And again, it would take a long while before he finished the next serving of tea, in addition to the pie. He saw no need in forcing conversation as a buffer between cups. Better to get through these as fast as he could, he thought, though he refused to rush. Grabbing the teapot, he poured himself another. This cup would be his last, and he took one sip from it before setting it back down, finally answering the last of her original set of questions. "I have already said the most valuable thing you could take from this conversation." Most valuable thing he was willing to offer, anyway. He extended his arm, flicking the bowl of honey with a fingertip. "She's quite," there was the slightest of pauses here as he searched for a fitting word, "fond of it."
Taking the box with the rest of the pie--perhaps his ward would have more of a taste for it than he--Li gave her a faint nod and left the tea house. By his estimates, dinner would be waiting at home, and he preferred not leaving it out long enough to get cold.