One Who Moved Out to Get Rich

"I know of many German companies that are simply not bothered about negotiating, that is why they make losses in China", remarked my buyer.

“That is true by the way; perhaps this is because they lack the necessary know-how, about the way business, is done in China", I replied.

I have personally come across many cases, where I get instructions from our headquarter in Germany, to do things the way they want. What I also know is that Germans always want to bang their heads against the wall. The Chinese, on the other hand, do it differently, they are more pragmatic and flexible. I am now used to the Chinese way of doing business. I am not as stubborn as I used to be before.

On the way back home, I buy my wife a present. I decline an offer by the supplier to go for lunch after all the journey was only one and a half hours away. I do not have anything to eat during the flight. I will have to wait until I reached home; hopefully, a delicious meal is waiting for me there.

Hong’s parents have already arrived at our house in Taicang, to work together to celebrate with us, the end of the fifteen-day Spring Festival with the Lantern Festival. Hong’s mother Wu Meilan has already decorated the house with pretty lamps, to make it easier for the ghosts to get home. They also light candles outside and lanterns along the streets. It is the tradition. I happily hand gifts over to Hong, for tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day. Presents included, an umbrella and a delicacy from Qingda called “Guotie”, the roasted dough bags, with meat or vegetable filling. What Germans have as a pancake at the Berlin Karnevals (carnival of cultures) festival, the Chinese have

“Tangyuan”, a dumpling of sticky rice flour with a sweet filling, for the Lantern Festival. Time is slowly melting away as we are waiting for Li Gengnan to prepare dinner. Hong and I use this opportunity to go for a quick jog. On the way, she reminds me about our earlier times; and how we met. I nod with a smile.

“Back in the days of strong cultural traditions, women from wealthy families were not allowed to leave their houses for some time. The culture imposed tiny shoes on women. It was because those days, men believed that if women wore small shoes, it would make them feel uncomfortable to walk, and so they would stay at home and remain faithful to their loved ones. It was only during the Lantern Festival when wealthy parents would allow their daughters to walk in the streets with their feet tied in little shoes. They believed that it was the only day of the year when these girls would flirt with men. This tradition is said to have been in practice, during the Qing Dynasty in 1919. The Lantern Festival, however, is still used for Bridal Shoes and Marriage Foundation. It is still common for only men and women from the same social class, to be allowed to get married.”

This year’s Valentine Day falls on a Friday. At this day, I am not good at timekeeping and arrives late. Now that we are all hungry, we go out to eat together, to eat “huoguo”, the Chinese firepot.

Before heading for our holiday. The food there is cheap. It costs fifty Renmibi per person, which is about 6.50 euros. We could eat and drink as much as we wanted for three hours. While eating, Hong reminds me about the gifts one would consider presenting in China.

“There are three gifts that you must avoid here in China, and these are umbrellas, grandfather clocks, and pears” she warns. When she mentions about not giving an umbrella as a gift, it makes me nervous. So, I am asking “why?”

After realising that I was a bit confused about all this, Hong gets out a small paper and draws illustrations of each of these forbidden gifts with an explanation of each of them one by one. She explains:

“Let me start with the long case clock when it sounds in Chinese like ‘stops’ and it is easy to confuse it with the ‘end’. As for pear, the word sounds like ‘divorce’ in the Chinese language, and the pronunciation of the word ‘umbrella’ in the Chinese language is the same as ‘separate’. Oh God, my precious gift to Hong was not very romantic. However, my in-laws ignored that they excused me for not understanding the symbolism of these gifts. They did not see it as being intended. Hong continued to explain that apples as gifts are different because the syllable somehow sounds like “peace”, so many lovers prefer giving apples as gifts to their loved ones. Woow!

The whole of these illustrations and resemblance of images, objects and their interpretations to be honest with you seem to me as being more of superstitions than nothing else. As a foreigner here I must think twice to even consult locals before giving out gifts.

IF YOU HAVE A LADYBOY IN YOUR POCKETS, YOU ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO SNACK ON

We are on our way to the airport for a holiday destination in Pattaya, Thailand. Hong's cough is not getting any better; a holiday in a warm-clean air environment is much timely. Perhaps this would help her to recover quickly. I must admit I am not passionately relaxed and interested in this holiday, because I was still waiting for the developer and financial adviser to update me about the construction project. The whole process started well. All I have done is to transfer money into my Thai bank through HSBC bank in Hong Kong, and then the funds were transferred into my account in Thailand. Regarding the construction project, also received confirmation of the signed contract through the post. What is remaining now is getting a photo of myself.

We are in Bangkok, but Hong is so used to the saving culture.

She booked a low-cost flight package, with no lounge or food facilities, which is why we have arrived here late. On the way to our destination, the coach continues its journey towards the south.

