"Shampoo's glad it is," she tells Shen as they navigate through the narrow aisles and around fellow staff. Her hostess smile shrinks to an honest melancholy grin. "Though it hard to handle, it's fun and a connection to home for me."

They make it to the table with relatively little fuss. "Here's your menu and would you like tea? By the way, we only have oolong or chrysanthemum here."