The Mao Case

too! That’s totally
     against the Confucian rites. What’s more, you put the crab in your hat. Not one of Confucius’s students had to straighten
     his hat before dying.” Aiguo softened as the kid sobbed in a heartbreaking way. “Study hard. When you get into college, I’ll
     buy crabs for you.”
    “What’s the point?” Xiaoguo said, sobbing and smacking his lips, “Both you and Father studied at college, but what good was
     it?”
    “Then what are you going to do?”
    “I’ll be a Big Buck, so I’ll buy crabs for you then. Tons of crabs, I swear. That’s why I pledged on the crab shell.”
    “Confucius says —”
    “Crap!”
    It was a realistic piece. Chen looked in the Analects for the many “do not eats” about crabs, and he found all of them in
     the chapter “Old Home,” though Confucius talked about meat and fish in general, not about crab. At least not about crab exclusively,
     despite what Aiguo told his grandson. Long had clearly read other books beside Mao. The committee at the Writers’ Association
     didn’t like the narrative because it “joined the complaining crowd without representing the immense progress the reform has
     achieved in China.” Nor did it read like a story with any plot or craftsmanship, to be strict about it. Still, Chen liked
the mouth-watering anecdote, suspecting that those vivid details had come from Long’s own passion for crabs. Chen, too, liked
     crabs, and though he was not a successful entrepreneur like Gengbao, he was far luckier than Aiguo. As a chief inspector,
     he was acquainted with Big Bucks who would occasionally treat him to crabs and other delicacies.
    As if through mysterious correspondence in the wireless space, his cell phone vibrated with a call from Gu. Gu was a prosperous
     entrepreneur who owned several companies, restaurants, and clubs. Chen couldn’t help mentioning the story of crabs during
     the course of the conversation, wondering whether people could still purchase crabs at the state price nowadays.
    Afterward, he dialed the Shanghai Writers’ Association. He had a long talk with the executive secretary, and got the information
     he needed about Long.
    Chen started preparing a list of questions for his visit. Halfway through it, he heard a knock on the door. To his surprise,
     a bamboo basket of live river crabs was waiting there — at least ten pounds of live crabs. Attached was a short note from Gu.
    You’re too busy to come to my restaurant, I know. Another basket was sent to your mother’s place.
    Chen regretted mentioning the crab story to Gu. The cost of such a basket could be exceedingly high, though it came without
     a price tag — at least not yet. But for now Chen chose to tell himself a cliché: the end justifies the means. After all, it
     was a Mao case, and the basket might come in handy for the important visit to Long.
    Chen dialed Long’s number and proposed coming over for a visit. The two had met at the association before, but his call must
     have come as a surprise to Long, especially when Chen added at the end, “I’ll bring along something to eat, so we’ll talk
     over a cup.”

TEN
    ABOUT AN HOUR LATER , Chen arrived at a small street in the Old City area and saw Long waiting in front of his apartment building. In spite of
     Chen’s tip on the phone, Long was flabbergasted at the sight of the basket of river crabs.
    “My humble abode is brightened by your visit,” Long said. “Now you are overwhelming me with all the crabs.”
    “I was impressed by your crab story, Long. And I happen to know someone at a restaurant. After I was able to get some at the
     state price, I decided to come over.”
    “I’m not surprised by your connections, Comrade Chief Inspector Chen, but the ‘state price’ more than surprises me.”
    Chen smiled without giving any explanation, but Long was right about the nonexistence of “state price.”
    Long welcomed Chen into his efficiency apartment — the bedroom, the living room, the dining room, and the kitchen were all in
     one room. A red-painted table was already set out in the middle of the room. On
the side closest to the door, there was a sink and a coal briquette stove. On one of the white walls, Chen saw a couple of
     scarlet crab claws as decoration.
    “My wife has to babysit at her sister’s place today,” Long said. “We’ll talk to our hearts’ content over a crab feast. Let
     me prepare them first. It’ll take just a few minutes.”
    Long