“Well, you…” Lady Calico craned her neck, staring at the spices laid out on the table. She glanced at them again and again. “You’ve bought all these fruits, grains, wheat, tree bark, and leaves again—is it for making that powder?”0

“Some of it is for powder-making.”0

“Some of it...”0

“And some of it…”0

“And some of it!”0

The Daoist smiled in reminiscence and said to her, “With the New Year approaching, it’s proper to prepare a pot of braised meat.”0

“Braised meat!”0

“It’s customary to eat braised meat during the New Year.”0

“Have I eaten braised meat before?”0

“How would I know?”0

“Why don’t you know?”0

“I'm not smart.”0

“You’re not…” Lady Calico was halfway through her sentence before pausing in surprise.0

Then, she tilted her head back and stared at him blankly.0

Then she heard the Daoist say, “Whether you’ve eaten it before or not, surely you should know best.”0

“I don't know either.”0

“And why is that?”0

“Because…” Lady Calico paused mid-sentence, suddenly at a loss. She continued to tilt her head up, staring blankly at him.2

“Swish!”0

Lady Calico quickly shook her head, swaying it in a circular motion until her facial features distorted. Then, as if shaking off her earlier thoughts, she sat upright. She began licking her paw, pretending as though nothing had happened. She calmly responded to the Daoist, “I remember that I haven’t eaten it before.”0

“I suppose you haven...0