Frog

Gugu said that the effects of Zhang Quan’s sympathy-seeking ruse were excellent — many of the women watching were in tears. Of course, some were resentful. As women with two children and IUDs, or three without a son, had had their tubes tied, they had no sympathy for Zhang Quan’s wife. A bowl of water must be carried level, Gugu said, and if we let Zhang Quan’s wife have a fourth child, those women would skin me alive. If Zhang Quan prevailed, the red flag would be lowered, but that would be nothing compared to a halting in the progress of family planning. So I gave the signal, Gugu said, and walked up to Zhang Quan with Little Lion and Huang Qiuya. Smart, courageous, loyal Little Lion, moved in front of me in case Zhang used his club. I pulled her back behind me. The petty bourgeois intellectual, Huang Qiuya, was fine for a bit of technical help, but when push came to shove, she was so scared she nearly fell apart. Gugu strode straight up to Zhang. The language he used on me, she said, was worse than you could imagine, and if I repeated it, the words would dirty your ears and my mouth. But my heart was hard as steel then, and my personal safety was not a concern. Go ahead, Zhang Quan, call me any insulting thing you want — whore, bitch, murderous devil — I don’t care. But your wife is going with me. Going where? To the health centre.

With eyes fixed on Zhang’s savage face, she walked right up to him. His three daughters rushed up to her, cursing like their father, the two smaller ones holding on to Gugu’s legs, while their oldest sister rammed her head into Gugu’s midsection. All three were on her like leeches, and she tried to fight them off. A sharp pain in her knee, she knew, meant she’d been bitten. Another head to her midsection knocked her flat on her back. Little Lion grabbed the oldest girl by the neck and flung her to the side; but the girl came right back at her, driving her head into Little Lion’s midsection, where her belt buckle hit her on the nose, which started to bleed. Seeing the blood on the back of her hand a moment later produced a mixture of terror and dread. As Zhang rushed to club Little Lion like a raving maniac, Gugu ran up and put herself between them. The club hit her forehead. She fell again. Are you people dead? Little Lion screamed at the onlookers. Zhang Jinya and his militiamen ran up and wrestled Zhang Quan to the ground, pinning his arms behind him. His daughters looked like they wanted to come to his aid, but they too were wrestled to the ground by Party women. Little Lion and Huang Qiuya wrapped a bandage from the medicine kit around Gugu’s head; blood seeped through the wrapping almost at once. They wrapped it some more. Gugu’s head was spinning and her ears rang; she saw stars and everything took on the colour of blood; people’s faces were as red as a cockscomb, even the trees seemed to blaze like torches.

Hearing what was happening, Qin He came over from the river and froze when he saw Gugu’s injury. Then a howl burst from his lips, followed by a mouthful of blood. When people rushed up to help him, he pushed them away and staggered forward as if drunk, picking up the club, now stained with Gugu’s blood, and raised it over Zhang’s head. Put that down! Gugu shouted as she struggled to her feet. You’re supposed to be watching the boat. What are you doing here? Making things worse. With a sheepish look, Qin He dropped the club and walked slowly back to the riverbank.

Gugu pushed Little Lion away and walked up to Zhang Quan, while Qin He was still howling as he walked towards the riverbank — Gugu was too focused on glaring at Zhang Quan to look behind her. The man was still cursing, but there was fear in his eyes now. Let him go, she said to the militiamen who held him by the arms. When they hesitated, she repeated herself. Let him go!

Give him back his club! she demanded.

One of the militiamen dragged the club up and tossed it down in front of Zhang.

Pick it up! Gugu said with a sneer.

Zhang mumbled, I’ll fight anyone who tries to end the Zhang family line!

Fine! Gugu said. You’re a brave man. She pointed to her head. Hit me here, she said, right here! She took a couple of steps closer. Me, she shouted, Wan Xin, this is the day I put my life on the line! Back when a little Japanese soldier came at me with a bayonet, I wasn’t afraid, so why should I be afraid of you today?

Zhang Jinya came up and shoved Zhang Quan. Apologise to Chairwoman Wan!

I don’t need his apology, Gugu said. Family planning is national policy. If we don’t control our population, there won’t be enough to feed and clothe our people, and a failure in education will lower the quality of our population, keeping the country weak. Sacrificing my life for national family planning is a small price to pay!

Zhang Jinya, Little Lion said, get on the phone and send for the police.

Zhang Jinya kicked Zhang Quan. On your knees! he demanded, and ask Chairwoman Wan for forgiveness.