Seven o'clock.
County Family Compound.
Dong Xuebin's dormitory.
The sky had darkened. This time, it was truly nightfall, not the gloomy dimness of clouds blocking the light. A gust of cold wind whistled past, and the room was no longer all that warm. It was already March, and the heating had long since been turned off, so the air conditioner had to be set high to keep the house warm.
Bathroom.
In front of the mirror.
Dong Xuebin silently calculated the time. It was almost seven-thirty, when several County Party Committee Standing Committee Members who had aligned themselves with him were due to come over for dinner. Naturally, he wanted to finish quickly. It really would not be appropriate for anyone to see Director Meng cutting his hair—not because of their genders, but for plenty of other reasons. Fortunately, Big Sister Meng understood that too, and her movements were brisk.
Another lock of hair drifted down.
Meng Hanmei gently brushed the strands that had fallen onto Dong Xuebin's face aside and continued trimming around the edges.
Dong Xuebin looked at her in the mirror. "Big Sister Meng, don't get it on your sweater. It'll be hard to pick off later. You'll have to pluck it out strand by strand."
Meng Hanmei smiled. "It's fine. It's a white sweater, so it's easy to clean off."
Dong Xuebin gave a wry smile. "That's not the point."
"It's fine. Don't move." Meng Hanmei adjusted his head, her eyes fixed on his sideburns as she trimmed them. "It'll be done soon."
Dong Xuebin said nothing more. To be honest, he still somewhat missed that fleeting softness against the back of his head just now. Nothing else—it was simply that, judging from the sensation, Meng Hanmei seemed to be wearing nothing under her sweater besides