He grinned and took a mock swipe at her. And when she raised her arm as a shield he grabbed it, pulling her close and pressing her back against the side of the Jeep. They froze in anticipation of a moment they had been flirting with all night. But the moment passed, unconsummated, as she smiled wryly and tipped her head in the direction of the two armed guards watching from the gate. “I think we’re in danger of putting on a show,” she said.

He glanced ruefully at the guards. “You want me to take you back to the Friendship?”

“You were going to buy me a drink,” she said. “Before someone had the crazy idea of going gallivanting through Ritan Park in the dark and the rain. Will that bar still be open, do you think?”

He shook his head. “Not at this hour. But I know somewhere that will.”

There was no queue to get into the Xanadu at this time in the morning. Li had been half afraid that it might be closed. But there was still a steady traffic in and out. Groups of youngsters stood about on the sidewalk outside, smoking and talking. They eyed Li and the yangguizi with vague curiosity as they pushed through them and went in past the bouncers. Li took out his wallet to pay, but was waved on through. Inside, the music was still loud, but slow, reflecting the late hour. Margaret took his arm and put her lips to his ear. “I wouldn’t have thought a place like this was your scene,” she shouted.

“It’s not,” he shouted back. “But you wanted a drink. This is about the only place we’ll get one.”

He led her through to the bar. Most of the tables on the main floor were still full, and through the haze of smoke that filled the place, Li could see that there were no free tables up in the gallery. “What do you want to drink?”

“Vodka tonic with ice and lemon. But I’m paying.” She took out some notes.

He waved them aside. “No, no.”

“Yes, yes,” she said. “You bought me dinner, I’m buying the drinks.”

“No.” He still refused to take the money.

“I thought you people believed in equality,” she said. “Women hold up half the sky in China. Isn’t that what Mao said?” And in that moment she thrust the notes into his hand. “You’re buying, I’m paying. And I’m going to get us that table over there that these people are just leaving.” And she breezed off across the floor to lay claim to the table.