Scholar Zhao's Wife's smile stiffened on her face, but she quickly regained her composure. She continued to hold her teacup, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile that was not quite a smile, yet she didn't drink any more tea.
Lian Huahua, unaware of anything amiss, offered another cup of tea to Scholar Li's Wife.
Scholar Li's Wife, noticing Lian Huahua's careful and polite wiping of the tea cup, smiled and praised her, "Such a talented young lady." She was feeling thirsty and had just heard Scholar Zhao's Wife commend the tea as good. After taking the tea, she brought it to her lips and drank.
At the taste, there was none of the anticipated fragrance of tea. It was instead astringent and bitter, even more so than bitter medicine. Scholar Li's Wife, who loathed bitterness, spat the tea out with a "puh".
"Fetch me some sugar," Scholar Li's Wife called to a young maid who had followed her.