Compared to the flight we came with; the coach is a lot more comfortable, with air-conditioning system. The temperature outside is 27 degrees, inside the coach, it is a pleasantly cool 17 degrees.

Hong is still coughing because of the air-conditioning in the coach.

What the travel agency told us about the coach staying at the hotel was a complete hoax. Chinese travel agencies usually promise their customers "heaven and skies", to convince them to part with their money to make bookings. Hong threatens to complain to the travel agency through which we had booked the holiday, about the coach staying at the hotel. After a very long journey of travelling for hours, I cannot wait to arrive at the hotel, to have something to eat.

Hong gets listened to when she complains about the travel agency. I hope she gets compensation for it. The coach has been stopping to load and unload passengers on our way to the hotel. We were hungry. We have no choice but to look for something to eat.

Luckily, there is a restaurant next to the coach station. We are going there to help ourselves with something to eat and drink. Since the coach is working on a planned schedule, we cannot tell the driver to hurry up even though we need to arrive at the hotel early. The coach is likely to spend a long time here, and our hotel is still a long-distance away. So, Hong and I decide to take a cab.

The owner of the restaurant knows the taxi driver. We have to wait for another hour before driving to our destination. We finally arrive at the hotel in North Pattaya in the evening. After spending here a few days, we move to another hotel in the south, to explore the magnificent city. The hotel we have moved to is more expensive than the first one, but it is worth it because, from our balcony, we have a beautiful view of the entire beach. Hong loves travelling; she is a great travel planner. The morning after is different because the nightly tides have swallowed up the beach, killing our planned chances of jogging along the shoreline.

We also realise that the water in the sea is dirty because of a container port nearby. Therefore, we take advantage of using the hotel swimming pool where we enjoy every morning and evening throughout the holiday. While going around the hotel, I see a pool table in the garden. I think about teaching Hong how to play billiards because she has always shown interest in doing so. I have one problem though because Hong insists that if she is to learn plating the game, she does not want to lose it. I have to make sure that I teach her how to hold the queue and adequately aim at the target.

After a few second down the lesson, Hong becomes too much impatient; she does not want to continue. She quickly jumps off the table and goes to her WeChat. While scrolling, Hong comes across information that the British car manufacturer Aston Martin has made some losses in China. She passes the news clip to me; it reads as follows.

"Buyers wanted to put the purchase costs for certain parts from RMB 800, to RMB 200, but it did not materialise, so the British company had to effect a recall".

When I see this advert, I think buyers possibly didn't check it properly. They could have relied on the supplier's information.

In China, such serious mistakes are common from my own experience. Hong tells me that many foreign workers in Chinese companies here mostly fail because of cultural differences, which, in a way, is simply leadership, based on cultural values. She reminds me that China is a Confucian country where the importance of authority and respect for superiors are highly regarded and protected. I have personally come to learn that when dealing with Chinese bosses, you should behave inconspicuously, and do your best to listen to them.

Still, on her WeChat, Hong comes across Chinese wisdom verses. She asks me.

"What does it mean if you are just a little bird, then someone……? "

Before finishing that one, she adds another.

"…not everyone who puts you in shit is your enemy…., and listen to this one, just imagine you are freezing, and suddenly, a cow

comes up and lets a flatbread swell on you…, or what if an eagle flying by, hears your cheerful singing and eats you?"

She continues, but I cut her short and say that the good thing is, I am not a bird, but I know it is better to keep my head down. She drops the topic of Chinese wisdom and jumps on to another piece of a news item which she passes over to me.

"A Chinese man had to give up his villa by recklessly using his mobile phone because when he was travelling abroad, it automatically connected to the internet".

She says, biting her nails, a sign of slight anxiety since she has open foreign access that she uses to communicate to her parents.

But thankfully, she says she deleted this option. I am a bit confused to know this. Just because your mobile phone automatically connects to the internet, does it mean losing your house? I want to learn more about this. The fees for getting a connection to foreign countries is incredibly high and tightly controlled in China. Besides, what the government wants is to limit travel and businesses of foreign countries and the outflow of money abroad.

In the evening we visit one of the local eating places, where you get a cheap meal. However, here you need to be careful because, in areas such as this, traders want to make quick money, sometimes without thinking about quality, health and safety issues. The rule of thumb is to keep places visited by tourists and Thais, as good and clean as possible. If you see an empty restaurant in busy times; you should be careful. Ask yourself why it has no customers at a busy time. Hong is still suffering from a slight cough; I will buy new cough juice tomorrow.

The following morning, after breakfast of rice soup and fish, we drive to the centre of Pattaya to buy Hong's cough medicine. We go to the beach, take some photos, and then later go to a restaurant overlooking the harbour.

Through the window of the restaurant, I have a beautiful view of the beach where I have seen Chinese tourists in a tour group about to take a boat trip. Since I am in the area, I use this opportunity to survey a piece of land I bought a few years ago, to construct an apartment. I made a down payment, but construction has not started yet. Hong proposes that we go to the building contractor to find out why.

