Wen Qiao, Closer
In July, she left a second note.
*July 14, 7 PM, here. Different matter.*
Lin showed it to Lao Wei.
Lao Wei said: "Go. Hear what she has."
#
She was at the table by the window again. He sat across from her this time. She was not — pretending to read a newspaper.
She said: "I'll be brief. I have an editor at my paper who has been — asked questions about you. By someone who works for Vice-Mayor Liu's wife's family. The questions are — your background, your family, your relationships, your daily routine. The questions are — the kind that produce a small dossier intended for use later."
She looked at him.
"My editor is — friendly. He has not — answered. He has, in fact, told the asker that the paper has no information on you. But the asker is — not the only channel. They will go elsewhere. They will, eventually, build the dossier."
"Yes."
"I'm telling you because — you saved Maotai. My grandfather's village. I owe you. I'm — paying part of the debt now."
"Thank you."
She paused.
"There's — a second part. I want to — propose something."
"Yes."
"You and I have — by an unusual route — established a working relationship. The relationship has — produced one substantive result. It may, over years, produce more. But it has — until now — been entirely transactional. I leave a note when something is wrong; you respond.
"I would like — to suggest a slight expansion. Not — a friendship. We are not friends. But — a small additional understanding. I would like — to occasionally — eat dinner with you. Not at this restaurant. At — a slightly less marked location. Not weekly. Perhaps once a month. We would — talk about the city. About what we are — each — observing. We would not — share specific intelligence in those conversations. We would — share patterns. Drift. Texture. The kind of thing that — when one of us notices it, the other might want to know about."
She watched him.
"Why."
"Because — I'm thirty months into being a journalist in this city. I have observed — that I am — operating with a partial picture. There are many texture-of-the-city facts that I do not — see, because the senior cadres I would learn them from will not — talk to me. You are — junior enough to talk to me, senior enough to know things. I — would benefit from the conversation."
"And what do I — gain."
"My read of the press in this city. What — other journalists are working on. What — my paper's editorial line is shifting toward. What — provincial-level press reactions are likely to be on various matters. The kind of thing that — when your office is producing position papers, it might want to know."
He thought.
He said: "I will — consider it. I will give you an answer in one week. Same restaurant. Same time."
"Acceptable."
She stood. She paid her own bill. She left.
#
He told Lao Wei the next morning.
Lao Wei said: "Hm."
A pause.
"Lin. This is — a different proposal. A working relationship is — one thing. A regular dinner, even once a month, is — something else. You should think carefully."
"Yes."
"There are several factors to consider. First — Su Wanyin. How will she — receive the arrangement. Will you tell her."
"Yes."
"Will she — be comfortable with it."
"I — do not know. I will ask."
"Second. The journalist's motives. Her grandfather is — real. Her debt is — real. But she is — also — ambitious. A young journalist who has access to a Deputy Section Chief in Sun's office, even at the level of texture-of-the-city, is — building her own career. The arrangement will benefit her professionally in ways that may, over time, produce — friction.
"Third. The optics. Other senior cadres, if they observe regular dinners between you and a journalist, will — draw conclusions. The conclusions may not be — accurate. They may, however, be — used.
"Fourth. The substance. The kind of texture-of-the-city information she is offering is — actually valuable. I have, over thirty years, found that maintaining a small informal channel into the press produces — useful situational awareness. Not for use against the press. For — operating with a fuller picture.
"My recommendation: accept, with conditions. Once a month. Not at her location of choice — at a location you choose, that you can control. Make explicit — at the start — that no specific intelligence is shared in either direction. Tell Su Wanyin in advance and ensure she is comfortable. If at any point you observe the arrangement becoming something other than what you have agreed, end it without explanation."
"Yes."
#
He told Su Wanyin that evening at her apartment.
She listened. She did not — interrupt. When he had finished, she sat for some time looking at her tea.
Then she said: "Lin Zhaoxu. May I ask — three questions."
"Yes."
"First. Is she — attractive."
"Yes."
"Second. Has she — at any point — given you any indication that she is interested in you romantically."
"No."
"Third. Have you — at any point — felt anything like attraction toward her."
He thought.
He said: "No. She is — a journalist whose grandfather was from Beishan. She is — competent at her work. She is — a useful contact. I have not — felt anything other than that."
She looked at him.
"You answered the third question without hesitation."
"Yes."
"Lin Zhaoxu."
"Yes."
"I trust you. I trust you because — you have, in eight months, never given me reason not to. I will — accept the arrangement. I will — also — say that I would like, perhaps in three months, to — meet her. Once. At a small lunch the three of us share. I would like to — see her in your presence. Not because I — distrust you. Because — I would like to know who is in your professional life. The way I would meet your colleagues at the office, if there were a context for it."
"That's — fair."
"Tell her — when you have the first dinner — that I exist. That you have — a partner. Use my name. Tell her I would like to meet her in three months."
"Yes."
She paused.
"And — one more thing."
"Yes."
"If she — at any point — does anything that suggests she wants something from you that you have not agreed to give, you will — end the arrangement. Without — apology, without — explanation. You will simply — stop the dinners. And you will tell me."
"Yes."
She picked up her tea.
She said: "Eat your dinner, Lin Zhaoxu. The fish is getting cold."
He ate.
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