Beijing, Annex of the Great Hall of The People
Scene 3
He did not need to wait long. Shortly before 9 o'clock, a man stepped out of the building and hopped with sporty, short strides over the steps: Zhang Xiao Ging sported a white shirt and coloured pleated trousers – and carried a black briefcase in his hand. He strode across Qianmen Xidajie and then sprang into a taxi – with Maille behind him. Maille even found a taxi-driver willing to follow the car, or at least the cabbie did not know how to get Maille out of the rear of his vehicle. «A good friend», explained Maille, quite certain that the man had not understood a single word – «Wi Ri Gö Li», he added. Placards hanging all over the city splashed advertisements for «Wrigleys» chewing gum, suggesting that the «Doublemint» had been responsible for establishing the most joyous of friendships – even between different generations. What ever the cabbie understood, he grinned conspiratorially and set off.
