As we discussed this, our suspicion led us to think that the call was instigated by someone we know from Shanghai. This all began 2 years ago, when we got to know a Chinese PR through the introduction of our relative. At that point of time, he was a tenant of my relative’s apartment and was searching for a job. I was asked to help and eventually aided him in getting a job as a relief teacher for Chinese in a secondary school.
Months later, after taking part in an art exhibition in Guang Xi, I planned to send some of my works to Shanghai for mounting. The Chinese PR offered to find cheaper accommodation in Shanghai nearer to his home, and also to bring me around while I was there. I happily accepted the offer without much thought.
After touching down in Shanghai in the evening, I was brought to a small hotel near his home. However, the front desk officer told me that they are not allowed to accept foreigners in their hotel. I decided to move to a larger hotel in the city, but his parents kept persuading me to stay at their home, which was just nearby.
I accepted the offer in the end and moved to their apartment. I was however extremely uncomfortable about it. I soon found out that I was to have no privacy because I could not bring my luggage into my room. I was only allowed to bring my wallet and mobile phone with me. Moreover, I had to sleep with my door opened. I told the PR that I wanted to move to a hotel in the city area but he insisted that I stayed, saying that he would have to waste a lot of travelling time to meet me. Thus, I bore with it and stayed there till I left Shanghai.
Two days after my arrival back to Singapore, I received a call from his mother claiming that I stole books from her home and demanded 20 pieces of my artwork so as to have her not to report this incident to the police. Not having stolen anything, I obviously refused. Over the next few days, she continued to call my family members and I to demand for artworks. When her efforts turned out in vain, she began to call my relative and friends to defame me and tell everyone I am a thief. Since then her story has evolved again. Apparently I have now stolen lots of bowls from her house.
I have lodged a police report on this. I have had enough with them after weeks of harassment.
After my wife shared with me about receiving the call today, I decided to post and share this on my blog. I always believe that I was careful in my dealings with people, and yet I still fell into this trap. I am hoping that whoever reads this will be able to learn something from this incident, and sincerely hope no one will ever have to go through a similar experience.
