"Speaking of Sichuan, this camellia was brought from Sichuan," Bai Juyi seems different from Zhu Shijun. Living alone for decades with no one to talk to, now in his declining years, he ironically wants to talk more, even though speaking may bring up a thick phlegm with a bloody taste from his throat.
"Alright, Mr. Bai, I'm listening, please take your time," Xiao Xian sat beside the bed.
"Hehe, good child, don't mind if I am being long-winded, she used to complain about me being long-winded too," Bai Juyi started reminiscing about the past. Every elderly has this common trait, always liking to talk about 'back in the day', but Bai Juyi's 'back in the day' truly had something worth mentioning.
Through Bai Juyi's narration, Xiao Xian learned that Bai Juyi was from Xiangtan, lost his father in childhood, followed his mother to Yunnan, and started working in horticulture from the age of six, from a soil-preparer, to pruning master, to eventually becoming a gardener.
