It was lunchtime. It just wouldn't be right not to have a meal together.
Regulations were strict these days, so going to a fancy place for an extravagant meal was out of the question.
They settled on an ordinary restaurant near the Public Security Bureau.
The Director couldn't make it; he was at a meeting in the city and wouldn't be back in time.
But he had instructed Zhao Helin to make sure their guests were well taken care of.
They were having the local specialty, a griddle-cooked meal.
Zhao Helin enthusiastically explained, "Here in Ju Province, the griddles are different everywhere you go. Some are convex, some are concave. But here in Huaiyi, we have a special name for it: 'living oil griddle.' You can see the difference just by looking at the pot."
He pointed to the cast-iron pot in the center of the table.
In the middle of this cast-iron griddle, there was a raised center with a bowl resting on top.
