"No. First no like woman. Loud mouth and big ass. Ai-yah. But she give place to stay. Sudden she like angel. I treat her nice, too. Flowers, clothes, romantic dinners, massage. She just woman inside."
"Well, I hate to say it, but I think you've softened her. I've never seen her so warm and kind. You've done a great job."
"I no do nothing. She has tough shell. Really beautiful woman, here," he says, pointing to his heart.
"You don't smoke anymore?"
"She lose cats, I lose cigarettes."
I smile as I take his Rook. He swears loudly in Cantonese, then makes a move with his Cannon and takes my Bishop.
"Why you want see Lian?" he asks, pondering his next move.
"I have something to ask her."
"You go dinner like I tell you?"
"Yeah, you old bastard. I finally did ask her out to dinner. That was a long time ago."
"Sex?"
"Old Chow, stop asking these questions."
"What, shy? Come, man to man."
"We did it. Sure. So cut it out."
"Lucky. She beautiful."
"Yeah, she was. I wonder what she looks like now."
"I tell you I find her. I have connection."
"I know. But there are like seven million people here, and God knows if she's still in Hong Kong."
"I find her," he says, and moves in, taking my other Bishop.
"Hey. I don't like that."
"No like to lose?"
"Never."
"Lose chess game? Lose money? Job? Woman? Lose love?"
I look at him as he takes my second Rook. I'm losing fast.
The sky starts to rumble, and the tepid wind picks up in earnest. "I think a storm's coming. We should go in," I say.
He makes his next move, taking my Cannon, and yells, "Cheung gwun!"
I look at the board and realize I have no more moves. He has my General pinned. The game is over. "We should really go in," I say, tapping my fingers on the table.
"Greg, one face, many side. See, you lose cheung kei game. But you make Old Chow very happy. You win."
"It's not that simple."
"Simple as you like," he says as we gather the pieces into the box. "Simple as you like."
It starts to pour. Hard.