"I am surprised; I am hearing this for the first time. I wonder how you can buy land in a country where you do not even visit frequently. And more so, when you are a foreigner. You should not have bought it in the first place", she reacts furiously.

I explain to her that I did not buy land because I wanted to live here; it was merely an investment which would bring good returns.

If I built an apartment and rented it through an estate agent, it would bring good profits in return. I do not have to be living here to invest here. But she keeps on arguing; she does not want to listen to me. I again explain to her that everything is legal because the law provides for it.

After a thorough search, we manage to locate the plot where construction will be taking place; it is empty. What makes it even worse is that squatters have invaded the land with makeshift shanty dwellings. I don't see how construction can take place with all this mess. Straight away, we head to the developer's office. When we reach there, we learn that the managing director had travelled; he was not in the office. Is it because we did not make an appointment

to see him? I ask myself. Yes, I will wait until it is all sorted out. I will use all necessary means to find out the truth. I decide to involve a lawyer in the matter because I signed a contract with the developer.

If not, he will have to refund my money; I have had enough of this.

Before I even finish my sentence, Hong interjects.

"Stop all this nonsense; you are too selfish. Let me tell you, if there is nothing yet on the site, it could be that the developer is not yet licenced to start construction or maybe he is already declared bankrupt. If I may ask, why didn't you make an appointment much earlier before coming here in the first place? As an investor, they could even have picked you from the airport. You must understand that if you invest abroad and that you want the construction erected quickly on your orders, I am afraid you are kidding yourself. I am sure you know that there are procedures to be followed in doing things, especially when it is about technicalities. You do not grab a flight, go in a country, and walk to the site without an appointment.

You should have clarified that the people concerned were present. It is that simple you should know that". I am left speechless.

I get Hong's point; then I ask her to get ready for something to eat. I am hungry. We look for a restaurant in the city centre. While enjoying the sunshine, Hong takes the opportunity to teach me the real meaning of a Chinese business lunch. I learn that it is essential to go out for lunch with your suppliers. She says that Chinese people are careful about what they have to say to foreigners. They prefer keeping some of their secrets to themselves, more so on business matters. It is very right because somehow, I have also been observing it. I need to take more time to learn about Chinese culture.

Most of the time, I speak English and behave as German. I am grateful that I have so far gained a lot from Hong.

In China, employees are reluctant to sit near their bosses. Being too far away from your boss is not a good either. If you do so, they will suspect you for having ulterior motives, and those who sit now, in the eyes of the boss, "are disinterested". "When you go to a restaurant in China, and order monkey brains, you could be seen as being awkward. It would mean that the cook would smash the skull of a living monkey to get the brain". Hong says jokingly.

You cannot guess the reaction on my face after hearing about smashing the skull of a monkey to get the brain out. I frown in disgust, and say to Hong,

"thank you for tipping me about, it, but probably I will never try a monkey brain in my lifetime".

At Chinese business dinner, everyone orders a meal on a large rotating roundel, in the middle of the table. It is usually the host who makes more orders than the guests so that nobody would think about him or her as being greedy.

It is a polite gesture at a business dinner table, to try anything, instead of picking and choosing what you want to eat and leave the rest to others. I think about the many times during business lunch when I have been deciding what I want to eat. Perhaps no one has been noting. Being a foreigner, you can probably get away with it because you do not know what to do. Either way, the same thing can also happen to a Chinese person in Germany.

One other thing I learned from Hong is that having a meal with the company boss is a good thing because it allows you to chat with him at least a little bit. In a situation where you must ask questions, never admit not being in the know, at least you give an utterly plausible-sounding answer, even if it is wrong. Bosses prefer people who can remember numbers, data, and facts. "Oh! Wait a minute!

Did I hear you well? I interrupt Hong's explanation.

"Do you mean I should rather give a false answer than none at all?" I ask.

"Yes, I just said it; I am sure you heard me quite right. Not knowing the answer would make you look foolish, and, it would be like losing face, which is a lot more embarrassing. After the meal, you must leave everything back. If there are any leftovers, it is the job of the host to determine which ones to pack.".

She says assertively, interrupted by bouts of a deep cough. I am impatient with persistent coughing; We have to do something about it before it leads to chronic bronchitis and maybe to pneumonia.

Hong also has a problem with flies and mosquitoes. She has forgotten the mosquito spray. She is now killing the insects using bare hand; it is unhygienic.

I am sipping a glass of wine, thinking of the shopping list for essential things. Regularly, I don't drink too much wine because I know that it contains sulphates that could lead to cancer in the end.

I have always complained about Hong's persistent coughing, but she does not seem to care about her health the way she consumes wines.

