Chapter 114: Tea Art Master

The entire population of Qinghua was forced to use outdoor dry toilets, producing an increasing amount of ammonia gas each day. Could the air possibly smell good under such circumstances? Fortunately, the cooler weather made the odor slightly more bearable.

When they arrived at the office, the smell was even worse. Imagine thirty to forty people who hadn’t properly washed for half a month, likely wearing the same unwashed clothes. That kind of stench was obvious.

While tolerable at a distance, whenever someone approached, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an felt like their noses were under attack.

Shortly after entering, Yu Shui approached them. “Qiao’an, did you wash your hair again?”

Qin Yiren, pausing while tying her own hair, plucked a few dozen strands from her ponytail. “Qiao’an, your family has so much water that you can wash your hair weekly? How lucky for you! Ordinary people like us really can’t compare.”

Mi Xue’er eyed Bi Qiao’an’s clean hair with a hint of envy. “Yiren, don’t say that. Qiao’an’s using her own water, and we shouldn’t judge. But Qiao’an, given the worsening international situation, we really need to conserve water!”

Feigning sisterly concern, Mi Xue’er implied Bi Qiao’an was selfish. “Before, I used at least two basins of water to wash my hair. That water could sustain me for two weeks now. The dry season isn’t ending, but our water is dwindling. Though I understand loving cleanliness, this is a special situation. Less hair washing saves a lot of water.”

Mi Xue’er looked at Bi Qiao’an with a critical eye. “Look at me—my hair’s sticking to my scalp, but I endure it to save water for my family. Qiao’an, the drought will last. Putting personal desires aside, think more about Yanming!”

Mi Xue’er looked at Shen Yanming expectantly.

Shen Yanming thought, ‘What kind of nonsense is this, actually interfering in my family affairs?’

Bi Qiao’an, about to explain, was cut off as Qin Yiren jumped to her defense. “Mi Xue’er, I was merely expressing a bit of envy towards Bi Qiao’an. How did you twist that into sarcasm? But I think your ‘tea art'^[1]Tea Art: A sarcastic reference to the art of throwing shade or being passive-aggressive is so advanced. I sincerely ask for your guidance here. Which university cultivated a top-level tea art master like you?”

Qin Yiren’s words made everyone laugh. Although she had felt a bit envious earlier, it wasn’t something Mi Xue’er could use to criticize Bi Qiao’an.

Bi Qiao’an was thoroughly amused by this scene. “You’re really overthinking it,” she said, laughing. “Oh my, my stomach hurts!”

After finally calming down, Bi Qiao’an announced, “I have a secret weapon!”

This statement piqued everyone’s curiosity. Without keeping them waiting, Bi Qiao’an revealed, “Haven’t you heard of dry shampoo?”

Hmm… They seemed to recall hearing about it.

Yu Shui paused for a moment before exclaiming, “Isn’t that for women during postpartum confinement?”^[2]Confinement: A traditional Chinese practice where a new mother stays in confinement for a month after giving birth to recover and avoid exposure to things considered harmful.

Bi Qiao’an shot Yu Shui a look. “Silly, who said only women in confinement can use it!”

“Alright, you’re impressive!”

Yu Shui leaned in closer to Bi Qiao’an. “You two are really incredible, finding a solution so early on. I’m sure you must have other preparations in place. Dear, please enlighten me. What other ‘divine tools’ do you have?”

Bi Qiao’an frowned at the fawning face close to hers. “Well, you certainly need breath mints!”

Yu Shui retreated, looking hurt. “Is it really that bad?”

Bi Qiao’an nodded. “Honestly, have you been skipping brushing your teeth, or have you been eating too much meat?”

Yu Shui looked surprised. “How did you know I’ve been eating a lot of meat recently?”

“It was a lucky guess!” Bi Qiao’an frowned. “Where did you get so much meat?”

“Didn’t you buy a lot when you went to Qingli Mountain?” others interjected.

Bi Qiao’an shook her head. “No, at Qingli Mountain, we were only allowed to buy around a dozen kilograms of meat per person. How could Yu Shui have enough to make his breath smell?”

The group seemed surprised by this, looking at Yu Shui with suspicion. Yu Shui, with a mischievous grin, confessed, “Let me tell you a secret. I recently discovered a black market selling all kinds of fresh and canned meat. My mom found out and bought a lot, saying that eating more meat could help conserve grains and vegetables.”

Bi Qiao’an tried to remain calm, but her voice wavered slightly. “You’ve already eaten it? How much?”

Unaware of Bi Qiao’an’s concern, Yu Shui smiled. “Ah, I’ve been opening a can every day!”

Bi Qiao’an looked at Yu Shui with a conflicted expression. “Aren’t you worried that the pork might have problems?”

Yu Shui replied casually, “What problems could there be? So many people buy meat there, and no one has gotten sick. Besides, if there were really issues, wouldn’t the Qinghe Alliance step in?”

Bi Qiao’an wanted to say more, but Shen Yanming held her back, shaking his head slightly.

Bi Qiao’an remained silent, but others eagerly joined the conversation.

“Yu Shui, where is that market? I’d like to buy some meat too,” one person asked.

“Yes, how much does it cost? Is there a limit on how much we can buy?” inquired another.

“When’s it open? Can anyone shop there, or do we need someone to refer us?”

Yu Shui chuckled. “Buddy, you guessed right; they won’t sell to you without an introduction. Don’t worry, though, I have some connections. I’ll take you all there the day after tomorrow.”

Seeing the group’s excitement, Bi Qiao’an focused on her work. A few minutes later, Xia Ran approached her. “Qiao’an, I genuinely want some advice. Are there things we should buy now for the winter?”

Bi Qiao’an considered the question. “I bought a lot of vitamin C and some hand warmers.”

Xia Ran’s eyes brightened. “Qiao’an, you’re so clever!”

Bi Qiao’an smiled. “Just some basic preparations. If you have any good ideas, please share them with me too. We can help each other!”

Xia Ran sat down near Bi Qiao’an and pondered. “We could stock up on wet wipes, though they might be hard to find. Oh, and essentials like medicated oil^[3]Medicated Oil or Fengyou Essence: A traditional Chinese herbal medicine used to alleviate symptoms like dizziness, headache, and motion sickness. and mosquito coils.”

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