More intrusion

This morning I went to check on the progress of our painters. We had a little disagreement about the crown molding. Yesterday he asked me to go buy paint for the crown molding, so I did. He painted it in the living room and dining room, but not in the kids' bedrooms where it is filthy. I pointed this out, and he told me that we weren't paying him to paint the molding. So I asked him the obvious question which was, "Then why did I go buy the paint?" He continued on but I didn't understand what he was saying. Chinese construction workers are the greatest test of Mandarin listening skills, mostly because the majority of them do not speak Mandarin as their first language.

As this discussion was going on, I heard two other voices. This confused me as there has only been one other worker. Turned out to be Snoop Dog's husband! He came in to examine our progress, and gave me a thumbs up of approval. I have to learn to shut my door. Snoop Dog herself was absent because she was in the middle of her morning religious ritual. I can't figure out what religion it is - all I know is that she kneels on a pillow and bows toward something I can't see, while creepy voices are chanting something that does not sound remotely Chinese. She leaves her inner door open. This is how I know.

So after that encounter I was returning home and was stopped by a group of grandpas and grandmas with two little children. They encouraged one of the little boys to call me "a-yi" (auntie) so I responded with, "Hey little friend. How old are you?" He sweetly held up five fingers and said, "I'm two!" Awww. Then came this conversation:

"Do you live there?" pointing to my friend's house.

"No, I'm staying there. I live there."

"Do you rent or own?"

"I rent. We haven't moved in yet because they're doing some renovation."

"Renovation??? Why are you renovating a rental?"
"Because before it was an office. And we aren't doing much. Just painting."
"How much do you pay?"
"The landlady gave us a good price."
"How much do you pay?"
"Ok, I've got to go now, bye!"
"Ok, bye!"

I'd forgotten that lovely aspect of communal societies - no question is too personal. We're causing quite a stir in the neighborhood.