Evening, seven o'clock...
County Party Committee Guest House.
Outside the ballroom, soothing music drifted out through the crack in the door, floating through the corridor and lingering for a long time. Dong Xuebin had arrived a little late. Listening to what sounded like a ballroom dance tune, he thought of Xie Huilan and quickened his pace toward the entrance.
"Has it already started?" Dong Xuebin asked one of the Guest House staff.
The staff member recognized him at once. "Yes, Secretary Xiang just finished the opening dance."
Dong Xuebin pushed the door open and went inside. The brightly flickering hall immediately came into view.
The ballroom was dim. The lighting was not the harsh, blazing kind used in a disco, but soft and faint. A circle of plush sofa chairs surrounded the room, with quite a few officials seated around them, holding glasses of red wine and smiling as they watched the dance floor. Liang Chengpeng and Zhao Xinglong were among them, presumably because neither knew how to dance. Looking farther in, quite a few couples were dancing. Most of the officials were not very good at it, their movements somewhat clumsy, but without exception, their female partners were skilled dancers. Most were from the County Cultural Troupe, though there were also some female officials. Where was Sister Xie?
Don't tell me she was dancing with someone?
Jealousy flared in Dong Xuebin's chest. I haven't even dared to dance with Sister Xie yet. How can I let someone else beat me to it?
"Isn't this Director Dong?" A middle-aged man seated nearby turned his head. "Didn't see you at the opening. Just get here?"
Dong Xuebin looked over and smiled. "Director Ding. Yeah, traffic held me up."
Ding Li smiled and greeted him, but did not seem inclined to continue