บท 28: The Teh Tarik Effects
Rewinding backwards a little, the culprit who innocently started the problematic chain event by sending the controversial picture was casually munching on the last of her bananas while waiting for the water to boil. She had not realized she was going to be a hot internet celebrity in a few hours' time. A notorious one at that.
The 'pitiful and abused' snake pet was merrily 'kepochi-ing' itself on Hana, wanting to see what else she was eating. It was no longer interested in uncooked natural food.
Hana chuckled amusingly, "Nothing else here except this." She showed the banana she was eating to Kuro. "Want some?"
The cheeky little snake flailed its head to the side a few times indicating its objection.
The amusing gesture made Hana laughed as she stroked Kuro's head.
"You're too cute. Just like my girl." Hana smiled happily.
Kuro cocked its head to the side in a confusing manner. The gesture reminded Hana of cute little Corgis trying to please their owner with a charming stare.
Hana swiped open her smartphone and went to the Gallery. She showed the picture of her eldest daughter to Kuro.
"This one is my first daughter. She's as smart and as cheeky as you." Kuro watched the picture of a little girl with twintails who resembled Hana a lot. In the picture, the little girl was wearing star studded pastel blue leggings with rainbow colored unicorn short sleeve shirt.
Kuro memorized the picture by heart. Anything important to its mommy was important to it too.
Hana swiped a few times and showed the picture of her little one. "This is our youngest. Barely two." Her smile was tinged with bitterness as her eyes misted again as she observed the picture a moment longer. The little one was wearing a pink romper with a matching elastic pink frilly headband with tiny roses. The smeared orangey pumpkin carrot puree covered parts of her clothes and face.
Kuro nodded haphazardly when it saw the changing of its mistress mood. It slithered to Hana's lap and gave her left cheek a tiny peck.
Hana laughed while she rubbed away the tears gathering her eyes. "And this one is your papa." Hana showed Arash's picture to Kuro.
As she stared lovingly at her husband's picture, she said, "He is the handsomest, most dashing, charming, charismatic and competent man ever! I know you'll definitely like him too."
Kuro nodded vigorously in agreement as it memorized the intelligent face of a short haired bespectacled man with a tiny goatee in the picture. Anything mommy said must be true. At this moment, Hana didn't realize she was indoctrinating her beliefs in the innocent little snake via brainwashing.
She could finally see water vapor coming out from the opening of the bamboo canister.
[The water is finally boiling!] Hana was elated.
She immediately took the hot canister using thick leaves and poured some hot water into the new pannikin. After she emptied it out once, she poured the hot water again inside.
She just eyeballed the quantity to be around 1.5 cup and add in the yellowy sachet of teh tarik. Immediately, a lovely aroma wafted out, warming her heart while making her salivate a little.
[Persevere! Persevere!]
She knew if she took a sip now, her tongue will be scalded. She inhaled deeply and said to her favourite pet, "This is mommy's favorite, teh tarik. It's deep, smooth, milky and frothy, just like the real ones made in the Nasi Kandar restaurants by the anneis (1)."
The adjectives describing the taste of the flavored water confuses Kuro. It was too good to be true. It didn't look tasty at all!
The color and texture were totally different from the flavor water with bits and pieces of tasty morsels Hana made for it yesterday. This one is murkier and light brownish. It reminded Kuro of the dirty water in rivers during rainy season. Kuro was extremely skeptical this time although it trusted her.
After a while, Hana grabbed the large mug-like pannikin with both of her hand and slowly blew on the surface of the beverage. The instant pulled tea only covered a one sixth of the overall volume of the pannikin. After all, she did make the pannikin a bit larger as it can doubled as a bowl for soup. She took tiny little sips and sighed contentedly.
"Perfect."
Hana was over the moon as her tensed up muscles relaxed. The magical feeling of something warm and fuzzy travelling slowly from her mouth to her stomach made Hana sighed contentedly.
Kuro was so curious!
Hana's expression made it eager to try it too.
When Hana realized her strange little pet's intention, she placed the pannikin on the cave floor to let the little one have a sip while held her chin thoughtfully.
Kuro took a sip cautiously.
It could taste a very strange combination in its mouth! The brownish flavored water had a refined creamy sweet yet deep taste it couldn't describe well. It completely overturned its initial aversion to the beverage's color.
[My mommy is a sage!]
It was very impressed with its mommy's knowledge on food. Every single food it tasted gave it a sensational overdrive.
Hana was laughing when she saw Kuro quivered a little after its first sip before it started to sway intoxicatedly. It was very comical. She wondered whether the tea functioned like alcohol towards the snake to make it danced like that.
When she saw the little snake wanted to gobble up her teh tarik, she reminded it not to drink too greedily. It's still hot after all.
"Kuro, do you know, where I come from, there's a milk tea pulling competition?" She generously shared an interesting trivia with her accommodating pet.
"They use two mugs, just like this." She showed the pannikin to Kuro while continuing, "Then they poured the tea from one mug to the other, pulling the distance further and further away. Of course, without spilling it. After a few times on introducing air into the milk tea via pulling, the tea will be served with a bubbly light froth on top." Hana showed the weak froth forming on the top of the instant tea.
"However, the froth is bigger and more magnificent then this haha." She concluded her story while smiling as she realized Kuro was too focused on the tea rather than her ad-hoc lecture.
Shiro peeked from far away but maintained its aloofness. It pretended not to care but hoped that their mommy could give it some. However, Hana totally forgot about the poor not-so-little fox.
She was too engrossed with Kuro and the cup of tea being consumed by it. For the second time, she felt so grateful for buying so many things before she was stuck in this place.
The audacious snake finished up more than half of the tea. Hana just smiled and took a new sachet to brew a new cup. She drank up the beverage happily but was suddenly reminded by her other fluffy pet.
Shiro was making an unhappy face and didn't want to turn its face towards the being inside who already forgotten about it. However, Hana could see its gray nose was expanding and shrinking, greedily taking in the teh tarik aroma. Even the tongue was out with more saliva accumulated at its mouth, threatening to spill out.
[Sigh... such a tsundere (2)...] Hana shook her head.
With an apologetic smile, she placed her pannikin in front of the fox and move back to her regular spot.
Shiro peeked inside the mug and was glad to see some brownish liquid. It was curious too. Hana had left a third of the instant pulled tea for it. Its heart softened a bit more for this being, for the n-th time.
[When I'm well enough, I will be useful to her.] It quietly promised in its heart. Finally, Hana has inadvertently unlocked the aloof fox's heart with a cup of Teh Tarik.
Author's note:
(1) Nasi Kandar restaurants by the anneis = [sound: Are-nays, plural] it means 'brother' (annei/anneh) in Tamil (language of the Indians in Malaysia). So, it's like you call the waiter 'Bro' or the cashier 'Bro'. Nasi kandar restaurants were developed by Malaysian Indian Muslims usually originates from South India during the olden days. They were known as 'Mamak' (older men) or 'Mami' (older women). So when someone said, "Let's go to Mamak pekena teh tarik sedas", it means 'let us dine in a nasi kandar restaurant and have a cup of teh tarik'.
(2) tsundere : as a reminder, it meant an aloof person who is actually warmhearted inside.
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