Flowers of every kind grew thickly on three sides of the Hundred Flowers Thatched Cottage, blooming in succession through all four seasons. Even in the winter weather, wintersweet, camellias, cold orchids, ink orchids, and early-blooming yellow cymbidiums had all unfurled their blossoms. Flowering branches swayed, their faint, cold fragrance drifting away on the wind. As Chen Caozhi breathed in that cool, penetrating scent, his somewhat restless mood miraculously settled. He followed the Lu Residence's young maid up the steps, removed his hemp shoes, and entered the cottage's small hall in white cloth socks-
The small hall was airy and spacious, its low tables and mats elegant and simple. The thatched-roof house was warm in winter and cool in summer. In the southwest corner, a small bronze incense burner on tall legs sent up slender, curling trails of aloeswood smoke. Lu Weiwei rose from her mat to greet him, calling softly, "Master Chen-" Her water-clear eyes searched his face before her fine, dense lashes lowered.
Chen Caozhi answered, then paid his respects to Lady Lu, Zhang Wenwan, and knelt at the lower seat. A young maid served fragrant tea: a black pottery teapot, celadon Yue porcelain cups, and Ge Xian Tea steeped in water brought to its second boil. Ever since Lady Lu had traveled to the capital with Chen Caozhi the previous year and sampled that novel, simple method of preparing tea, the Lu Residence had adopted his way of drinking tea wholesale-
Lady Lu, Zhang Wenwan, studied Chen Caozhi and asked, "You're here early today, Caozhi. Is something the matter?"
Chen Caozhi glanced at Lu Weiwei. She looked calmly back at him, her gaze clear. He said, "Aunt Zhang, Weiwei, I have something important to tell you. Please hear me out-"
Sensing something unusual in the atmosphere, Lady Lu,