In the story of *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio*, I won't recount the well-known parts about the painted skin demon. It goes on until the demon breaks down the door, cuts open Wang Sheng's abdomen, and takes his heart. His wife, Chen Shi, begs a beggar to save her husband's life. The beggar says, "Swallow this phlegm of mine, and I will save him." Chen Shi swallows it, returns home, and vomits out the human heart. The heart jumps into Wang Sheng's abdomen, and he is resurrected. The human heart is like phlegm; it can be as high as the sun and moon, as intimate as husband and wife. Too much to say, too little to talk about.