In spite of these rules, there was an eye-catching white silk banner stretched across an adjourning building that looked like a shopping hall, declaring in bold black characters:

  An extra super-streamlined service for all the people in the mundane world, from the very beginning to the end.

  She had not bought a flower wreath yet, she realized. Venturing into the shopping hall, she heard her name called out in a surprised voice, and she pivoted around.

  It turned out to be none other than Molong, clutching a long shopping list in his hand.

  ‘Jin?’ he said again.

  ‘Oh, it’s Molong, right? We met outside the emergency room last night,’ she said.

  ‘Right, you were with Chen at the hospital.’

  ‘Yes. I’m here on behalf of Director Chen this morning. He’s engaged with a special investigation, so he wants me to come on his behalf and convey his deepest condolences.’

  ‘Thank you so much for getting here so early. He also called me last night, saying you’re one of his most trusted friends. The crematorium is overloaded. The only slot available was early in the morning.’

  ‘Oh, I need to buy a large wreath of fresh flowers,’ Jin remembered. ‘Director Chen keeps calling her Auntie and saying that’s the least he could do. He insists that I place the wreath in front of her picture. It’s not convenient for him to come over in person at the moment, and he hopes you will understand.’

  ‘He does not have to say that. He’s like a brother to me. Is there anything I can do for him?’

  Chen had not told her anything about the things that had passed between Molong and him through the years, but it was apparent that the two trusted each other.

  ‘Director Chen’s current investigation concerns a serial murder case near the hospital, I think. Some inside information about the hospital and the victims may help him. He did not exactly say that to me, but I’ve been working under him for a long while.’

  ‘Got it. He’s a good man for you to work with, Jin.’

  ‘I could not agree more. He also wants me to give you the contact information of a friend of his in Wuhan, surnamed Pang, who may need assistance from someone with your experience and expertise in a particular field.’

  ‘This particular field – has he said anything more specific about what I need to do?’

  ‘No, he just gave me Pang’s private phone number last night. You can get in touch with him direct. Then I believe you will both understand.’

  ‘I know. Sometimes our Inspector Chen refrains from saying anything too concrete because he does not want to get you in trouble. By the way, he told me he trusts you, too.’

  ‘Thank you for telling me. It means a lot to me. I went to his apartment yesterday, ready to work with him during the pandemic, but an unexpected assignment cropped up. As a result, I am staying with him at Wu Palace Hotel – along with the investigation team,’ she said.

  ‘I would like to give you my private phone number – it’s only for my closest friends. Call me at this number if he has more detailed requests for me. It may not be safe for him to contact me himself. But it may be easier for you?’

  ‘Three days ago, I had my father buy me a new SIM card – registered under his name,’ she said, producing her cell phone and dialing Molong. ‘Now you have my number, too. My phone is capable of holding dual SIM cards, you see.’

  ‘Better use another phone as well.’

  ‘I think you’re right. I’ll buy another phone for this number.’

  ‘One more question, Jin. I read about him being made the Director of the Judicial System Reform Office, but that he’s on convalescent leave for the time being. So how are things really with him?’

  ‘Health-wise, he’s fine, but what the people above think of him, you can never tell.’ She changed the subject, taking a quick glance at the glass counter full of glittering displays. ‘Perhaps I should buy some gold and silver ingots for the coffin. But if I’m not mistaken, it is cremation here?’

  ‘That’s right. For old people like my mother, it’s still difficult for them to accept cremation. So the imitation cardboard coffin, with imitation gold or silver ingots made of shining paper inside it, might bring a bit of cold comfort to them. As for the special service described on the banner, it is because of the Covid crisis. People have a difficult time going to one store after another for the necessary things for the occasion. It helps to have the funeral home supply everything – a kind of one-stop shop. Needless to say, there’s more profit for them, too.’

  ‘So they are making a fortune out of the crisis. What a materialistic new world!’

  ‘Under normal circumstances, a five-star restaurant would also be open for business. This is a huge restaurant, capable of holding more than a hundred banquets each day.’

