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Tasting room.

"This bottle of Blanc de Blancs tastes good, with the aroma of lemon, pear and pineapple, and it goes well with salmon. Let's have this bottle in a while. Leo, what do you think?" Lucas said to Leo who was savoring carefully explain.

"Well, very refreshing, I like it very much."

"Two bottles of this kind, one bottle we'll drink later. Another three bottles of black and white, four bottles of that one, and you help me choose the others. Ben has been with Bliss' father the longest, and he is very experienced in wine selection."

Ben waved his hands: "Hehe, then I'm impolite. Call me after you finish eating, and I'll send someone to the car in a while."

"Aren't you going to eat with us?" Lucas patted Ben on the shoulder.

"Brice is back, I'm going to see if there is any need for help."

"Fine then. See you later."

Saying goodbye to Ben, Lucas took Leo to the second floor of the restaurant, sat down at a window seat, and motioned for the waiter to serve.

Leo looked out the window and said, "I saw a lot of people walking around in the vineyard in the distance."

Lucas tilted his head to look, and replied: "Well, the picking season in this area is relatively late, but it is almost over. Because the Chardonnay grapes for making champagne need to keep their skins intact, they are basically picked by hand, which is the busiest. Time. In order to ensure the quality, the winery does not rely on machines for relatively few processes, and most of them are done manually, and each process strives for excellence."

Looking back, the waiter just brought champagne and appetizers, and Lucas greeted: "I will talk about the winemaking later. Come and taste the winery's food."

More than 40 minutes later, Lucas shook the wine glass in his hand and looked at the man opposite.The red lips with a little dessert crumbs on the corners of the mouth are like red cherries after the rain.Lucas unconsciously stretched out his hand to touch it, Leo tilted his head slightly, and Lucas hurriedly said, "There are residues here."

After finishing speaking, Lucas withdrew his hand abruptly, not knowing what to say next, he put the napkin on the dining table and said, "Let's go."

After speaking, he took the lead in taking big strides towards the stairs.Lucas was a little annoyed at his rashness, and when he saw Ben standing at the top of the stairs, he felt a sense of relief: "Ah, you came over just after we finished eating."

"Just passing by here. Hi Leo. Come on, I'll take the wine to the car."

After putting the wine away, Ben brought a small long wooden box in front of Leo: "This is the champagne I made myself, I hope you like it."

"Wow, this is one of Ben's treasures. You are so kind."

Leo quickly thanked him.

"Talking with Leo was very speculative. Welcome to come again next time." Ben laughed.

"Okay. Find me to play when you have time. Goodbye."

Saying goodbye to Ben, Lucas and the others drove away from the winery.

"Listen to me, your family's wine business is very big, besides here, there are also vineyards in Alsace."

"Well, the family business has been carried forward by Dad. However, in our generation, my brother is enthusiastic about politics, and I like art. If it weren't for the children of my father's brother's family, that is, Nathan's brothers and several family friends helped , I’m afraid the generation will be broken. However, there are successors, and my brother’s eldest son David likes to run with his grandfather, which can be regarded as a consolation to his old man.”

"It's the same as our family. My family has been a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine for generations, and my generation has seven generations. My uncle is trying his best to persuade his son to inherit medical skills. Exquisite skills need to be passed on. But, are we considered rebels?" Leo Put your elbows on the window sill, prop your head up, tilt your head and say to Lucas.

"Haha, rebel, that's a good word."

The two clapped their palms in the air, and the previous embarrassment was resolved.

"Do I need to take you to your residence?" Lucas asked after entering the city.

"Just go back to the cafe. I'll go and see what's going on in the store."

The car stopped downstairs.Lucas handed a gift paper bag to Leo: "This is a souvenir from the winery, you can give it to your friends. I think you will like this bottle of Blanc de Blancs, and I have the right to repay my previous help. Don't say no."

"Okay." Leo held everything in his arms and looked at Lucas, "Then..."

"You are welcome to come up and play when you are free."

"Will it bother you?"

"It's okay, I'm very happy with you." Lucas turned his eyes away with a slightly hot face.

"Need help lifting the wine up?"

"No, I can still carry this little wine. You go to work."

"Okay, how about having dinner together at night? I cook Chinese food and stir-fry a few dishes. However, it may be later, around nine o'clock."

"No problem, I had a full lunch. See you later."

Leo nodded and walked towards the back door of the cafe.

Lucas stared blankly at his back, lifted the wine box in the trunk and went upstairs.

After tidying up the house, standing in front of the window, looking at the busy figure below, Lucas thought deeply.Turning around and pulling out a book from the bookshelf, he went downstairs.

"Hey, Leo, didn't you take a break?" Lucas looked at Leo, his eyes were as charming as obsidian in the sunlight.

"You're driving the whole journey, I'm not tired. Would you like some coffee to refresh yourself? I invite you to have a cup of Dad's secret recipe." Leo winked his eyes.

Lucas chuckled, moved his eyes to Leo's neck, his throat squirmed, and said, "Okay, let's see your handiwork. Well, add more milk."

Finding a corner where you can see the whole store, Lucas sat down, pretended to open the book, and glanced behind the counter from the corner of his eye.

"What book are you reading?" Leo put down a cup of coffee.

"Travel Notes." Turning the book back on the table, Lucas picked up the cup and took a sip, "I'm sure you got the true biography of the old man, it looks like he brewed it himself."

