Read Don't Cry Tai Lake for Free Online

stealthily behind her back, as though she were the prime suspect.
    So it wasn’t such a bad idea to let Chen accompany her to the ferry. It distracted her, albeit temporarily, and kept her from dwelling too much on those disturbing thoughts. He turned out to be not unpleasant to walk with.
    â€œOh, something happened at your company today?” Chen asked, as if reading her thoughts.
    She didn’t want to talk about it, but she responded nonetheless.
    â€œLiu Deming, the general manager of our company, was murdered last night.”
    â€œOh, that’s horrible.” He added, “Has the murderer been caught?”
    â€œNo, there are no suspects or clues so far. He was murdered at home—or, to be exact, at his home office not far from the company office.”
    â€œDid he have enemies or people who really hated him?”
    â€œYou’re talking like a cop, Mr. Chen.”
    â€œSorry, I was just being curious,” he said. “You’re right. It’s not a pleasant topic.”
    After another turn in the road, they came within view of the lake. Chen pointed at a flat-bottomed sampan and, like a tourist, declared, “Look.”
    The sampan dangled on a frayed rope tied to a stunted tree at the edge of the water, which looked impenetrable. As they moved closer, however, there seemed to be a swirl of movement down there with a silver glimmer under the surface. He picked up a pebble and flicked it into the water.
    â€œIt’s so peaceful here,” he said. “The air contains a sort of quietness unimaginable in Shanghai.”
    â€œThe ferry is further to the south. We’re taking a different route from the usual tourist path.”
    â€œThat’s great,” he said, then changed the subject again. “You said something about the water quality earlier.”
    â€œSo you’ll be able to see for yourself. We are walking there now.”
    Several minutes later, she slowed down.
    â€œSee the green stuff over the water, Mr. Chen?”
    â€œYes, green algae, but please call me Chen, Shanshan.”
    â€œCan you smell it?”
    He squatted down, inhaled deeply, and frowned.
    â€œOh, it’s horrible,” he said, shaking his head. “The lake used to be a scenic attraction because of its clear water. When I was a kid, even tea made with lake water was better because of it, or so my father told me.”
    â€œWould you now make tea with the lake water?”
    â€œNo. Now I understand why you carry a bottle of water with you. But how could it have become so heavily polluted?”
    â€œThe algae blooms that are ruining Tai Lake, like other Chinese freshwater lakes, are mainly caused by high concentrations of nitrogen and large amounts of phosphorus in the water. In the past few years, industrial emissions have been getting more and more out of control. The result is what you see today.”
    â€œNitrogen is a main ingredient in soap powder and fertilizer, right?”
    â€œYes, it is also found in many other chemical products and wastes,” she said. She pointed to the buildings looming along the far shore of the lake. “Look at them. Paper mills, dyeing factories, chemical companies, and whatnot. In the last twenty years or so, those plants have sprung up like bamboo shoots after the rain. Now they make up more than forty percent of the city’s total economic output. Relocating them is out of the question—there are too many of them. The local officials aren’t eager to do anything about it.”
    â€œHow do you explain that, Shanshan?”
    â€œAs the old saying goes, when there are too many people involved, the law cannot punish. For the local government, the most important thing is to show off their accomplishments to the Beijing authorities—particularly in terms of the local economy. The city government has pledged an annual revenue increase of ten percent. At what expense the increase is achieved is not