Daily Intelligence System: Financial Independence

She carefully took out a piece, unwrapped the cotton paper, revealing a tea cake with a dark, glossy color and golden hairs.

"This is my prized possession, the best I have reserved."

As Qiu Lizhen skillfully pried the tea with a tea needle, she said to Jiang Tao with a hint of pride in sharing a treasure:

"It’s an old Ban Zhang ancient tree raw puerh tea with some years on it. My friend put in a lot of effort acquiring it, and I haven’t had the heart to drink it often myself."

Jiang Tao didn’t know much about tea culture, but he could sense Qiu Lizhen’s regard for this tea cake.

He watched the brown-golden tea leaves being gently nudged into the pre-warmed purple clay teapot, and it seemed that a faint, elusive aroma with a wilderness-like sweetness had already started to drift into the air.

Boiling mountain spring water was poured from a high height into the pot, causing the tea leaves to tumble and unfold, as if infused with life.

Qiu Lizhen’s movements were fluid and graceful, washing, waking, and brewing the tea...

Every step she took was imbued with a ritualistic beauty.

She poured the first steep of tea into the tea sink, not to drink, saying it was to awaken the tea and moisten the tea set.

From the second steep onward, the bright orange-yellow tea liquor was poured into small white porcelain cups for tasting.

The color of the brew was as pure as amber, resembling aged whiskey, shimmering invitingly in the sunlight.

"Here, have a taste." Qiu Lizhen pushed a cup of tea in front of Jiang Tao, her eyes full of expectation.

Jiang Tao held the small tea cup in his hand, feeling its warm smoothness.

He brought it close to his nose first, and a rich and complex fragrance immediately filled his nostrils.

This was not just an ordinary tea aroma.

It carried a wild honey-orchid fragrance, a mellow aged scent, and a subtle, almost imperceptible sweetness reminiscent of dried dates.

The layers of aroma were rich and captivating, invigorating the spirit.

Jiang Tao took a light sip; the initial taste had a slight but perfectly balanced astringency,

But it quickly dissolved in his mouth, transforming into a powerful, rich, and lingering sweetness.

The sweet taste seemed to have a life of its own.

Flowing constantly from the sides of the tongue and the depths of the throat, filling the entire mouth with a sweet and refreshing sensation.

The throat felt a profound, cool resonance, commonly referred to as "throat charm," extraordinarily soothing.

"How’s the taste?"

Qiu Lizhen watched Jiang Tao with a smile, like an elder sister looking at her beloved younger brother.

Jiang Tao smiled, "Honestly, Sister Qiu, I rarely drink tea and know even less about it. If I had to describe it, I’d say just two words: delicious."

"Ha ha ha~ you’re truly genuine."

Qiu Lizhen was amused by Jiang Tao’s straightforward answer, her laughter causing her chest to heave.

"Good puerh, especially good raw puerh, is all about the nuanced experience of ’bitterness followed by sweetness’ and strong aftertaste, throat charm."

"This piece of old Ban Zhang has deep roots and robust tea energy; it’s like a person with stories."

"At first, it might seem a bit overwhelming, but a deeper understanding reveals its inner mellowness and charm."

There seemed to be a hint of her own life insights in Qiu Lizhen’s words.

The atmosphere between the two relaxed and became more harmonious amidst the lingering tea fragrance.

They talked about their first meeting at the lottery shop.

And about the time Qiu Lizhen first came across Jiang Tao’s heroic act on Fast Shake and felt admiration for him.

That was the day she noticed Jiang Tao.

One might even say it was that day she got to know Jiang Tao.

"Little brother, that time you saved a supermarket employee from a lunatic’s knife, and this time you saved your sister from another lunatic."

"Do you think there’s some kind of fate between us?"

Qiu Lizhen put down her teacup and looked at Jiang Tao with a smiling face, liking him even more.

Jiang Tao smiled, "Meeting and getting to know Sister Qiu among more than twenty million people in Beijing truly feels like a deep connection."

"No, it’s not the same, the feeling you give me is different from others I know."

Qiu Lizhen looked up at Jiang Tao with a serious yet somewhat complex expression, a hint of vulnerability beneath her previous cheerfulness.

"Brother Xiao Jiang, on the way back, I’ve been thinking about something."

"Hmm, Sister Qiu, as long as it’s something I can help with, I’ll definitely help you,"

Jiang Tao also put down his teacup, responding seriously.

Jiang Tao had always had a good impression of Qiu Lizhen, who was like an older sister, and regarded her as a friend.

When friends face issues, Jiang Tao was willing to lend a hand within his capabilities.

"Though my parents passed away early, they left me with a lot of properties and savings, enough to ensure I want for nothing in my lifetime."

"Being straightforward, I’m probably not very good at currying favor either, those relatives, seeing I’m alone and have some assets, would constantly find ways to borrow money, which was basically just asking for it as it was never returned."

"Initially, I was mindful of family ties, helping where I could, but later realized they weren’t genuinely kind to me, just treating me as a cash machine."

Qiu Lizhen’s tone held a blend of bitterness and acceptance:

"Gradually, I grew cold and began to cut ties with those relatives."

"Though life became peaceful and the money stayed secure, I ended up with no family around."

"During festive seasons, watching others have family reunions, I occasionally feel lonely."

Qiu Lizhen looked softly and sincerely at Jiang Tao, smiling gently:

"I don’t know why, but I just feel a special connection with you, this kid."