From afar, Shao Yan saw that the address she was heading to was an old Chinese tea shop. She had never been to this area before, so she did not know that there was actually a traditional tea shop existed here.
Shao Yan was really impressed with the building. It was una.s.suming from the outside. A humble signage in wood carving spelled, "Wu Tea House" was hung outside the shop. Nothing else was displayed to show that this place was opened for business.
Shao Yan parked her car in front of the shop and stepped out. Few minutes later, she saw another car pulled up from the corner, and Risa stepped out from it.
She approached Shao Yan, "Let"s go, she must have been waiting for us inside." And then Risa briskly walked ahead of her and entered the shop
When Shao Yan walked closer, the first thing that greeted her was wooden double doors painted in red. The door handle was a rustic lion head-shaped made from metal.
As she stepped over the door frame into the shop area, Shao Yan realized, this was a courtyard style house that was converted to a business.
The outer courtyard had been transformed as the welcoming area, filled with scrolls and pictures about the history of this shop and the sources of their tea.
The middle courtyard was where the actual shop located. Shelves and drawers of tea leaves were placed all around the five or six different rooms in the courtyard. Customers could walk from room to room to have a smell or a sip to try the tea that they want.
The final courtyard, inner courtyard, was dedicated as the enjoyment place. All the rooms were converted to an open s.p.a.ce sitting area separated by silk cloths and wooden panels with ancient calligraphy painting.
It reminded Shao Yan of ancient kingdom drama that she watched where an emperor was sitting by a lake, laying on top of a chaise with his concubines surrounding him with big feather fans
Shao Yan saw Risa was approaching a gazebo by the man-made lake. A woman was sitting on the wooden chair next to a stone table. She was dressed in Chinese Qipao dress in dark green color with golden flower st.i.tches stretched along one side of the dress, making her look so elegant. A soft golden beige shawl was draped over her shoulder.
The woman looked to be around seventy or maybe eighty years old. She had beautiful medium length hair, styled neatly with short curls. From afar, she reminded Shao Yan of the legendary singer Teresa Teng.
As Shao Yan walked closer, she noticed that the elderly only put on jewelry from jade. Simple jade stud earrings, jade bracelets on both of her wrists, two double jade rings on her right hand and jade strings necklace.
This was the first time, Shao Yan had ever encountered such a cla.s.sy and elegant woman. She looked like an empress that had stepped out of the movie drama and came to live in the modern world. Her demeanor was so perfect.
The way she tilted her head when Risa walked closer, the way she slowly curved her lips to smile and extended one hand to welcome Risa. The way she nodded her head multiple times when Risa called her "Grandma". The way she turned around and finally locked her eyes at Shao Yan.
Shao Yan paused on her track.
Those eyes. Looked so familiar
Shao Yan was finally standing at the entrance of the mini gazebo. The weather was cold, but there was a charcoal heater with incense to warm the small s.p.a.ce. There were bamboo blinds hung on one side of the gazebo to keep the wind out.
The elderly woman spoke up first, "You called yourself Shao Yan, right? Come, sit right here." She patted another chair adjacent to her, indicating to Shao Yan to sit there.
Risa was standing docilely behind the elderly, with both hands on the back of her chair. Sometimes, Risa would correct the shawl position on the elderly"s shoulder to make sure she is warm.
Shao Yan walked closer and sat down. She kept her eyes focused on the elderly. Shao Yan kept thinking that she looked familiar, she slowly said, "My apologies for being rude, you* are..? Uh I mean, how should I address you*?"
The elderly slowly took Shao Yan"s hand. Shao Yan saw that although her hands were wrinkled, but the textures were still soft like teenagers. The elderly used both hands to capture Shao Yan by her left hand; she felt warmth instantly blanketed her cold skin.
Shao Yan saw the elderly was looking at her fingers carefully, and patted them. She looked up and scrutinized Shao Yan and her face; gradually her eyes turned moist and single tear was threatening to fall down.
"Yan Yan," the elderly tried to speak but she was choked up with emotions, her voice was hoa.r.s.e, and the single tear finally trickled down her cheek.
She was still patting and gently rubbing Shao Yan at the back of her hand, not sure what else to say, she was just slowly trying to collect herself as her tears kept flowing down.
The elderly tried again, she softly cleared her throat but did not bother to wipe her tears; letting it fell to her chin, "Yan Yan, I am Grandma. All this time, I only got to see your pictures, I am so happy that now I get to see the real you, my grandchild."
Her tears kept falling down more, Risa quietly pa.s.sed a silk handkerchief to the elderly. Grandma was too focused on watching Shao Yan and anxiously waiting on how she would react; she did not reach out for the handkerchief.
Shao Yan was confused by her words, but her heart softened when she saw the elderly kept crying. Shao Yan reached out to take the handkerchief and she gently wiped Grandma"s tears away.
"Uh, don"t cry anymore. Hm, what do you mean Grandma, my Grandma..."
And realization hit Shao Yan right away.
Those eyes.
They"re father"s eyes.