It was the morning of the garden party and the cricket match. Governor Isogai was delighted about the event because it offered an opportunity to entertain the constituencies he needed on his side to keep the city going. A large part of his work since taking control of the city had been in devising means to get the majority of the population on his side, and the match presented an opportunity that required little of him. Packing the stands were some former members of the Rajput and Punjabi regiments who felt anti-colonial sympathies with the occupying Japanese, as well as many Sikh policemen who continued the same duties they’d carried out under the British. They had been lifted by the Japanese administration into positions of power over the Chinese policemen, reversing the British racial order. Some Chinese policemen also were present, though in fewer numbers. Many Eurasians were present; the Japanese administration needed them to continue clerical and secretarial duties in banks, post offices, and private firms. Middle-class local Chinese, as well as overseas Chinese, particularly those with connections to Australia, were also present, being courted as potential allies. Triad members, too, who had prepared the way for the occupation and continued in service to the Japanese administration, were there beside Japanese military police, ordinary soldiers, civilian Japanese administrators, and members of both the Chinese Representative Council, including Robert Kotewall and Shouson Chow, and the Chinese Cooperative Council, including Old Mah, who was accompanied by Second Mother Polly, in turn attended by Pineapple, who helped her up into the stands. Aw Boon Haw, the Singaporean Tiger Balm magnate was also present, genuinely hopeful that the Japanese project in Asia might work out. Governor Isogai himself sat in the seat of honour, musing with pleasure on the possibility that Hong Kong might one day become an ordinary Japanese city.

Yim-Fong came from Tai Hang for the day, and sat in a special section close to the pitch that Cheung had arranged for her and the rest of his family. Cheung sat with her—it was so seldom these days that they got to visit. But eventually, he and Noma would be out on the pitch, as umpires.