After the meal, I offered to make tea as my official way of greeting Feng's family. Using my mother's tea pot and cups, I made orchid tea.
"I never had orchid tea before" Li Xia said, enjoying the light sweetness. "I don't think they sell any orchid tea here in the capital. Is it only in the Jing Province?"
"Last year, grandfather decided to cultivate an orchid field" I answered while continuing to refill everyone's cup. "Grandfather only recently started to sell orchid tea in Jing and Qin Province. In a few months, there will be several shipments available in the Capital city"
"Something tells me this is your invention Wei Lan" Elder Wang smiled into her tea cup.
"Only by accident... Wei Lan lives in the Orchid Quarter at the Fa Estate. It had been only a thought to use orchid flowers to make tea"
"Wei Lan jie-jie" Li Xia suddenly leaned against me and held onto my arm like a little child. "Does this means Li Xia gets to enjoy jie-jie tea whenever she wants?"
Her cute action made me laugh so I gently patted her cheek. Then all of a sudden, Feng put his whole hand in Li Xia face and pushed her off me.
"Feng-ge!" Li Xia rubbed her face and cried out.
Feng smirked as he wrapped an arm around my waist, bringing me back to his side. When he set his empty cup in front of me, I sighed softly. I shook my head amusedly while I refill his cup.
"I understand now why your grandfather had been reluctant to let you go" Feng's father suddenly commented while he studied the tea.
"He Long has always boasted about Wei Lan's tea" Elder Wang gently twirled the cup in her hand and enjoyed the sweet scent. "I hate to admit it but that man always raised the best children..."
That statement made me stopped – wondering what she meant by that.
"Oh, right. I remember jie-jie said she was originally a Zhou. How did Master Fa end up raising jie-jie instead of the Zhou?"
"Li Xia" Feng voice held warning. "Why are you suddenly so noisy?"
"Jie-jie is family now. Li Xia only wants to know and understand jie-jie more"
Feng scowled.
"Feng..."
I smiled softly at him, assuring him I didn't mind Li Xia curiosity.
"Wei Lan father and mother died at sea when she was 10... Elder Wang probably knows Wei Lan father is the Head of the Zhou..."
"Yes, Zhou Ming. I have met him a few times while he was here in the capital. He was a good, honorable man... Your mother, Fa Su Lan, was a charming woman. I recalled her tea was wonderful as well"
I smiled softly at the compliment and felt warm at the reminder of my loving parents.
"After Wei Lan father died... The Head position was given to Wei Lan"
"But jie-jie was only 10"
"It does not matter" Master Wang explained. "The position always goes to the eldest child of the current Head of the family. It's a tradition many Families follow. The Zhou is no different"
"So what happened?" Li Xia became even more curious.
"As Li Xia said, Wei Lan is only 10. How could she take a position she has no capability of handling? Wei Lan had 2 choices."
Everyone's quiet expression let me know they understood. But Li Xia appeared confused so I continued to explain.
"To live with one of father's brothers... Or to renounce my lineage and live with grandfather..."
In this life, I have chosen grandfather.
"Jie-jie..." Li Xia face shows her sadness and pity for me.
"Don't be sad for Wei Lan" I smiled at Li Xia's gentle heart. "Living with grandfather had been the happiest time of Wei Lan's life. Grandfather, Uncle Zedong, Min-ge, and everyone at the Fa estate have been kind... Wei Lan have been bless"
Li Xia hugged me around my waist. I laughed softly at her affection.
"That's right, if jie-jie was to have chosen the Zhou family, jie-jie wouldn't be here today" Li Xia comments hit the mark more than she realize. "Jie-jie may have not met Feng-ge"
"Li Xia" Fengimmediately pulled me away from his sister and glared. "Enough! Don't make such foolish remarks"
But Li Xia remarks aren't wrong.
"Feng... What Li Xia say isn't foolish..."
"Lan!" Feng's angry eyes lifted up to mine.
"Feng doesn't know Wei Lan's uncles... If she had chosen one of them, she would have never met Wang Feng"
I touched his furrow brow, wanting to calm his irritation.
"Uncle would have kept Wei Lan hidden in the Zhou Estate. No one could have seen or meet Wei Lan. Wei Lan could have never escape because she would not know where she could go. This is the truth..."
This was the truth because it was what happened when I chose the first time.
"Foolish woman" Feng reached up and pinched my cheeks with both hands.
I blushed at his sudden assault, while his family laughed.
"Don't think of what could happen" Feng let go of my cheek to wrapped his arms once again around my waist. "You are here now with Wang Feng, as my Wang Fei"
"Yes..."
When he let me go, I turned and offered to make a second pot of tea.
"It will be difficult for that old man now that Wei Lan is here." Elder Wang was delighted by the warm and sweet tea in her hand. "If he had grown custom to Wei Lan's tea, it will be difficult for him to adjust"
"Grandmother..." At the mention of my grandfather, I had to ask. "Was grandfather upset that Wei Lan didn't see him off?"
There was silence.
"Of course"
I was horrified until everyone laughed.
"Your grandmother is teasing. Master Fa understood that you are Wang Fei now. He did not leave the capital upset, mother assures you"
"Feng-ge, you're the worst" Li Xia glared at her brother. "Who keeps his bride in the bridal suite for a whole week? Master Fa, Master Zedong and Fa Min all wanted to see Wei Lan before they had to go back to Jing"
I blushed again at the mention of the wedding night while Feng smirked without a hint of guilt.
"Jie-jie" Li Xia took my hand and said apologetically. "Don't be sad. If you're lonely or miss your family, you can write letters often"
When I shook my head no, Li Xia was surprised.
"Grandfather said not to write unless Wei Lan wants to go back..." I explained. "To write letters home so often is to show unhappiness... This is Wei Lan home. This is Wei Lan family... Wei Lan will be happy"
Feng set his cup of tea down to hold my hand.
"When we have time, I will take you to Jing" He promised.
We shared an understanding smile when he tightened his hold on my hand.
"Feng-ge, you must have done a great deed in your previous life to have met and marry Wei Lan jie-jie"
While I turned bright red, Wang Feng laughed as if he agreed with his sister's comment.
"Li Xia, stop teasing your brother and sister-in-law" Her mother giggled. "If you continue like this, Wei Lan will be redder than a tomato"
"It's too late mother" Li Xia teased me. "Jie-jie is already as red as a tomato"
Master Wang and Elder Wang laughed.
"W_ Wei Lan will clean up"
I quickly gather the empty pot and cups. While I made my escape, I could hear Feng and his family amused laughter.
When Wei Lan left to the kitchen...
"Feng-ge, you need to treat Wei Lan jie-jie well"
"I don't need a brat to tell me this" Feng smirked.
"Li Xia is only relaying a message" Li Xia said haughtily. "With Feng-ge's notorious temper, Wei Lan jie-jie would be bully. And if Li Xia sees it, she'll let Master Fa knows and Fa Min will come take jie-jie back_"
Feng slammed his fist to the table, shaking it. Li Xia flinched knowing she went too far.
"Feng, calm yourself before Wei Lan comes back out" Elder Wang sighed softly. "Li Xia, don't make such careless remarks again"
Li Xia apologized softly while Feng held back his annoyance.