Chapter 99: Master, Please Drink Tea

Hou San looked at Li Xiangdong, who was making tea for him, and asked, “Brother Dong, this isn’t my dad’s Tieguanyin, is it?”

“Of course it is. It’s the only tea we have in the house.”

Li Xiangdong looked at the steaming cup of Tieguanyin before him and sighed inwardly. How fitting!

Hou San, the son, was plotting to beat up his father after taking on an apprentice, yet the tea for the apprenticeship ceremony was the very Tieguanyin his father was reluctant to drink.

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Tsk tsk tsk~

This was truly a collision of cause and effect and logical relationships!

“Li Xiaotao, my good apprentice, hurry over and serve tea to your master.”

Hou San pointed to the hot tea on the table with a smile, his heart filled with anticipation. This tea would definitely be delicious!

“Huh~”

Li Xiaotao was completely bewildered, his mind a jumble. He had no idea what was happening. How did he suddenly gain a master in the blink of an eye?

He looked at Li Xiangdong and asked, “Third Uncle…”

“This is the master your Third Uncle found for you. Hurry over and serve the tea. From now on, he is your master.”

Before he could finish speaking, Li Xiangdong pointed at Hou San and handed the teacup to Li Xiaotao.

Ah Zhe, at the side, egged them on, “This is the new society, we don’t kowtow. Xiaotao, stand in front of your master, bow first, and then serve the tea.”

“Hey, no bowing!”

Hou San remembered the grand play in the courtyard just now and shivered. “Just have Xiaotao hand me the cup of tea.”

Pushed forward by Li Xiangdong, Li Xiaotao stood respectfully in front of Hou San and handed him the hot tea. “Master, please drink the tea.”

“Mmm, good, good apprentice.”

Hou San took a pretentious sip, put down the teacup, and took out a large 10-yuan bill from his pocket. “Xiaotao, take this. This is a meeting gift from your master.”

“Third Uncle~”

Li Xiaotao looked at Li Xiangdong at his side. Seeing him nod, he took the money from Hou San’s hand. “Thank you, Master.”

“What’s there to thank? No need to thank me. The tea served by my apprentice is delicious!”

Hou San happily picked up the teacup again and took another sip. He raised his wrist to look at the time. “Brother Dong, I’ve accepted the apprentice. It’s getting late now, I should go home. If I’m any later, it will be hard to explain to my mother.”

“Alright, it is getting late.”

Hearing this, Li Xiangdong stood up and saw him to the gate.

“Hou San, do you know the way back?”

“I do. Brother Dong, you can go back.”

Hou San patted Li Xiaotao’s shoulder beside him. “Good apprentice, Master will come and play with you when I have time. Your school is on vacation now, right? You can also have your Third Uncle bring you to find me.”

“Mmm, I know, Master. Master, take care.”

Li Xiaotao only said goodbye to Hou San after Li Xiangdong prompted him.

He had no idea that he had just muddle-headedly become an apprentice, and that his life would be completely rewritten from now on.

Seeing Hou San walk away, Ah Zhe said, “Dongzi, I’m heading back too. I’m about to fall apart after being out for so long.”

Li Xiangdong reached out and grabbed Ah Zhe, who wanted to go home. “Don’t be in such a hurry to go back.”

“What’s wrong, Dongzi?”

Li Xiangdong pointed to the three sacks of bamboo tubes and the cricket boxes in front of the screen wall. “My family is complicated. Let’s take these things to your house. If your dad asks, just say these things are mine.”

Ah Zhe nodded, “Okay.”

Li Xiangdong looked at his second nephew at his side. “Xiaotao, did you understand what we just said?”

Li Xiaotao shook his head, “No, I don’t understand. What’s wrong, Third Uncle? Why don’t you tell me again?”

“No need.”

Li Xiangdong looked at his second nephew’s clear and foolish eyes and smiled. It was sometimes good for a child to be a little slow; he wouldn’t be a blabbermouth.

The three of them entered the courtyard. Li Xiangdong knocked on the door of the east wing where his big brother’s family lived.

