Chen Caozhi was a ninth-rank clerk on the staff of the General Who Conquers the West. Following established regulations, the Military Command assigned him a minor functionary to handle his daily miscellaneous affairs. This subordinate was named Zuo Lang. Born to a humble family, he was over thirty and still a lowly clerk at the very bottom of the hierarchy. Humility had seeped into his bones, and he treated Chen Caozhi with utmost deference. Though not especially brisk at his work, he was a man of few words and honest character.
On the thirtieth day of the fourth month, a rest day at the Western Headquarters, Chen Caozhi had been in Gushu for six days and could be considered settled in. He wrote a letter each to his Third Brother Chen Shang, his good friend Gu Kaizhi, and Lu Weiwei, then sent Lai Zhen to deliver them to Jiankang. Xie Xuan also dispatched a messenger to accompany Lai Zhen back to the capital, carrying letters to his fourth paternal uncle, Xie Wan, and his Elder Sister, Xie Daoyun.
Lai Zhen had barely left when Zuo Lang came in to report, "Zhou Lin of Runan has come to visit."
Chen Caozhi had met Zhou Jiong of Runan once. Zhou Jiong was also one of Xie Daoyun's suitors, but he had never heard of this Zhou Lin. He asked Zuo Lang, who said he did not know him either, only that he was a boy of twelve or thirteen.
Chen Caozhi told Zuo Lang to invite Zhou Lin inside. Dressed as a boy, Zhou Lin was about Zongzhi's age, with a face like a lotus blossom and proper manners. Upon seeing Chen Caozhi, he bowed respectfully and said, "My elder sister sent me to thank you, Brother Chen-" Seeing the questioning look