Chapter 17
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He Renyuan took a sip of the sour plum juice to calm his nerves, trying to buy some time, then picked up Bai Xiaochai and headed out. “Uncle will eat later. You should drink some water. You can make your own milk tea here.”
Holding the little one, he stood by the milk tea toppings table. On the left were the milk tea containers: original leaf tea, fresh milk, and milk tea base. To the right were various toppings—taro paste, popping boba, pearls, egg pudding, crushed Oreo cookies, and so on. On the wall hung popular milk tea recipes.
Milk tea loaded with all kinds of toppings was known as "Eight Treasures Porridge." This kind of hodgepodge suited Bai Xiaochai perfectly. He Renyuan felt it was his duty to teach the little tea treasure the proper way to mix and enjoy a hearty meal—sweet with sweet, savory with savory—and promised to take him for some spicy hot pot next time.
As long as Bai Xiaochai had normal human taste buds, a few lessons would be enough to master delicious eating.
Why teach the little one instead of correcting Bai Qingyu’s mixed feeding habits? It was obvious: one was teachable, the other was hopeless.
He Renyuan asked, “Tea treasure, what flavor milk tea do you want?”
Bai Xiaochai’s expression immediately turned serious. “Uncle, milk tea doesn’t taste good.”
He Renyuan couldn’t believe there was anything Bai Xiaochai found unpalatable.
“Have you tried it?”
Bai Xiaochai: “Daddy bought it.”
He Renyuan: “Where did he buy it?”
Bai Xiaochai: “From the uncle who sells buns.”
He Renyuan understood. That kind of breakfast stall probably used instant powder for both milk tea and soy milk, with an overpowering artificial flavor.
He Renyuan felt both sad and secretly pleased that Bai Xiaochai had good taste. “The milk tea here will taste better.”
Bai Xiaochai sniffed and whispered to He Renyuan, “It still doesn’t taste good, Uncle.”
Bai Qingyu noticed He Renyuan was probing a child so thoroughly, and since Bai Xiaochai was easily led to talk, she answered for her son, “He’s used to good tea back home. Anything with tea flavor—if it’s not good tea, he won’t like it.”
What kind of good tea could be used to make milk tea here?
He Renyuan took it at face value. Apparently, all three of them were picky about tea leaves. He happened to have an endless supply of fine tea at home.
“Then just have milk.” He poured half a bowl of fresh milk into a cup. “Anything else?”
Bai Xiaochai asked the names of all the toppings.
He Renyuan understood—he wanted a little of everything. To avoid it turning into a porridge, he didn’t mix the toppings directly into the milk but put them in a separate bowl.
“Add as much as you want.” He chose his words carefully. “Sweet with sweet.”
“All right.”
Bai Qingyu looked up in disbelief. He Renyuan supposedly disliked children, yet here he was teaching a child how to eat properly.
Bai Xiaochai held the spoon with practiced steps, eating methodically. “Daddy, this is popping boba.”
He popped a crispy boba into his mouth, then scooped a small piece of egg pudding to the right cheek. His cheek puffed slightly as he mumbled, “This is pudding.”
“This is milk.”
Finally, he took a big sip of the sweet fresh milk.
Hmm? It seemed to taste like milk tea?
Bai Xiaochai shook his head tentatively; the high-quality tea flavor he carried infused into the milk.
Another shake of the head—oh, it had turned into milk tea!
He Renyuan frowned and lifted the bowl. “Not good? Spit it out.”
Bai Xiaochai shook his head vigorously, his clear eyes looking at Uncle as if to say: wait a bit longer, it will taste better.
Bai Qingyu accurately interpreted her son’s milk tea shaking and said, “It’s okay. He’s full and just playing.”
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He Renyuan: “Is that so.” Kids were unpredictable; it wasn’t surprising.
Bai Xiaochai swallowed the homemade milk tea eagerly and said to his father, “Daddy, milk tea is delicious.”
Bai Qingyu calmly replied, “Mm.”
“Master, don’t mind him. Eat your food first,” Bai Qingyu pushed the leftover food toward He Renyuan, diverting his attention from the little one’s milk tea shaking.
He Renyuan looked at the bowl of mixed leftovers—a thick, blended mess. Bai Xiaochai had even poured a cup of bird’s nest into it.
Why hadn’t he stopped him earlier?
He Renyuan thought he’d gag after one bite but, resigned, closed his eyes. Nothing happened.
He swallowed smoothly.
“……”
He truly underestimated his own tolerance.
Better a quick pain than a long one. After finishing the leftovers quickly, He Renyuan hesitated a moment before picking up the scissors for cutting barbecue.
It wasn’t that he wanted to serve Bai Qingyu—she was just too clumsy to use them and had only eaten two or three pieces after grilling for ages.
While the adults ate barbecue, Bai Xiaochai continued shaking his milk tea. After five sips, he was a little tipsy from the milk tea. Raising his hands to cover his dizzy eyes, he accidentally pressed on his puffed cheek.
Pfft—he spit the milk tea onto He Renyuan’s black suit pants.
