16The men crowded round Noodle Ting’s stall when they heard Weng’s question.
“Squatters have no claim to the land, Ah Weng,” Noodle Ting replied.
“But Pa pays rent,” he protested. “We’ve lived there for years.”
“Listen. You pay rent also no use. If the owner wants the land back, you can’t fight the owner. He says move, you move. If not, first, a lawyer’s letter will come. Then a second letter. After three letters from the lawyer, your Pa will get a court summons. Then how? No help already! He got to go to court. The judge will fine him for sure. Then after you pay the fine, you also got to move out. You don’t move out, they send you to jail. Worse still, right or not?”
“The hell it’s worse!” one of the men shouted. “We’re all in the same soup, Ah Weng! My family have lived here and wor
