"Under no circumstances get an ayi from Fujian," says Shih Shu-nu. To guard against the "walls having ears" when Taiwanese want to keep something secret they speak in Minnan dialect. If they get an ayi from Fujian this trick doesn't work and they always have to be worried about "keeping secrets from spies."
「千萬別請福建來的阿姨，」台媽施淑女說，為防「隔牆有耳」，上海的台灣人每當要說悄悄話時就用閩南語溝通；如果請福建來的阿姨，這招就失去效用，隨時得處於「保密防諜」的顧忌中。