‘What dhet? If you are Chinese you have to know the language. I will have to learn it too. Or else, how will we teach our children?’

‘You are impossible. How can I know Chinese? We speak Assamese at home. Our mother is Assamese.’

‘Then what is the need to pay heed to such useless discussions? Come closer to me. I have something to tell you.’

‘What is it?’ Ahlin asked, blushing.

‘You won’t come closer? Shall I say it loudly?’

‘Hey – no – I am coming. Now tell me,’ Ahlin said as she walked up to Ananta.

Ananta looked at Ahlin and slowly uttered, ‘Wo ai ni.’

‘What does it mean?’ Ahlin asked.

‘I love you. I am learning Chinese. I will need it in the future.’

‘Dhet!’ Forgetting that there were people around, Ahlin burst out laughing.

On stage, Radha Krishna Khemka was speaking at that moment.

‘Chow En Lai has to understand. Our Nehruji says we still consider China our friend. Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai …’

After a long speech he left the dais to the sound of applause.

A student leader stood up to speak next.

‘Today we are making merry together with the Chinese inhabitants of Assam. We are very happy. But today in the Kameng Frontier, Indian soldiers are fighting to resist invasion. The Chinese troops must leave Indian soil. We must overthrow all the conspiracies of China, a country that wants to devour our land. We will never forgive this aggressor nation. We are still saying Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai.’

‘What is this person talking about?’ Mei Ho whispered to Anjali sitting next to her.

‘Perhaps they are saying that they don’t like this Hindi-Chini song. Let me ask Yiu Yi. She knows about a lot of things.’

‘Hey, Yiu Yi, why are they saying “Cheena Cheena” so angrily?’

‘The grown-ups usually talk like this. We hear a lot of big people talk like this on the radio. I don’t know what kind of people our fathers are. Nowadays they only sit in the house, listen to the radio and then they smoke cigarettes, drink tea and talk and talk. They don’t allow us to go near them. These days Maa and the others don’t get a chance to listen to the radio. They are very angry with our fathers. Yunlin ache has been here for some time. She is also angry because of this. She says it would have been better if she stayed in Ledo. But she cannot now.’

‘Why?’

Yiu Yi pointed to Ko Fuk and, with her finger on her lips, gestured to Mei Ho to keep quiet.

‘I know why she can’t stay there,’ Mei Ho said with a mysterious smile. ‘Yunlin ache is going to have a baby. Isn’t she?’

‘Yes,’ Yiu Yi smiled like an experienced woman. ‘Her appearance has totally changed do you know? What a huge tummy!’