Walking downstairs to the lab, glance through an open door and spot the ayi casually mopping the carpet in a visitors office.

I’ve been in China long enough to know you don’t ask questions about these things, you’ll never get any kind of answer that you were looking for. I can imagine the conversation:

Me: Errr, why are you mopping the carpet in here?

Ayi: The workman is repairing the sink in the rest room, I can’t clean that right now

Me: No, I mean, why use the mop? Was there a stain or did someone spill something?

Ayi: Oh, no, no, nobody uses this office

Me: Why don’t you use the vacuum cleaner I bought for you?

Ayi: Oh, that thing makes so much noise, I think it is not good for the health

Me: Please use the vacuum cleaner

Ayi: Oh, but it is in the storage room

Etc etc etc until I give up the will to live. I just pretend these things don’t happen.