[How long the tea] leaves stay underground is largely determined by the price the leaves would sell for; in other words, a laphet producer waits until the price is favorable enough to justify the effort of emptying out the pit all at once. According to locals, the best quality laphet is made in the Shan State hills [... which] area also produces black and green tea, for drinking.

However, on the morning in question, there was a ground mist which might have played a role.

Retro-assimilation has strong appeal in today's climate of social turmoil, transformation and global threats: we are irresistibly drawn to its retroscapes, its nostalgic memories of safer and simpler times.

His wife shut him out of his own house.