Qiu Xiaolong - Shanghai Redemption

“The title ernai means something like ‘secondary concubine,’ but not exactly. For instance, in The Morning of Shanghai , a ‘second concubine’ simply signifies the number two, the second one taken into the household. Wives and concubines can live in the same house, with their status mutually recognized. But that’s not the case for ernai.

“When China’s economic reform began to unfold, Taiwanese businessmen came swarming over to the mainland. Their factories and offices mushroomed up everywhere, particularly in Shanghai. They had to stay here most of the time, with their wives and families far away across the strait, so some of them found girls in the city. Since these relationships lasted for weeks, months, or even longer, a sort of long-term businesslike relationship evolved. The chosen girls are not concubines-they don’t have a concubine’s social or legal status. Nor are they really mistresses in a romantic sense, since money is always involved. Most of them are kept in luxurious apartments provided by the men, along with additional allowances. It’s convenient for the man, who can end the relationship without any legal entanglements. As for the woman, it’s an easier life that carries with it the hope that one day her status might be ‘normalized,’ should the man divorce his wife.

“The local government was well aware of these arrangements but, because of the need for foreign capital, chose to ignore them. In time, the local Big Bucks and Party officials joined in, and ernai became a commonly accepted term.

“Jin is running a café in Gubei, an area known for the large number of women like her. Gubei is one of the earliest high-end property developments in Shanghai. At the beginning of the housing reform, property was cheap, so Taiwanese men snapped up apartments for these women. The subdivision in question is even referred to as ‘Ernai Village.’

“Chen told me very little of the background to this case, so I did my homework, made some plans, bought a mini recorder-”

“A mini recorder? That’s an excellent idea,” Peiqin exclaimed, jumping up. “Hold on, Old Hunter. Excuse me just for one minute…”

She hurried off to the bedroom. Old Hunter and Yu looked at each other. It was unlike her to interrupt repeatedly like that.

But she was already running back to the table with a small tape recorder in her hand, saying, “You thought that actually hearing some of the café conversation could be helpful to Chen, right, Old Hunter?”

“Yes. He didn’t say why he wanted me there. I knew that, with almost no background knowledge on the case, I could sit there for hours without learning anything from the conversation. It would be different for Chen, or his client.”

“Exactly. I think the same thing applies to our conversation here. A Suzhou opera singer can be so full of digressions that it’s not easy for the audience to grasp all of the important details. When we record the opera, though, Yu and I can listen to it later and get even more out of the story. In the same way, some of our discussions might be helpful to Chen.”

“Peiqin, ours is indeed a family of cops!” Old Hunter said with a chuckle of approval.

“But not Qinqin,” she said in earnest, speaking of her and Yu’s son. “He shall have a different life.”

“Now, the café has an interesting name: Naika. The first character is the same as the second in ernai . Might it be a hint about the owner of the café? Of course, it can also mean milk coffee or white coffee.”

“Or latte,” Yu cut in this time.

“The café serves a very specific niche market. Ernai can easily get bored: their men have to spend time with their business and families, often leaving them limited time for them. A neighborhood café that close and convenient enables them to walk over in their pajamas. If their men make an unannounced visit, they can hurry back to their apartments in no time. Also, all of the women there are of the same status, so there’s no one looking down on them.

“Not long after it opened, word about the café spread. Since ernai are typically young and pretty, male customers liked going to the café and looking at the sexy young women walking around in pajamas and slippers. To use a Shanghai expression, they let their eyes enjoy the rich ice cream. Then some other women came too, those who were anxious to be noticed by some Big Buck looking for an ernai. Essentially, the café was a place of opportunity, which added to its popularity.

“So I walked in like one of the customers, or, as the proverb puts it, like an old idiot stumbling into youthful blossoms. Anyway, being old gave me a sort of thick-skulled excuse. It wasn’t a large café, but rather one with an intimate atmosphere. There were maybe nine or ten people there, only two of whom were men, including me. I picked a table not far from the counter, where the women flock around.

“And shallow, empty-minded women they are, gossiping and talking all day, since they have nothing better to do. In this materialistic age, they brag about their men’s wealth and success, as if they themselves have nothing worth talking about. What I heard there was mostly empty conversation like that.

“A. got an incredible bonus because her man’s company went public, pocketing billions of yuan at one scoop; B. had a luxury car bought for her; C. purchased an apartment for her parents, and so on…

“But Jin hardly talked about her man, even though he clearly has spent lavishly on her. He bought her not only an apartment in that subdivision, but also the café, including all the equipment.

“Jin might have a real passion for coffee, but she could enjoy it at home by herself. Why would her man let her run such a café? It’s beyond me.”

“How often do you think he can visit her?” Yu commented. “Once a week, or even once a month. What would a young woman do with all that money and time on her hands?”

“That’s a good point. Anyway, not once did she talk about her man in the café,” Old Hunter said. “And none of the customers talked about him either. However, they seemed to know something about who he was, which means he might be a government official.

“At one point, Jin left the café, went over to a BMW parked nearby, and drove away in a hurry. I took a picture of her license plate, so I should be able to find out more from tracing that. It’s like I heard someone say in a reality show: ‘I would rather weep in a BMW than laugh on a bike.’ I have no doubt that her man bought the car for her.

“After that, I got a bit worried. In a tea house, I may sit for hours with a cup of tea, with the waiter constantly adding hot water for free. But in a café, I couldn’t sit for hours with one cup of coffee hardly touched. And it’s so expensive, costing more than fifty yuan for a cup. For these ernai, money is no problem. But I couldn’t have them take me for a poor, suspicious old idiot ogling them with nothing but a cup of coffee. So I had a bottle of French water with gas, called Perrier, for eighty yuan, and a wedge of pie as well. All together, it cost more than two hundred yuan. Chen’s really bankrupting me!

“After sitting there for more than an hour, I didn’t think her man was going to stop by anytime soon. It’s like waiting by a tree for a rabbit to run into it and knock itself out against the trunk. So I decided to push the matter a little.

“When Jin came back and sat behind the counter, I approached her. For a veteran tea drinker like me, it’s not difficult to introduce myself as a tea salesman. I made a point about a lot of high-end cafés serving tea as well as coffee, and I offered to provide her some free samples. After bringing out all my tea expertise for ten minutes or so, she trusted me, and she gave me her phone number and an e-mail address so we could discuss future business opportunities. More importantly, it gave me a pretext to go back and visit her café again.”