The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

As night fell over the eaves of Yu Garden, Meng Jiangyu led Shen Qingyao into the underground wine cellar.

The heavy wooden door opened, and the aroma of oak and aged wine enveloped us. Warm yellow wall lamps shone over the neatly arranged wine shelves. He raised a finger and lightly touched a row of wine labels, his voice clear: "Honey, the wines here are first categorized by production area, and then further arranged by winery. The core production areas of the Old World are all in these rows."

"Ah Yu, what does 'old world' mean?"

"The Old World was the first place to produce wine, mainly in European countries near the Mediterranean, such as France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Portugal."

"Does that mean there's a new world?"

"My child is so smart. There are many countries in the New World. The main countries with industrialized production processes are Chile, China, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina."

Shen Qingyao looked at the shelves full of wine labels and said, "Oh, I see."

Which wine would you like to try?

Shen Qingyao pondered, "I want to try the differences between wines from different regions."

"Okay." Meng Jiangyu turned around and took a bottle of wine from each of the Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne appellations.

"Let's try these three wines tonight: Petrus from Bordeaux, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from Burgundy, and Dom Pérignon from Champagne."

"Okay." Shen Qingyao followed Meng Jiangyu out of the cold wine cellar.

The two moved to the living room island, where warm light fell on the ebony tabletop. Meng Jiangyu arranged three bottles of red wine, and his movements as he screwed the corks into the bottles were steady and smooth.

The decanter and wine glasses were arranged in order. When he poured the wine, he lifted his wrist slightly, and the dark red wine flowed into the glass in an arc, just the right amount.

He poured the Petrus into a glass and pushed it in front of Shen Qingyao: "Look first, gently swirl the glass, the Bordeaux wine is rich in color, with thick and dense vines on the side."

Seeing her raise her hand and gently shake it, he added, "Smell it again, lightly touch the tip of your nose to the rim of the glass, the fruity aroma of blackcurrant and black cherry, mixed with the smoky scent of oak barrels, is the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon."

After she had smelled it, he added, "Take a small sip and let the liquid coat the tip of your tongue. The tannins are firm, the acidity is pronounced, and the finish has a rich, leathery feel. This is the classic structure of Bordeaux."

Shen Qingyao took a small sip and said, "Ayu, I think it tastes a bit sour."

Meng Jiangyu took a small sip. "Some vintage Patuxai can have a slightly acetic taste, but that taste will disappear after two hours."

Next up is Romanée-Conti from the Burgundy region, a wine with a lighter color and a warm, cherry-red hue.

"Sweetie, rinse your mouth with water."

"it is good."

"Burgundy is dominated by Pinot Noir, with a clearer color and a sweet aroma of strawberry and raspberry, along with the floral scent of violet, which is softer than Bordeaux."

He watched Shen Qingyao sip her drink and said slowly, "The tannins are delicate, the acidity is mild, the texture is smooth, and the aftertaste is fruity. It lacks the heaviness of Bordeaux but is more delicate."

"The astringency is indeed better."

Finally, there was champagne, with tiny beads of foam clinging to the chilled glass and fine bubbles rising to the surface.

"Champagne is a sparkling wine, so first look at the bubbles; fine and persistent bubbles indicate a good wine. The aroma is refreshing with green apple and citrus notes, as well as the bready aroma of yeast."

He demonstrated by taking a small sip, "The initial acidity is bright, the bubbles burst on the tongue, the fruity aroma is refreshing, and the finish is clean. It's completely different from still red wine, crisp and refreshing."

"Completely different taste, this one tastes better."

"When will I be able to know this knowledge as well as you do?"

"It's a process of accumulation. Drink more wine and you'll be able to tell the difference. There's no use in forcing yourself to memorize it."

"Understood, Teacher Meng."

"Are all sparkling wines called Champagne?"

"Only sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France can be called Champagne."

"Oh, I see."

"I think this wine is just so-so. Why do people on TV say it's delicious?"

"People who think it tastes good definitely like red wine; it's just a matter of different preferences."

"Try it again when you've sobered up; it tastes much better than when you first opened the bottle."

