Member-only story
The Authentic Eclectic
The Tea Masters (2)
Part 1:
Gabriel knocked on Professor Zhou’s door at 7:55 AM. Faint classical music could be heard through the door, swelling triumphantly when it opened. It was a cheerful piece, perhaps ideal for the morning, but he would have found it distracting for study.
Zhou’s round face appeared in the doorway, her red lipstick accentuated by a crimson robe. “Good morning, Gabriel,” she said melodiously. The softness of her aura calmed him.
A crimson-and-gold rug led the way to a leather chair that faced a wooden desk with claw feet. A balanced medley of Chinese and Western decorations filled the office: gilded birdcages, elaborately carved cabinets, tasseled pillows, and many more items of furniture and accessories that made the room feel just shy of crowded. It was almost, Gabriel reflected, like visiting a human heart.
A plump orange cat leapt down from the sofa, stretched, sticking its behind in the air, and made a lazy bumblebeeline for Gabriel, who suspected that the cat never slept in its own luxurious bed.