“Li Xiaojiang, hurry up and come out. Take Li Xiaobo and Li Xiaohai to clean up the courtyard. We’ll let this matter slide this time.”

The door didn’t open, but Li Xiaojiang’s voice came from inside, “Third Uncle, do you mean it?”

“I mean it. Hurry up and get to work.”

Li Xiangdong had just helped the family solve a big problem, Li Xiaotao. He was in a good mood now and couldn’t be bothered to trouble them anymore. Otherwise, he would have definitely let them have a taste of the feather duster today.

Li Xiangdong called Ah Zhe and Li Xiaotao, and the three of them, carrying things on their shoulders and in their hands, went to Ah Zhe’s house.

Ah Zhe’s father wasn’t home. They put the things directly in the gatehouse.

Li Xiangdong put down the sack on his shoulder and looked at a brand new 28-inch bicycle. “Ah Zhe, I’ll use the bicycle for a while. I’m going to my father-in-law’s house tomorrow. I need to go buy some gifts now. I’ll bring the bicycle back to you later.”

Ah Zhe smiled, “It would be great if you just rode it directly to your father-in-law’s house. When you get to the village, whoever asks, just say you bought it yourself. It will also give your father-in-law some face.”

“Forget it. I might break down before I even get to my father-in-law’s house.”

“You can go back.”

Li Xiangdong pushed the bicycle out. After leaving the gate, he got on the bicycle and called for Li Xiaotao to get on.

“Third Uncle, do you know how to ride?”

“Aiya, you’re questioning me? Then you can walk home.”

He pedaled backward half a circle, then pushed down hard and rode off. This was because he was married. Before he was married, he would stand up to pedal!

“Third Uncle, wait for me~”

Seeing his third uncle ride off, Li Xiaotao ran two steps to catch up and jumped onto the back seat.

The handlebars wobbled twice, almost hitting the wall of the alley.

“Li Xiaotao, do you think this is your family’s kang? Can’t you be a little more gentle?”

“Third Uncle, I didn’t do it on purpose. Should I get off and try again?”

“No need! Just sit still and don’t move.”

Li Xiangdong rode the bicycle and dropped Li Xiaotao off at his own door.

“Xiaotao, where’s the money your master just gave you?”

“Here, Third Uncle. You can take it and buy cigarettes.”

“You’re quite filial. Third Uncle is just afraid you’ll lose the money. I’ll give this 10 yuan to your dad tonight.”

“Hehe, that’s fine, Third Uncle. You can handle it, you don’t need to tell me.”

“It’s fine, you can go back.”

“Li Xiaotao, let go. Why are you holding onto the back seat of the bike?”

Li Xiaotao held onto the back seat with both hands and said with a grin, “Third Uncle, you still haven’t given me the chicken wing you promised me.”

“All you think about is eating.”

Li Xiangdong had no choice but to take out the roast chicken from his cloth bag. He opened the oil paper package and tore off a chicken wing, stuffing it into Li Xiaotao’s hand.

Li Xiaotao held the chicken wing in his hand, but his eyes were still fixed on the oil paper package in Li Xiangdong’s hand.

“Third Uncle, why don’t you put the roast chicken at home? What if you lose it when you go out?”

“Put it at home? Then by the time I get back, there won’t even be any chicken bones left.”

The temptation of meat was too great in this era. If there was an adult at home watching, Li Xiangdong wouldn’t have kept the roast chicken in his cloth bag all this time.

Li Xiaotao said with great confidence, “Don’t worry, Third Uncle. I’ll watch it for you.”

Li Xiangdong was skeptical, “Are you sure?”

Li Xiaotao finished the chicken wing in a few bites, sucking on the bone and still savoring the taste. Hearing his third uncle’s words, he quickly nodded, “Mmm mmm.”

Seeing his second nephew’s sincere expression, Li Xiangdong handed him the roast chicken. “Don’t try to be clever with me. Otherwise, I’ll definitely beat you when I get back. Hurry home and close the gate properly.”

“I know, Third Uncle.”

Li Xiangdong watched as Li Xiaotao closed the gate of his house. Only then did he ride the bicycle straight to the Wangfujing Department Store.