I order a glass of grape juice. By the way, many Chinese investors are buying more wineries all over the world, which will eventually make the wine price drop. It could also perhaps lead to many drinkers and unhealthy people as well. Talk about harmful feeding; I am still feeling uncomfortable because of the heartburn.

I am suspecting that it is due to much sugar and artificial enhancers in my body. I have been warned not to overeat of such stuff in Thailand because it could easily lead to cancerous diseases.

I now know why Hong told me one day that in China, many foreigners prefer buying fresh fruits and vegetables directly from the market and prepare the food themselves at home. I too believe it is healthier since you can choose what to cook and what you don't want to. I have always found that self-prepared meals are better and more robust than food prepared outside your home.

Once again, Hong believes that we are a matching couple, but in my view, I think it is the opposite of that. For example, this is what she once said to me.

"Franz, I am fast you are so slow, I am smart, you are stupid, I am rich you are poor, I am pretty, you are ugly, I am tough, you are soft, I am generous, you are stingy. I am strong you are weak; do you think we match?".

She asked. To avoid confrontation and trouble, I replied: "Yes, indeed I am sure that what makes us a good team".

We are in preparation to move to another hotel in South Pattaya.

It is closer to the city centre with better facilities. Yesterday was a day to relax because Hong was still not feeling well, despite taking cough juice. I did some exercise in the Tai Chi course and enjoyed the swimming pool too. In the morning, we will take a free hotel taxi to the city centre. We will get off a few metres away from the hotel to pass by the hospital with our rolling suitcases. I want to get proper treatment for Hong's cough.

Out of curiosity, Hong asks me whether it wouldn't be sensible to take a taxi to the hotel first, drop off our luggage, and then come to the hospital. Yes, I know it could make sense, and I do not doubt it, but since the hotel is in the south, it will take us much time reaching there while her cough is becoming too persistent. We have to use this opportunity; it is still in the morning. Afterall hotel checkin is not before after lunchtime.

We can take a taxi to the hospital, but it will cost us money, yet it is just a walking distance. In my judgement, we have done the right thing, with cheaper means without any cost in spending money.

Hong gets the prescription of which instructions she has to follow strictly. We have been told by the doctor, not to worry.

"If she follows the instructions carefully, there is no need for her to go back to the hospital for further examinations" — the doctor notes. Hong then pulls out her credit card and pays for the prescription.

After the hospital visit, we order a taxi to the five-star hotel where we are going to stay. We reach the hotel and go straight to the reception. I answer the greetings from the beautiful Thai lady behind the reception. Hong instantaneously throws a jealous eye on to me as if to accuse me of smiling back at the black-haired Thai lady in a red dress. When she smiles at me, I have to return her smile. I am surprised to learn that I am not allowed to smile back when women smile at me.

Hong is such a jealousy woman. Everywhere we go, she will find an excuse to show how protective she is to me. I calmly explain to her that it is common in the tourism business, for hosts in places like hotels to smile at guests, and vice-versa. I do not want to spoil our holiday mood. The silent row between Hong and me is not over yet.

During the meal, she comes up with yet another complaint.

"You don't love me enough; if you did, you would have remembered to bring the mosquito spray. I am nothing after all". She laments, shrugging her shoulders.

After the meal that evening, we go for a walk, alongside the beach. In the morning, before leaving for an appointment with the property developer, I have a quick swim in the hotel pool. Here comes the developer, a 50-year old, well-dressed Norwegian man.

He has lived here for over ten years. He knows the place like the back of his palm. Straight away, I tell him that I have not gone to him to hear any excuses or explanations. All I want is my money back. He, however, says that it is not possible to refund the money under the Thai law. But Hong has of a different view. She starts behaving erratically towards the developer, threatens to hit him with a water bottle, saying that such a statement was an insult to us. I try to calm her down. I warn her that violence would not solve any problem.

The reason for what she calls being offended is because she wants to record the conversation with the developer, using her mobile phone, which the latter refuses. She then sneaks and takes pictures of the Environmental Impact Agreement (EIA) when the developer and I are busy looking at the location of the property via Google Earth. The situation goes worse when she is told to delete the pictures. She insists that she is not about to do that. The developer recommends that I sell the property after construction.

While still talking with him, I discover that there is a lawyer's office, next to his showroom on the right-hand side.

Hong is not familiar with Thai real estate issues, despite being a lawyer herself. I want to obtain legal advice about my business.

"If you dare go there, I am going to divorce you".

She bursts out furiously; she insists that I am not going to get proper legal advice because, in her judgment, the lawyer and the developer are the same people. I am still thinking about her reaction.

It has started raining. We use the umbrella I carried with me since I had checked the weather of the day. Hong escorts me to the lawyer's office. Good enough, the young British lawyer does not charge any consultation fee, so I have to explain everything without any worries of being charged hourly.