The caller was none other than Lin Daohang, the co-chairman of the New York Fujian Business Association.
"Mr. Li, I hope I'm not disturbing you?" Lin Daohang's laughter, thick with an accent, came through the phone. "It's nothing major. I just wanted to let you know that this season's fresh goods have been delivered downstairs at your apartment. I've already spoken with your doorman."
"Thank you, Chairman Lin," Li Wei said. "What is it this time?"
"This time, it's hilsa herring from the Yangtze River, air-freighted from back home. Wild ones are nearly extinct nowadays, so these were raised in a semi-wild environment. Their strength is their rich fat content. There are also some early-spring fresh matsutake mushrooms, just dug up from Baoshan and Dehong in Yunnan. They're unopened button mushrooms, which have the most intense aroma."
Lin Daohang's tone was casual, as if he were discussing a trivial matter, giving no hint of the difficulty involved in procuring such items.
