahongpao requires water at over ninety-five degrees Celsius, a yellow-brown infusion color which is bright and heavy. This relates to the tea's firing process. The initial taste is slightly bitter yet rich in aftertaste, heavy in tones and returning sweetness but should not start sweet to the taste. Even with prolonged steeping, it doesn't turn bitter, and it can be re-infused multiple tis, with more than ten infusions still leaving a lingering taste."
"Keep looking at this liquor color, it's gleaming yet not sufficiently clear, and though it retains so aftertaste, it lacks enough of it, leaving a weak returning sweetness. Think about it, isn't that so?" Hao Jian asked the crowd.
Upon hearing this, everyone hurriedly took a sip of their tea, and they soon nodded in agreent, clearly noticing the shortcomings of this tea infusion.
"So you see, although your Dahongpao is a Fine one, it's only halfway to being supre, or perhaps a pseudo-supre. Choosing such a type of tea at this price is simply a failure. You didn't even notice these flaws, yet you claim to understand tea?" Hao Jian mocked.
Mr. Luo turned ashen, unable to utter a word for a long ti; he never expected that not only did Hao Jian understand tea, but he also possessed such deep knowledge and research in it. He explained each type of tea's characteristics thoroughly, evidently well-prepared, a feat even an avid tea aficionado like himself could not match.
After Hao Jian finished his explanations, the won's interest and enthusiasm for him surged once again. Won always have a weakness for n shrouded in mystery, and to them, Hao Jian seed profoundly inscrutable.
A teacher of Traditional Chinese dicine, yet knowing so much; logically, his status shouldn't afford him such fine teas, but he commanded a mastery over these expensive fad teas, how could he not appear mysterious?
"Applause..."
Just then, a round of applause broke out in the room.
Gu Qingcheng, clapping her hands, looked at Hao Jian with interest, "Teacher Hao Jian truly is extraordinary. With such knowledge of tea, I, a seasoned tea drinker, cannot help but admit inferiority. I believe you must be a master-level Tea Connoisseur, aren't you?"
Given his understanding of tea, Gu Qingcheng felt it very likely that Hao Jian was a master-level Tea Connoisseur; otherwise, he couldn't have detailed the tea's nuances so ticulously.
Hao Jian waved his hand: "I dare not claim to be a master of tea tasting, but indeed, I am a bit stronger than those who fake understanding, aren't I, Mr. Luo?"
Hao Jian intentionally looked towards Luo Ruihe, further taunting him.
At these words, Luo Ruihe was seething with anger, gnashing his teeth, yet powerless — what could he do when outclassed?
"Alright, let's have dinner first. After eating, we can continue whatever ruckus we want. But before that, shouldn't everyone take out their things?" Just then, Su Xinya suddenly said with a mysterious smile, looking around at everyone.
The others all had aningful expressions, whereas Hao Jian was stunned, not knowing what Su Xinya ant.
Soon after, he saw everyone turn around and rummage through their bags, shortly pulling out gifts.
"Demon Gu, happy birthday, may you have this day every year, and outdo yourself each year!"
"Right, Demon Gu, you must carry on your rogue spirit diligently. We sisters are getting older and can't keep up anymore; you must fulfill our unfulfilled grand desires, seduce all the n in the world!"
"Demon Gu, nothing more to say, may your bedsheets be like vast oceans every day!"
Hearing these won's birthday wishes, Hao Jian was completely shocked; this wasn't a birthday party, it was more like an erotic exchange convention.
Following that, Gu Qingcheng's friends proceeded to present their gifts, with Su Xinya naturally not falling behind, handing over the gift she had prepared in advance.
Now, it was Hao Jian who felt sowhat embarrassed, as everyone had brought gifts except him.
Finally, when this mont arrived, Luo Ruihe was also overjoyed, finally reversing his earlier downturn. It was now an excellent opportunity for him to perform.
Imdiately, Luo Ruihe took out an exquisite gift box from his bag and handed it to Gu Qingcheng, "Qingcheng, this is a treasure I hunted down in Myanmar. Open it and see."
Gu Qingcheng opened the brocade box and found a jadeite Buddha inside.
