At the second watch of the night, the color pink is requested.
**...****
Lian Manman heard Lady Zhang talking outside, saying that Mr. Loo had arrived. She immediately put down her account book, got off the heated bed-stove, put on her shoes, and came out to greet him.
In the shop stood a middle-aged man of average height, with a fair and thin face and a short beard under his chin. He was wearing a brown satin robe. He had draped a dark cyan robe over one arm and was bowing with clasped fists to Lady Zhang.
"Mr. Loo is here, please come inside and have a seat," Lian Manman hurriedly invited as she took the robe from his hand and set it aside. She then took some tea leaves from a Chinese basket nearby, while Lady Zhang brought in boiling water from a small stove, busying herself with preparing tea for Mr. Loo.