Watching the satisfied customer going out with a package under his arm, Mr. Lin suffered a pang with every dollar he took in, as the abacus in his mind clicked a five per cent loss off the cost price he had raised through sweat and blood.

• 每逢卖得了一块钱，看见顾客欣然挟着纸包而去，林先生就忍不住心里一顿，在他心里的算盘上就加添了五分洋钱的血本的亏折。