Chapter 15: The Little Beauty in the Tea Room
Murong Feng looked up at Xu Wei's desk. His beautiful boss was not there. He chuckled at himself for wanting to invite trouble. If she saw him, especially since he had been frequently absent lately, he wouldn't get a pleasant response.
He sent his article to Xu Wei's email. With his pages for the week completed, he could now fully focus on rehearsing the school play. As he was lost in thought, the gentle sound of a guqin filled the air, its melodies lingering long after each pluck. The carved wooden screens, rock garden, flowing water, and bamboo created a serene atmosphere. It was a place where one could set aside the complexities of life, calmly brew a cup of tea, let the aroma envelop them, and let their thoughts drift. This was truly a pinnacle of life.
Murong Feng sat quietly, savoring his tea. Noticing some books nearby, he picked one up and started reading, feeling relaxed and at ease.
Since this tea room was near College Road, where many universities were located, it attracted some affluent students despite its relatively high prices. Soon, three more girls came in and sat at a table by the window not far from Murong Feng. The girl who had served him tea walked over to them, and soon the group was laughing and chatting away. It seemed the tea girl was their classmate, working part-time here.
"Don't forget we have Professor Chen Xuebin's classical poetry elective tonight, Shanshan!" one of the girls said loudly enough for Murong Feng to hear. He realized they were also students from Northern University. It made sense, given the tea room's proximity to the university's south gate.
When the girl returned to refill his tea, Murong Feng asked, "Are you a student at Northern University?" The girl looked at him in surprise and blurted out, "How did you know?" She then glanced at the girls at the nearby table and realized, "Oh, those big mouths!" She nodded and smiled, "Yes, I'm working part-time here to support my studies."
Murong Feng smiled, "I overheard them mention Professor Chen. I'm one of his graduate students."
The girl looked slightly shocked and then somewhat admiring, "So, you're my senior! That's impressive. It's really hard to get into Professor Chen's graduate program. I love his lectures!" Murong Feng laughed modestly, "I'm his student thanks to his kindness. If it were up to the exams, I might not have made it."
The girl was even more curious but too shy to ask further. She blinked and said with a smile, "That makes it even more impressive. I'm Cheng Shanshan, a junior in the Chinese Department. What's your name, Senior?"
Murong Feng was taken aback and laughed, "Isn't it usually the guy who introduces himself first, then asks something like: What is your name, how old are you, are you married, where are you from, where are you going, how many people are in your family, how much land do you have, how many cows?" He imitated the tone of Yan Xiaoliu from the popular TV series 'My Own Swordsman'. Cheng Shanshan was already laughing so hard she bent over, her slender waist wrapped in a blue floral skirt, swaying gracefully.
"You're really funny!" Cheng Shanshan's pretty face was flushed from laughing, her liveliness akin to that of a girl from a small town in Jiangnan. Murong Feng smiled and said, "You must be from Jiangnan." Cheng Shanshan was surprised again, "How did you know?"
Murong Feng thought to himself that he had known from the moment she spoke. He smiled but didn't answer.
Cheng Shanshan pouted slightly, "Hmph, acting all mysterious." Then, she remembered and exclaimed, "I've introduced myself, but you still haven't told me your name!" After saying this, she was surprised at how casually she was speaking to a customer she didn't even know.
Maybe it was because she had a good impression of him from the moment he entered the tea room, she secretly found a reason for herself.
Murong Feng quickly pleaded with a smile, "Alright, alright, my name is Murong Feng, a graduate of the Chinese Department at Northern University. By the way, I graduated three years ago." Cheng Shanshan looked at him with suspicion, "Are you really my senior?"
Murong Feng laughed heartily, deliberately putting on airs and said in a deep voice, "Indeed, that is I!"
Seeing his smug expression, Cheng Shanshan retorted indignantly, "What's so great about that? I'm going to apply for Professor Chen's graduate program too, then you won't be so smug!" Although she was pouting angrily, the gentleness in her eyes made her attempt at fierceness a complete failure.
Murong Feng chuckled, finding this girl really interesting. Perhaps because of their connection to Professor Chen, even though they had just met, they felt quite close.
The afternoon became much more enjoyable and interesting because he had met a junior schoolmate. Cheng Shanshan would occasionally come over to pour tea and chat. The three girls at the next table, although not rushing over after learning from Cheng Shanshan that he was their senior, kept glancing his way and whispering among themselves. Murong Feng, for a while, focused on reading, not paying them any mind.
Until he received a call from Ye Zi: "Murong, we're starting rehearsals for 'Youth' tonight. Do you remember? When can you come over?"
Ye Zi's voice was always joyful and clear. Listening to her, Murong Feng couldn't help but feel a bit happier himself. He told her over the phone that he was nearby and would be at the school soon, arranging to have dinner together. Only then did he hang up with a smile.
As he left the tea room, Murong Feng exchanged contact information with Cheng Shanshan. He bid farewell to this adorable junior schoolmate with a smile.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone