Afternoon.
Dafeng County.
At an Open-Air Teahouse by the roadside, Dong Xuebin ordered a pot of chrysanthemum tea with some rock sugar added. He crossed one leg over the other and leisurely watched the pedestrians and vehicles passing by on the road, occasionally lifting his white porcelain teacup for a sip of the sweet tea. Half an hour had passed, and he had not spotted anyone from the Public Security Bureau watching him nearby. Still, Dong Xuebin did not let down his guard. Maybe they were being careful enough that he could not detect them.
"Young man," the owner said with a smile as he approached. "Need a refill?"
Dong Xuebin nodded. "A little more, brother. The tea here is pretty good."
"Business is only so-so. A little open-air tea place like mine only gets support from the old neighbors. It's affordable and quiet, but it can't compare to those bustling teahouses."
"This is exactly what I like. A sunshade, a few tables—there's a real atmosphere to it."
"Heh heh, then stay a while longer."
The weather in the north was relatively cold, so open-air tea places like this were rarely seen there. They were much more common in the Southern Region.
Dong Xuebin was from Beijing. When he was young, he had grown up in the hutongs. On scorching summer afternoons, several neighbors would each carry out a little stool, bring a palm-leaf fan, hold a cup of water, and sit at the entrance of the courtyard chatting away. Compared with those teahouses, Dong Xuebin preferred the atmosphere of this kind of open-air tea place. It made him feel as though he had found a bit of his childhood again. Ring ring ring—his phone rang.
Holding his teacup, Dong Xuebin felt around for his phone with one hand. "Hello,