  Jin signaled a black-masked, black-dressed saleswoman to pull out a tray of samples for them.

  ‘The more ingots you buy,’ the saleswoman said, ‘the more the deceased can spend in the underworld.’

  ‘Let me take a look. When we’re ready, I’ll let you know,’ she said to the saleswoman, before turning to Molong. ‘I think I’ll buy a bunch of gold, and some silver ingots, too. Director Chen told me to spare no expense. Plus the largest wreath here—’

  It was perhaps providential that a call was coming through on Jin’s phone.

  ‘It’s Hou, calling from the hotel. Where are you, Jin?’

  ‘At the funeral home,’ she said, aware of Hou’s alertness in following her everywhere. ‘Waiting for the memorial ceremony to start for Molong’s mother. We met Molong at the hospital last night, you remember? He’s an old friend of Director Chen’s.’

  ‘I remember, of course. And that’s why I’m calling you. Can you also do something for me?’

  ‘What’s that, Chief Hou?’

  ‘I also want to have a fresh-flower wreath dedicated to the deceased. Director Chen calls her Auntie, right?’

  ‘That’s right. I’m choosing a wreath on his behalf right now,’ Jin said. ‘And I’m going to put his name on the white silk label.’

  ‘Another wreath with another ribbon saying, “From the Office of the Shanghai City Government, for Director Chen’s Aunt.” Don’t worry about the cost. It will be reimbursed to you.’

  ‘Got you, Chief Hou,’ she agreed readily. ‘That’s so thoughtful of you.’

  It was indeed a considerate gesture on Hou’s part, Jin thought. He did not have to go out of his way to do that. But such a wreath could bring honor to the family member of the deceased. And to Chen, too. From the very beginning, she had wondered at Hou, heaping one favor after another on Chen. Politics was too deep for her.

  She made her payment at the counter and asked a brush-pen scribe to put down on the silk ribbon Chen’s official position, in addition to some of his other honorary positions. It would add to the weight of the wreath, so to speak.

  And she did the same with the wreath in the name of the city government, as Hou requested.

  As a final thought, she also purchased a smaller wreath and put her name on the ribbon. She added her title as the secretary of Chen’s office, which was better than nothing.

  Molong did not seem surprised by anything concerning former Chief Inspector Chen. He merely asked, ‘Is there anything specific about the case he’s investigating that you can tell me?’

  ‘As the bodies of the three victims have been discovered near Renji Hospital, he has to investigate together with a special team from the Shanghai City Government. There’s no reliable information whatsoever from the hospital in this time of Covid, you know—’

  Their talk was interrupted again.

  The saleswoman, who could have heard fragments of Jin’s talk with Chief Hou on the phone, took Molong for a big-shot customer with connections at the top of the city government. She was now going all out for him and tried to drag him aside to check through the long shopping list in his hand.

  ‘Director Chen is very busy,’ Jin said to Molong, ‘so you can reach me directly, his little secretary.’

  ‘Got you. And I’ll call you soon on the number you gave me.’

  Jin left Molong busily discussing with the saleswoman all the things he had to do as a dutiful son at a funeral service in Covid times.

  Shortly after breakfast, Hou called into Chen’s room.

  ‘We have some new information about Doctor Wu, the third victim.’

  ‘Please go on, Hou.’

  ‘Several years ago, a patient died on his operating table. Not exactly his fault. It was a high-risk heart surgery to begin with. The patient’s family complained to the hospital at the time, but not that vehemently. After receiving a handsome sum in compensation, they never came back.’

  ‘That may be something,’ Chen said. ‘Any further information about that medical dispute would probably help, but it could be a very long shot, I’m afraid.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘Violence may break out in medical disputes in the heat of the moment, immediately after the tragedy, but several years later? I doubt it. Anything else?’

  ‘Remember that hospital Party cadre Qing told us that Doctor Wu was said to have a problem concerning the demolition of his wing unit in an old shikumen house? I’ve learned that, recently, Doctor Wu’s brother fought with him over the relocation compensation. According to one of the neighbors, his brother threatened to kill him.’

