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custom。 He had had many Happy Hostess friends over the years； most for a few hours； some for a month； very few for longer； and only one bad experience in fifteen years … a girl had tried blackmail。 At once he had seen the mama… san。 The girl had left that very night。 Neither she nor her triad pimp was ever seen again。
〃Why sad； heya？〃
Because I'm leaving Hong Kong soon； he wanted to tell her。 Because I want an exclusivity I can't have； mustn't have； dare not have … and have never wanted with any before。 Dear God in Heaven how I want you。
〃Not sad； Lily。 Just tired；〃 he said instead； the bank troubles adding to the weight upon him。
〃Everything be all good；〃 she said reassuringly。 〃Call soon； heya？〃
〃Yes。 Yes I will。〃 His arrangement with her was simple： a phone call。 If he could not reach her directly he would call the mama…san and that night he would e to the dance hall； alone or with friends； and he and Lily would dance a few dances for face and drink some drinks and then she would leave。 After half an hour he would pay his bill and e here … everything paid for in advance。 They did not walk together to this private and exclusive meeting place because she did not wish to be seen on the streets or by neighbors with a foreign devil。 It would be disastrous for a girl's reputation to be seen alone with a barbarian。 In public。 Outside of her place of work。 Any girl of beddable age would at once be presumed to be the lowest type of harlot； a foreign devil's harlot and despised as such； sneered at openly； and her value diminished。
Havergill knew this。 It did not bother him。 In Hong Kong it was a fact of life。 〃Doh jeh；〃 he said； thank you … loving her； wanting to stay； or to take her with him。 〃Doh jeh；〃 he just said and left。
Once alone she allowed the yawn that had almost possessed her many times this evening to overwhelm her and she lay back on the bed and stretched luxuriously。 The bed was rumpled but a thousand times better than the cot in the room she rented in Tai…ping Shan。
A soft knock。 〃Honored Lady？〃
〃Ah Chun？〃
〃Yes。〃 The door opened and the old woman padded in。 She brought clean towels。 〃How long will you be here？〃
Lily Su hesitated。 By custom the client in this place of assignation paid for the room for the whole night。 Also by custom； if the room was vacated early； the management returned part of the fee to the girl。 〃All night；〃 she said wanting to enjoy the luxury； not knowing when she would have the opportunity again。 Perhaps this client will have lost his bank and everything by next week。
〃Joss；〃 she said； then。 〃Please put on the bath。〃
Grumbling the old woman did as she was told then went away。 Again Lily Su yawned； happily listening to the water gurgling。 She was tired too。 The day had been exhausting。 And tonight her client had talked more than usual as she had rested against him； trying to sleep； not listening； understanding only a word here and there but quite content for him to talk。 She knew from long experience that this was a form of release； particularly for an old barbarian。 Very odd； she thought； all that work and noise and tears and money to achieve nothing but more pain； more talk and more tears。 〃Never mind if the yang is weak or if they talk or mumble or mutter their foul…sounding language or weep in your arms。 Barbarians do that；〃 her mama…san had explained。 〃Close your ears。 And close your nostrils to the foreign devil smell and the old man smell and help this one enjoy a moment of pleasure。 He's Hong Kong yan； an old friend； also he pays well； promptly； he's getting you quickly out of debt； and it's good face to have such a pillow patron。 So be enthusiastic； pretend that he's virile and give value for his money。〃
Lily Su knew she gave value for money received。 Yes； my joss is very good and oh so much better than my poor sister and her patron。 Poor Fragrant Flower and Noble House Chen Number One Son。 What tragedy！ What cruelty！
She shivered。 Oh those terrible Werewolves！ Terrible to cut off his ear； terrible to murder him and threaten all Hong Kong； terrible for my poor elder sister to be crushed to death by those smelly rotten dogmeat fishermen at Aberdeen。 Oh what joss！
It was only this morning that she had seen a newspaper that had printed a copy of John Chen's love letter； recognizing it at once。 For weeks they had laughed over it； she and Fragrant Flower； that and the other two letters that Fragrant Flower had left with her for safekeeping。 〃Such a funny man； with almost no yang at all and almost never even a little upstanding；〃 her elder sister had told her。 〃He pays me just to lie there for him to kiss； sometimes to dance without clothes； and always promise to tell others how strong he is！ Eeeee； he gives me money like water！ For eleven weeks I have been his 'own true love'！ If this continues for another eleven weeks 。。。 perhaps an apartment bought and paid for！〃
This afternoon； fearfully； she had gone with her father to East Aberdeen Police Station to identify the body。 They said nothing about knowing who the patron was。 Wisely her father had said to keep that secret。 〃Noble House Chen will surely prefer that secret。 His face is involved too … and the face of the new heir； what's his name； the young one with the foreign devil name。 In a day or two I'll phone Noble House Chen and sound him out。 We must wait a little。 After today's news of what the Werewolves've done to Number One Son； no father'd want to negotiate。〃
Yes； Father's smart； she thought。 It isn't for nothing that his fellow workers call him Nine Carat Chu。 Thank all gods I have those other two letters。
After they had identified her sister's body； they had filled out forms with their real names and real family name Chu to claim her money； 4；360 HK in the name of Wisteria Su； 3；000 HK under Fragrant Flower Tak； all money earned outside the Good Luck Dance Hall。 But the police sergeant had been inflexible。 〃Sorry； but now that we know her real name we have to announce it so that all her debtors can claim against her estate。〃 Even a very generous offer of 25 percent of the money for immediate possession could not get through his rough manner。 So they had left。
The rotten dogmeat foreign devil slave； she thought disgustedly。 Nothing will be left after the dance hall collects their debts。 Nothing。 Ayeeyah！
But never mind； she told herself as she lay down in the bath with glorious contentment。 Never mind； the secret of the letters will be worth a fortune to Noble House Chen。
And Noble House Chen has more red notes than a cat has hairs。
Casey was curled up in the window of her bedroom； the lights out except for a small reading lamp over the bed。 She was staring gloomily down at the street five stories below。 Even this late； almost 1：30 a。m。； the street was still snarled with traffic。 The sky was low and misty； no moon； making the lights from the huge neon signs and columns of Chinese characters more dazzling； reds and blues and greens that reflected in the puddles and turned ugliness into fairyland。 The window was open； the air cool and she could see couples darting between buses and trucks and taxis。 Many of the couples were heading for the foyer of the new Royal Net