Ning Qing took out a tissue to help her wipe her face.
Zhou Zhilei was trembling with anger. She glared at Ning Qing cruelly as she said, “Ning Qing, you!”
Ning Qing took a step back in shock and patted her chest as she fearfully said, “Director Zhou, I am merely joking around with you. Why are you so fierce right now. Dear classmates, all of you have to help me. I am here in Director Zhou’s territory. She has all the advantage, and I am on the losing end right now. If I end up in an accident here, all of you have to catch the perpetrator.”
Everyone smiled as they said, “Ning Qing, you don’t have to worry. We are all here, no one would dare to bully you.”
“That’s right, Director Zhou, why are you being so fierce right now? Ay, your eyeliner is smudged. You have to go redo your makeup.”
Zhou Zhilei: “…”
…
After eating dinner, everyone went back to their rooms to rest.
Ning Qing walked to the corridor, and she saw that there was a black flower in the mud in the plot of land below the corridor. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly went to take a closer look.
It was a Louis XIV rose.
This flower originated from France and could be considered to be one of the top 10 most expensive and precious flowers on Earth. The mud in the country was not suitable to grow the Louis XIV rose, and none of the flower markets in the country sold this flower.
She did not think that she would see it here today.
Although she looked down on Zhou Zhilei, the Zhou family was still the top family in the winery business.
She looked at the flower carefully yet happily, and she hated that she could not bring to her own backyard. If her mother saw this flower, she would definitely be over the moon.
She looked at it lovingly for a moment, then Ning Qing slowly went back to her room.
After returning to her room, Ning Qing leaned on the headboard and took out a few documents from her bag. She was busy with matters concerning <Lurker>.
A while later, she heard the sound of thunder ringing out in the air outside the window, and rain started to pour.
A thunderstorm in a summer day was always quick and unpredictable.
Ning Qing stood up and went in front of the windows to look out for a moment. She suddenly thought about the Louis XIV roses downstairs, and she quickly regained her senses before running out of her room.
She ran into the corridor and looked down. All of the Louis XIV roses were drenched. The rain got heavier and heavier, and the buds of the flowers were drooping down as the rain pelted them.
Ning Qing was very anxious, she ran into the nearest room, found a transparent rain bag, and quickly dashed into the rain.
At the moment, the rain was pelting the ground heavily. Right as she dashed into the rain, her entire body was entirely drenched.
But she did not care. She quickly bent down and quickly placed the rain bag above the Louis XIV Roses.
The rain bag was not long enough, and there was still a small patch exposed to the rain.
Her heart felt very bad. These famous flowers were extremely rare in the country, and it was an absolute pity to be ruined in the rain.
She bent down and spread her arms out as she covered the remaining Louis XIV roses that were unsheltered beneath her and protected them in her embrace.
The drops of rain pelted down on her head as they trickled down. She could not open her eyes up, and she could only silently pray in her heart for the rain to stop quickly.
The rain did not stop, but Ning Qing felt that the droplets of rain were suddenly not pelting her body any further.
She lifted her gaze slowly, and there was a black umbrella held above her head.
Someone had come over.
Ning Qing turned around to have a look. There was an old grandfather standing behind her.
The old grandfather was around 80 years old. He had a head of white hair, and there were wrinkles across his face. He looked like he had gone through the trials of life, but the old grandfather still looked benevolent. His clouded eyes had an educated glow in them, and he looked both warm and refined.
The old grandfather had an umbrella in his hands and was also looking at her.
Sometimes, the relationship between people was very special. Ning Qing had a weird sense of closeness with this grandfather who had appeared out of nowhere. This kind of feeling was the same one that Zhou Dayuan gave her.
She quickly put on a smile before saying, “Grandfather, thank you for shielding me with an umbrella.”
The old grandfather smiled, and the wrinkles on his face were apparent as he said, “Little girl, stand up now. Let’s not stand in the rain to speak. Let’s go. Let’s go into the house.”
“But these Louis XIV Roses….”
Some helpers dressed in raincoats ran over hurriedly. The helper had a portable red bricked shelter in her hands. They opened the rain shelter, then placed the little red bricked roof over the roses.
The Louis XIV roses were all protected in the small house.
They were all protected and well.
It was only then did Ning Qing feel relieved, and she followed the grandfather back into the house.
…
Ning Qing did not know where the old grandfather was bringing her. It looked to be some place to brew red wine. There were many bottles and containers inside.
The old grandfather put the umbrella away and retrieved a towel before handing it over to Ning Qing. “Girl, use a clean towel to wipe your face. Take a shower when you get back later, and change into a new set of clean clothes. Don’t catch a cold.”
“Okay. Thank you, Grandfather.” Ning Qing took the towel and looked at the senior while she dried her hair. “Grandfather, what are you doing here? Are you also protecting the Louis XIV roses? Are you the senior gardener here?”
Senior gardener?
The grandfather had a frown on his face which quickly transitioned to a smile. “That’s right, I am also here to protect the Louis XIV roses. I can be considered to be a senior gardener.” As he spoke, the grandfather looked at the girl’s tiny, exquisite face. “Girl, this is the Zhou Family winery. What are you doing here? I have not seen you before.”
“Oh, I registered for the red wine training class, so I came here to broaden my horizons. After all, the Zhou family are the top winemakers in the world,” Ning Qing said with a sweet smile on her lips.
