After tasting the Blended Deep Roasted Tieguanyin handed over by Ah Qing, Ansheng explained to Ah Qing from an academic perspective and the dimension of craftsmanship why this Tieguanyin was unpleasant to drink, while also criticizing the poor and immature craftsmanship.
But Ansheng's critique was simplified in Yu Xueqing's mind to:
'Master, Master! This is undrinkable, wow! The taste is like biting into charred pine needles, Fox Fox's mouth and tongue are numb, not fragrant or sweet, unlike the sweet water at home.'
'Fox Fox feels like taking a bite of ash!'
After thinking for a moment, Yu Xueqing, combining her own feelings about this Blended Deep Roasted Tieguanyin, said to the livestream:
"After our Master Fox's in-depth evaluation, he straightforwardly said it felt like bumping into a nose full of ash!"
As soon as Yu Xueqing spoke, question marks began to float sparsely in the livestream.
The tourists around the tea stall were all stunned, nodding subconsciously, feeling that Ah Qing's description, though quirky, was strangely apt.
The tea, without the annealing process, still had a smoky carbon and astringent alkali taste.
Drinking it, wouldn't it indeed feel like bumping into a nose full of ash?
"Good description, quite picky..."
The tea stall owner, seeing Ah Qing, didn't become offended at Ah Qing pointing out the product's shortcomings, but instead said with interest, "I remember you, you seem to be that kid from Ah Hong's family, right?"
"What you said is indeed correct. My Blended Deep Roasted Tieguanyin hasn't undergone conventional annealing but was prepared using new techniques, yet the final product still fails to meet the standards of roasted or fragrant tea."
"Currently, in the Tieguanyin market, the fragrant Tieguanyin occupies half of the space, electronic roasted Tieguanyin has taken a portion of the market, even in traditional charcoal roasted, only the lightly roasted is popular."
"But deep roasting also has a market. My tea factory often receives such complaints, so we have been trying to improve the process. This is our experimental tea, also here for a discussion on tea."
The tea stall owner smiled broadly, praised Yu Xueqing for her picky taste, and introduced her to the surrounding tea drinkers.
All those who came here were tea enthusiasts or tea merchants. He didn't delve deeply into explaining some basic things.
The Tieguanyin market is vast; it once boomed across the nation.
But what became popular was the "fragrant Tieguanyin."
This stuff is a product of cutting corners, and due to previously immature craftsmanship, drinking too much could cause acid reflux and vomiting, similar to a drunken reaction.
But the most traditional and authentic "Blended Deep Roasted Tieguanyin" was abandoned due to the complex production process, which hindered profitability.
With the ebb of capital frenzy, some tea enthusiasts who truly liked orthodox Tieguanyin were shocked to find that traditional deep roasted Tieguanyin was no longer available in the market.
This is the history of Tieguanyin, and this tea factory owner saw this market opportunity, developed new preparation techniques, attempting to conduct refined business in the sinking market.
But improving the process isn't as simple as saying it with one's mouth.
How to simplify the process while preserving flavor, or balance cost and price, is a heavy issue.
This tea factory old Chen came to set up a tea stall with the main goal of listening to tea drinkers' opinions, asking for some expert critiques to determine the next direction of improvement.
He is here to earn the residual profit, not to jump into a pit and contribute.
Hence, upon hearing Yu Xueqing's critique, he showed no anger but instead asked Ah Qing with interest for opinions on improving this tea.
"Uh..."
Seeing the familiar village owner of the tea stall inviting her to sit down and discuss [Deep Roasted Tieguanyin's improvements and opinions], Ah Qing's gaze became somewhat evasive, tinged with embarrassment.
She was fine with drinking and brewing tea, but genuinely delving into core preparation techniques, Ah Qing could only be considered an outsider.
The tea-making process isn't difficult, but she didn't understand the significance of each step and the relative chemical formulas.
[???]
Meanwhile, in the livestream Yu Xueqing couldn't attend to, the question marks began to increase gradually.
According to usual routines and plots, shouldn't the owner have become enraged and caused a scene after Yu Xueqing's seemingly disruptive words?
Then, disdain Ah Qing for being ignorant, daring to point fingers after just a few years of drinking tea?
Eventually, Ah Qing would be scolded to tears by the owner, and the onlookers would perform justice by surrounding and beating him?
But now, being politely invited by the owner to sit down at the tea stall, and even discussing the future of the tea industry and deep roasted Tieguanyin?
The livestream audience was confused, leading them to start typing question marks.
Mo Yiqing, who had been closely watching the livestream, upon seeing a potential conflict, didn't say a word but immediately sent a musical note gift to Ah Qing's livestream room, helping boost the stream's popularity and supporting her in ranking battles.
".... That's how it is, so, see if you can give some suggestions based on your taste."
The tea factory's old Chen opened his notebook, ready to jot down the opinions of this picky girl as market research.
Upon hearing, Yu Xueqing subconsciously turned her head, glancing at the little fox on her shoulder.
"Why are you looking at me? Look at him! Let uncle pay me fifty thousand as a consultation fee for guiding him, else why give free advice?"
"Ah Qing, seize the money-making opportunity!" The little fox chirped ceaselessly, leaping lightly onto the tea table with an arrogant expression.
Then.
Under the strange gaze of old Chen, the guests, and the livestream viewers, the little fox sniffed at over a dozen tea bowls and teas brewed at different times on the table.
"Ying ying ying!"
The little fox looked at Ah Qing, lifted its fox paw, and gently patted one of the gaiwans three times.
"You want me to scoop three spoons of this tea and put it in a high-iron-content tea cup?"
After hearing Ansheng's chirp, Yu Xueqing's expression froze on her cheek, and she glanced at the tea stall owner. The owner, with a face full of black lines and confusion, turned to the storage box beside him and took out a high-iron-content Jian Zhan.
Jian Zhan was originally one of Xia Dong's specialties.
However, compared to Da Hong Pao and the likes, Jian Zhan's fame wasn't so prominent.
"Ying ying!"
The little fox turned and walked to another fair cup, patting it, and Ah Qing quickly followed, scooping out the corresponding tea with a disposable spoon.
Then, the little fox jumped under the table, rummaged through the storage box, pulled two bags of tea leaves, carried them to Yu Xueqing, and had her start brewing.
Amidst everyone's bewildered gazes, the little fox directed Ah Qing to use new tea leaves and tea to concoct a pot of about three hundred milliliters of hot tea.
"Ying ying ying!"
The little fox held its head high, showing its chest and neck, patting the [Blended Deep Roasted Tieguanyin] that flowed through the Jian Zhan and ultimately landed in the tea bowl.
"Xiaolan said, try this." Yu Xueqing, her cheeks slightly red, spoke in a timid tone.