Chapter 42: Green Plum Wine – “I’ve had this before.”

Yihuan smiled gently. “Does the shizzi have no pressing matters today?”

Liu Hexiao thought for a moment. If he said he had nothing to do, it might make him seem idle. But if he admitted to having something to do… wouldn’t that mean he had to leave?

After a brief struggle, he gave a vague “Mm” in response.

Yihuan smiled faintly and said, “I was thinking of returning to the shop shortly to experiment with the wine you mentioned. It’s for the Flower Queen Night in a fortnight…”

Liu Hexiao’s eyes lit up. “Brewing wine?” After a pause, he added, “I know those people best… If you’d like, I could help you taste and evaluate it.”

Yihuan nodded with a smile. “Alright, thank you in advance, Shizi.”

*****

As summer deepened, the heat grew stifling even before noon.

Inside the small kitchen, Yihuan was poring over recipes. There were numerous ways to combine and balance ingredients, yet the recipes she found only offered a few sparse options.

In ancient times, creating a new wine was truly no easy task.

Outside the kitchen, the hallway led directly to the kitchen door. Liu Hexiao had brought a chair and was seated leisurely in the corridor. His crimson robes trailed on the ground as he rested his head on one hand, watching Yihuan intently without blinking.

Seeing her brows knit slightly, he asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Yihuan replied, “The ancient texts I’m reading don’t provide clear instructions for winemaking. I’m afraid they won’t be of much use.”

Looking troubled, she continued, “What kind of wine would leave people unable to forget it after just one sip?”

Liu Hexiao chuckled softly. Rising from his seat, he said, “Around Shengjing, green plums are in season every summer. Everyone enjoys drinking green plum wine during this time. Why not use green plum wine as the base and enhance it with some additional touches?”

Hearing this, Yihuan considered his suggestion. “This green plum wine… would I need to buy it from a restaurant or winery?”

Liu Hexiao replied, “The Yizhi Winery in the Eastern Market produces excellent green plum wine, but the premium options are expensive. They might not be suitable for giving away as complimentary servings.”

Yihuan listened attentively as Liu Hexiao continued to think aloud. “Actually, the green plum wine from the Jinxiu Restaurant is also decent. However, you should opt for the version that’s seventy percent sweet. That way, it won’t be overly sour upon first sip, nor overly cloying after drinking too much.”

Yihuan nodded. “Then I’ll head to the Jinxiu Restaurant. It’s just across the street, so it’s very convenient.”

Before she could leave, Liu Hexiao called out, “Cheng Lingwei.”

With two swift steps, Cheng Lingwei appeared on the second floor.

“Go to the Jinxiu Restaurant and bring back a jar of green plum wine. Make sure it’s seventy percent sweet and thirty percent sour.”

Cheng Lingwei acknowledged the command and promptly left.

Yihuan laughed. “Thank you, Shizi.”

Seeing her bright and radiant smile directed at him, Liu Hexiao found himself momentarily at a loss for words.

—–

The green plum wine arrived swiftly.

As soon as the paper sealing the jar was torn open, a crisp and refreshing fragrance wafted out.

Both Yihuan and Liu Hexiao leaned in to take a sniff. The aroma was delightful!

Yihuan’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “The seventy-percent-sweet version you mentioned smells wonderful, Shizi.”

Liu Hexiao’s face carried a faint smile. “You could try tasting it first to see what additional ingredients might enhance it.”

Yihuan fetched a ladle, scooped a small amount of wine, and poured it into a cup. She lifted the cup and took a delicate sip.

The golden green plum wine had a sweet and tangy flavor, incredibly refreshing.

Her crimson lips parted slightly as she sipped again. The layered flavors brought out the essence of the plums even more on the second taste.

Her petite lips glistened with a light sheen of wine, giving them a translucent, jewel-like appearance. They shimmered like freshly washed cherries, strikingly enticing.

Liu Hexiao froze, his throat involuntarily moving as he swallowed.

