> Sleep easy. You don't 'appear', but take a look.

> Thanks for your good wishes, but I'm not married!

When I met the Mike you live with, he called himself your life partner. You say you are not married. If I remember right, the two of you lived together in Nanyang.

Now, you may say what does that have to do with the price of tea in China? (Hey, it's an old saying, don't call me a racist!)

You have rightly said that actions speak louder than words. Personally, I don't care who or what you live with.

But the Chinese do and you are in China, after all.

It is ILLEGAL for two members of the opposite sex not related by blood or marriage to co-habit if they are teachers at a Chinese university. This is not just a case of following native custom, but of following Chinese law. Your actions are illegal. They are certainly not a good example for the university students who have the double burden of not being allowed to marry as undergraduates(under pain of expulsion) or co-habit(same penalty.

When in Nanyang, follow the law. I am not that surprised that the officials let you get away with breaking that law- considering their cavalier attitude towards contracts and honesty in general. Still, it doesn't excuse you.