In the study.
Fresh from his morning workout and shower, Chen Chong's short hair was still slightly damp, and the brilliance in his sharp eyes was subdued.
Dressed in a loose gray tracksuit, he reclined in a chair, picked up the telephone extension, and dialed a familiar number.
A moment later, He Bufan's familiar voice came through the receiver. "Hello?"
"Officer He, at work so early?"
Chen Chong's tone held a hint of teasing.
"How else would I be here to answer your call?"
Realizing it was Chen Chong, He Bufan's voice rose a little.
"So, has our big shot returned from his business trip? What brings you to call a lowly policeman like me?"
"Can't I say hello without needing something?"
Chen Chong chuckled, then grew serious. "I wanted to ask—how did that class reunion go?"
"What do you mean, how did it go?"
He Bufan sounded surprised. "It was a class reunion, not a gathering of criminals. You make it sound like I went there to investigate a case and arrest people."
"It's just an expression. Did you have fun?"
Chen Chong still remembered how He Bufan had repeatedly asked him to come along.
He had felt then that He Bufan might have something else on his mind, but had never found the time to ask.
"It was all right. We only just graduated, but everyone's changed so—fast.
"Some went on to college, some started working. We spent three years sitting in the same classroom, but suddenly there were these clear divides, like we weren't the same kind of people anymore."
He Bufan sounded a little wistful.
On the other end of the line, Chen Chong wasn't surprised. He could imagine the atmosphere at the reunion.
Those who hadn't gotten into college would crowd around those who had,