“My boss gets this American pathologist to do an autopsy for me. She’s lecturing at the Public Security University. He met her on a course in Chicago. It’s a personal favour.”

“So far so good.”

“It goes well. The university offers her services for the rest of her stay. I turn them down.”

“Why?”

“It’s complicated.”

“I thought she did a good job?”

“She did.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“God, now you’re beginning to sound like my uncle!”

“Ah.” Yongli nodded sagely. “Now we’re getting to the root of it. Your uncle thinks you should take up the offer.”

“Which I’ve already knocked back.”

“So if you go back and say you’ve changed your mind . . .”

“I’ll lose face.”

“And if you don’t?”

“My uncle will be offended.”

“And God forbid you should offend your uncle.”

Li turned on his friend, angry now. “My uncle’s been good to me. I owe just about everything I’ve achieved in life to Uncle Yifu. I’d never, never do anything to hurt him.”

Yongli raised his hands defensively. “Okay, okay. So you love the old guy. It doesn’t stop him driving you crazy.”

Li’s anger diminished as quickly as it had flared up. “No,” he said. “No, it doesn’t.”

They sat in thoughtful silence for a full minute. Then Yongli said, “So, this American pathologist . . . An old battle-axe, is she?”

Li was evasive. “Not exactly.”

“But she’s old, right?”

Li shrugged. “Not exactly.”

A worm of suspicion started to wriggle its way into Yongli’s head. “Well, if she’s not exactly a battle-axe, and she’s not exactly old . . . would you say she was young? Attractive?”

“I guess. Sort of.”

“Sort of young? Or sort of attractive?”

“Sort of . . . both. She was the yangguizi at the banquet McCord gatecrashed last night at the Quanjude.”

“Ah.”

“What do you mean, ‘Ah’?”

Yongli waggled a finger at him. “It’s beginning to fall into place.”

“What is?”

“Your little head started expressing an interest and your big head put a stop to it.”

“Oh, crap!”

“Is it? I know you, Li Yan. I’ve known you for years. You’re scared of having a relationship, even if it was just sex, in case it interfered with your big career plan. First it was the university, now it’s your job.” Yongli jumped down off the worktop. “You know what you need?”

“I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

“You need to get yourself laid a little more often.” Yongli tossed his tall white hat across the worktop and started untying his chef’s apron. “Come on,” he said. “You’re coming with me.”

“Where?”

“The Xanadu Karaoke Club.”

“What?” Li looked at him incredulously. “You’re winding me up.”