scruta

[Xiao Yan takes Ferret to the end of Shouning Lu where it meets Renmin Lu. He follows her across the street and into the old city. In the small back alleys, residents of the ancient decrepit houses are aware of Ferret’s presence. They stare at him, not maliciously, simply asking, “What are you doing here?” Xiao Yan turns into the alley leading into a cluster of darkened homes. She beckons Ferret silently, as if he were a dog.]

Ferret

这边啊?

This way?

Xiao Yan

嗯。

Yeah.

[They go through the damp and dust of a kitchen just barely sheltered from the elements and walk towards a room bathed in an eerie glow. As they walk inside, Ferret turns to see a man completely surrounded by TV screens and computer monitors projecting silently onto his attentive eyes. ]

Xiao Yan

王清!

Wang Qing!

[Wang Qing doesn’t hear her.]

Xiao Yan

王清！老外来还给你你的笔记本。

Wang Qing! A foreigner has come to return your notebook to you.

[Wang Qing suddenly turns his head and focuses on Xiao Yan and Ferret. His face looks wan and tired, full with its sunken eyes and poor skin, but still he grins fiendishly at them and points with frail limbs.]

Wang Qing

哦，请坐, um, please-a sit.

Oh, please sit. Um, please sit.

[Wang Qing points to the ramshackle collection of sheets which makes up his bed.]

Ferret

哦，好的。

Oh, okay.

Xiao Yan

我走了。王清，有空你来饭店帮忙啊。

I’m going. Wang Qing, if you’re free come help out at the restaurant.

Wang Qing

我并不去。

I’m not going.

Xiao Yan

你怎么那么懒？

Why are you so lazy?

Wang Qing

懒什么懒啊！我在挣钱！管你什么屁事！走！

Lazy?! I’m making money! What the hell do you have to do with it? Get out of here!

[Xiao Yan leaves angrily.]

Wang Qing

I- am very- very sorry. My English  is poor.

Ferret

那我们说中文吧。

Then let’s speak Chinese.

Wang Qing

You have… you have my book-a?

Ferret

Yes. I have it.

Wang Qing

I can see it?

[Ferret begins to feel very nervous, realizing that he is all alone in a strange place. Wang Qing doesn’t seem particularly threatening, but he has no idea what to expect or what’s in store.]

Ferret

Um. Yes.

[Ferret takes out the notebook and tries to offer it to him, but Wang Qing has become distracted. He’s looking at one of the TVs.]

Ferret

Umm.

Wang Qing

Oh, yes, I sink ziss is good one. You have be watching?

[He points to one of the TVs. It looks like a Chinese cop show. Someone is being interrogated. Ferret’s never seen it.]

Ferret

No.

[Wang Qing snatches the notebook out of Ferret’s hands and opens it up. He smiles.]

Ferret

Did you send this to me? Who is behind all of this?

Wang Qing

Yes.

Ferret

笔记本是你送给我的吗？

Did you send me the notebook?

Wang Qing

Oh, yes. I know. I know. No. I did not do it.

Ferret

Who did?

[Wang Qing starts watching another TV program for a moment, then puts the notebook down and grabs something from behind one of the TVs and hands it to Ferret. It’s a business card.]

Wang Qing

Here. You go here.

Ferret

What is this?

Wang Qing

Business card.

Ferret

I know, but why are you giving it to me?

Wang Qing

You go now.

[Wang Qing puts his hand on Ferret’s shoulder and begins guiding him towards the door.]

Ferret

What about my reward?

Wang Qing

Yes. You go.

Ferret

我的奖励呢？

What about my reward?

Wang Qing

Oh. Yes. He give you.

[Ferret is pissed, feeling that this has all been some elaborate hoax. Maybe someone is about to rob him. He doesn’t know. He wants to get out as quickly as possible.]

Ferret

Okay. Right.

Wang Qing

Bye bye!

[Wang Qing escorts Ferret out of his house. Ferret just wants to leave. He pockets the card without looking at it. He’s annoyed and bit worried. He walks back out through the alleys of the old city, keeping his wits about him and watching his back.]