"Chapter 4"
"My best friend Xiang Shang came to see me. From his dejected look, I knew he was probably having trouble with love again."
"To soothe his battered heart, I rode his beloved Motorcycling out to buy him a dozen Cokes and a dozen beers."
"He'd asked for the Coke, but I thought beer would suit him better."
"With his tolerance, that much beer would surely let him forget all his troubles for a while."
"Just as I was about to head upstairs, Kong Fang stopped me."
"He told me a difficult case had arrived at the funeral home."
"But after everything I'd been through, Kong Fang's description wasn't enough to make me turn away those parents who'd just lost their own flesh and blood."
"After I talked things through with them, the matter reached a fairly satisfactory conclusion."
"When I finished up and returned to the office, I saw the cans on the desk."
"Just as I'd expected, every empty can was a beer can!"
"Those six cans from the dozen were enough to give him a good night's sleep."
"Then I got down to work."
"I stayed busy all day, while my best friend slept the whole time."
"To avoid disturbing him, I left some ready-to-eat food on the bedroom table. When he woke up and got hungry, he could help himself."
"After a busy day, I fell into a deep sleep too."
"I had no idea how long I'd slept when the roar of a motorcycle suddenly woke me."
"When I came to my senses, ran to the window, and saw what was happening outside, I was utterly exasperated."
"Xiang Shang was actually riding around inside the funeral home!"
"It was only six beers. He couldn't possibly be this drunk!"
"I immediately ran downstairs."
"By the