  ‘Hmm – do you have a comprehensive file on the late Doctor Wu?’ Chen asked.

  ‘Yes, Xiao of our team has just produced one, but it’s not that comprehensive or detailed.’

  ‘Send it to me as it is. Xiao is a capable cop, I know.’

  ‘It will be delivered to your room,’ Hou said.

  ‘Dealing with a serial murder case, it is important to have a comprehensive file, so that we may build a profile of the criminal as well as of the victims.’

  ‘But how could we possibly build a profile of the murderer out of thin air, Director Chen? We’ve not the faintest idea about his identity.’

  ‘I’m trying to do something about that. From what we have gathered so far, I would assume he’s a man in the prime of life, agile, strong, calculating, fairly familiar with the layout of the neighborhood, capable of attacking in the street where there are a few people – perhaps not many – and then vanishing into thin air.’

  ‘Marvelous, Director Chen! But on what grounds have you constructed this profile? I’m just a layman, utterly inexperienced, you know.’

  ‘Judging from the autopsy reports, all the victims were killed with a heavy blunt object – in one or two blows. I doubt that a female perpetrator would have the strength for the job and could then have disappeared so quickly without being seen by a witness. He’s also calculating and resourceful. With all the surveillance cameras around the hospital, not a single identifiable picture of him was found. The murderer’s knowledge of the hospital surroundings cannot be overlooked, either. For instance, I’ve never heard of the hospital parking lot before. Of course, the autopsy report for the third victim is not that detailed yet, and we cannot jump to conclusions. So I’m thinking of walking around the hospital one more time today. It was too dark to see the surroundings yesterday evening in the few minutes.’

  ‘That certainly makes sense, Director Chen. Shall I go there with you?’

  ‘No, not yet. Let me do some more thinking and researching first. Something’s brewing in my mind. Perhaps it’s nothing but a hunch …’

  The memorial hall of the funeral home, too, turned out to be different from what Jin had remembered.

  Molong had rented the largest hall for the Buddhist service. Usually, it would have been packed with people. But not that morning. It would have looked quite deserted but for the monumental arrays of fresh-flower wreaths and shining boxes of underworld money. Apparently, Molong really was a man with connections.

  People did not want to go out in the Covid-ravaging times, but they still wanted to pay their respects to the deceased for their own reasons.

  The memorial speech was read by the sobbing Molong. Then two lines of monks in scarlet robes began circling the service table, chanting scripture in a mumble and beating fish-shaped wooden knockers in rhythm. Their shaven heads shone brightly under the trembling light, as if adding an extra touch of solemnity to the Buddhist service.

  After laying the flower wreaths in front of the black-draped picture of Molong’s mother, Jin retreated to the back of the hall, where a middle-aged man, graying at the temples, moved quietly over, placed himself next to her, and whispered, ‘I’m Gu. We’ve not met before, but I have heard your name mentioned by Chief Inspector Chen.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘You are here on behalf of Chief Inspector Chen, right? As an old friend of Chen’s, he has called me simply Mr Gu for years. So you may also call me Mr Gu.’

  ‘Chief Inspector’ was no longer a title people applied to the former chief inspector. So Mr Gu could be someone Chen had known for years, she observed.

  ‘Your name sounds familiar to me, Mr Gu,’ Jin said. ‘Hold on – did you help us to get a hotel room in the Yellow Mountains? I was there with him that night – such a memorable trip. If I’m not wrong, I heard him mention your name – Mr Gu – a couple of times in a phone call to the manager of the local hotel.’

  ‘Yes, I did. I have my own chain of hotels, though not in the Yellow Mountains. So I talked to the manager of the local hotel. What a pleasant surprise to learn that it was you staying with him there.’

  ‘We were there for an investigation,’ she said eagerly, in spite of herself.

  ‘I’ve not talked with him for a while because of my own troubles. Still, I am capable of doing something for him, trust me. Here is my cell number. A special cell number.’

