Also it is a sarcasm. "Poverty and sickness came greeting you as if you were a long lost friend!" Here's a Chinese curse for you but translated literally so beautifully in English... "May you have a visitation of celestial flowers!"

greet = 迎接 You can use a dictionary for single words like these.

这句话的意思是“别人给了他一个不高兴的笑容（意思是，他不受欢迎）”在这儿 GREET 意思和 MEET 类似

When you greet someone, you say "Hello, welcome!" The meaning of "greet" in your sentence is figurative, as if the smell came up to you and said, "Hello, great to see you! Breathe deep now!"

Helo :) my name is Julia.I am from Russia:)