Not like now. This guy had already been here for nearly three months.

Xu Liang didn’t deny it. "I used to hear people glorify hardship, and I found it ridiculous. What’s there to glorify about hardship? If you want to suffer, you’ll find there’s an endless supply of it."

"I think what’s truly worth glorifying are the people who, despite experiencing all sorts of hardship, still struggle and strive to move forward. That’s the spirit we should be glorifying."

Tan You smiled. "I agree with you. Hardship really isn’t anything to glorify. The people who are truly admirable are those who never give up."

Xu Liang said, "You’re one of those people."

Tan You was surprised. "You think that highly of me?"

"Of course," Xu Liang nodded. "There’s ambition in your eyes, though you haven’t spoken of it. For now, I just want to be an observer, witnessing your journey as you grow."

Tan You’s lips curled into a smirk. "Then by all means, keep on watching."

’I knew I shouldn’t get too close to these artsy types. They have a way of seeing right through you before you even realize it. A pity for him, though. No matter how much he sees, he’ll never guess that I’m not Ji Li, will he?’

The autumn tea harvest was a massive event. Netizens found it strange, too—even with everyone just mechanically picking tea leaves, there was still a huge audience watching. Now Tan You was also in the tea garden, picking tea. She wore a floral sun hat, a simple long-sleeved shirt and pants, and even had an apron tied around her waist.

And yet, this utterly plain outfit still managed to attract a wave of compliments.

Xu Liang teased, "You’re the kind of person who could stick a cabbage leaf on your head and people would mistake it for a priceless jade hairpin. In an outfit like this, everyone just sees you as a lotus rising from clear water—natural beauty."

Tan You cringed. "Teacher Xu, I had no idea you were so poetic."

Xu Liang beamed. "Hey, I was a Chinese literature major back in the day!"

Tan You plucked the fresh leaves, her attention split between her work and her conversation with Xu Liang. But honestly, she was in a great mood. Perhaps it was this fulfilling busyness that made her feel what she was experiencing wasn’t just a dream, but the true warmth of ordinary life.

After the tea leaves were harvested, they had to go through fixation, rolling, drying, withering, fermentation, and piling. Nearly everyone in the village came to the tea factory to help, and for a time, the entire village seemed to come alive.

Fifth Uncle stood beside Xu Liang. "The village hasn’t been this lively in a long, long time. Ji Li’s arrival showed us that we have other options, that we can live a different kind of life."

Xu Liang smiled. "You’re quite fond of her?"

"Yes, I’m very fond of her," Fifth Uncle admitted freely. "There’s hardly anyone in the entire village who doesn’t like her. She might not say much on a normal day, but some people are just different. They can win others over without you even noticing."

Xu Liang glanced in Tan You’s direction. She was standing beside Uncle Qiao, watching him roast the tea. She held a small notebook, jotting down notes from time to time.

While Uncle Qiao roasted the tea, she would also try her hand at it. Even when her palms were scalded red from the heat, her expression never changed.

All of this was captured by Xu Liang’s camera. Truly, some people seem like an idealized dream of poetry and distant lands, but seeing her immersed in the simple realities of life made everyone realize she was just an ordinary person who also had to work hard to make a living.

During the autumn tea harvest, the Ji Li account was incredibly prolific. But this time, it wasn’t filled with her various dances, but with videos of the tea being picked and processed. A video showing the villagers harvesting sweet osmanthus was especially popular, attracting countless viewers. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Netizens were clamoring for Tan You to sell dried osmanthus, osmanthus syrup, and other products, but Tan You simply had no time. Everyone was swamped. They were all consciously protecting the tea bushes, being careful not to over-harvest the leaves.

But the sheer quantity was immense. Batch after batch of fresh tea leaves were picked and sent to the factory at the foot of the mountain. The factory was running two shifts, with everyone working day and night.

You could say this batch of autumn tea was made right under the fans’ noses, and they had long been anticipating its release. Tan You didn’t deliberately keep them in suspense. As soon as the first batch was ready, she posted the sales link.

Fifth Uncle was a little worried. "Isn’t this price too high? It works out to about five or six hundred for a pound of tea. Will people really buy it?"

Tan You replied, "We’re selling it in small packages, so it’s affordable for most people. If they like it, they can come back and buy larger quantities later. I think this price is very fair."

"We have to factor in our labor costs, too."

Fifth Uncle said, "Normally, no one thinks our time is worth much. You’re the only one who values it."

Tan You was serious. "That’s not the same. Just watch. I’m telling you, people will love it. And frankly, our price isn’t expensive."

Fifth Uncle shook his head. "When the tea merchants used to come buy from us, they didn’t even offer a third of this price."

Tan You smiled. "From now on, we’ll produce and sell it all ourselves. That way we won’t get squeezed by middlemen."

"The first wave of autumn tea is already sold out." After glancing at the "Sold Out" status in the store’s backend, Tan You closed her laptop. "We need to arrange for shipping."

Fifth Uncle replied, "Don’t worry, I’ll make sure all of that is handled perfectly. When this batch of autumn tea sells out, is the money all going to be distributed to the villagers, or...?"

At the mention of money, the ears of the busy crowd unconsciously perked up. After all this time working themselves to the bone, wasn’t it all for the money?

Tan You thought for a moment. "My suggestion is to distribute a portion and use the rest to buy new equipment. Relying on manual labor alone will exhaust everyone. The spring harvest next year will be even larger. If we can’t keep up, the quality of the tea will suffer."

Fifth Uncle thought it over, then beckoned to the village accountant. "Fourth, let’s have a word."

Tan You said, "You all discuss it. I won’t get involved in these matters."

This was the village’s business, and frankly, it had little to do with Tan You. She could offer suggestions, but she couldn’t interfere too much. Tan You had always been excellent at maintaining boundaries.

The autumn tea business in Shenjia Village was in full swing. Soon, the first customers to receive their tea began posting feedback. The older generation might prefer the rich, mellow flavor of traditional black tea, but younger people were in love with this viral Sweet Osmanthus Black Tea.

"The rich fragrance of sweet osmanthus paired with the mellow black tea is an amazing combination. My eighty-year-old grandpa loves it and fights me for it every day. Buying five more boxes with tears in my eyes!"

"This price is already a bargain. Personally, I don’t think it’s any worse than those teas that cost thousands of yuan. Stocking up while I still can..."

"@ the people above, have any of you tried the free sample tea? I brewed a small packet, and my grandpa threw a fit, scolding me for being like an ox chewing on a peony—utterly incapable of appreciating fine things..."

"Hehe, you mean the ’Not For Sale’ one, right? I tried it too. It’s so fragrant."

"I got one too..."

"How come I didn’t get a ’Not For Sale’ sample... The owner is playing favorites..."

"You’re being unfair to the owner there. I heard they’re given out based on your total spending. I’ve bought a ton of mountain goods and tea from this shop over time, and the owner only sent me two little packets."

"Little birdy told me that tea isn’t for sale online."