  Mr Gu produced a phone in one hand and shook her hand with the other one, defying the social distancing regulations.

  ‘I can still do something for him,’ he repeated. ‘For instance, I could arrange to have fresh groceries delivered to his mother, who’s staying alone at their old home. I’ve been there before.’ He paused for a minute or two before going on. ‘Chen and I have known each other for years. I was not surprised to get a call from him last night, asking me to attend the funeral this morning. I’ve met with Molong before, so I should be here. Chen told me that you, too, would be coming to the funeral home today.’

  ‘Let’s move further to the back,’ Jin said. ‘That way, we’ll be less conspicuous.’

  This might have been the very occasion Chen had touched on in his discussion with her on the hotel balcony last night. A general fighting far away on the borders should take matters into their own hands.

  So Chen had called Mr Gu last night. Possibly after their balcony talk. The enigmatic Director Chen always had new ideas popping into his head, didn’t he?

  ‘Now I recognize you, Mr Gu,’ Jin said. ‘You’re the chairman of the New World Group. I’ve seen your picture in the newspapers, I believe. Director Chen has also mentioned your name to me, saying you’ve helped him in several investigations.’

  ‘I’m so honored that Chen has mentioned me to you. As a matter of fact, however, it was he who helped me tremendously. That was at the beginning of China’s reform. Thanks to his translation of an important business proposal, the New World Group secured their first international loan. If that had failed, the company would not have succeeded as it has.’

  ‘Chen has never mentioned that to me.’

  ‘It’s characteristic of him to remain humble.’

  By now, she was pretty sure that this was not a chance meeting in the funeral home, though she still had no idea about what she was supposed to say or do. As always, Chen could have been overcautious where she was concerned.

  ‘You’re such a well-known, successful entrepreneur, Mr Gu. People describe you as one of the pillars of China’s housing industry. But your troubles—’

  ‘Perhaps I’ve been too successful. Like other entrepreneurs, we’re now seen as a potential threat to the Beijing government. So we have to be crushed. What can I do? Nothing. Nor do I care anymore. With my family settled in the US, they should be able to take care of themselves.’ He added, shaking his head sadly, ‘It’s just that no one wants to be slaughtered like a fat, helpless pig.’

  She had read about the troubles confronting entrepreneurs like Mr Gu. They were being annihilated in a new wave of nationalization launched by the current CCP boss. It was suicidal for China’s economy, but he persisted in striking one harsh blow after another. Little wonder that his nickname was Pig Head – so stupid, so stubborn, so slow-witted. Little wonder that his favorite slogan was ‘Forget not the original heart of communism.’

  ‘It’s so ironic that when the CCP came to power in 1949,’ Mr Gu resumed pensively, ‘it vowed to protect private property and enterprise. It took a mere five or six years for Mao to drastically change its tune. In 1957, the CCP launched a national movement for the nationalization of private enterprise – at the expense of the entrepreneurs, who had their companies or factories seized and were then labeled as black capitalists to be further persecuted in Mao’s new class system.’

  ‘Thank you for telling me that, Mr Gu. In our history books, all you read is about how Chinese people celebrated the nationalization movement.’

  ‘With one radical political movement after another in the following years, China’s state economy tumbled toward collapse. Facing a wasteland, the CCP vowed again to protect private property and entrepreneurs with a series of economic reform policies. In the course of the reform, as Deng Xiaoping put it, they would “let a small number of people get rich first,” so a select group of entrepreneurs came to the fore and had their voices heard in China’s economy. Once again, the CCP about-turned to treat them as potential threats, and a second movement of nationalization took place under a new political slogan of “Chinese people getting rich together.”

  ‘I have been forced to make so-called donation after donation,’ Mr Gu continued passionately. ‘To pay hefty fines for a variety of excuses, and to write confessions of my “guilt” all the time. Like other entrepreneurs, I was bled ruthlessly like a pig bound hand to foot, squeaking, bleeding, and waiting for the butcher’s knife to fatally swipe down …