While onlookers held their breath watching the dramatic downfall of Bo Xilai's right-hand man this month, the princeling-politician appeared unfazed by the political firestorm gathering in his backyard.
Just hours after former Chongqing police chief, Wang Lijun, was rumoured to have been escorted off a flight to Beijing by state security officers following what was reportedly a failed defection attempt, Bo, Chongqing's Communist Party boss, was watching a Peking opera.
Bo was smiling and seemed as relaxed and charming as usual on his official trip to Yunnan province, according to mainland media. But some observers detected signs of stress, saying he looked exhausted and inattentive while listening to his favourite arias from the model operas of the Cultural Revolution.
The next generational leadership succession is just a few months away, adding layers of intrigue to the startling events involving Wang, Bo's triad-buster: his sudden loss of favour, his conspicuous flight into the US consulate in Chengdu and the announcement by the Chongqing government that he was receiving 'vacation-style treatment' in Beijing - before changing gears to admit he was under investigation.
Many facts of Wang's downfall are unknown, creating a tide of gossip, rumour and speculation as observers wade through the murky waters of mainland politics and peek into the possible ramifications.
As a frontrunner in the upcoming reshuffle, Bo knows what is expected of him in the international media spotlight and what is at stake, namely, his race for a seat on the Politburo's Standing Committee, the party's innermost circle of power. Even yesterday rumours swirled that Bo had resigned from the Politburo, though the report could not be immediately confirmed.
The 63-year-old son of a party elder has made little secret of his leadership ambition with his high-profile, and often controversial, manoeuvring over the years. Known for shrewd politicking, Bo knows that even with popularity and pedigree, he needs to lie low when the wind blows against him, especially if it carries a whiff of scandal.