Spring awakens me with a gentle touch, and as I open my eyes, I find myself sprouting from the branches of Mother Tea Tree. The climate in Malipo is warm and humid, with ample sunlight, providing ideal conditions for my growth. As a young tea bud, today I will take you on a journey to see how green leaves transform into golden treasures.

The tea trees stretch across the mountainside in neat rows, standing tall and proud on the slopes. The fresh buds are tightly packed together, creating a spectacular sight from afar. According to Mother, the soil in Malipo is rich in mineral nutrients, which is perfect for growing tea trees. However, various weeds often compete with us for these nutrients. That's when the tea farmers come to our aid, armed with hoes and baskets, to clear away the intruders. They also prune the tea trees to promote the sprouting of axillary buds and increase the number of main branches, allowing the trees to maintain their natural state and continue producing robust new shoots. Under the careful management of the tea farmers, we, the tea buds, can grow freely.

Around the time of Qingming Festival, the tea farmers gently pick us from Mother and place us onto trays where we enjoy a refreshing “sauna.” As the water evaporates from our bodies, I begin to feel drowsy, but the sound of machinery jolts me awake. In a continuous process that combines mechanical rolling, kneading, and pressing at 150 degrees Celsius, we green leaves are pressed together and then presented to the experienced tea masters. Any sickly leaves are discarded, while healthy ones like us are carefully wrapped and marked. Under the watchful care of the farmers, we transform from ordinary leaves on the branch to true tea, curled up and infused with fragrance and elegance.

I am shaped with intact buds and covered in white down, made into White Tea. My siblings are crafted into various types of tea, such as black and green, catering to diverse consumer preferences. Many visitors come to experience the joy of picking and processing tea leaves from Mother themselves. To help me reach beyond the mountains, Malipo County has unified its tea brand and protected tea tree resources. It has held tea development seminars and even organized the Laoshan International Spring Tea Festival under the guidance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This festival placed Malipo's spring tea on the national gift list, making it a diplomatic gift showcased at the United Nations Security Council, receiving widespread praise.

A small green leaf from the depths of the border mountains, after undergoing rigorous processing, condenses a captivating aroma within its fibers. All it takes is a pour of pure water to release my scent fully, showcasing its yellow-green clarity and sweet, smooth taste. This allows tea lovers to remember that this fragrance originates from Malipo.