"You worry too much, Mr. Hong."<br/><br/>"You do not worry enough, Miss Wang."  Hong Liuzhe regarded her with a disapproving frown, unimpressed with her attitude.  "I understand you want to help," he said brusquely, "but you underestimate the risks involved in this."<br/><br/>She really wasn't, Xiaoxing wanted to say, but he had already made up his mind.  Liuzhe had been a dissident since before she was born-- almost since the bad days of Mao Zedong-- and was hardened to certain aspects of the underground life.  It was only by his words that she had been permitted to step into this shadow world, and he had only agreed to allow her into the circles after meeting her personally.  She knew better than to argue with him overtly; he might pull her from the demonstration entirely, and she'd fought so hard for the right to help.  "This is the only risk I'm taking, Uncle," she said without looking up, sketching over the characters she'd traced on the posterboard.  "One pass down the street, and I'm passing it off at the end to someone else."<br/><br/>Liuzhe was still not satisfied.  "You think that will be it?" he asked coldly.  "You think you will not be seen?  We are under watch all hours of the day.  Cameras are on the streets at all hours-- if not in the Party's hands, then in the hands of people who will speak to them."<br/><br/>"Someone has to hold it."  She applied the last few pen strokes and stood back, observing her work; then, satisfied, she held it up for his inspection and approval.<br/><br/><em>Long live freedom!  Long live democracy!</em><br/><br/>"...your penmanship is not bad," Liuzhe admitted after a bit.  "If they are going to take you, they will at least be able to clearly see your defiance."<br/><br/>Xiaoxing smiled a grim little smile and proceeded to roll the sign up into a tight little tube.  "You won't be going, Uncle?"<br/><br/>He shook his head.  "I know too much.  They will find a way to make me talk.  They are very good at that."<br/><br/>Xiaoxing nodded, then bowed from the waist, cupping one hand in the other in a namaste salute.  "We'll miss you," she said fondly.<br/><br/>"Let us hope you do not," he responded gruffly, but mimed the gesture just the same.  "I am one old man too many these days."<br/><br/>She laughed and waved, and was on her way.  February 20th was still two days away, but it was important to her that she get this done in relative secrecy.  Her dormitory living wouldn't afford her much in the way of privacy to work on the whole poster, but if it were rolled up, none of her roommates would think twice about it.  Just one more project by the smart girl in CS.<br/><br/>The dormitory was so far away, though...