Rare Earth
The three brothers who were gardeners had viewpoints almost identical to his. They considered the flowers and trees which they tended as personalities. In this respect they were like their master, Hung Long Tom, who once had written:
"A yellow chrysanthemum
Surpasses the glory of women,
Their beauty is forgotten
'Mid flower-garden profiles."
It was a tradition of the garden. Hung Lung Tom had been taught flower-lore by his father. Cheng Foong had taught the same belief to his sons. It was not odd under the circumstances that their viewpoints fused.
Of all the brothers, Zung, the cook, seemed to have gotten the most from life. Everyone of them was constantly seeking, searching, studying. But Zung was easy-going, an optimist, bland in manner. He never fretted about the weather. If the lentils burned his expression remained serene. He had experimented
with the foods of all the world. His touch was
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