Free Last Kiss in Tiananmen Square by Lisa Zhang Wharton Page B

and buildings. The air turned a little cooler. But the amount of activities on campus had not decreased at all. It would go on until midnight. Nothing normal was happening on campus anymore.
     
    As they approached the Triangle, they could hear someone speaking.
     
    “Our country has many problems that need reform. We have to start the change. Let’s begin by overthrowing the official student association and establishing one that really represents us.” Baiyun couldn’t recognize the person but she was eager to find out.
     
    “Anyone who has the courage to get up, give his name, his major and what class he is in, is automatically a member of the Beida Solidarity Student Federation.” A different speaker announced toward the crowd. Several students started fighting his way toward the center of the crowd. They pushed and pulled with full strength. People’s cursing and yelling followed them. One of them jumped to the center.
     
    “My name is Li Ming and people call me Big Li. I am a junior in the Chemistry Department. I support the movement wholeheartedly,” he said proudly. People cheered for him.
     
    “I can’t believe this nerd has stood out,” said Baiyun to Dagong.
     
    “All kinds of people show up unexpectedly, even the dead man like me could come back to life,” said Dagong.
     
    Baiyun stared at him and then punched him lightly on the belly, “you are funny.”
     
    “I’m not entirely joking. I will tell you later. Let’s see what they have to say.”
     
    “Comrade, it is so nice to have you.” A medium sized young man came over and shook hands with Big Li.
     
    Longfe stood up and started speaking. Baiyun whispered into Dagong’s ears that Longfe was Yumei’s boyfriend.
     
    “Beida is a school with an honorable tradition, a tradition of leading true democratic movements. But recently Beida has fallen behind other universities. Hu Yaobang’s death gives us the perfect moment. We should seize this opportunity to reenact our tradition of democracy and science, but we must proceed with reason and planning.” Then many more students came out and gave short speeches.
     
    Yumei walked out. After giving Longfe a hug, she started speaking. Her face was radiant. “Like most of people, I was drawn into the movement by emotion and excitement. I thought it was fun. Now I realized how important it could be. Our Beida is always ahead like during the famous May 4 th student movement seventy years ago. Our burden is heavy. Other schools are looking up to us. It is our responsibility to lead our country,” she paused and threw her fist into the air. “Like many other movements, victory will not come easily. It may cost blood and even lives. But I am ready. I am ready to sacrifice my youth and my body to this honorable cause.” The crowd applauded for her when she moved to the side.
     
    “Wow, she is ready to sacrifice her beautiful body,” said Baiyun to Dagong. Dagong rolled his eyes and nodded. Then he started moving forward.
     
    “Where are you going?” Baiyun whispered. Dagong put his fingers across his lips to indicate that she should be silent.
     
    Dagong stepped on a wooden stool, speaking.
     
    “Unlike you, I’m a technician from Beijing Automobile Parts Factory.” The crowd cheered. “Unlike you, I have suffered a lot during the Cultural Revolution. Unlike you, I was not allowed to go to college due to my family background. Now I’m proud to be part of this movement. You will need our help to move tanks.” He raised his big fist.
     
    With her mouth half open, Baiyun stared at Dagong. She couldn’t believe her eyes how this soft spoken man could be such a confident speaker. She jumped up and down cheering for him. Among this excited crowd of students, she found friends, solidarity, and home. At this moment, her mother’s warning, her eagerness to go abroad and leaving home had all disappeared. She felt that she was so proud to be here, to be part of this exciting