After taking the subway back near the old house, Vera walked up to it. Observing the tightly shut crimson gate and the exquisite columns of the porch, she climbed the steps and rang the doorbell.
"Coming." Footsteps sounded, and a middle-aged female servant opened the door. She smiled instantly upon seeing Vera. "Miss Vera, please come in."
Vera was stunned. "You... know me?"
"Mr. Cooper showed me your picture." The servant politely invited her in. As she guided Vera toward the backyard, she explained, "Your belongings have all been packed. The room will be the one you stayed in before. If anything isn't to your liking, just let me know. My surname is Feng; you can call me Aunt Feng."
Following Aunt Feng through the courtyard, Vera's gaze swept over the neatly kept grounds and the trees, lush with new buds and blossoms. It felt as if she had suddenly returned to the past.