Yihuan’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “It’s truly delicious.”

Snapping back to his senses, Liu Hexiao murmured, “Mm…” After a pause, he added, “But I think the flavor is still a bit thin. After drinking, it’s refreshing but doesn’t leave a lasting sweetness.”

Yihuan nodded. “You’re absolutely right, Shizi. I’ll think about what could complement it best.”

Liu Hexiao suggested, “I once saw people in the northern deserts brewing wine. Fresh fruits are scarce there, so they often make candied fruits and use those occasionally for mixing drinks.”

Yihuan’s curiosity was piqued. “Shizi has been to the northern deserts?”

Liu Hexiao paused briefly before replying in a low voice, “I went there with my elder brother. The customs and culture there are entirely different from Shengjing.”

Yihuan sighed wistfully. “How I wish I could see it for myself one day.”

Liu Hexiao: “…The chaos in the northern frontier is no place for you. It’s best if you don’t go.”

The atmosphere paused briefly, then Yihuan seamlessly shifted the conversation back to brewing wine. “The method the shizi just mentioned—I’ve heard of it before. Among candied fruits, huamei is the most commonly used for infusing liquor.”

Liu Hexiao raised his gaze. “What is huamei?”

There was actually something he hadn’t tried before?

Yihuan thought for a moment, then replied, “Huamei is made from green plums. The process involves washing them thoroughly, drying them in the sun, and marinating them with saltfor seven days. Afterward, the salt water is drained, and the plums undergo a second round of marination. Neither batch of salt water is kept. Finally, the plums are cooked with licorice, dried tangerine peel, brown sugar, and white sugar. Once cooked, they’re laid out in the sun to dry for about twenty days. That’s more or less it.”

Liu Hexiao frowned. “That sounds tedious.”

Yihuan replied, “Indeed. That’s why if you want to use huamei, it’s best to find semi-processed green plum preserves—it saves a lot of time.”

With less than a month until the Flower Queen Night, starting from scratch would definitely be too late.

Liu Hexiao nodded thoughtfully.

Yihuan chuckled. “If there’s no huamei, I can experiment with other ingredients first.”

Saying so, she pulled out a bundle of ingredients she had purchased from Qingmu Zhai.

Liu Hexiao glanced at the bundle, where an assortment of fruits spilled out—most of which he had never seen before.

“What are these?” he asked, suddenly feeling a bit foolish.

Yihuan explained, “These are lemons for mixing drinks. They’re very sour, almost inedibly so, but they’re excellent for neutralizing fishy smells and enhancing flavors. These are limes, even more sour, used to add depth to the taste.”

As she spoke, her slender fingers picked up a lemon. The bright yellow peel contrasted sharply with the snow-white of her wrist.

Yihuan, smiling animatedly, held it up. “Take a whiff, shizi. It’s refreshing.”

Liu Hexiao, caught off guard, obediently leaned in, catching a hint of the citrus fragrance. Whether it was the lemon’s aroma or the scent lingering on her fingers, he couldn’t quite tell.

“Hmm… it’s very fresh,” he remarked, his eyes curving slightly with amusement.

Yihuan smiled and began preparing the ingredients.

She started by boiling water and retrieving some green tea leaves. Combining the crispness of green tea with the sharpness of plum wine might create an intriguing flavor profile.

As she brewed the tea, she also filled a basin with water and submerged the lemons, adding a spoonful of salt.

“The saltwater removes surface impurities, which allows the lemons’ flavor to shine,” she explained.

After washing the lemons and limes, she carefully sliced them into thin pieces.

Liu Hexiao observed with great interest as the lemon slices fell one by one under the knife. The sharp, tangy aroma began to fill the small kitchen.

But Yihuan wasn’t satisfied yet. She brought out three or four deep-purple fruits.

“What new variety is this?” Liu Hexiao asked curiously.

Yihuan smiled. “These are passion fruits. They make for a delightful drink when steeped in water.”

