Death of a Red Heroine

the door, he took out the cassette of Yu’s interview with Jiang. He listened to the cassette from the beginning once more.
    If Jiang had discovered those pictures, so could somebody else—Guan. Jiang’s reaction was that of an avant-garde artist, but what about Guan? Guan wanted Wu all for herself.
    What would Guan have done?
    After looking at his watch, Chen went down to the canteen, which would close in half an hour. He bought a small portion of noodles with a soy-sauce-braised steak. The canteen was crowded, but still he had a table for himself. People were distancing themselves from him, he realized. No one wanted to share his table. And he did not blame them. It was just politics.
    By the time he had almost finished, however, Little Zhou come over to him with a bowl of sweet and sour pork rice. “You’re not eating much,” Little Zhou said.
    “I’ve stuffed myself,” Chen said, “dining with the Americans.”
    “Oh, those banquets,” Little Zhou laughed. “But you do not look too well today.”
    “No, just a little headache.”
    “Well, go to a public bath and immerse yourself in hot water for as long as you can. When you are sweating all over, wrap yourself in a thick blanket, drink a large cup of ginger tea, and you’ll be a brave new man in no time.”
    “Yes, that may help, especially a cup of herbal tea.”
    Then Little Zhou said in a whisper, leaning over as if to clean the table, “Yesterday afternoon I drove Party Secretary Li to a meeting. He got a phone call in the car.”
    “Yes?”
    “Not too many people have Li’s cellular phone number. So I was curious about it. And I heard your name mentioned a couple of times.”
    “Really!”
    “I was driving along the Number One Overpass. The traffic was crazy there, so I did not catch all of their conversation. Li said something like—I think—’Yes, you’re right. Comrade Chief Inspector Chen has been doing a great job, he’s a wonderful, loyal young cadre.’ Something to that effect.”
    “You must be kidding, Little Zhou!”
    “No, I’m not. That’s what I heard. Whoever made that phone call, it must be somebody in a high position. Li’s tone sounded so respectful.”
    “What about the second time my name was mentioned?”
    “I was even more alert, but I did not understand the context of their conversation. It was in connection with some young woman in Guangzhou, I guess. Anyway, it’s not your problem, but hers. Again Li seemed to be putting in a word for you, or agreeing with whatever was said to him.”
    “Anything else about that woman?”
    “Well, she seems to be in some kind of trouble—in custody or something—for illegal business practices.”
    “I see. Thank you so much, Little Zhou, but you should not have gone out of your way for me.”
    “Don’t mention it, Comrade Chief Inspector.” Little Zhou added earnestly, “I’m your man, and have been so ever since my first day in the bureau. Not because you’re somebody, but because you’re doing the right thing. Your buddy, and my buddy too, Overseas Chinese Lu swore that he would smash my car if I did not help you. You know how crazy he can be. I’ll contact you if I have some more information. You just take care of yourself.”
    “Yes, I will. I appreciate your concern.” He added in a raised voice, “In fact, I’m going to a herbal drug store during the lunch break.”
    Instead, after leaving the bureau, he turned into a side street, then a small lane, where there was a kiosk for a public phone station, like the one at Qinghe Lane. Looking back, he made sure that he was not being followed before he stepped into the kiosk. A disabled phone service man nodded at him, coughing with his palm against his mouth, as Chen dialed Overseas Chinese Lu’s number.
    “You have ruined me, Comrade Chief Inspector Chen,” Lu said.
    “How?”
    “The fried eel noodles there are so good, the soup creamy, thick, with a handful of chopped ham and green onion, but so expensive,” Lu said. “Twelve Yuan a bowl. Still, I go there every morning.”
    “Oh, you mean the Four Seas Restaurant.” Chen sighed in relief. “Well, I’m not worried about it. Nowadays, with your pocket full of money, you can afford to enjoy yourself there like a true Overseas Chinese millionaire.”
    “It’s worth it, buddy. And I’ve got some important information for you.”
    “What’s that?”
    “Old Hunter, your partner’s father, has observed a white car driving around in