Dragon's Gate. Vivian Bi
is promoting Chairman Mao’s thought. Chairman Mao says that we come together for one revolutionary goal, and so we need to help one another. If Professor Ruan is not worthy of help, Wang Tong’s wife certainly is.”
Lin Guiru closed her eyes at the mention of Wang Tong. “That’s it,” she said to herself and her face began to burn.
“You know she has terrible asthma,” Sun Lanfen went on. “The pollen and mildew have nearly finished her off. She can’t even sleep flat. Have you ever thought of giving her a hand? It’s easy, just spare her husband for a couple of days so he can look after her.”
“Mrs Sun, I’m only a team member and Mr Wang is our leader. How can I order him around?”
Sun Lanfen stepped closer and looked into her eyes with an earnestness she rarely exhibited. “Guiru, you have a wonderful husband and a cosy home. Don’t abandon them. We’re not fools. All the excitement will die down eventually.”
Before Lin Guiru could react, Sun Lanfen rushed over to the gateway calling out: “Ah, Mr Dong, you’ve been shopping!”
Mr Dong was walking his bicycle in with a big box strapped to the rear rack. Sun Lanfen scanned the contents of the box. “Heavens! Have you just robbed the co-op? Is it someone’s birthday today?” She rifled through the box with one hand, lifting the sheets draped on the clothes lines with the other hand to make a path for Mr Dong.
Mr Dong’s face wore an unusually cheerful smile. “I want to cook something nice for the kids. If you like, come and have a bite.” He leaned his bicycle against his window and carried the box inside.
Lin Guiru went home, entering the kitchen quietly to avoid waking her husband, who still worked night shift. She poured herself a glass of water and sat down at the dining table. In a few hours, she would leave for yet another week-long tour with Wang Tong. She always felt a bit uneasy before going away with him although she looked forward to it. Today she felt particularly bad because of what Sun Lanfen had said.
She and Wang Tong were perfect revolutionary comrades-in-arms. When they worked together, they came up with wonderful ideas. So Lin Guiru agreed with Wang Tong that their love affair was not licentious but a sacred union, like the ones portrayed in revolutionary literature. But hearing Sun Lanfen proclaim that no one was fooled shook her confidence. Shi Wangcai’s silence was more irritating than ever because he gave nothing away. Why didn’t he challenge her so she could tell him point blank how pure and sublime was the love between her and Wang Tong?
From the window she saw the corners of their quilt lifted by a breeze, exposing its colours. “I’ll fix it now and not give you any more excuse for ridicule,” she murmured, and set out her dyeing pot.
As she went to fetch the quilt, Dong Pingshun walked into the courtyard with a young woman. She was not a beauty but her smooth fair skin was eye-catching.
After his ordeal with university admission, Pingshun had become virtually mute in public. But today he nodded to Sun Lanfen and Lin Guiru with a shy smile playing on his thin dark face.
Sun Lanfen greeted him. “Pingshun, you’re back. Is this a colleague of yours?” She looked the girl up and down, not attempting to hide her curiosity.
Pingshun was just about to reply when Sun Lanfen asked more directly, “Is she your girlfriend?”
Pingshun turned red, but the girl, natural and poised, opened her mouth. “My name is Li Mei. I’m Pingshun’s colleague and his girlfriend.”
Just then Mr Dong opened his door. He had changed into smart clothes and his face lit up with pleasure. Obviously this was a pre-arranged meeting.
“Mr Dong, I don’t think we will be tasting your cooking skills tonight. Am I right?” Sun Lanfen teased.
Mr Dong changed the subject to cover his embarrassment. “You see how hopeless our Ermei is. She knew we were having a guest today but it’s nearly five and there’s no sign of her.”
“Where are the kids? None of them are here. Is something on at school today?” Sun Lanfen looked at Lin Guiru, who shook her head.
II
West Bridge School was like a prison. Policemen stood guard at the front and rear gates, both closed. After lunch, a teacher had found a reactionary slogan in the library. The slogan involved personal vilification directly pointed at Chairman Mao so the incident was immediately reported to the highest authorities. Four or five police cars arrived within half an hour and more than twenty armed men jumped out and surrounded West Bridge. The school followed the emergency lockdown procedure and nobody was allowed to step outside their classroom or office except for the teacher who, after emotionally recounting so many times how she had found the slogan that she collapsed on the floor, was escorted to the local hospital.
Each of the twenty-four classes ranging from grade one to senior high in West Bridge had about thirty students, and all of them were now being subjected to a group interrogation conducted by one policeman, assisted by two teachers. Shi Ding, Wang Lixin and Dong Ermei were in the second class of the graduating year. A slogan had been written on their blackboard in big characters: “LENIENCY TO THOSE WHO CONFESS, SEVERITY TO THOSE WHO DENY!” The students had been ordered to put their hands on their desks and sit up straight.
The police officer was not tall but he was sturdily built. Clasping his hands behind his back, he paced up and down, his footsteps loud in the deathly quiet classroom. After about ten turns, he stopped and whirled about to face the students. “I know who did it!” he declared to his startled audience. His piercing eyes raked over them. No one moved and no one dared meet his eyes. The students focused on their desks as if something interesting had suddenly caught their eye. The officer went on: “You think you can fool me, and fool our revolutionary masses. You’re wrong! We know who you are but we won’t tell you. Why?” He scanned the room to make sure he had everyone’s full attention. Then he pointed his finger at Wang Lixin, who sat in the back row. “You! Stand up!”
Wang Lixin stood up gingerly.
“Now tell us why we won’t name the perpetrator.”
Wang Lixin looked around for help but no one met his eyes. “Why? Ah …” His eyes lit on the slogan on the blackboard. “Because … ‘leniency to those who confess and severity to those who deny’.” His face was as purple as a pig’s liver.
“Well done! We want to give you a chance to come forward yourself to confess.” The policeman walked up to Wang Lixin, who had just sat down, and grabbed his hands. “Otherwise, we will name you with these.” In an instant, he had hauled a set of handcuffs out of his jacket pocket and locked the handcuffs onto the young man’s wrists.
“Ah!” A girl in the back row stifled a short cry. Wang Lixin slid off his chair and began to whimper: “Uncle Police, I didn’t do it. It was not me …”
“Stop! I didn’t say it was you.” The officer had not expected this drama. He snapped off the handcuffs and helped Wang Lixin sit up. “Oh, damn! Quick, take him outside.” Wang Lixin had wet his pants.
The tallest students sat in the back row. So it was comical when the giant Wang Lixin with his wet bottom and dripping trouser legs was walked out by one of the teachers. There was a muffled laugh which rippled through the room. The other teacher shouted: “Stop laughing! There’s nothing to laugh about.” Everyone stopped laughing immediately except Dong Ermei, who found it too funny to stop. She covered her mouth but couldn’t contain herself and burst out laughing.
By six o’clock, crowds had gathered in front of West Bridge School. Parents had heard the news and had come for their children. Some of the parents cursed the unknown perpetrator and swore to make them pay for their own child’s suffering, while others doubted if this was wise without knowing who was involved. The police guard refused to answer any questions, and when one mother asked what the slogan said, he turned on her: “Do you intend to spread the reactionary