FADE IN.
Act 1
INT. SLEEPING ROOM - DAY
Waking up, Peter grabs his phone.
PETER (V.O.): Let me see what questions are posed to me from the world and answer some.
Peter types on the phone.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): People are concerned about the pandemic, I offer some insights and make some evidence-based predictions.
Peter checks other phone notifications.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd):This one is about my view on US's retaliation on China's enactment of the national security law for its Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The law should have come into effect now - 23 years after Hong Kong's rejoining China.
INT. STUDY - DAY
The TV is on.
PETER (V.O.): US and its allies are bad-mouthing China for human rights violations. These countries have similar national security laws and enforcement mechanism.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd) : They prefer instability on Chinese soil. The law will post a big obstacle to advance their national interest via their agents. They want to overpower China as they did in the 19th Century.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Seeing China's rising and instead of using blatant force, they now use the human rights facade.
Peter continues to type on his phone.
Act 2
INT. RESTAURANT - DAY
Peter and his WIFE are reading a menu.
PETER: I know you want to have beef ball noodles. I'll have the same too.
Orders done.
PETER (Cont'd): The last time we had the same was while you were home-working. Time flies.
Noodles are put on the table.
PETER (V.O.): When I first had beef ball noodles, I was in my teens.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): At that time, I had my anxieties, anger and other forms of negative cognition. But I was never violent.
FLASHBACK
EXT. MAKESHIFT NOODLES STALL - DAY (1971)
Peter (19) and his CLASSMATE (19) are having beef ball noodles.
PETER: Apart from sharing with me about existentialism, you've also introduced me to such yummy noodles.
CLASSMATE: It tastes better if you add some chili oil.
As his classmate demonstrates, Peter follows.
PETER: Oh yes! Very delicious!
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Then, China was still undergoing its Cultural Revolution. No one knew what would happen on July 1, 1997.
Checking a phone notification, Peter sees something interesting.
PETER: My lawyer friends have sent me e-copies of the primary legislation and the subordinate bill.
WIFE: Share the links with me too. I want to check what crimes may attract life imprisonment.
PETER: With the enactment, what remains to be done is relentless criminal enforcement.
Their eyes are glued to their phone screens.
INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
Peter and his wife are watching TV news.
PETER: Some people are still breaking the new law.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.): Earlier, a Quoran asked me why people refuse to wear masks in places where it's strictly mandatory. What's going on in their heads?
Peter reads his phone screen.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): People are difficult to change if they don't see any issue in their actions.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Without laws, enforcement and correctional services, some people will continue to be disobedient and irresponsible.
We see images of a mob violently assaulting a uniformed policeman. The policeman is stabbed and his shoulder is covered with blood.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And no criminals are arrested on the spot. Their norm is law-breaking rather than law-abiding.
Peter checks a phone video clip.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, someone even drives a motorbike at the police officers. So animalistic. He should have been shot dead on the spot if he was in US.
More news on a media conference.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Suspicion haunts the guilty mind...Oh my god, they appeal for conscience. Without clear and innocent conscience, they fear everything.
Act 3
INT. SITTING ROOM - NIGHT
The TV is on.
PETER (V.O.): UK will let BNO holders live and work in UK - a hypocrisy.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): UK should have done when they quit Hong Kong 23 years ago.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Whether the BNO holders would pick up the offer is a different matter.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm a honest and non-violent person, with the objective of doing good for Hong Kong, China, in short and longer terms.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm yellow and my eyes aren't blue. My mother tongue is Cantonese.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Moreover, when I was overseas, I had never had any beef ball noodles.
INT. SLEEPING ROOM - NIGHT
PETER (V.O.): I'm what I'm. And I sleep well every night.
FADE OUT.
THE END
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