Watching Gan Yuan across the table as she lifted her red wine glass, Huangfu Jue also lifted his. As long as she was happy, he could accompany her from now until morning.
Would it be a candlelit party or not, lunch or breakfast or dinner!
"To..." Gan Yuan held her glass, thought for a moment, "our reunion after six years, cheers!"
He extended his right hand, and the two crystal glasses gently clinked together, emitting a pleasing low ping like jade striking one another.
The red wine swirled, like a dancer’s skirt, leaving pleasing traces on the stem of the glass.
She took her glass back, gently sniffing the scent of the wine, and took a delicate sip.
The aroma was rich and enduring. As the liquid touched her throat, the taste of the wine lingered on her lips and tongue. It started with a slight tartness, and then came the intoxicating rich fragrance, followed by just the right amount of sweetness.
With her wine tasting expertise, she could tell that this wine was different from the others she had tasted before, appearing to be a new flavor she had never tried.
She reached for the wine bottle and looked at it quizzically. On the bottle, there was only a simple white label with a date written in black ink—a fall from six years ago, written with an ordinary oil-based pen, the tip sharp.
Across the table, Huangfu Jue gently lifted the corners of his mouth.
She opened her mouth in surprise and examined the bottle she was holding closely.
"This is... you brewed it?"
The man’s tone was calm, "It was a promise to you."
Holding the wine bottle, her hand trembled slightly. Gan Yuan suddenly remembered that night six years ago, in his Paris estate, when the two of them passed under the grapevine trellis, the grapes were just beginning to sprout.
That year, the climate was suitable, and the grapes in the vineyard grew very well.
Back then, she had jokingly said, "Too bad it isn’t autumn, otherwise we could pick grapes and make wine," and he had agreed with a promise.
She never imagined that her casual joke would lead him to actually make wine from that year’s grapes.
Her heart was instantly filled with a warm emotion.
"I thought... you had long forgotten," she murmured.
He was the type to either keep quiet or keep his word as if it was worth a thousand in gold, especially when it came to promises made to her—how could he treat them lightly?
"That year, the climate was very good; the gardener said that such grapes were the best for making wine." Huangfu Jue put down the wine glass in his hand, "Unfortunately, I lacked experience, and in the end, only a few bottles were drinkable. Thankfully, the taste was quite good. However..." he stretched out his left hand, covering hers which rested on the table, his blue eyes tenderly gazing at her face, "this autumn, we can go together."
She dare not make any promises, so she changed the topic.
"Is wine-making... difficult?"
He then began to explain to her earnestly the process of making wine.
Picking, washing, pressing...
Keen attention must be paid not to let even a single spoiled grape in, as it could affect the quality of the entire batch of wine.
And she listened intently, occasionally lifting her glass to her lips for a sip.
Indeed, the enjoyment of wine also depended on the mood. Previously, in Duke Locke’s Residence, she had tasted top-quality wines but only felt bitterness; now, each sip was fragrant and rich.
Seeing her finish the whole glass, he reminded her with concern.
"That year, there was little rain, so the grapes had high sweetness, which means a higher alcohol content in the wine. Don’t drink too much."
"I don’t care!" she passed her glass to him, her tone unusually capricious, "Today, I want to drink to my heart’s content!"
you said beneath the grape trellis,
"I will come for grapes."
when the grapes are ripe,
"I will turn them into wine, and get you drunk,"
"I will make it snow heavily, sealing the land and sky,"
when it is deep and quiet,
"I will add another Chapter of ’dog food’, and sweeten you silly,"
taking advantage while your recommendation ticket is still here,
"you will leave your ticket behind."
Who else but me for creative ticket requests?!
[I’m sorry to ask everyone to vote for me, better to do it myself!]
Good night everyone, sweet dreams.