When I moved out of my room in the urban village, my landlord showed up with a 60-watt floodlight to inspect the damage.
He strung up more than ten meters of police tape, turning the place into a “crime scene.”
In the end, he found over a thousand “damaged” spots on everything from the windows and chairs to the walls and toilet.
With the damage report in hand, he demanded I pay 20,000 yuan in compensation.
I cheerfully transferred the money.
“There you go, 20,000 yuan. Not a cent more, not a cent less.”
Later, he tearfully begged me to accept a refund.
