Chapter 1119 - 736: Rich Flavors Are Easy to Savor, Subtle Ones Are Hard

The tea was brewed again and again, and the raw Pu’er tea from last autumn turned out to be particularly resilient to repeated brewing.

Su Xiaomeng drank cup after cup, surprisingly not finding the taste fading at all.

"Professor, where did you buy this tea you’re drinking? I’d like to get some as well, so I can occasionally brew a small pot to enjoy."

Her thoughts returned, and Xiao Meng asked.

Qi Jun was surprised,

"This tea is not hard to find, but I still think if you really want to drink, you can choose something better."

"I think this one is quite good. Even after several brews, the taste hasn’t diminished."

If only the feeling between two people could be just like this tea, never fading.

"Haha! It seems you weren’t lying when you said you don’t usually drink tea."

"..."

"This Pu’er, compared to regular green tea, indeed, even after several brews, the flavor does not fade quickly, but as for tea... the taste always tends to get lighter over time. Look, this is the seventh brew now, isn’t it? If you taste carefully, compared to the first two brews, the flavor has indeed faded quite a bit."

"..."

Su Xiaomeng tried again... Was it because Professor Qi said so, influencing her psychology, or was it that upon savoring carefully, she really felt a slight difference.

It is true...

Tea is known to get weaker with each brew, never stronger.

The seventh brew... the seventh year...

In a way, it seems to have a similar nature.

"However, tea doesn’t necessarily mean the stronger, the better. Each brew has its own taste, but I’m not an elegant person; I’m not refined in the art of tea. The same tea leaves will taste different when brewed by different people."

"Different people have different taste preferences. Some people only like the first two or three strong brews, intense and even with some bitterness. Some, however, prefer the later brews, lighter and carrying a hint of sweetness."

"So... which does Professor Qi prefer? Strong or... delicate?"

Su Xiaomeng asked with a light laugh, a bit curious.

Qi Jun raised his small cup, took a sip, and said,

"This seventh brew is just right."

"..."

Su Xiaomeng saw that such a dignified professor tasted tea like a greedy child, making one feel that "drinking tea" was also very enjoyable.

"The initial two brews, in terms of flavor, are the strongest. But after tasting the strongest, many people are unwilling to taste the delicate sweetness afterward, finding it bland."

"But in my opinion, there’s nothing remarkable about discerning the characteristic flavors of tea from the most robust two brews. What’s truly remarkable is recognizing the flavors in the seventh cup after the intensity fades and seeing its beauty."

Qi Jun was talking about tea, but Su Xiaomeng unconsciously compared the "brewing tea" with her handling of marriage.

Her marriage with Yin Shixiu... is it not the same?

Enduring intensity and transcending the separation between life and death, yet unable to bear the plainness...

The seventh year... is it really a hurdle in marriage, or... just a widespread misconception?

"What’s wrong? Your mind seems heavier. I didn’t mention anything important, did I?"

Qi Jun looked at Su Xiaomeng with amusement, seeing as if her face plainly expressed, "I have something on my mind."

Su Xiaomeng put down the tea cup, looking at Qi Jun,

"Nothing, just a little lost in thought... It’s nothing important."

Qi Jun smiled, not probing further, instead, he asked,

"Actually, I didn’t have much hope before, thinking you’d probably stay in Bath. Didn’t expect you to respond so quickly. Though Beijing Foreign Studies University is also a top university in the country, compared to Bath... there is a bit of a gap. Of course, I’m talking about the field of modern linguistics."

"I thought you would naturally think Beijing Foreign Studies University is better than Bath, Professor."

"Pffft! Am I someone so insular? For the aspects where they’re indeed better than us, we should humbly acknowledge it! Otherwise, why did you pursue a master’s at Bath instead of staying at A University to finish your undergrad and then apply for a master’s at Beijing Foreign Studies University?"

"My wrong, my Professor, I made some mistakes, I apologize."

Su Xiaomeng quickly smiled and admitted her mistake.

"That’s the way."

"As the Professor said, in terms of academic excellence, Bath is definitely stronger, but... that’s abroad. Even if there’s no language barrier, I lack a sense of belonging there. It’s only when stepping back onto the land of our motherland that I feel a sense of belonging."

"Returning also offers opportunities for further studies, and different opportunities at that. Besides, as I graduated, the Professor immediately hired me back, wasn’t it also because Beijing Foreign Studies University needed people?"

"You must speak with accuracy. It’s not a lack of people, but a lack of exceptionally talented people like you."

"Professor... don’t praise me so much. I still have a long way to go."

"Haha! Alright, no need to be modest in front of me. I’ve conversed with your thesis advisor, Dick. That strict-tempered black professor is famous throughout the translation field. Anyone that earned his admiration can’t be average."

Su Xiaomeng was truly surprised to hear that Dick had praised her so much in private, which gave her a slight sense of pride and excitement.

After all, over the past more than three years, Dick rarely spared any scoldings or criticisms, often scolding her harshly, leaving her feeling discouraged.

Probably because of Dick’s teaching style, her psychological fortitude was trained extraordinarily, and her heart was remarkably strong.

"Dick... is indeed an extraordinary teacher and also a professional academic."

Su Xiaomeng slightly curved her lips,

"I’m very fortunate to be his student... When I first entered Bath, I heard a saying that’s circulated within the school: The student who is scolded most by Dick will be the one who appreciates him the most in the future."

"Oh? Really!"

"Professor, I had a classmate named Shen Dawei, my classmate in Bath, who was once driven to the point of wanting to jump off a building because of being pushed by Dick!"

"Such a thing happened?"

Qi Jun looked utterly surprised.

Su Xiaomeng chuckled, and now thinking back, it still seemed vivid in her memory, deeply impressed as a significant highlight during her studies.

"Yes, but after graduating, David applied to stay at the school to become Dick’s teaching assistant."

Su Xiaomeng said with an involuntary laugh again,

"Then Dick refused, saying he didn’t want to associate with such a foolish student. David applied three times and was rejected all three times, so he loitered outside Dick’s office, and in the end, Dick had no choice but to accept this ’scoundrel.’

"Haha! That’s really something."

"Knock Knock Knock!"

Just as the two were enjoying their lively chat, there was a knock on the door. Su Xiaomeng, with her back to the door, turned around to look, while Qi Jun had already joyously invited the person in,

"Come, come, Xiao Chi, please come in."

The visitor, about 178 cm tall, was considered tall in Xiaomeng’s view.