The old grandfather was happy upon hearing this. Girl, you also know how to brew wine?” he asked curiously.
“Yeah, I know a bit.” Ning Qing used nodded her head eagerly.
The old grandfather turned around and walked to the side of the table. He took a bottle of red wine that was unlabelled as he poured some red wine into a wine glass.
Ning Qing walked to his side. Her youthful eyes had a sparkling glow in them. She took in a big breath. “Grandfather, is this the red wine that is brewed using the Louis XIV roses?” she asked happily.
The grandfather paused and said, “You knew from the smell alone?”
“Yeah, there is an appropriate amount of alcohol that is added to this wine to ferment. The scent of it is very thick. The taste should be very strong, and it has probably been stored preciously for around 40 years already.”
The old grandfather looked Ning Qing in the eye, then he gurgled in laughter. “Little girl, you don’t only know how to brew; you have an innate sensitive nose with regards to red wine. This kind of sense is natural. It is passed down from generation to generation. We are unable to nurture it in others. Is your family involved in a red wine business?
Ning Qing shook her head. “No, my dad is a businessman, but my mother normally likes to brew her own wine. I have inherited this from my mother.”
The old grandfather nodded his head as he said, “Fate is needed to brew red wine. Girl, you have a natural fate with red wine. Come here, have a taste of this red wine.”
There was a spark in Ning Qing’s eyes as she asked, “Grandfather, is this for me to drink?” She was in disbelief as she used both of her small hands to receive the wine glass. She pursed her lips shyly as she said, “Grandfather, I will really drink it then.”
“Drink it.”
Ning Qing took a small sip first, and after the taste of the red wine had infiltrated her entire mouth, she said, “Yeah.” She drank the rest of the red wine sip by sip, and she did not bear to finish it.
“Grandfather, this is really delicious to drink. It is the best red wine that I have ever tasted.” Ning Qing gave him a thumbs-up as she complimented the wine.
Upon hearing her words, the old grandfather was unable to close his lips, and he smiled happily. “This girl, you really have a sweet mouth. Can you drink wine? Do you want more?”
Ning Qing lowered her gaze. Her small, exquisite face was both soft and gentle. With a coy voice, she said, “Grandfather, can you pour a little for me to bring home? My mother likes to drink red wine very much. Such high quality red wine can’t be bought with money. I want to let my mother have a taste also.”
The old grandfather looked at Ning Qing’s obedient and filial behaviour. “You are really a good child. Sure, just by you saying that you are unable to buy this with money, Grandfather will pour some for you,” he said emotionally.
The old grandfather took a small bottle out, and then poured the red wine up to the brim. He used a wooden cork to seal the bottle, and handed it over into Ning Qing’s small hands.
Ning Qing was extremely delighted as she said, “Thank you, Grandfather.”
“You don’t have to thank me. This is what you get in exchange for helping me to protect the Louis XIV Roses.”
Both of them broke out into a smile. Ning Qing carefully placed the small wine bottle in one of her pockets. “Achoo!” Ning Qing sneezed.
The old grandfather quickly said, “Girl, go back to change your clothes quickly. If you drag it on further, you will catch a cold!”
“Okay, old Grandfather. Goodbye.” Ning Qing waved goodbye.
Zhou Heng looked at Ning Qing disappear at the door before he withdrew his gaze. At this moment, an old butler walked over in his direction. He looked at the benevolent smile on Zhou Heng’s face that had not disappeared as he happily said, “Old Master, it has been a long time since I’ve seen you chatting so happily with an outsider.”
Zhou Heng nodded his head. “That’s right. This little girl gave me a good impression. I do like her very much.”
“That is right. Old Master would not open this bottle of red wine if it were not so. This bottle of wine has been kept preciously for 40 years. It was when Young Miss brewed together with you when she was eight years old. These years, you could never bear to drink it.”
Zhou Heng heard his words, and there was a depressed and fatigued expression on his face before he lowered his head.
The old butler immediately said, “Old Master, I am in the wrong. I have brought up what makes you upset once again, Old Master, you have to take care of your health. These two years, your health has been getting worse. Old Madam doesn’t need any further elaboration. Old Madam needs you to take care of you.”
Zhou Heng lifted his head up, and thinking about the past, he said, “Ever since our Dou Dou went missing, Xiao Hui’s health declined as she was unable to shoulder the shock. She slowly lost the senses in her lower limbs, and she became disabled. Once she sat on the wheelchair, 20 years flew past just like that, if not for me around, Xiao Hui would be long…”
“Old Master, it was because Miss Dou Dou went missing in England at that time, so these years, Old Madam is unwilling to take a step out of England. Old Madam immersed herself in sadness, and she is unable to come out of it. Thinking about her health, Old Master should really bring Old Madam out to relax and enjoy.”
“That’s right.” Zhou Heng nodded his head. “I forget to ask what that little girl was called just now.”
The old butler asked, “Old Master, should I go to…”
Zhou Heng waved his hand. “Forget it. I believe we will meet again if there is fate.”
…
Zhou Zhilei entered the corridor and prepared to go back into her room to sleep. A handsome, lanky figure as he approached from in front. Lu Shaoming walked in her direction.
Upon seeing him, Zhou Zhilei’s heartbeat started to accelerate.
