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i had the chance to utilise my mediocre mandarin today, and in true chinese fashion - regarding money.

being broke, i counted the amount of money (i really mean € coins) i had in my coin pouch before i left the apartment. there was only one big €2 coin and a few €1 coins.

the bill at the oriental supermarket came up to €12.65. being singaporean, i gave €20.65 and then realised i could give another €2 to get a €10 note back instead of tiresome coins, so i did. but the cashier only returned €8 to me, so i said it should've been €10. ohh...and then came the flying fury of cantonese - defensive, fierce and agitated. she looked across at the lao ban niang (ie lady boss) for back up, but the latter refused to get involved (very smart woman, this one). but my cashier started to say MEI YOU MEI YOU MEI YOU (in this case, don't have don't have don't have) to me to say that i didn't give her the extra €2. and that's when i got pissed and said i did because i knew myself i searched for it. how i actually managed to say that in mandarin at that moment astounds me.

so to end the dispute, lao ban niang calls the "camera crew" to check the video of the surveillance camera. and after 5 minutes, my cashier goes in and comes out victoriously with some timid-looking nerdboy saying that i didn't give her €2. i, didn't even get to watch it. so i said, zen qi guai (how strange..) and she then nicely says i must've thought i did. well, so ok, i went off with my groceries, took my change (which consists of a €5 note, a €2 coin and a €1 coin) and proceeded to unlock my bicycle.

back in the apartment, i checked my wallet and there is only one €2 coin in my pouch - therefore i must've given my initial coin, if not i would've had two instead. damn chinks.

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