boss sat down with a small group of people he was familiar with and drank a glassful of baijiu (white rice wine). He took large sips from his glass and before I knew what was going on, he was drunk and could not walk straight. Something else happened, too, durIt was hot yesterday morning and after a brief stroll I found myself in my oasis, 'Yi Da Pan'. I sat in the airconditioned comfort for some time, wishing neither to eat anything nor even sip a chilled beer...desirous only of cooling off until nature willed me to eat or drink something.

The boss of the restaurant came and sat at the table, making offers in his customary warmth to try some fruit or the other. I kept refusing but he asked his wife to fetch me a peach. She handed me a washed one which I thoroughly enjoyed despite my lack of appetite.

We chatted for a while and I sang them a Chinese song 'Ni de Yanshen' (Your Eyes). Later, the boss asked me to try a medicinal wine 'you jiu' which was rather weak but tasted fine. I asked for yet another yellow wine that I had tried before and had a little more kick to it, sharing the small bottle (about 100 ml) with him.

Most of the contents of my glass spilled when I waved my hand at the boss and I asked for another and drank some from it. In the meanwhile, the boss sat down with a small group of people he was familiar with and drank a glassful of baijiu (white rice wine). He took large sips from his glass and before I knew what was going on, he was drunk and could not walk straight. Something else happened, too, dur

to eat or drink something.

The boss of the restaurant came and sat at the table, making offers in his customary warmth to try some fruit or the other. I kept refusing but he asked his wife to fetch me a peach. She handed me a washed one which I thoroughly enjoyed despite my lack of appetite.

We chatted for a while and I sang them a Chinese song 'Ni de Yanshen' (Your Eyes). Later, the boss asked me to try a medicinal wine 'you jiu' which was rather weak but tasted fine. I asked for yet another yellow wine that I had tried before and had a little more kick to it, sharing the small bottle (about 100 ml) with him.

Most of the contents of my glass spilled when I waved my hand at the boss and I asked for another and drank some from it. In the meanwhile, the boss sat down with a small group of people he was familiar with and drank a glassful of baijiu (white rice wine). He took large sips from his glass and before I knew what was going on, he was drunk and could not walk straight. Something else happened, too, dur

y enjoyed despite my lack of appetite.

We chatted for a while and I sang them a Chinese song 'Ni de Yanshen' (Your Eyes). Later, the boss asked me to try a medicinal wine 'you jiu' which was rather weak but tasted fine. I asked for yet another yellow wine that I had tried before and had a little more kick to it, sharing the small bottle (about 100 ml) with him.

Most of the contents of my glass spilled when I waved my hand at the boss and I asked for another and drank some from it. In the meanwhile, the boss sat down with a small group of people he was familiar with and drank a glassful of baijiu (white rice wine). He took large sips from his glass and before I knew what was going on, he was drunk and could not walk straight. Something else happened, too, dur

e that I had tried before and had a little more kick to it, sharing the small bottle (about 100 ml) with him.

Most of the contents of my glass spilled when I waved my hand at the boss and I asked for another and drank some from it. In the meanwhile, the boss sat down with a small group of people he was familiar with and drank a glassful of baijiu (white rice wine). He took large sips from his glass and before I knew what was going on, he was drunk and could not walk straight. Something else happened, too, dur

boss sat down with a small group of people he was familiar with and drank a glassful of baijiu (white rice wine). He took large sips from his glass and before I knew what was going on, he was drunk and could not walk straight. Something else happened, too, during this brief time and the laoban's (boss's) wife left the restaurant, apparently annoyed with something - I guess, the laoban's drinking.

Anyway, things got a little out of control and the boss sounded angry as he spoke to his wife on his mobile. He was pretty drunk so I thought it best to ask him to take a nap and managed to force him to lie on a row of chairs that I lined for him. After some time I left, asking Maria, the waitress, to be there until he came to.

In the evening when I returned to the restaurant for my dinner, the boss seemed fine though a trifle puffy-faced. Later, he disappeared and the laoban's wife who is not a great cook gave me a simple dish of cabbage and a bowl of rice. They shut the restaurant early as the laoban was indisposed and had retired early.

This morning, the laoban's wife was at her post, near the door with Maria and welcomed me with a smile. The laoban was seated at my favourite table near the door and we high-fived. I asked him how he felt and what time he woke up. He