Party Secretary Wang had already reserved a good room for me: number 301. It was a suite, and the first room contained a traditional carved dark-red wooden bed. The bed was piled with silk quilts, and there was a nylon mosquito net, as transparent as a cicada’s wing. This room also had an en-suite bathroom. The second room was large and well appointed, with a comfy sofa, modern phone, venetian blinds, cupboard, standard lamp, tea table, tea-set, ashtray and so on. It was on the top floor, at the end of the corridor, so it would not only be quiet but also secure. I needed that kind of room because I worked for Special Unit 701. But that kind of room was reserved for An Zaitian and not Yang Xiaogang. Yang Xiaogang would have to stay in an ordinary room. They had lots of ordinary rooms and I was given the pick, so after discussion they allocated me room 201. This was right underneath room 301, again at the end of the corridor, and also a suite, so even though it wasn’t as well appointed as the other, it fulfilled my requirements. Having gone to have a look at the room, I decided to stay there. I was rather tired after my long run through the rain, so having had a quick wash I got into bed and was soon fast asleep. However, I was soon woken by the most almighty clap of thunder, and once awake, I noticed that something or other seemed to be tapping at the window. I had no idea what it could be, so I went over to have a look, and discovered that on the right-hand side outside my window there was a jujube tree nearly as tall as the building. It was the height of summer and so the tree was covered in leaves, and there were a couple of branches that stretched out towards my window, so as the wind blew they had decided to tap against the window frame. When I looked again, I noticed that one branch was growing right up against the wall, and that if someone hadn’t lopped off the end, no doubt it would have broken through and be growing into my room. Perhaps it was because it had been cut short that this branch had become extra thick, like a bridge slung underneath my window. Anyone with a bit of agility and no fear of heights could get into my room by shinning up it – all they would have to do was break the glass and they’d be in.

Was this acceptable?

No it was not!

I went downstairs and demanded to change rooms.