Chapter 16: You Really Eat Well

One had to wonder—if Ms. Jiang didn't know what kind of person Lin Mo usually was, surely Yuan Meng did?

They were all carefree companions; why was he suddenly putting on airs and acting so sophisticated?

Indeed, Yuan Meng had noticed that Lin Mo's entire aura had shifted while he was brewing tea just now. Although it looked quite good and pleasing to the eye, anyone who knew him well could tell he was being a bit pretentious.

Of course, this was also related to the fact that Lin Mo's tea-brewing skills were only at a beginner level, and it was his first time actually practicing it, so his performance naturally wasn't perfect.

Lin Mo himself hadn't thought much of it. He had originally assumed the tea-brewing skill would be useless, but he hadn't expected he would actually get to use it.

Seeing Ms. Jiang's approving gaze and the change in her expression before and after drinking the tea, he felt a surge of vanity. No wonder everyone loved showing off in front of others; it truly felt amazing.

He just hadn't expected that while he was in the middle of his "performance," Yuan Meng would pull a move to interrupt his "spellcasting," leaving him with a sense of helplessness, like being halfway through a bowel movement.

As for Ms. Jiang, her face was cycling through various shades of green and red; it was quite a spectacle.

It was normal for her daughter to be dating at this age, and she had tacitly accepted that the two were seeing each other. After all, her daughter had never treated a boy to a meal alone before, and she always used her husband Old Yuan's card. If Old Yuan found out, he would probably be fuming.

Her original intention was to get to know this young man through conversation, which was why she had specifically chosen this high-end teahouse.

To put it simply, it was a small test. A child from an ordinary background would certainly feel uncomfortable in a place like this. By doing this, she could achieve two things: first, she could gauge Lin Mo's family background, and second, if his family was indeed ordinary, her actions would exert a certain amount of pressure. It was killing two birds with one stone.

After all, methods like forcibly separating lovers were too low-class and would make people laugh at her; she certainly wouldn't stoop to that.

But unexpectedly, she hadn't managed to test Lin Mo's background; instead, her own daughter had exposed him. What kind of "good girl" starts a sentence with profanity?

"Shut up! No one is treating you like a mute just because you're quiet!" Ms. Jiang glared at her daughter, then turned to Lin Mo with a smile. "Xiao Lin, this tea you brewed is truly excellent. Even with the same tea, it tastes much better than what I usually drink."

Hearing this, Lin Mo stepped out of his "composed" state and replied with a smile, "Not at all, it's because your tea is so good. Xinyang Maojian—a representative green tea, and top-quality at that. Naturally, the flavor won't be bad when brewed properly."

He hadn't known these facts before, but ever since he acquired the tea-brewing skill, this kind of knowledge had become standard for him. After all, the most basic requirement for a tea master is to recognize tea.

The tea he had just brewed was definitely not cheap market fare; it would cost at least a thousand, if not several thousand, per jin.

Hearing Lin Mo's words, Ms. Jiang's eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of her mouth curled up. She felt that even if this young man's family background wasn't as wealthy as hers, it certainly wasn't poor.

After all, how could a child from an ordinary family recognize this tea at a glance? One had to remember that when the tea was served, there were no labels.

Since her daughter said he was a colleague, he surely didn't make a living from this. He must have someone in his family who frequently drinks this grade of tea for him to recognize it instantly.

His family background was likely decent, he was quite handsome, and he gave off a clean and sunny impression. He was well-spoken, polite, and didn't seem flustered during his first meeting with an elder. She had to admit, Ms. Jiang was quite satisfied.

As they spoke, Lin Mo's hands never stopped moving as he refilled Ms. Jiang's cup. He poured it to exactly seven parts full, following tea table etiquette perfectly. Although he was a bit shy, his movements were graceful.

For a moment, no one in the tea room spoke; they were all simply drinking.

After three infusions, the tea could no longer be brewed; any further steeping would make it slightly bitter. While still drinkable, it would lose its essence.

"Good, truly good. This tea is very refreshing today," Ms. Jiang said, a light sweat forming on her forehead as she felt a sense of clarity spreading through her body.

"I'm glad you like it, Auntie," Lin Mo said, setting down the tea set and returning to his persona as a pure college student.

"By the way, Xiao Lin, where are you from, and how old are you?" Ms. Jiang inquired. At this moment, she was genuinely quite pleased with the young man.

"Auntie, I'm from Nancheng. I'm 21, studying at Jiangning University of Science and Technology. I'm a junior doing an internship, and I'll be a senior soon," Lin Mo said truthfully, without overthinking it.

Nancheng was not far from Jiangning; it was a neighboring city, only about half an hour away by high-speed rail, though its economy wasn't as developed as Jiangning's.

Hearing this, Ms. Jiang froze, then turned to look at her precious daughter with a look of utter disbelief. Her eyes said it all.

*'As expected of my daughter, you certainly know how to pick them. A college student! That's great!'*

Facing her mother's admiring gaze, Yuan Meng was completely bewildered. What was wrong with being a junior? Do you judge friends by their age? Don't you know how powerful his "Blade of Retribution" is?

Glancing at her daughter, Ms. Jiang turned back to Lin Mo, sizing him up with sparkling eyes. She had thought he looked young at first, but it turned out he really was quite youthful.

Handsome, decent family background, well-spoken, and a university student who hadn't been tainted by the "dye vat" of society—pure and simple. No wonder her daughter liked him; she liked him at his age, too.

And since he was a student, she couldn't demand perfection in every aspect. He was still a child; there was plenty of time to nurture him later.

She had initially been upset, thinking some "bad boy" was tricking her daughter, but once she realized he was still a student, she suddenly felt like her daughter was the "bad boy" in the relationship. It even made her, as a mother, feel a bit embarrassed.

"Ahem... still in university, how wonderful. Do you have any plans after graduation? Do you intend to stay and develop in Jiangning?" Ms. Jiang asked, her voice becoming increasingly kind.

Lin Mo shook his head. "Not yet. I want to graduate first and see how things go. If it doesn't work out, going back to my hometown wouldn't be bad either."

To Ms. Jiang's ears, this was automatically translated as: *"After graduation, I'll try to develop in Jiangning first. If that fails, I'll go home to inherit the family estate or let my family arrange a job for me."*

After all, once a person has a preconceived notion of someone, they will automatically fill in the blanks with the results they want to hear, regardless of what is actually said.

Lin Mo was unaware of Ms. Jiang's inner monologue; otherwise, he would likely feel extremely guilty. After all, while his parents were both working professionals, compared to the people in front of him, they were as ordinary as could be.

The three of them then chatted about various trivial matters in the tea room. Lin Mo didn't mind; he simply answered whatever was asked, maintaining a stance of pure sincerity.

Half an hour later, the three left the teahouse. Yuan Meng wanted to see Lin Mo home, but Ms. Jiang stopped her.

"Mom, why won't you let me walk him home?" Yuan Meng asked with some dissatisfaction after watching Lin Mo get into a taxi and leave.

"Don't even start! You actually kept such a big matter from me? Do you even consider me your mother?" Ms. Jiang rolled her eyes at her daughter.

"What big matter?"

"Still playing dumb," Ms. Jiang nudged her daughter with her shoulder, speaking with a motherly, knowing smile. "You naughty girl, you're certainly eating well!"

Yuan Meng:???

(End of Chapter)