"Thank you, this is the best compliment I've ever heard. You drink slowly, I'll come over and chat with you when I have time."

"Well." Lucas wished that he would leave quickly so that his heartbeat would return to normal.

After sitting for an afternoon, Lucas only turned a page and didn't remember what he read, but he knew that Leo passed by 23 times, smiled at him 22 times, and said [-] sentences.

"Are you hungry?" Leo put a small plate of macaroons on the table, "I can rest in half an hour."

Lucas shook his head and said, "I see you have been running around busy, you should add a clerk."

"I recruited one, and he will come in a few days." Leo put a biscuit into his mouth, "How about frying two vegetables?"

"Okay. I'm not very hungry." Lucas also picked up a biscuit, "Did you bake it?"

"Our new pastry chef made it. Like Andrew, he comes from the Le Nôtre Pastry Chef Academy. He has a school of masters, and the taste will not be too bad. I am very cautious in employing people."

"This is what Papa Sean insisted on. Sure enough, you can talk."

"Well. I'll go get ready." Leo stood up and greeted the guests.

Lucas stopped touching the biscuits, and he began to look forward to the evening food.

There are fewer and fewer customers in the store.Lucas simply put down the book, leaned on the backrest, and looked at Leo who was checking out and seeing off the guests.Noticing his gaze, Leo beckoned at him, turned back to the back kitchen, and after a while, came over with two lunch boxes: "Let's go."

Lucas tucked the book under his arm, stood up and straightened his back, relieved his slightly numb calves, and went back upstairs with Leo.

After putting the food on the table, Lucas glanced at it and wondered, "I know this is stir-fried broccoli with carrots, but what about the sauce-colored one?"

"It's eggplant with sauce." Leo handed the chopsticks to Lucas, "Slightly sweet, try it."

Picking up a little and putting it in his mouth, Lucas seemed to have discovered a new world: "Well, it tastes great."

"As long as you like it. By the way, you use chopsticks very well." Leo also started to eat.

"When I came to live here, my mother often cooked Chinese food for my aunt, so I learned it. Otherwise, I would be called a barbarian."

"Haha, your mother is quite humorous."

"She is when she is in a good mood." Lucas changed the subject as if some unpleasant memory was brought back, "Do you know Chinese Kung Fu?"

"Not every Chinese has to know martial arts. Just like guqin, calligraphy, and traditional Chinese painting, they are optional and not compulsory. China is now similar to your country. If you have the opportunity, you can go and see for yourself."

"Then do you know calligraphy and Chinese painting?"

"I learned a little calligraphy, Chinese paintings are just for appreciation, my mother draws Chinese paintings." Leo took out his mobile phone, tapped a few times, and showed it to Lucas, "Here, here are some paintings of my mother."

"Wow, there are not many colors, but it is very layered and three-dimensional. It reminds me of a water lily painting by Monet. However, there are many blank spaces. Is this an unfinished work?"

"The finished product. This is called blank space in Chinese painting. The painter deliberately leaves a large blank area to give the viewer room for imagination. There is an old Chinese saying called 'full stroke damage'. If it reaches the extreme and is perfect, it indicates that it will go downhill. Gradually decrease. Chinese people don’t like to explain everything clearly, leaving room for people to associate. As for Chinese painters, they don’t fill up the drawing paper, just to give the painting breathing space, so that people’s free association can be expressed on the drawing paper Do your best."

"This should be the reflection of Chinese philosophy in painting. Western philosophy originated from ancient Greece and is good at debate. Therefore, it also pays attention to details in painting. The artist paints all his feelings on the painting paper, lest there is a trace of omission. Well, interesting." Lucas asked again, "Can I appreciate your calligraphy work?"

Leo swiped his phone a few times, and held it up to Lucas: "These are the two words I've been quite satisfied with recently, and they're still eye-catching."

Lucas looked at the calligraphy on the photo and said, "Although I can't read it, it feels like an impressionist painting. What's this word?"

"'Dancing' means dancing. This is 'wu', meaning awakening."

"Looking at these two characters, I seem to be looking at a figure painting. They are dancing enthusiastically, or sitting in a daze in front of something."

"Hehe, this is also the beauty of calligraphy. Chinese is a pictographic character, which belongs to the oldest language. It comes from the imitation of nature. Although it has undergone thousands of years of changes, its essence has not changed. Calligraphy is also the expression of human beings through shapes and meanings. What I feel and think in my heart is similar to Chinese painting."

"Although the variants of letters in our language can convey some subtle emotions, they are not as varied as Chinese characters. If you can, please teach me to write Chinese characters, like you."

Leo looked at him with great interest: "That's more difficult, because calligraphy uses brushes, not hard pens. The strokes are very soft and changeable, and they are suitable for the strength and dexterity of arms, wrists, and fingers." Higher requirements, without a few years, there will be no effect."

"Is it harder than an oil paintbrush?" Lucas put down his chopsticks and raised his eyebrows.

"The materials and shapes of the pens are different. Most of the brushes are made of animal hair such as wolves, sheep, and rabbits. Big."

"Oh? Try it."

"Okay, if you insist, I'll bring you some ink to try someday."

After packing up the tableware, Leo said his goodbyes. Lucas watched him go back to the shop, then turned and went upstairs. He wanted to finish the painting before the party.