"Rules"!!

The latest chapter of exasperation in my ongoing communications with that Chinese university...

I need a pay breakdown for the last monthly payment period (which they never sent me at the time), to check whether one of the classes I taught for them was included in that payment or not (it gets rather complicated, because their 'payment period' runs mid-month to mid-month, and the cut-off date is different to what they'd originally told me). This should, of course, include a statement of how much tax was deducted, and the basis of the calculation.

Eventually, after being asked by me multiple times, my contact there sent me a statement of the net payment, with no mention of the amount of tax deducted.

I reminded her that it was rather important I know how much tax was paid as well, and asked her to check with their accountants.

She replied: "I cannot ask the accountants that. It is our rule."

Ah, China. I lose track of how many times I've heard some such fatuous line as this.

In fact, that's the second one this week. In attempting to chase down a six-months-overdue editing fee, I asked the accountant responsible if she could at least give me a rough idea of how long their 'internal approval procedure' for greenlighting the payment could be expected to take. "I cannot tell you that. It is a business secret."

Yes, it is INFURIATING. But it is also irresistibly HILARIOUS.

That's ME, that is!