Bai Xiaochai: (⊙-⊙)
Bai Qingyu: (⊙ｏ⊙)
Bai Xiaochai: “Uncle, I’m sorry.”
Bai Qingyu: “Master, I’m sorry!”
“No problem.” He Renyuan hurriedly handed a wet wipe to the little one to clean his mouth.
“Why does it taste like milk tea?” He lifted the bowl of milk on the table to sniff. Tea treasure said he didn’t want milk tea, but what he poured was clearly milk.
Bai Qingyu tensed. Kid, you leaked tea flavor.
This was bad.
A palm-sized white milk stain was glaring on He Renyuan’s black suit pants. Bai Qingyu, who had been sitting opposite, jumped up and rushed over, urgently grabbing several wet wipes and scrubbing vigorously on He Renyuan’s leg. The tea scent shouldn’t be too strong; if they could cover it up, it would be fine.
He Renyuan watched Bai Qingyu crouch close, anxiously scrubbing his thigh. Her delicate white hands pressed the wet wipes like she was trying to erase a crime scene. The domineering nanny rarely lowered her head in front of him; seeing her neck exposed like this revealed a fragile and exquisite line.
He Renyuan leaned back slightly, showing a restrained expression. “Enough.”
Bai Qingyu tried to keep calm. “Do you want to go to the restroom and take off your pants so I can help scrub them?”
That way, the evidence would be completely destroyed.
He Renyuan didn’t want to take off his pants in front of Bai Qingyu. “No need, I’ll do it myself. Watch the child.”
Bai Qingyu refused to let go because He Renyuan’s nose was too sensitive.
What if he smelled it while scrubbing? No need to wait—He Renyuan was already suspicious.
Bai Qingyu watched as He Renyuan pinched his pants between thumb and forefinger, brought it to his nose, and sniffed thoughtfully.
He Renyuan didn’t hate children—so why was he smelling the milk tea spit of Bai Xiaochai?
Seeing Bai Qingyu’s panicked expression, He Renyuan chuckled, “Sit still. You’re not going to make me pay for this.”
Unable to stand having his thigh touched, He Renyuan planned to fetch a change of clothes from the car and instructed, “Wait five minutes for me. Don’t run around.”
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Wait... wait for He Renyuan to return and ask for an explanation, only to have Tea Treasure perform the same thing again?
Naturally, Bai Qingyu wouldn’t take that risk. If anyone discovered the Tea God’s identity, neither he nor Bai Xiaochai would be safe among humans. He decisively stopped a passing waiter. “Check, please.”
The waiter smiled, “There are three of you. Children eat free. The buffet for two adults is 1688. Do you have a membership card?”
Bai Qingyu swallowed. “No.”
He paid reluctantly, consoling himself that this meal was paid for with his ex’s salary to treat the ex—she was paying herself in the end.
“Please tell the gentleman who came with me that this meal is my thanks to Lawyer He for his help. After this farewell meal, we won’t see each other again. I’m busy with my new job.”
The Tea God was swiftly fleeing with his little one.
“The outside world is too dangerous, baby,” Bai Qingyu said. “You’re still a baby. You can’t be shaking milk tea outside, employing child labor. If the police find out, they’ll fine the boss.”
Bai Xiaochai understood the seriousness. “Boss uncle is a good person. He can’t be taken away by police uncle.”
Bai Qingyu: “Right, you can only drink milk tea in front of Daddy.”
Three minutes later, He Renyuan returned. After hearing the front desk repeat the message, his face darkened.
What kind of monster was he? He’d never encountered anyone leaving without paying halfway through a meal!
If Bai Qingyu hadn’t paid, he wouldn’t be so angry. But since she had, it was clearly an attempt to cut ties.
He merely felt sorry for Bai Qingyu wandering outside with the child.
If Bai Qingyu had so much money, she might as well live outside on her own. Let’s see what happens when the money’s gone and she no longer meddles.
Even on the drive home, He Renyuan was furious, sitting in the car with the engine off, reluctant to get out.
The butler waited anxiously at home, squinting to peer through the car window, checking if anyone was still in the back seat.
No one.
What was going on, young master? Hadn’t the secret to winning over Tea Treasure been taught already?
Why hadn’t Tea Treasure gone home with him yet?
He Renyuan rolled down the window to breathe.
The butler bent over, nervously observing the man and the car.
A new luxury car, casual suit, handsome hairstyle... where was the problem?
The butler seemed to be analyzing why the silly son of a landlord family had failed another blind date:
“Young master, have you calmed down? Children are easily frightened.”
He Renyuan emitted a sound from his throat: “Mm.”
Butler: “Did you speak nicely with Bai Qingyu?”
He Renyuan: “.”
The butler pondered, there must have been some conversation. What else could be the problem?
“Did... did you pay the bill?” The butler asked casually. He knew He Renyuan wouldn’t let Bai Qingyu pay.
He Renyuan’s face stiffened at the question. He slammed the car door and went upstairs. “Don’t mention her name again.”
The butler’s eyes widened in shock. Wait, young master, you really didn’t pay?