Chapter 5 chapter Five

Goodwill Club International is found in the phone book.I copied the address and took a taxi there. In my imagination, its office is just a place to receive letters, no bigger than a small room, and a part-time secretary is hired to handle letters.But I was wrong, surprisingly, it was a gorgeous and extravagant office, with members' room and private library at the back. The manager greeted me with a very happy attitude. My surname is Lai.I told him, shaking his hand: I'm a writer, and I'd like to know more about this club county, and I'd like to write about it. I'm Pondford.He told me: I am the secretary and manager of the club.Anything you want us to do, I'm more than willing to do, Mr. Lai.You see we are all idealists.We think our thoughts matter.

What a place you guys are here.I said. a little smaller.He said: "Our library specializes in adventure, adventure travel, geography.Some are really rare books and we have a self serve bar.Members can put their favorite brands of wine here, and we provide ice cubes and so on.It's small now, but it will expand. I nodded, took out a small notepad from my pocket, walked in, and looked around. May I ask Mr. Lai, which journal do you represent. I am a freelance writer.I told him: I like to find the right title and sell to the right magazine. I see.His voice lost a little enthusiasm.

I went in and looked at the collection, none of which was new.There are indications that it was received from another library.I picked up a book about Africa at random, and found Huangfu Youtian's name written on the first blank page. Isn't this Huangfu Xiaotian the most famous explorer?I asked. Oh, yes, there are a lot of books here, which used to be his library. He donated it? Yes, you know the obsession with this new style house these days.The living place is getting smaller and smaller, and there is no place to store books.Twenty years ago our house was big enough. Fifty years ago, the Huangfu family had their own library, no smaller than this one.

So he donated all his travel and adventure books to put here? a part. Do you donate anything else? Yes, our members are generous with donations. How many members do you have? We are very strict about our membership selection, and honestly, Mr. Lai, we value quality over quantity. Can you tell me how much? I don't think our club will be too keen on releasing real inside information. We most hope that everyone can promote the purpose of our club on behalf of us.We promote international goodwill, and we want to understand foreign cultures. That's great, I don't know how you guys get to know each other better.

The club provides a series of lectures calling on the public to care more about other ethnic groups.Like their ideas, their customs, their culture, their regime. Very commendable, do you have any paid speakers? Oh, of course. Can you give me their names? He hesitated again.It seems inappropriate to mention someone's name in particular. I think, and I don't care to say it: the members here sometimes go out and give lectures themselves. Oh yes, this was supposed to be our important job. I turned around and looked at him: In your memory, is there anyone who was not a member and gave a speech.

If you ask this question, I will tell you honestly that our club hopes that the topic of the speech must be absolutely correct, so we dare not invite outsiders to give the speech. Do you have a meeting flag? Yes, of course there are. I think your flags have been raised all over the world. Yes, Mr. Lai.We have many photographs proving that our flag or pennant has traveled with various expeditions all over the world. I wonder if I can take a better picture of your flag. Oh, of course.We can even provide you with a few of the ones you asked for. Do you have any options posted on the notebook?

Of course, Mr. Lai.Here it is, a lot. He pushed open a cabinet door, and the two shelves inside were full of photobooks. I picked one at random, and it was Huangfu Oda's Journey to Africa. I pulled out another volume, Tiger Hunting in India.Another volume is Big Game Hunting in Alaska. Nice photos. is very good. Can you see these flags for yourself?Are they all here? oh!Yes.We keep them in a special place in a special wall cabinet. He opened a door and pulled out a row of flag stands, flag stands with heavy bases and wheels.Each flag holder uses a round stainless steel ring to cover a flag. The flags all have the same pattern, but each side has a different expedition team name written on it. There are more than 20 tall flags together.

I looked side by side and found that the names of the expedition teams were repeated frequently.Twenty-six flags, only five different team names. The last side must be from the recent expedition, right?I asked nonchalantly. Yes.He said: In fact, Mr. Huangfu gave it to us for safekeeping last night.It was a commendable expedition, coming all the way from Borneo. I picked up that flag from its pedestal, and picked up the flag closest to it, which was brought back by Mr. Huangfu from his expedition to a primitive Grand Canyon in Mexico. I waved the two flags up and down. The flagpole coming back from the canyon was solid, and there was something shaking and vibrating in the flagpole of the Borneo Expedition.

