009

After return to England, Lude maintained contact with Lian Pu, engaging in discussions about the weather in Hong Kong and London, as well as topics related to astronomy, geography, and current events. Their disagreements added an extra dimension to their understanding. Had Lude not informed Lian Pu before returning to China about his decision to "deliberately violate the law," Lian Pu might have forgotten the barriers between them. 

Lude planned to enter the conversion therapy centre located in Sha Tau Kok alone, to uncover its corrective methods and illicit transactions, expose them to the world, and prepare to bury this illegal medical treatment centre that should not exist, deep underground.

Lian Pu opposed Lude's plan, not only questioning its feasibility but also the idea of he taking it on alone. 

Lude had not disclosed to Lian Pu that he was not recklessly charging in alone solely based on passion. Therefore, the debate on whether "Lude should or should not 'test the law with his own'" sparked heated discussions between the two, continuing until Lude's return to China.

The two individuals met once again, standing at the Victoria Harbour port.

"Lude, what made you reveal the deeper truth behind my father's sacrifice to me?" Lian Pu's voice remained calm.

"Before giving you the letter, I mentioned that my true self is a man who loves men, so this letter is probably to make you aware of your father's stance on love for a minority," Lude explained.

"And then?" Lian Pu chuckled.

"There is no 'and then', I simply felt that your mother kept something from you, and you should know," Lude replied.

"So, I should collaborate with you, is that it?"

"The tasks I want to undertake, I have discussed openly with you and have formally invited you to cooperate," Lude asserted, turning to Lian Pu, staring intently, and continued, "Lian Pu, don't you realise it yourself? You are independent in character, with free thoughts, and I have always respected your opinions."

"The mainland's tumultuous struggle has only ended a few years ago. I know that the young people in the Chinese mainland are willing to measure their youth with the awakening of personal freedom. But Lian Pu," Lude gestured towards Victoria Harbour, "you are now in Hong Kong, ruled by the British. Has the heart of this place, which has changed over the past century, ever truly changed? In less than ten years, it will return to the embrace of Mainland China. Will the freedom here no longer be our responsibility?"

Lian Pu stood half a head shorter than Lude, facing the sea breeze and nightfall, gazing at Lude. His lips did not move as he softly replied, "Yes."

This seemingly weightless yet profound "yes" was carried away by the sea breeze, unheard by Lude.

"The WHO has not removed homosexuality from the list of mental disorders. Neither Hong Kong nor the mainland has decriminalised homosexuality. I am now using my means to defend the love between individuals of this orientation. For this cause, I am willing to sacrifice my insignificant life," Lude changed his tone, looking down on Lian Pu with the air of a superior, and spoke frankly.

"You never agreed to cooperate, so this matter is solely mine. It is about us, born in Hong Kong, wanting to grant more freedom to minorities. Do you understand?" Lude said boldly before turning to leave, leaving Lian Pu staring at his departing figure, his heart suddenly aching.

He tossed and turned all night without sleep. Staring at the empty ceiling, he closed his eyes, pondering over the words "Life offers diverging paths, you head towards Xiangxiang while I head towards Qin," accompanied by a profound question mark in his mind. Every word Lude said that night swirled in his thoughts, dissected and examined, each one a stark reality. Despite standing on different grounds, worrying about different societal issues, and gazing at different lands and worlds, both young individuals born in the same era received signals they desperately wanted to strive for.

In the following days, the two did not communicate, yet they were engaged in the same activity. 

Before Lian Pu could reach out to Lude, news about him had already spread like wildfire across Hong Kong Island. The young scion of the Xing family quit his soon-to-be-confirmed position at PWC, publicly rejecting all forms of arranged meetings and marriages, while also coming out openly during a family banquet. 

That night, Lude was first confined to his room, then ordered by his father to reflect in the ancestral hall, and finally, the father and son engaged in an all-night conversation in the study. Ultimately, they made a bet: if Lude could emerge unscathed from the gender correction centre, he would have the freedom to decide his future life; if he failed to come out intact, he would abide by the family's words on marriage and life. 

The day Lude entered the Chung Ying Street, the two crossed paths on the street.

Lian Pu went to find Uncle Kang and Uncle Yuan. Sitting on a chair, he lowered his shoulders, stared into space for a while, and then asked in a despondent and frustrated tone, "Uncle Kang, Uncle Yuan, how did you confirm it? "

How do you determine the changes in feelings, called love? He searched through all the relevant books and publications but could not find an answer. 

Uncle Kang clasped Uncle Yuan's rough hand and in that moment, he said, "When we reunited, when I met him again amidst the turmoil, I felt a sense of surviving a catastrophe in my heart. At that moment, I was certain that the childhood friendship had turned into love." Various images flashed through his mind, confirming one thing - if even love cannot be free, how can youthful passion be free?