Chapter 4: One Night, Redeemable

The Stadium convoy turned out to be one truck, six men and Dai Kun, the Stadium's enforcer.

He stood in the road below the east gate in a leather vest with a Stadium armband, arms folded across a barrel chest.

Bai Jin stood above him on the sniper walk with Gong Ting at his shoulder.

He did not touch Gong Ting.

He was aware of exactly how far away the shoulder was.

"The Director sends his regards," said Dai Kun.

"The Director can send them in writing."

"He did. You read it this morning." Dai Kun grinned. "Saturday, our market. We take Stadium tokens or goods. Your paper is welcome as kindling."

"Then why come?"

"To ask if you'll attend." The grin widened. "He'd hate for the famous Boss Bai to miss it."

Bai Jin looked down at the heavy face.

Then he looked at the six men, and at the hunger in their cheekbones, and their eyes that kept sliding toward the Fuyuan walls.

"I'll attend," he said. "With goods."

"Wise."

"And I'll bring my own scale."

Dai Kun's grin slipped a little.

He got back into his truck.

"That was good," said Gong Ting, when the engine noise had gone.

"I know."

"You didn't ask me."

"I don't ask you," said Bai Jin. "I tell you. Raise?"

Gong Ting looked at him.

"Two eggs a day," he said, "instead of one."

Bai Jin almost laughed.

The old accountant was waiting in the ledger room on the second floor with the books open on the table.

Luo Zhongyi had kept Fuyuan's accounts since the Stop, and his father's before that.

He wore a cardigan in all weather and kept a pencil in his pocket.

The second key to the safe hung round his neck on a bootlace.

"Boss, the sergeant," he said, and tapped the page.

"Eight months of wages, paid in slips. Do you know how many have come back to my desk?"

"Tell me."

"Not one." Luo took off his glasses.

"He doesn't buy eggs. He doesn't buy tobacco. He takes his bunk and his ration and puts his paper in a box."

"So he's saving," said Bai Jin.

"For what?"

"To leave," said Bai Jin, and found it hurt to say. "People save to leave."

"Or to be paid by someone else." Luo cleaned his glasses on the cardigan. "I only count, Boss."

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