Mr. Jiang nodded in agreement and entered the study with Mr. Zhuang.
Their study was chosen to be the most spacious and brightly lit one because there were four scholars in the family and Manbao needed to take lessons there.
Upon entering, there were three rows of bookshelves against the left wall, all filled with books, and another row of bookshelves along the right wall, equally laden with volumes.
In front of the bookshelves were three small desks and chairs in a row, each with ink, paper, brushes, inkstones, and several books scattered atop in a somewhat disordered fashion.
Mr. Jiang glanced briefly before shifting his gaze to the large desk at the center towards the top, clearly Mr. Zhuang's spot.
Mr. Jiang smiled and was about to step forward to see what books Mr. Zhuang usually read when his attention was caught by a pot of champak at the edge of the desk that had just split open, revealing millet-yellow buds like tiny teeth.
