Li Long stopped briefly when he reached Beiting City in the Jeep.
There were two routes to Red Flag Farm. He could head northeast from Beiting and skirt Wu City, or head east from Wu City.
Li Long had never been there, so he needed to get clear directions now that he was here.
Apart from Director Qian, the person Li Long knew in Beiting was the driver, Xiao Si.
He parked the Jeep near the Prefectural Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives and left Sister Yang and Han Fang in the vehicle while he went to find Xiao Si.
Li Long had driven fast all the way. It was not yet noon, and work had not finished. People were coming and going at the entrance to the Prefectural Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives. When Li Long showed the credential Director Qian had given him, the gatekeeper let him straight in, studying him curiously.
Had he ever seen anyone like this before? Still, the credential was genuine.
Once inside, Li Long asked where the car pool was and found Xiao Si.
Xiao Si was servicing a vehicle by the garage. People were playing cards in the garage next door, but he had not joined them, making him seem rather independent.
He looked a little surprised when Li Long greeted him.
"I need to take care of something at Red Flag Farm under the Sixth Agricultural Division. I've never been out that way, so I came to ask you for directions."
He could have asked anyone outside, but asking Xiao Si was safer.
"You're going to the East Three Counties?" Xiao Si sounded surprised. "Is it urgent? If not, wait until Sunday and I'll take you."
"It is. I have to go today. A relative of mine came from back