Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Roseanne blushed slightly, "It's really nothing special..."

She had been with Murray for six years. The first two years, she was still in college, and for the latter four, she was confined to their sprawling mansion, her days revolving solely around Murray.

The cage of love he built for her was sturdy, but those years in confinement weren't entirely wasted. Beyond taking care of Murray's needs, Roseanne read voraciously, honed her skills, and consciously developed various hobbies.

As their relationship cooled and Murray's visits home became less frequent, Roseanne finally found time for herself. She enrolled in numerous classes and earned several certifications, filling her free time to the brim.

She always kept her father's advice in mind: "Learning never stops. You should always keep gaining knowledge and skills, because every new skill opens up another path in life."

Maybe deep down, she never really saw Murray as her rock.

...

After her class, Roseanne couldn't leave just yet; she had to guide the ladies through the practical part. As she had been teaching, many had followed along and prepared their own cups.

"Ms. Cole, could you taste mine and give me your thoughts?"

"And mine too, I'd love some feedback."

"Me as well! Don't forget me!"

With a sense of resignation, Roseanne tasted each one, giving her feedback generously. When it came to Mrs. Jackson's turn, the aroma of the tea had already wafted over before she even lifted the lid. "This is English black tea, isn't it?" Roseanne was a bit surprised.

Mrs. Jackson, with her warm and inviting smile, nodded, "Yes. Let me know what you think."

As Roseanne took a sip, the leaves were perfectly shaped, and the tea itself was bright and aromatic, a clear sign of its high grade.

She was impressed. Most of the ladies attended her tea workshops more as a social pretense or to pass time, but Mrs. Jackson clearly knew her tea.

After a second sip, Roseanne couldn't help but praise, "This is exquisite."

The quality of the tea and the brewing technique were both top-notch.

Mrs. Jackson's smile broadened, "My family started with a small tea business. We own a few plantations, and we always keep a batch for ourselves each year. I happened to bring some today; if you don't mind, please take some home with you."

Roseanne initially hesitated, not wanting to admit that despite being a tea sommelier, she rarely drank tea, preferring plain water instead.

But Mrs. Jackson insisted, and ultimately, Roseanne graciously accepted.

Silver, on the other hand, found the whole tea etiquette a bit pretentious and brewed her tea carelessly, ber attention already drifting elsewhere.

"Silver, today's tea class was quite interesting, way better than that old man last time. I just tried brewing some Earl Grey following her method, and it turned out ratherContent property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

aromatic. What about you? What did

you brew?"

Mrs. Thomas, who was on good terms with Silver, glanced at her teapot, "Smells decent. Let me call the teacher over to take a look."

Before Silver could protest, Mrs. Thomas had already summoned Roseanne.

"Ms. Cole, would you mind tasting Silver's tea? I'm curious about how it turned out; it's my first time seeing her brew."