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WEI: I was a student at the police academy at the time, and I saw TV reports of the fire. Those capitalists have hearts of stone. I felt so sorry for what happened to you, but if you are looking for compensation, you need to go to the courts. Either that or go see the city’s Party committee or government. You could even take your case to the media.

CHEN MEI: Didn’t you say you knew Magistrate Bao? He’s the only one who can give me justice.

WEI: (with forced resolve) All right, let’s hear it. I’ll do everything within my power to take your case to my superiors.

CHEN MEI: I want to charge them with the crime of stealing my child.

WEI: Who stole your child? Take your time. Just tell me what happened. I think you need a drink of water. You’re getting hoarse. Water will help. (pours a glass of water and hands it to her.)

CHEN MEI: No water for me. I know that’s just an excuse so you can see my face. I hate my face and hate for others to see it.

WEI: I’m sorry, but that wasn’t my intention.

CHEN MEI: I have only looked in a mirror once since the accident. I hate mirrors, hate anything that gives reflections. I was going to kill myself after I’d paid off my father’s debts, but I’ve changed my mind. If I killed myself, my baby would starve to death. If I killed myself, my baby would be an orphan. I hear my baby crying. Listen… he’s cried himself hoarse. I want to nurse him, my breasts have swelled up like balloons about to pop. But they’ve hidden my baby someplace…

WEI: Who are they?

CHEN MEI: (casts a watchful glance at the door) Frogs, bullfrogs as big as pot lids, always croaking, vicious frogs, frogs that eat children…

WEI: (gets up and shuts the door) Don’t worry, big sister, these walls are soundproof.

CHEN MEI: They know all the tricks, and they conspire with officials.

WEI: They don’t scare Magistrate Bao.

CHEN MEI: (gets out of the chair and kneels) Magistrate Bao, the injustice to this common woman is as deep as the ocean. Please see that justice is done.

WEI: You may speak.

CHEN MEI: Reporting. This commoner is Chen Mei, a resident of Northeast Gaomi Township. Her father, Chen Bi, greatly favours boys over girls. Years ago, when he wanted a son, he forced my mother into an illegal pregnancy, but the secret was exposed. He hid her here and there, until they were chased and caught on the river. My mother had her baby — me — and then died. My father was disappointed to have a second daughter. He abandoned me at first, then took me back, but because I was born illegally, he was fined five thousand eight hundred yuan. From then on he took to drinking, and when he was drunk he beat his daughters. When we could we two went south to work in a Guangdong factory to pay off our father’s debts and hope for a brighter future. My sister, Chen Er, and I were known as great beauties who could make our fortune if we wished to leave the path of virtue. But we refused to give up our chastity and modelled ourselves after the lotus that emerges from the mud and remains pure. But there was a terrible fire that claimed my sister’s life and ruined my face…

Wei dries her eyes with a tissue.

CHEN MEI: My sister died trying to save me… why did you do that, Sister? I’d rather be dead than live a life like someone who is neither human nor demon.

WEI: Those horrid capitalists. They should all be rounded up and shot.

CHEN MEI: They’re not so bad. They gave us twenty thousand for my sister and paid all my hospital bills plus fifteen thousand. I gave it all to Father. Dad, I said, this is for the fine you paid when I was born plus twenty years’ interest. I no longer owe you anything.

WEI: Your dad is not a good man either.

CHEN MEI: Good or bad, he’s still my dad, and you’re out of line saying that.

WEI: What did he spend the money on?

CHEN MEI: What else? Food, drink, cigarettes, till it was all gone.

WEI: A degenerate man, no better than a pig or a dog.

CHEN MEI: I told you not to talk about him like that.

WEI: (self-mocking) I was just following your lead.

CHEN MEI: Eventually, I went to work at the Bullfrog Company.

WEI: I’m aware of that company, it’s quite famous. I hear they’re working on making a high-end skin care product out of frog skins. If they’re successful, they’ll own the global patent.

CHEN MEI: They’re the ones I’m charging.

WEI: Tell me.

CHEN MEI: Raising bullfrogs is just a screen. Their real business is making babies.

WEI: Making babies, how?

CHEN MEI: They’ve hired a bunch of young women to get pregnant for rich men.

WEI: Are you kidding me?