Manman nowadays visits the homes of elderly predecessors more often, so she has seen more and no longer feels the awe for these highly respected seniors as she did before even meeting them.
The courtyard that Bai Lu led her to was not far from her grandfather Lu Jun's small building, also a hub for retired cadres. This Mr. Zhong might even know Lu Jun. Bai Lu confirmed her guess: "He doesn't like to entertain guests, even more fond of solitude than your grandfather. Your grandfather loves birds, while he loves flora."
Manman smelled the fragrant aroma filling the yard, not the intense scent of flowers, but a hint of medicinal fragrance that was refreshing and soothing to the spleen: "Does he grow medicinal herbs?"
"You're right, he grows medicinal herbs. He's a well-known traditional Chinese medicine practitioner amongst us, later, after he retired, he only grows herbs and writes and paints."
