Chapter 41 The Hermit of Hidden Talents

For reasons unknown, I was able to neglect his abrupt laughter. In a strange moment of clarity despite his bellowing chortles, it dawned upon me that this old man hardly looked like the gnarly, frail old man that we would have imagined a person of a hundred years old would look like. Instead, he looked as if he was only in his seventies. Shallow creases lined across his weather-worn face although they were hardly the deep wrinkles most old men had. Through his jovial grin, I could see his neat, white teeth which I suspected were dentures. As he and Third Uncle continued their talk, his movements and gestures were agile and rapid; hardly fitting the image of a feeble and sickly old man with long, flowing mane and beard. Like Third Uncle himself, the old man was also a garrulous and effusive person whose loquaciousness would never cease unless bidden to.

　　His caretaker appeared with more teacups minutes later and poured us tea. We sat down too, realizing that there were