Liu Hexiao watched as she sliced one in half and deftly scooped out the seeds and juice, pouring them into a bowl. He bent down to take a closer sniff, his curiosity unabated.

This action made Yihuan laugh. “Shizi, do you want to eat a passion fruit?”

Realizing he might have been too absorbed, Liu Hexiao straightened abruptly and replied stiffly, “No.”

Suppressing a smile, Yihuan added the lemon and lime slices to the passion fruit juice.

The bright yellow lemon slices, reminiscent of radiant sunflowers, radiated cheerfulness, while the limes, a vibrant green, seemed shy, quietly hiding beneath their bolder counterparts.

After stirring the mixture, the tangy aroma became even more pronounced.

By now, the green tea on the stove was ready.

As Yihuan reached for the teapot, Liu Hexiao blurted out, “Be careful—it’s hot.”

Even he was surprised at how quickly he had spoken.

Liu Hexiao’s thoughts: When did I become so fussy?

Yihuan smiled softly. “Got it.”

Liu Hexiao asked, “The tea brewed like this has a strong flavor. Are you planning to use it for the drink?”

Yihuan nodded. “Yes, I want to see how the tea and alcohol flavors blend. With the fruity undertones, it might turn out to be an interesting combination. But honestly, I’m unsure about the proportions of these ingredients.”

Liu Hexiao understood immediately. “Let’s experiment first and record the ratios of each ingredient to determine the best combination.”

Yihuan agreed and poured a small bowl of green tea, cooling it with some ice cubes.

“Why add ice?” Liu Hexiao asked, curious.

Yihuan explained, “The ice quickly lowers the tea’s temperature. If the tea is too hot when poured into the lemon mixture, it’ll affect the texture and taste of the citrus fruits.”

Liu Hexiao, amused, remarked, “True. If you poured boiling tea, it’d feel like boiling fruit soup instead.”

Caught off guard, Yihuan burst out laughing.

Her bright smile lit up her face, and for a moment, Liu Hexiao was mesmerized, feeling as though the warmth of spring filled the room.

Seeing him pause, Yihuan waved her hand in front of his face. “Shizi, what’s wrong?”

Snapping back to reality, Liu Hexiao stammered, “Nothing… Let’s try it quickly. I’m eager to see how it turns out.”

Yihuan nodded and poured the cooled tea into the lemon-passion fruit mixture.

The fruits, suddenly awash in the tea, swirled around lazily, blending harmoniously.

Finally, Yihuan added two spoonfuls of plum wine to the bowl and stirred everything together, completing the initial version of the drink.

Scooping a spoonful into a small bowl, she hesitated. The mix of tea, wine, and tangy fruit flavors was hard to imagine.

Liu Hexiao, speaking gently, said, “Don’t worry. Just give it a try.”

Yihuan nodded and took a cautious sip.

Her delicate lips brushed the bowl, but her brows furrowed slightly as she tasted it.

The tea was too strong, and the plum wine’s tartness didn’t quite balance it out. She looked a little disappointed.

Liu Hexiao, noticing this, said kindly, “Let me try.”

Without waiting, he took the bowl from her hand and sipped.

He tasted it thoughtfully and then said to Yihuan, “Right now, the tea flavor is too overpowering. The wine needs to be stronger.”

Taking another sip, he added, “These black seeds—are they from the passion fruit? Their flavor pairs well with the plum wine. We can add more of them. The lemon slices, however, are just right as they are.”

Yihuan, still processing his words, suddenly realized something. “Shizi… this bowl of wine…”

Liu Hexiao, assuming she didn’t understand, patiently explained, “Yes, we need more wine. When the men taste it, they’ll expect a stronger flavor. They’re used to strong spirits, so if the tea dominates, they might find it too weak.”

Yihuan’s face flushed.

What he didn’t realize was this: the wine he was drinking was in the same bowl she had just sipped from.