Hearing Under the Lights

The public hearing was set for Friday afternoon in the multipurpose room on the third floor of the subdistrict office. Once the date was announced, nearly everyone from Hawthorn Street showed up. Aunt Fang brought a kettle of cold herbal tea. Teacher Shen carried a stack of documents. Old Zhou from the repair shop wore his grease-stained work clothes. Even the corner grocery owner had closed the shop for half a day and sat in the back row, drinking water and watching everyone carefully. The room's air-conditioning was blasting, but the cold air couldn't push away the heat brought in by the crowd. The developers sat on the far side of the long table, suits and folders lined up in neat rows like a rehearsed order.