A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Gui'er was a little hesitant, but then she thought that she might be able to learn more information by going to the scene, so she nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go with you."

After a while, Lin Peishan returned. Gui'er told her about protesting in front of the police station, and she nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll go too." Then she whispered in Gui'er's ear, "Brother Chen said that the Xu family and school leaders went to negotiate with the police station, but Ouyang Bao didn't release the person. Moreover, Ouyang Bao's reason for arresting the person wasn't the business between Teacher Xu and him, but that he organized an illegal assembly. This charge can be serious or minor. They've arrested people before, and they've been inexplicably detained ever since. If they want to expand the charge, they can even use emergency regulations as an excuse to arrest other people."

Gui'er frowned and said worriedly, "What should we do? I think Brother Chen should move over quickly. His place is a base. As long as the police can't find him, they have no reason to arrest other people."

Lin Peishan shook her head and said, "Brother Chen is unwilling to give up this contact point that he worked so hard to establish. Besides, if he runs away, wouldn't that just give the authorities a charge of fleeing the country? Even if he establishes a contact point elsewhere, he will still be arrested as long as he is recognized, and then he will have no choice but to leave Hong Kong."

Gui'er knew that Lin Peishan was currently in a relationship with Chen Zhongyu. If Chen Zhongyu left, either Lin Peishan would leave with him, or the two of them would have to separate and not know when they would meet again. Lin Peishan had relatives and friends in Hong Kong, and her family had connections with the upper echelons of Portugal in Macau. They were considered influential people. Her parents might not be willing to let her travel around so much, and besides, she still had to go to school.

"Why don't we go to the police station after school and see what happens?" Gui'er reassured her.

After school, the two followed the group to the Hong Kong Police Station. Gui'er specifically told Lin Peishan not to be too conspicuous, so the two followed at the very back of the group.

Upon arriving outside the police station, Gui'er looked up and saw a neoclassical building, four stories high, with a cement facade, simple lines, and blue-gray exterior walls. The main facade consisted of a gallery extending out onto the pedestrian walkway, supported by neat square columns. Above the central door was inscribed "HONG KONG POLICE," and the base of the columns was decorated with meander patterns and animal heads, giving it a rather majestic appearance.

The students first greeted the police officers guarding the gate, expressed their petition, and submitted a petition. However, they also prepared banners and signs, ready to protest at any time.

The police officer was quite polite; he took the petition with a smile and said, "Please wait a moment." Then he turned and went inside, while the group of people waited outside for the outcome.

Gui'er pulled Lin Peishan aside and whispered, "Be careful, don't let Ouyang Bao find out. If they find out that we're here to protest, they might get angry."

After about ten minutes, the police officer came out, said a few words to the student in the lead, and then went back to his post to continue his duty. The students looked at each other, at a loss.

Gui'er sensed something was amiss and quickly went over to ask, "What's wrong?"

The student in the lead said, "The police said Professor Xu was arrested for commercial fraud, and it has nothing to do with the progressive movement. They told us to go back." Everyone whispered among themselves.

The person said, "I heard that Professor Xu's family is indeed in business. Could it be that they are involved in some kind of commercial lawsuit? If so, we probably shouldn't get involved."

The one said, "Don't listen to those big-headed green-shirted bastards talking nonsense. They're just using it as an excuse. We must insist that they release him, otherwise Professor Xu might suffer in there."

"But what if it's true? Maybe we should go back and ask the other teachers and professors at the school."

Then some students started muttering and walking back. Although the leader was still insisting, the others advised him to figure things out first, so the students soon dispersed.

“What should we do?” Lin Peishan said. “Professor Xu wouldn’t really be arrested because of a business dispute, would he?”

Gui'er shook her head and said, "How could that be? He's a professor and doesn't usually get involved in the family business. Even if there's a dispute, it's just that recent deal with Ouyang Bao. It's obvious that Ouyang Bao is trying to frame him." She looked around and saw a side door with people in plain clothes going in and out. She whispered to Lin Peishan, "Why don't we go in and take a look, and do it again?"

Lin Peishan hesitated and said, "Is this okay? It would be troublesome if we all got arrested. My family doesn't know I came here today."

Gui'er pulled her aside and said, "Look at those people going in, there seem to be some people dressed rather simply going in. I suspect that's a place to handle some kind of procedures. This building should be interconnected, so as long as we go in through that door, we can go to other places. We mainly want to find out what's going on."

Lin Peishan was still hesitating when Gui'er said, "How about this, I'll go in, and you keep watch outside. If I haven't come out in half an hour, you go back and tell Brother Chen to think of a solution."

Lin Peishan quickly pulled her back and said, "Don't be impulsive. You're a girl. If you get caught and taken in, who knows what might happen to you."

Gui'er thought for a moment, then suddenly pointed to a woman wearing a traditional Chinese jacket and trousers with a straw hat and said, "Look, if I dress up like that and go in, I shouldn't stand out. Even if Ouyang Bao runs into me, he won't recognize me."

As she spoke, she took Lin Huifang's hand and searched the street. Sure enough, they found a secondhand clothing shop in an inconspicuous corner on the street.

Gui'er hurriedly went inside and asked the shopkeeper, "Boss, do you have any of those large-collared shirts, preferably in a darker color?"

The shop owner was an old lady in her fifties or sixties. She herself was wearing a silk blouse. She glanced at Gui'er and slowly used a bamboo fork to pick up a set of clothes hanging high on the wall. She said, "This set is one I just bought back. It's something that respectable people wear."

Gui'er took a look; it was also made of silk, dark blue with some patterns, and the size was just right for her.

She picked it up and smelled it, and the shopkeeper immediately said, "Don't worry, I washed all of these before taking them out. They weren't worn by dead people."

Gui'er smiled and asked, "How much?"

"5 yuan."

"Three pieces, please."

"Wow, this material is so good, take another look."

"It's only 3 yuan. If you don't want to buy it, I'll go to another store. I'm in a hurry."

"Okay, okay, here you go."

Gui'er immediately changed her clothes in the shop and tied her hair into a bun.