"Of course! Like you said, he called you the day before. He might have checked out the next day."
Song Ning knew this reassurance was rather futile, but Zheng Zhenguo actually seemed comforted by it.
He looked at Song Ning and said earnestly:
"Thank you, Comrade Song Ning! I have a favor to ask, though I hate to impose. I wonder if you..."
"Please, go ahead," Song Ning said.
Looking a little embarrassed, Zheng Zhenguo said:
"I came here in such a hurry! I haven't eaten all day. Sorry for the trouble, but could you take me somewhere I can get a meal?"
Song Ning checked her watch. It was indeed very late, and the canteen had already stopped serving dinner.
She pointed across the street. "There's a state-run restaurant not far ahead. Let me take you there!"
Song Ning found Gu Zheng and told him about it.
Gu Zheng nodded and told her to come back soon. Han Xiao would follow them.
The state-run restaurant was less than a kilometer from the Public Security Bureau.
Having brought Zheng Zhenguo there, she could hardly just show him the way and leave.
She smiled. "Comrade Zheng, I'm from Yanling County, so you could say I'm your local host. This meal is on me!"
Zheng Zhenguo readily accepted. "Thank you! Then I'll treat you tomorrow!"
Zheng Zhenguo was well versed in a wide range of subjects. Once he got talking, there was never a lull in the conversation.
They had a fairly pleasant meal.
During dinner, Song Ning asked about his mother's condition. He said she had begun taking the medicine prepared according to the prescription, but it was too soon to tell whether it was working.
Then Song Ning asked who Liang Shunsheng was.
Zheng Zhenguo said he was a friend