A Loyal Character Dancer

tell you all that?
     
    Tong: Because he wanted to do the same things with me. You
    know what? He used to be a butcher before he became the
    commune head in the Cultural Revolution. When she bled and
    screamed like a pig, that turned him on.
     
    Yu: What had she done to deserve punishment?
     
    Tong: He believed that she ruined his career. But for the scandal
    with her, he could have stayed in power.
     
    Yu: He raped her. How could he have blamed her?
     
    Tong: That’s not the way he saw it. He called her the white tiger
    star in his life.
     
    Yu: Then why didn’t he divorce her?
     
    Tong: I think I can guess. Whenever he made some money, he
    squandered it in places like where I worked. So he wanted to keep
    something in reserve. A home to go back to, a purse to snatch, a
    body to abuse.
     
    Yu: I see. You understand him well. When did you last see Feng?
     
    Tong: About a year ago.
     
    Yu: Did he tell you about his plans to go to the United States?
     
    Tong: That’s no secret in Fujian. He promised to bring me over
    when he got there.
     
    Yu: What about his wife?
     
    Tong: He called her trash. Good riddance. I did not believe him. He
    made me that promise in exchange for free service.
     
    Yu: So there was no change in his feeling toward his wife before
    his departure?
     
    Tong: No. None at all. It’s just because of her pregnancy—
     
    Yu: Now wait a minute, Tong. You just said you have not seen him
    for a year. How did you know that?
     
    Tong: Well—I heard what other people say.
     
    Yu: Who? Most of the men in his village are gone. You are not
    telling me the truth, Tong. You are still in contact with Feng, aren’t
    you?
     
    Tong: No, I swear I have nothing to do with him now.
     
    Yu: Let me tell you something. Zheng’s a much harder nut to crack,
    but he cracked when he heard Superintendent Hong’s promise to
    do whatever I wanted. So Zheng told me a lot, and about you too.
    How once several people had a go at you together, Zheng said,
    Feng, Blind Ma, Shorty Yin.
     
    Tong: What! Zheng told you that, the thousand-ax-hacked rascal.
    He was the fourth beast that night.
     
    Yu: That alone would be enough to put you back behind the bars.
    Group sex is forbidden absolutely. Now I’ll tell you what. I’m here
    in plainclothes. No one knows anything about my visit. Why? I’m
    working on a case directly under the central government.
     
    Tong: No one knows anything about our talk?
     
    Yu: No one. That’s why I arranged to have this talk in a private
    room. I’ll pay you for the full service in front of other people. No
    one will suspect anything.
     
    Tong: Um, I’ll take your word, Officer Yu. I may have something for
    you, but I did not know anything about Feng’s current situation
    until last week. A gangster came to me.
     
    Yu: A Flying Ax came to you! For what, Tong?
     
    Tong: He asked me the same questions you have just asked.
     
    Yu: What is his name?
     
    Tong: Zhang Shan. He said he’s from Hong Kong, but he did not
    fool me that easily. From Hong Kong indeed, like I’m from Japan.
    That bastard had a face as thick as a rock wall.
     
    Yu: How did you know? He did not have his residence permit
    printed on his face.
     
    Tong: I could not give him any information, so he demanded free
    full service or he would cut my face. Do you think a Hong Kong
    man would stoop so low? A totally rotten thousand-year-egg.
     
    Yu: Did he tell you anything about Feng?
     
    Tong: In bed, he gave me no rest for half a night. Afterward, he
    mumbled something about Feng and his wife.
     
    Yu: That may be important. What did he say?
     
    Tong: The organization is really pissed off. They are leaving no
    stone unturned to dig up his wife.
     
    Yu: What if they find her?
     
    Tong: That depends on Feng.
     
    Yu: What does that mean?
     
    Tong: He did not explain. They will probably hold her hostage.
    Imprison her in a dungeon. Torture her. Anything you can
    imagine. If Feng does not cooperate, they will impose the Eighteen
    Axes, I guess.
     
    Yu: Eighteen Axes?
     
    Tong: Hack her with eighteen blows of an ax. The worst form of
    the triad’s punishment. As a warning to others.
     
    Yu: Now there are only two weeks before the trial. What will they
    do if they do not find her by then?
     
    Tong: I don’t know, but I think they are really worried about
    something. I have no idea what it is. They won’t stop until they get
    hold of her. At any cost, Zhang said.
     
    Yu: At any cost. I see.