[Chapter 502: Harvesting the Spirit Tea, Parting Gifts]
Afterward, Linton continued to stay in the gardens, spending his days crafting vitality pills and his nights entwined lovingly with Xu Qing. Life was full and joyful.
During this time, another great piece of good news arrived.
On May 2nd, Linton received a report from his housekeeper, Erica, who said that Sandro Daza, the local tea cultivator from town, wanted to see him.
"Boss, great news! Our tea trees have grown unexpectedly well. I just checked this morning, and the new tender shoots are ready to be harvested for tea production," Sandro Daza announced loudly upon arrival.
"Really? So soon? It's barely been two years, hasn't it?"
"Yes, it seems the soil here is especially suited for the tea trees to thrive."
"Do you need help arranging people to pick the tea leaves?"
"Yes, I'll need workers, preferably skilled women -- at least ten. The plan is for a week-long harvest, every day starting at 6 a.m. until 10 a.m., picking the leaves fresh with the morning dew. That's when the tea tastes best."
"Alright, no problem. I'll organize it immediately. This month, your salary and bonus will be doubled."
"Thank you, boss."
Linton then called in housekeeper Erica to organize the team. With the promise of double pay, many of the girls enthusiastically signed up to help.
...
On the third evening, Sandro Daza came again, bringing a large glass jar of tea leaves. Inside, the tea appeared tightly twisted and vibrant, showing a green-brown luster.
"Boss, this is the tea picked yesterday morning. I've already processed it by hand. There's about 3.5 pounds total. Please try the flavor."
"Great, let's go taste it together."
In the seventh courtyard of the estate, Linton had specially built a tea room, fully equipped with all the necessary tools.
Linton brought Xu Qing, Li Xiaoran, and Sandro Daza into the tea room. Li Xiaoran took it upon herself to brew the tea.
With practiced skill, Li Xiaoran soon poured each of them a cup of tea with a bright amber-yellow color and leaves of mixed red and green hues.
To their surprise, as the tea brewed, it gave off an intoxicating orchid fragrance that soon filled the room.
Raising the cup to his nose, Linton inhaled deeply -- the delicate aroma was utterly mesmerizing.
He took a gentle sip. The tea was sweet, smooth, and refreshing; his mouth flooded with saliva, and a mysterious cool sensation welled up from his chest and abdomen, then spread across his entire body. Every pore seemed to open, bathed in an inexplicable nourishment, and his mind cleared to a razor-sharp clarity.
"Wow, this tea is incredible, the color, fragrance, and taste... What's stranger is that drinking it leaves a uniquely pleasant feeling throughout the body, and it really wakes the mind up -- my head feels clearer than ever," Xu Qing exclaimed, equally amazed by the tea's appearance, aroma, flavor, and effects.
"Wow, this tea is amazing. I feel a comfy sensation all over, and I think my brain is sharper, too," Li Xiaoran said, less experienced but equally impressed by the tea's magical effects.
Linton understood that because the tea trees had been nurtured with spiritual energy for so long, the leaves were rich in this essence. Drinking the tea naturally brought a mild nourishing effect to the body.
The effect was subtle -- the benefit from one small cup might be less than a ten-thousandth of a single vitality pill -- but even so, it was almost miraculous compared to ordinary tea, it was leagues beyond anything in the world.
"Well done, Sandro Daza. How much tea can we harvest this time?"
"Boss, since moving the plants here, the leaf quality has greatly improved, but the yield has dropped considerably. The trees are still young. I expect about 6 to 7 pounds more to come. Across 30 acres, the total is around ten pounds. Since many girls are helping pick, we should finish in two days. As the trees mature, next year's yield should increase dramatically, but I can't estimate exactly yet."
Linton nodded, knowing this was the price of maintaining the trees' infusion with spiritual energy. Old leaves didn't wilt easily, and new shoots appeared less often.
There was no way around it -- if one wanted top-tier benefits, high yield simply couldn't be expected. Having ten pounds this year was already more than enough for his own use.
Next year's harvest would surely multiply as the trees grew. But the tea's effect was so potent that it had to be carefully controlled, not freely distributed -- it could stir up trouble if it leaked.
"Well, I never thought in less than two years we'd have such quality tea. Sandro, you've done a great job. Your income will be doubled this year."
"Boss, you're doubling my salary this year?" Sandro Daza was stunned, hardly believing his ears. The reward was extravagant.
Keep in mind, his annual income was already $55,000, a top-tier salary. Doubling it to $110,000 was almost too generous, and his disbelief was natural.
"Yes, I remember your income is $55,000. Tomorrow, I'll have the housekeeper give you an additional $55,000 bonus."
Sandro Daza quickly stood and bowed, "Thank you, boss! You're truly too generous. Rest assured, I will take great care of these tea trees."
"That's enough, no need for formalities. I'm always fair with rewards and punishments. Just keep working hard, and if next year's tea maintains this quality and quantity, there'll be more bonuses."
"Thank you, boss! I'll devote myself fully."
...
After Sandro Daza left, Linton took three quartz boxes from his study, each about 1.5 gallons in volume -- enough to hold over a pound of tea.
These had been specially made at the factory when ordering small quartz bottles. Linton had commissioned a hundred boxes of various sizes for different needs, storing most in his personal space ring, but keeping some in his study for easier access.
He divided the tea evenly into three quartz boxes and handed one to Li Xiaoran.
"Keep this well. Don't make me coffee anymore -- I'll drink this tea now. You all can have some, too; it's very good for your health."
After Li Xiaoran left, Linton handed the remaining two quartz boxes to Xu Qing.
"Darling, take these two boxes of tea back with you to Beijing. One's for you to enjoy slowly; the other is a gift for your family. But be careful not to give it to anyone else -- just for your own use.
Also, here are four bottles of beauty pills and two bottles of vitality pills for your parents. It's good you're flying tomorrow, because starting the day after, customs will start regulating these -- each person can only bring one vitality and two beauty pills bottles."
Indeed, Xu Qing's vacation was coming to an end. She'd be leaving the next day, and Linton took this chance to give her all the gifts he'd prepared.
Seeing so many wonderful things from Linton overwhelmed her with emotion.
Though the beauty and vitality pills hadn't officially hit the market yet, she already knew their prices -- and having this rare tea, with only about ten pounds harvested total, now given two pounds in such a precious box, signified immense value.
More importantly, her bank account held $9.3 million in cash -- a sum she'd never before dared to imagine. This was Linton's generosity, disguised under the name of endorsement benefits.
"My love, you've been too good to me. I want to thank you properly," she said, throwing herself into Linton's arms.
She pressed kisses to him, soon overwhelmed by passion and desire.
"Darling, take me back to the bedroom -- make love to me properly..."
*****
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