CHAPTER 172: CHAPTER 107: GATHERING OF HEROES (PART 2)

"You know what line of work I’m in, this is my first time here," Li Zhen, seeing Xia You was really famished, could only take Xia You to Lanting.

They walked past the lawn where the worship was held earlier, then bypassed a few villas, and in front of them was a lake.

"This doesn’t look like a tea room, it’s really more like..." Xia You looked at the pavilion-like building rising in the middle of the lake with shimmering ripples.

No taller than a tower, yet shaped somewhat like one. It was clear that the former owner of David Church was someone who thoroughly enjoyed luxuries. The 3 pm sun, less intense but still bright, made the three-story tower with white walls and emerald-colored glazed tiles exquisitely delicate.

Predatory seagulls skimmed over the shimmering lake; nearby, several rows of reeds that had shed their cotton blossoms grew. The autumn breeze blew, and yellow-green leaves, like slender ribbons, fluttered in unison facing the lake.

"What a splendid tea room," Li Zhen felt that her earlier descriptions fell short, almost turning a stunning beauty into a neglected plain woman.

"We have a few hours before work tonight, shall we sit upstairs?" Everyone else’s Sunday was the busiest time for Golden Splendor.

"Can you hold up?" Li Zhen, having slept late last night and woken up early this morning, was quite energetic during Holy Poem, but now she felt somewhat weary. However, Li Zhen, a veteran at the KTV, could afford to be lazy occasionally; it was Xia You she was worried about, given what happened yesterday and the unpredictability of today’s events. Li Zhen felt it was better for her to get some rest.

"It’s okay," Xia You took two steps at a time and ascended the tower.

The hexagonal exquisite tower, modeled after ancient architecture, was impeccably furnished inside.

Upon entering, they saw a few of David Church’s staff, with modest furnishings inside—a few types of tea, several quick-heat pastries. The beautiful scenery made up for the lack of gourmet food.

"Could you arrange for us to sit on the top floor?" asked Xia You, despite the building being only three floors high. But the floors of Lanting were much taller than usual buildings, each being over six meters high, making the three floors add up to eighteen meters.

The terrain was flat nearby, and from a higher vantage point, one could encompass the surrounding forest’s and sea’s sounds within sights and sounds. She missed the Holy Poem but could enjoy the scenery thoroughly.

"I’m sorry, you can only sit on the second floor; the third floor is never open to the public," the person from David Church denied Xia You’s request.

Since Lanting was turned into a communal tea room, other than the Holy Father, the third floor had become a sacred place for Lanting.

"What a letdown," Li Zhen also felt somewhat disheartened.

"Second floor it is," Although Xia You felt disappointed, they had to settle since it was not their place.

After ordering some candied sweets and cakes, they finally climbed the stairs. The eight-meter floor height made Lanting’s staircase quite different in height and steepness from ordinary staircases. Suspended wooden planks made up half the staircase without handrails, and the teakwood boards were unglazed. Modern people accustomed to elevators find such breathless staircases quite challenging.

As they ascended, the light became clearer, like a train passing through a tunnel, with only brightness awaiting ahead.

Once they reached the second floor, the opening of the staircase was right in the middle of the building. The advantage of a hexagonal pavilion is that each side could have windows. Passing through the bamboo curtains, they found window-side tea seats.

The cool southeastern wind of the Shen阳 autumn, coupled with the sunset in the west, allowed one to sit on the east side for the breeze and view the sunset through the window, although, regrettably, several early patrons had already occupied the prime spots with the same idea.

"It’s the Holy Daughter and that troublemaker from earlier, I haven’t seen the man before," Li Zhen sized up the two women and one man sitting by the east window. The women sat together, while the newly arrived man sat across from them.

The man who hadn’t been seen during the earlier worship likely couldn’t have brought the wheelchair-bound woman up to the second floor alone without her caretaker. The newly arrived man, towering even while sitting, exuded an intimidating presence that likely facilitated his bringing her up.

"Let’s sit by the west side; the east is by the shore, west faces the water. We came from the shore, but what we want to see is the water," Xia You was here to enjoy the scenery and had little interest in observing people. Women prefer to sit away from light for beauty, but she preferred the close-up view of the sunset.

Although the lake wasn’t large, for those residing in the city with rare views of water, it was more than enough. Xia You rested her chin on her hand as she sat. The desserts and tea were slow to serve in this non-professional tea house, and the direct sunlight made it hard for her to even keep her eyes open, but she didn’t mind.

Li Zhen, less patient, absentmindedly started smoking.

She had just lit her cigarette, the ember barely glowing, when complaints erupted from a girl at the eastern table: "Brother Xun, tell those people to move away. They’re blocking our view, and now they’re making the inside smoky."

Lu Xun, who had not noticed the other side initially, turned towards the western window at Ding Ling’s remark, spotting a familiar face unmistakably.

"How could it be her?" Lu Xun couldn’t help but frown.

There was another flurry of footsteps near the staircase, and a hand reached out from behind the curtain.

Xianxian, who was fiddling with her teacup, startled and involuntarily spilled the water, adding several round beads to the blackish-red tea table, forming a pattern of red and black.(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)