Around four, Song Ning went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative near the Guesthouse.
She bought four moderately priced gifts and packed them into a mesh bag.
The commander had invited her to dinner at his home. Whatever his ultimate purpose, she still needed to observe the proper courtesies.
Remembering that this was the very cooperative where she had been falsely accused of stealing a fountain pen, she even glanced toward the stationery counter...
But she did not see that woman named Du Mei.
As she paid, she casually asked:
"Excuse me, why isn't Du Mei at the stationery counter today?"
The cashier scoffed. "She had no morals. She was fired ages ago!"
Song Ning asked no further questions.
As she headed out after paying, two men came in through the entrance.
They were carrying two empty liquor bottles, apparently planning to get them filled with baijiu at the Commissary.
Perhaps because they were talking with their heads down as they walked, they failed to notice Song Ning and nearly knocked her mesh bag out of her hand.
One of them quickly turned to apologize:
"Sorry about that! Didn't mean to bump into you!"
Song Ning waved it off and walked straight on, not taking it to heart.
But the man who had bumped into her stared after her, his eyes widening.
His companion tugged at him. "Come on! Let's get the liquor! What're you standing there for?"
"Th-that's the woman Brother Yang told us to keep an eye on! She's back!"
Song Ning had already walked some distance away.
She noticed none of what happened behind her.
She had been told to come for dinner at six, but she had no idea where the commander lived.
She waited in the Guesthouse lobby well ahead of time.
It was not