Ruan Ji
New Owner: Aiming To MIsbehave – Haggling at Chen's
by Captain Tyler Redstone
Post Details
Wordlessly, Tye handed over a large sack to Chen's second youngest daughter, bowing slightly as he did so. She smiled, shy and hopeful, raising her eyes ever so slightly to peek at him through her thick lashes. Chen spoke in rapid-fire Chinese and the girl disappeared (fled) back to the kitchen. Not a surprise. Chen didn't permit his daughters anywhere near the scavengers and Browncoats that frequented the emporium.
"It is good to see you again, old friend," Chen said as he slid into a seat opposite Tye and nodded imperially to his third oldest son.
"And you as well," Tye answered, relaxed now that he knew he was Chen's good side. "Always good to see an old friend in these uncertain times."
He lapsed into silence immediately, watching the curtain that separated the main room from the kitchen. There were rules about tea with Chen. One of the most important was you saved the palaver until after the first sip. Tea at the emporium was always something of an event, especially when you were getting Chen's special recipe.
The son came forward with the second best teapot which Tye took as a good sign. After all, weren't too long ago that he hadn't even rated a teapot.
The flavor and composition changed all the time, depending on what Chen, in his mystical wisdom, felt was right to add to the mix. Always good except for that one time that he'd failed to bring back a particular herb that Chen had asked for (demanded); that day, the tea, served in what looked like a battered dishpan, had left a bitter aftertaste that reminded him of the war. Rusty and acrid. Not at all pleasant but then again, neither had been the expression on Chen's face. Drink the tea, accept the punishment and move on. Refuse and never taste the good stuff again. That was Chen.
He waited patiently while third oldest poured. Waited longer while Chen took an appreciative sniff and signaled his approval. Tye lifted the small, handle-less cup and inhaled the fragrance, sighing with pleasure. Chen's tea reminded him of better times when life had a sort of gracious rhythm that was long gone, this side of the war. He took a small sip, savoring the flavor on his tongue, and smiled.
"Perfect," he whispered.
Chen smiled. Well, what was for him a smile. Mostly, it was the tiniest upturn to one corner of his mouth and a very slight twinkle in the eye which could have been a trick of the light if you didn't know him as well as Tye knew him.
It wasn't until the first cup had been properly emptied that the real palavering began. As third eldest poured a second round of tea, Tye settled in for a lengthy discussion. He meant to leave this table with a goodly supply of Chen's tea. Whatever he had to promise to get it.
by Captain Tyler Redstone
Post Details
| Title | Haggling at Chen's | |
| Mission | New Owner: Aiming To MIsbehave | |
| Author(s) | Captain Tyler Redstone | |
| Posted | Tue Jul 20, 2010 @ 10:37pm | |
| Location | Chen's Tea Emporium | |
| Timeline | MD1 |
"It is good to see you again, old friend," Chen said as he slid into a seat opposite Tye and nodded imperially to his third oldest son.
"And you as well," Tye answered, relaxed now that he knew he was Chen's good side. "Always good to see an old friend in these uncertain times."
He lapsed into silence immediately, watching the curtain that separated the main room from the kitchen. There were rules about tea with Chen. One of the most important was you saved the palaver until after the first sip. Tea at the emporium was always something of an event, especially when you were getting Chen's special recipe.
The son came forward with the second best teapot which Tye took as a good sign. After all, weren't too long ago that he hadn't even rated a teapot.
The flavor and composition changed all the time, depending on what Chen, in his mystical wisdom, felt was right to add to the mix. Always good except for that one time that he'd failed to bring back a particular herb that Chen had asked for (demanded); that day, the tea, served in what looked like a battered dishpan, had left a bitter aftertaste that reminded him of the war. Rusty and acrid. Not at all pleasant but then again, neither had been the expression on Chen's face. Drink the tea, accept the punishment and move on. Refuse and never taste the good stuff again. That was Chen.
He waited patiently while third oldest poured. Waited longer while Chen took an appreciative sniff and signaled his approval. Tye lifted the small, handle-less cup and inhaled the fragrance, sighing with pleasure. Chen's tea reminded him of better times when life had a sort of gracious rhythm that was long gone, this side of the war. He took a small sip, savoring the flavor on his tongue, and smiled.
"Perfect," he whispered.
Chen smiled. Well, what was for him a smile. Mostly, it was the tiniest upturn to one corner of his mouth and a very slight twinkle in the eye which could have been a trick of the light if you didn't know him as well as Tye knew him.
It wasn't until the first cup had been properly emptied that the real palavering began. As third eldest poured a second round of tea, Tye settled in for a lengthy discussion. He meant to leave this table with a goodly supply of Chen's tea. Whatever he had to promise to get it.