“Those poor boys,” Professor Kang murmured. He looked down his glasses at Lian. “Our military liaison, Colonel Chung, is a good man. Let’s talk to Miss Yee first, let her know we’re trying to free her. Then when I know what’s needed, I’ll go see the colonel.”

The police in Changsha let them in to see Meirong but would only allow one visitor at a time. When Professor Kang came out of the holding room, he went straight to the senior police officer.

“Miss Yee says you have her rucksack,” he said.

“We took it to look for antigovernment materials,” the officer said.

“It contains textbooks that are university property,” the professor said. “We need those back, nothing else.”

The officer reached into the cabinet beside his desk and pulled out Meirong’s rucksack. “There were papers in there, we took those.”

“I just want the university’s property back,” Professor Kang said, his voice mild.

The officer unbuckled the straps on the rucksack and emptied its contents on his desk. Some pencils, notebooks, two books. A sandalwood comb. A brown paper bag of dried apricots. Professor Kang picked up the two books. One was a textbook, the other Meirong’s copy of the Legends. The rest he put back in the rucksack, which he handed to Lian.

“I’m going to see Colonel Chung now, to sort this out,” he said to the policeman. “I will return shortly. This young lady has brought clothing and some personal items for Miss Yee. Please let her into the holding cell.”

The small room was windowless, airless. When Lian entered, Meirong opened her eyes. She was sitting on a wooden chair, one wrist cuffed to the armrest. She had tilted the chair on its back legs so that she could lean her head against the wall behind. The front legs of the chair thumped on the floor when Lian hurried over to her. There were dark circles under Meirong’s eyes.

“Lian. I was so happy when Professor Kang told me you’d come with him.” Even though she spoke barely above a whisper, her voice sounded rough.

“How are you?” Lian said. “Here’s your rucksack. And I brought you some clothes, toothbrush, soap . . .”

Meirong shook her head. “Take them back with you,” she said. “I won’t get to keep them anyway.”

“Why did they arrest you?” Lian said.

“They found out,” Meirong said. “They know I’m involved with the Communist movement. I was only an hour out of that little town when they arrested me.”

“Was your comrade . . .” Lian faltered.

“He never showed up. I think he’s been arrested too,” Meirong said. Then her voice dulled. “Lian, they want to send me to a reeducation camp. To make me an example. A warning to students.”

“A reeducation camp,” Lian said, trying to sound cheerful. “They’re like a kind of school.”