What's this?I said.One that brought down the flag of the Mexican expedition and the one that brought the Borneo back managed to fall, looking at the stainless steel screw cap that can be unscrewed at the bottom of it. Oh, this, he said with a smile: This is the most useful design recently, you see, this steel cover can be used in two ways, and the other is very pointed and sharp, and can be inserted into any place to make the flag stand upright Take pictures or put them in front of the camp.Of course it's too dangerous to pick up when not in use, so you can turn the pointed one down, turn this back, and change it to a cover.Of course, it's more convenient to put it here.

really not bad.I said.While turning down the cover, put the turned down stainless steel cover into the pocket, and shake the meeting flag at an angle. A long strip of black wood began to slide out of the hollow in the stainless steel flagpole. I dragged it out with one hand and said: What is this thing? This, God, Poundford said: This, what's the matter, this is a blowgun, it's a bit like, like Mr. Huangfu's blowgun!How could this be here? That is to say, I said: How could this be here? The blowgun was over five feet long and made of glossy black hardwood that looked like cast iron.The exterior shows that it has been heated, sanded, and polished to give it a metallic look.I held one end up to the light, straightening a fine hole, as smooth as glass.

I put the blowgun upright against the corner of the door, took out the cap of the flagpole, screwed it back to the bottom of the flagpole, this flag is now much lighter than the others, I took the blowgun and said: Thank you for giving me so much time to visit. Wait a minute, you're taking the blowgun away, aren't you?Pang Defu asked. Don't be too busy, I said: it will be returned to its owner in the end. Do you know who its owner is? Like you, I know it's from Huangfu Yoda. I will return it to him.Mr. Lai, this thing is now the property of the club. I smiled at him and said: I will return it to him. He took a step forward, bluffed me and shouted: Don't care!Leave it to me. I said: You may be able to snatch it back, and I will call the police as soon as I walk out of here. I don't believe that Mr. Huangfu would like this kind of publicity.He said. The best way to keep the story out of the air, I said: I'll give him the blowgun back, and you keep your mouth shut. What's the meaning? I said: This blowgun was stolen and I was ordered to retrieve it, which is honestly why I'm here. you you I took out my wallet and showed him that I was an official private eye with a case on file. Are you satisfied?I asked. He kept blinking: Are you a private detective? Yes. I absolutely can't see it. I don't say anything. You fooled me. Maybe you'll tell me how you got this blowgun out of Huangfu's rooftop apartment. I didn't take it. I smiled at him and gave him a look that I knew perfectly well. I assure you, Mr. Lai, I have absolutely no knowledge of this matter.Because I am the secretary of this club, I took this flag back. I nailed this brass nameplate to the flag stand, and put it on this flag stand. I think the two of us should have a good chat.I said. What do you mean, have a chat? You wouldn't like to get this trick out of the way, would you? What do you mean by this trick? Have you shown the accounts here to the tax office?I asked. Of course not, why should we? You are a for-profit business. We are not, Mr. Lai.We are a non-profit enterprise aimed at promoting international goodwill and understanding. I smiled at him: This is what I want to know. what do you know? You said that you are a non-profit enterprise, let me tell you the actual situation.You only have ten or eight basic members; probably no more than that number.Others may be unknowing honorary members, your basic members donate huge amounts of money to the club, and the club funds all their travel expenses. Take Huangfu Youtian as an example. He wants to go to Borneo. He has his own yacht, his photographer, his public relations person, his wife and four or five guests.If he pays for it himself, the tax office looks like an entertainment expense.Even as rich as he is, he still can't afford it.By the time he has settled his daily expenses, paid his travel expenses, and paid his income taxes, he will be close to bankruptcy.It means that you have to pay for the trip, and you have to pay income tax for the travel money. However, he donated 50,000 yuan to the club, so the club funded Huangfu Xiaotian to go to Borneo.When Huangfu came back, he returned a flag to the club, and also sent a movie for inspection, and some photos for gestures.In fact, what is important is a list of reimbursement of 50,671 yuan and 3 yuan. There is no such expense in Huangfu's account because of the money sponsored by the club.However, there is a donation of 50,000 yuan in Huangfu's account to a non-profit organization, and the 50,000 yuan can be deducted from income tax. With this method, a group of millionaire members can maintain their hunting trips many times a year, use their own yachts to go abroad, and take relatives and friends to travel around the world, all with the money that can be deducted from income tax. I even believe that last night's banquet at Huangfu's house, all the expenses were listed on your club account, and it was regarded as a special lecture to understand the culture of Borneo.You pay for the food and temporary staff, and Huangfu Youtian will donate a sum of money to offset it. Pang Defu was taken aback, and stood there looking at me in embarrassment.He said: Who are you working for? Currently, I am working for Mr. Huangfu. But, it doesn't look like it at all. Who says it's not like it?I told him: I was working for him on a specific task.I was hired to return the blowgun for him, and I've found it. The rest of the nonsense I told you just now was to give you some free advice, telling you not to play tricks with me, otherwise this matter will get in the newspapers.If this matter gets published in the newspaper, you will lose a good job. He stood there blinking and unable to speak a word. Goodbye, Mr. Pang.I raised my blowgun as a gesture of respect to him. He took a deep breath.Goodbye, Mr. Lai.He said.Bow very politely. I went out with more blowguns in my hand than I had when I came.