"Glass bottom?" A woman sucked in a breath of cold air, clearly also a connoisseur, recognizing at a glance that the color and pattern were the most expensive glass bottom in jadeite.
"Wow, Luo Ruihe, giving a glass bottom, huh? You must have spent quite a fortune on this," another woman joked, her eyes clearly filled with a hint of admiration and jealousy.
Although they were rich, they would not casually give away sothing so expensive. This glass bottom must cost at least a million, if not less.
"It's nothing, just 1.5 million," Luo Ruihe said with a smile, but his expression was sowhat arrogant, even though his words suggested otherwise.
"I cannot accept such an expensive gift. Please take it back," but Gu Qingcheng did not accept Luo Ruihe's gift. She knew well what Luo Ruihe intended, and that very knowledge made her all the more determined to refuse and not give any room for ambiguity, to avoid harming both parties.
As soon as Gu Qingcheng spoke, Luo Ruihe's expression turned sour. His gift was ant for Gu Qingcheng, and her public rejection was undoubtedly embarrassing for him.
"Qingcheng, why is this? You accepted everyone else's gifts, only mine you refuse. Are you deliberately trying to embarrass ?" Luo Ruihe said helplessly, his look bordering on pleading as he assud the guise of a lovelorn man.
"It's not that I don't want to accept it, but that yours is truly too valuable," Gu Qingcheng shook her head.
"What's so valuable about it? It's just a piece of jadeite. For , nothing I give you could be too precious!" Luo Ruihe spoke charmingly.
"Demon Gu, Luo Ruihe put so much effort into this, you should just accept this generous gift."
"Exactly, it's worth over a million, why not take it when it's free?"
"Demon Gu, aren't you always thick-skinned? Why are you suddenly becoming shy now?"
"Qingcheng, please accept it. Don't make feel embarrassed, okay?" Luo Ruihe pleaded.
"Sigh, fine, but this is the last ti. If you bring sothing this expensive again, I really won't accept it." Gu Qingcheng sighed, feeling that there was no point in further discussion.
"Okay, you have my word, absolutely no next ti." Luo Ruihe was overjoyed, having gone all out financially in his pursuit.
Just then, Luo Ruihe turned his head to look at Hao Jian, and smirked, "I wonder what gift Mr. Hao Jian has brought?"
"Nothing at all," Hao Jian answered honestly. He hadn't brought anything because he hadn't known it was Gu Qingcheng's birthday.
Even if he had known, he might not have brought anything, since he didn't really know Gu Qingcheng. At most, he was just friends with Su Xinya.
"Nothing at all? You have the nerve to show up here without a gift? You have the nerve to eat and drink here for free?" Luo Ruihe finally found a point of attack, and furiously interrogated Hao Jian.
"He was brought by . It's my fault for not telling him about Qingcheng's birthday in advance," Su Xinya said sowhat embarrassedly—she had indeed forgotten, and that had put Hao Jian in this awkward situation.
"Xinya, I know he's your friend, but you don't need to defend him repeatedly, do you? If he forgot to bring a gift, he could still give one now, if he really intends to," Luo Ruihe said with a sinister smile. In his view, even if Hao Jian did give sothing to Gu Qingcheng now, it could never be more expensive than his gift.
A Traditional Chinese dicine instructor, how much money could he have? Enough to buy a gift worth millions? He didn't believe it!
If Hao Jian couldn't produce a decent gift, he would shalessly and harshly mock him, ensuring Hao was thoroughly humiliated!
"Let it be. Teacher Hao Jian ca in a rush; he probably wasn't prepared. He can make it up later," Gu Qingcheng, being a reasonable person, although upset by Hao Jian earlier, couldn't let him be embarrassed in public and quickly stepped in to help.
"Then let's forget it. Given his poor status, he probably couldn't afford any decent gift. Rather than give so worthless item, it's better not to give anything at all, saving you the trouble of having to throw it away later." Luo Ruihe continued taunting, looking at Hao Jian with disdain.
Although Hao Jian was knowledgeable and diverse, he had money, which was the only thing he held over Hao Jian.
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