‘They are the colours of the flag of Malaya. In a few months the colonial power will have gone. Maybe I will have gone to China’ – maybe not – ‘as the MCP is finished and if you want to revert to a life that most people want, wear these coloured knickers,’ and he handed them over.
‘And you?’
‘Don’t worry. I won’t look to see which pair you are wearing!’
She burst into laughter. ‘Can you come back in two or three days when I’ve had a good think about this?’
When C C Too heard the tape, he almost collapsed with laughter. Another idea struck him … It’s not often that I put our prize stallion onto a job but this is one I will. He can charm the legs off a clothes horse.
The next night Chan Man Yee’s bell rang and, suspiciously and reluctantly, she opened the door. There was a Chinese man whose face was vaguely familiar but whom she could not properly place. In fact he had stood next to one of the policemen who had searched her bag and found the sheets of paper. ‘What do you want?’ she asked tentatively.
‘I am a friend of the man who so upset you, Xi Zhan Yang. He boasted that …’ She interrupted him. ‘I don’t want to hear his name. Go away.’
‘Not so fast, please. He asked me to apologise to you so, if you could let me come in and talk to you privately, rather than on your doorstep, it could do you no harm.’
Unenthusiastically she allowed him to come in and upstairs they went. Once seated, he took a bottle of brandy out of his pocket and put it on the small table between them. ‘You have been worrying. I know, from what Xi Zhan Yang told me, that you never drink. Regard this as medicine. Just a little drop will do you good and cheer you, and me, up,’ and he smiled at her tenderly.
She hesitated. He leant forward and saying, ‘he told me he had hit you in the face’, gently stroked her cheek. Instead of jerking away, on a sudden impulse she took hold of his hand as she felt her ‘down below’ starting to throb. He sensed that he was winning her over. ‘I can offer you three things,’ he said softly. ‘The first is …’ and he stood up and going to the kitchen found two glasses, washed them out and brought them back. Saying nothing he poured a small amount of brandy into both of them and handed her a glass. She took it and he made sure their fingers brushed.
‘This is the first?’ she asked.
‘Yes, this is the first.’
‘And the second?’
‘Wait until you are really ready for it. I’ll tell you when I think you are.’
He lifted his glass and toasted formally, with the obligatory toast of yam seng – drink to victory – he downed the contents in one. Almost without thought so did she, nor did she refuse a refill, slightly more than the first lot. Her face mellowed and they talked casually for a while, then she asked, ‘what is the second?’
He rose and, one hand under her rump and the other on her breasts, lifted her onto her bed and lay beside her. ‘I’ll give you the choice of the second or the third.’
‘I’m ready for you,’ she said softly and his answer was, ‘shall I’ll show you the third?’
‘No, let’s have the second one now, now, now,’ and she started to undress him while he did the same for her.
An hour later, exhausted, he rose, dressed and went into the kitchen to make some tea. When he got back she was dressed once more. ‘And the third? It can’t be better than the second,’ she added almost wolfishly.
He took an envelope out of his pocket. ‘Open it and say if you want what it allows.’
She took it gingerly and, with a gasp so deep it made her cough, there was a permit for her to emigrate to mainland China. She read it through once, twice and then, after the third time, said, ‘Yes, I accept that but only if you can come with me.’
‘No, I can’t do that, but I can visit you until you leave, either with the name on the permit or, if you were to prefer it, another name.’
‘No, I’ll go under my own name’ and, unexpectedly, burst into tears.
Before Ah Fat and his Bear went back to Ha La, by way of Betong, he had another long session with C C Too, this time before he went to his office. After discussing Chan Man Yee he was told that Xi Zhan Yang had been picked up and would not be returning to MCP HQ.
‘As I am not expected to know anything about him I am sure I won’t be involved in any questions. But I have an idea what to do when any peace talks take place. Once the negotiators have gone into Malaya I may well be able to appropriate any of the documents that I know do exist about how the Chinese Communist Party sees what the MCP needs or can do. As you well know, there has been an MCP representative in Beijing for a long time and the radio in Betong is constantly used for messages between him and the Politburo. Anything I steal must be given to someone who without fail can bring to you. The area is sure to be heavily guarded and one of the conditions of a ceasefire talk will be that numbers involved will be kept to a minimum and extraneous movement restricted. Who can I give my findings to?’
C C Too put his head in his hands. ‘A bell is ringing in my mind. Let me think.’ Yes! ‘The Director of Operations feels that your friend Jason Rance can somehow find his way up there. Quite how we‘ve not even thought about. But if we can get him there, couldn’t that be an answer?’
‘It is a mighty big “if” …’ and his voice trailed off. ‘Yes, he is the only one I trust without endangering my own people.’
C C Too picked up his telephone and dialled the number of the Director of Operation’s Military Assistant and merely said, ‘I’m the Chinese who was sent for by the Director about Ten Foot Long.’
‘Yes, I know who you are. How can I help you?’
‘I have a man with me who must return north in a day or so. I think the Director would like to see him because quote “you have sown a tiny seed in my mind” unquote.’
‘I’m with it. Hold on while I go and ask.’
The answer was, ‘The General can squeeze you in between 1400 and 1420 this afternoon. Will that be enough time?’
‘It will have to be. See you then,’ and C C Too rang off and said to Ah Fat, ‘I’ll pick you up at your house at half past one.’
The two Chinese were ushered into the General’s office and C C Too introduced Ah Fat, adding, ‘Sir, apart from Mr Ah Fat being a childhood friend of and like a brother to Captain Rance, he has been our most active mole all through the Emergency years and is a non-voting member of the MCP Politburo. Normally I talk to him in the privacy of my house but meeting you in your office there’ll be no one to recognise him so here is not risky for his safety.’
The General held out his hand and shook Ah Fat’s warmly. ‘Now, meeting you is something I really do appreciate and thank you for coming.’
‘Sir, it’s my pleasure also.’
‘Sit down and I’ll order up some coffee.’ It was quickly brought in and the General glanced at his watch. Shall I delay my next meeting? I’ll see what C C Too has to say first.
‘Mr Too, bring me up to date. What is the actual reason for bringing Mr Ah Fat to see me at such short notice?’
‘Sir, will you let Mr Ah Fat answer your question?’
‘Yes, of course.’ The General turned slightly in his chair and said, ‘over to you.’
