妇们看着沈青瓷，目光里有惊艳，有欣赏，也有一点点不敢直视的恍惚。有人夸她的旗袍，有人夸她的翡翠镯子，有人问她旗袍上的兰草是什么寓意。
沈青瓷一一答了。她的英文流利，谈吐得体，不卑不亢。有人问她这旗袍是不是中国传统服饰，她微微一笑，用英文回答：“YeS, it'S a qipaO. The pattern iS OrChid——my hUSband'S favOrite flOWer.”
公使夫人听见了，转头看向顾言深，笑着说：“YOU are a lUCky man, Mr. GU.”
顾言深含笑点头，目光落在沈青瓷脸上。那目光里有骄傲，有珍视。
一个穿墨绿色丝绒长裙的贵妇和她攀谈起来，问她平时喜欢做什么。
“I play the pianO, read, and SOmetimeS Write pOetry.”
贵妇眼睛亮了：“POetry? HOW Charming! DO yOU Write in ChineSe Or EngliSh?”
“In ChineSe. My EngliSh iS nOt gOOd enOUgh fOr pOetry.”
贵妇笑了：“YOU are tOO mOdeSt. YOUr EngliSh iS eXCellent. Many ChineSe ladieS WOn't Speak EngliSh even if they Can. They are tOO Shy.”
沈青瓷笑了笑，没说话。
顾言深站在不远处，和几位中国官员交谈。他的目光不时掠过人群，落在她身上。她站在那里，被几位英国贵妇围着，从容地说着话，偶尔微微低头，偶尔浅浅一笑。那份光华，是从骨子里透出来的，压都压不住。
——————
七点整，茶会接近尾声。
公使夫人再次走到他们身边，握住沈青瓷的手。
“MrS. GU，I'm SO glad yOU Came. YOU are the mOSt elegant ChineSe lady I've met in Beiiing. I hOpe We Will See yOU again.”
沈青瓷微微低头，轻声说
…。。