Chapter 5: The Observer and the Hunted
It was a call from Maiduo's store. Peng Ye answered, terse: "Hello?" "Beep...beep..." The line went dead. He tried to call back; the line was busy. He pocketed the phone, his brow furrowed. Cheng Jia, impatient, slammed the receiver down. After a few seconds, she redialed, only to find the line engaged. "How much?" she asked the girl. The salesgirl waved a hand. "The call didn't connect, no charge." Cheng Jia wordlessly leaned against the door, lighting a cigarette. The girl watched her with open curiosity, but when her eyes met Cheng Jia's cool, indifferent gaze, she stuck out her tongue sheepishly and turned away, smiling. "Do you sell cigarettes here?" Cheng Jia asked. Her Marlboros were dwindling, and supplies here were meager. "For sale," the girl replied, pointing to the glass cabinet. Cheng Jia pushed the Marlboro pack forward. "Do you have this kind?" "No, but look at these." The girl...
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