Hong Qiu had seen greed take possession of young people who, by means of contacts, relatives and not least ruthlessness, had managed to create huge fortunes. They felt untouchable, and that made them even more brutal and cynical. She wanted to offer resistance to them and to Ya Ru. The future was not a foregone conclusion; everything was still possible.
When she had finished writing, read through the letter, and made some corrections and clarifications, she sealed the envelope, wrote Ma Li’s name on it, then lay down on top of the bed to sleep. There was no sound from the darkness outside. Although she was very tired, it was some time before she fell asleep.
She got up at seven o’clock and watched the sunrise from her veranda. Ma Li was already in the breakfast room when she arrived. Hong Qiu joined her, ordered tea from the waitress and looked around the room. Members of the Chinese delegation were sitting at most of the tables. Ma Li announced that she intended to go down to the river to watch the animals.
‘Come to my room an hour from now,’ said Hong Qiu in a low voice. ‘I’m in number twenty-two.’
Ma Li nodded and asked no questions. Just like me, she’s lived a life that has taught us that secrets are a constant presence, Hong Qiu thought.
She finished her breakfast, then retired to her room to wait for Ma Li. The trip to the experimental farm wasn’t scheduled until half past nine.
After exactly an hour Ma Li knocked on her door. Hong Qiu gave her the letter she’d written during the night.
‘If anything happens to me,’ she said, ‘this letter will be important. If I die in my bed of old age, you can burn it.’
Ma Li looked hard at her. ‘Should I be worried about you?’
‘No. But the letter’s important even so. For the sake of others. And for our country.’
Hong Qiu could see that Ma Li was surprised. But she asked no more questions, merely put the letter in her bag.
‘What’s on the agenda today for you?’ Ma Li wondered.
‘A discussion with members of Mugabe’s security service. We’re going to assist them.’
‘Weapons?’
‘Partly But first and foremost helping to train their staff, teach them close combat, and also the art of keeping watch on people.’
‘Something we’re expert at.’
‘Do I detect hidden criticism in what you just said?’
‘Of course not,’ said Ma Li in surprise.
‘You know I’ve always maintained the importance of our country protecting itself from the enemy within just as much as from the one without. Many countries in the West would like nothing better than to see Zimbabwe collapse into bloody chaos. England has never accepted totally that the country liberated itself in 1980. Mugabe is surrounded by enemies. It would be stupid of him not to demand that his security service should operate at the very top end of its ability.’
And he’s not stupid, I suppose?’
‘Robert Mugabe is bright enough to realise that he must resist all attempts from the former colonial power to kick the legs from beneath the ruling party. If Zimbabwe falls, there are many other countries that could go down the same road.’
Hong Qiu accompanied Ma Li to the door and watched her disappear along the paved path meandering through the luxuriant greenery.
Right next to Hong Qiu’s bungalow was a jacaranda tree. She gazed at its light blue blossoms, and tried to think of something to compare the colour with, but in vain. She picked up a flower that had fallen to the ground. She placed it between the pages of her diary in order to press and preserve it. She took her diary with her wherever she went, but seldom got round to writing in it.
She was just about to settle down on the veranda and study a report on the political opposition in Zimbabwe when there was a knock on the door. Standing outside was one of the Chinese tour guides, a middle-aged man by the name of Shu Fu. Hong Qiu had noticed earlier he seemed scared stiff that something would go wrong with the arrangements. He seemed to be highly unsuitable as a guide on a big venture like this one, especially because his English was far from satisfactory.
‘Mrs Hong,’ said Shu Fu. ‘There’s been a change of plan. The minister of trade wants to visit a neighbouring country, Mozambique, and he wants you to be one of the party that accompanies him.’
‘Why?’
Hong Qiu’s surprise was genuine. She had never been in close contact with the minister of trade, Ke, and indeed had barely done more than shake hands with him before leaving for Harare.
‘The trade minister has just asked me to inform you that you will be travelling with him. There will be a small delegation.’
‘When shall we be leaving? And where to?’
Shu Fu wiped the sweat from his brow, then flung out his arms. He pointed to his watch. ‘I am unable to tell you any more details. The cars will be leaving for the airport in forty-five minutes. No delay will be tolerated. Everyone involved is requested to take light baggage only and to be prepared for an overnight stay. But it’s possible that you will return as soon as this evening.’
‘Where are we going? What’s the point?’
‘Minister of Trade Ke will explain that.’
‘But surely you can tell me the name of the town we’re headed for?’
‘To the city of Beira on the Indian Ocean. According to the information I have the flight will be less than an hour.’
Hong Qiu had no opportunity to ask any more questions. Shu Fu hurried back to the path.
Hong Qiu stood motionless in the doorway. There is only one explanation, she thought. Ya Ru wants me to be there. He is obviously one of those going with Ke. And he wants me there as well.
She remembered something she had heard during the flight to Africa. President Kaunda of Zambia had demanded that the national airline Zambia Airways should invest in one of the world’s biggest passenger jets at that time, a Boeing 747. There was no market to justify such a large aircraft flying regularly between Lusaka and London. But it soon transpired that President Kaunda’s real aim was to use the 747 on his regular journeys to and from other countries. Not because he wanted to travel in luxury but to have enough space for the opposition, or those in his government and among the top military leaders that he didn’t trust. He crammed his aircraft full of those who were prepared to plot against him or even to engineer a coup d’état while he was out of the country.
Was Ya Ru trying something similar? Did he want to have his sister close by so that he could keep tabs on her?
Hong Qiu thought about the twig that had snapped in the darkness outside her bungalow. It could hardly have been Ya Ru standing out there in the shadows. More likely somebody he had sent to spy on her.
As Hong Qiu didn’t want to oppose Ke, she packed the smaller of her two suitcases and prepared for the journey. A few minutes before departure she went to the front desk. There was no sign of either Ke or Ya Ru. On the other hand, she thought she had caught sight of Ya Ru’s bodyguard Liu Xan, though she wasn’t sure. Shu Fu escorted her to one of the waiting limousines. Also in her car were two men she knew worked in the Ministry of Agriculture in Beijing.