Indecent Proposal

Beijing, China

It was on her birthday party a few days ago that Winnie first brought this up. A business proposal since I had mentioned I was thinking about earning some money to finance my stay in China. It was like this:
A friend of hers (who was also at the party) had an architecture or design business. Would I be interested in making a short business trip for her a week later, stay at a classy hotel, enjoy all sorts of luxuries, do practically nothing and even be paid US$300 for it?
Do nothing? Get paid? That sounded almost too good. But I've become a suspecious person. What was this about? Winnie's friend needed a Western face to represent her company to some potential Chinese customers. I would only have to attend a business meeting or two, look professional and pretend not to speak Chinese at all. Surely, I could do that? Now I was curious. How would we communicate? Why did they need me? Because of the prestige. In China, a Western face adds positive credibility to a company's business. There would be a translator, so I didn't have to speak any Chinese. I wouldn't need to negotiate anyway, the customer just wanted to meet one of the Western business people in person. And why was I asking so many questions? I was being offered money for doing nothing, I should appreciate that. Well, after two wars we Germans don't appreciate the pleasures of blinder Gehorsam (blind obedience) anymore. I dug deeper. Finally, I was told that an architect from Canada had been supposed to fly over but had cancelled at short notice. I was filling in for him. But I wasn't a trained architect, I objected, how could I fill in for one? Winnie was getting annoyed now. I wouldn't need to do any talking. I could just enjoy my stay. It was all very easy really. They were even offering lots of money for it. This was a godsend. Her friend wanted an answer. If I didn't want it I should say so and they would find somebody else.
Now, it's not like I don't appreciate presents but I don't like being put under pressure and the way they were waving the benefits of the whole thing in my face it felt as if they were hiding something. Winnie wouldn't even tell me which city I would be going. The whole affair stank. Things are never as easy as people say they will be. Besides, this was blatant fraud. I was uncomfortable at the idea of being uncovered as an impostor. How much support could I expect from this friend of Winnie's. She might just deny everything. If things went awry $300 might not be nearly enough to get myself out of trouble again. Of course, on the other hand she had me hooked. $300 plus a fancy hotel for a few days...
I did the old Who-wants-to-be-a-Millionaire trick. I called my good friend Shu and talked things over with her. She didn't have a good feeling about it either but she knew that a Western face sometimes might help close a deal. I might really have very little to do. And why not do something crazy or adventurous for a change, I added.
In the end, I agreed with Winnie that I would go but on the terms that I should receive a detailed briefing before I left. And maybe they could throw in the suit that I'd need, as well. Some of her initial enthusiasm had dissipated by now. She'd call her friend and tell her. That was the last thing I heard of it. They didn't need me anymore. Apparently, the real guy had turned up, after all. Much ado about nothing.
I still wonder what might have happened. The whole thing did feel exciting, like Mission Impossible. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be..." Is this really how they do business here?