After Chen Chuan left, Cheng Zitong waited a moment before someone came to greet him and led him into the building.
Entering the main hall, he saw an old woman sitting on a nanmu wood chair opposite him. She had a full head of silver hair tied in a bun and a female attendant standing behind her.
She wore a pair of reading glasses and had a kindly face. She was dressed in an ochre-red, right-lapelled, ancient-style satin robe. Beside her hand rested a dark, heavy ironwood cane with a burl-shaped head.
She looked very healthy and sat ramrod straight, in high spirits. The contours of her face hinted at the beautiful features of her youth.
Watching Cheng Zitong walk in, she said slowly, "Xiaocheng, it's been a long time since you last came to see me."
Cheng Zitong said, "Old Madam, haven't I been busy?"
"Yes, everyone's busy." Teacher Ni said, "Worrying about students isn't easy, is it?"