"The two red wines I chose today are both very old, so they need to be decanted to bring out their flavors."

"Something very interesting is that every sip you drink now tastes different."

"Huh?" Shen Qingyao looked incredulous.

"You'll see once you try," Meng Jiangyu reminded him.

Shen Qingyao took a few sips and found that the taste was really different. "It's amazing!"

"Because red wine will oxidize when it comes into contact with oxygen, some of its substances and components will be oxidized, and the taste will change."

"Oh, I see."

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye, and Meng Jiangyu poured Shen Qingyao a glass of Patuxai that had been decanted.

"The sour taste has indeed disappeared."

The flavors of Petrus and Romanée-Conti have changed; they taste much better now.

"How do you feel now?"

"It tastes good."

On the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, the Southern Little New Year, the morning light of Yu Garden streamed through the window sill as Meng Jiangyu returned to his room after exercising.

Meng Jiangyu gently brushed the stray hairs at Shen Qingyao's temples with his fingertips, his gaze fixed on her sleeping face.

Shen Qingyao woke up around noon. The moment she opened her eyes, she met his gentle gaze. She lazily snuggled into his arms and rubbed against him, saying, "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I want my darling to sleep a little longer." Meng Jiangyu lowered his head to kiss the top of her head, his palm kneading her waist. "Happy Lunar New Year's Eve."

Shen Qingyao got up slowly and reluctantly. When she went downstairs, Zhang Ma had already prepared lunch: osmanthus lotus root, steamed fish, brown sugar glutinous rice cake, lobster vermicelli, and ham and chicken soup—all the usual Jiangnan home-style dishes for the Lunar New Year.

The warm afternoon sun shone throughout the living room. Shen Qingyao nestled in Meng Jiangyu's arms, a thin blanket covering her knees, as the two watched "The Story of Minglan" together.

He wasn't very interested in watching TV dramas, but he was very interested in watching them with Shen Qingyao.

With one arm around her waist and the other peeling an orange to feed her, he listened to her rambling comments on the plot, spending far more time on her face than on the screen.

Seeing Minglan being harassed by Madam Qin, Shen Qingyao was furious. "How annoying!"

The two of them ate hot pot for dinner, the bone broth and chili oil bubbling and steaming.

After dinner, the two went for a walk in the garden to digest their food. When they returned to the living room, the servants had tidied up and left.

There were only the two of them in the living room. The warm yellow light from the living room lamp cast a soft glow. Meng Jiangyu put his arm around Shen Qingyao from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. His warm breath swept across her neck, carrying a faint scent of cedar.

The kiss came suddenly, burning from her neck to the corner of her lips. He held her chin and turned her around, kissing her passionately yet forcefully, his tongue lingering on her soft breath, blending all tenderness and possessiveness between his lips and teeth.

Shen Qingyao tiptoed and clung to his shoulders, her soft breaths landing on his neck, becoming the most alluring signal.

He picked her up and carried her steadily toward the bedroom, his fingertips stroking her hair and kissing her lips all the way. The warm yellow light of the bedroom fell on the two of them.

He gently placed her on the bed covered with cashmere sheets, leaned over and covered her with his kisses, from her forehead to the corners of her eyes, and then to the corners of her lips. The slow caresses were filled with an unmistakable control.

Shen Qingyao's fingertips traced his shoulder line, unbuttoning his sweater. Her fingertips intertwined with his long, slender fingers. He chuckled softly, took her hand, and kissed her fingertips.

His large hands slowly and deliberately brushed across her skin, the calluses brushing against the soft flesh of her waist, causing her to tremble slightly. She gripped his back tighter, her nails digging lightly into her flesh, leaving faint marks.

He held her tightly in his arms, his palms pressed against her back, showering her with kisses from her collarbone to her heart, his movements gentle yet forceful.

Outside the window, the cold wind of December swept in the night, and inside, all that could be heard was the disordered breathing and overlapping heartbeats of the two people. The warmth of their skin touching each other dispelled all the chill.

He cherished all her tenderness, weaving his affection and deep love into the deep night. Year after year, his tenderness was hidden in this intimacy that belonged only to the two of them.