While our class was in Iran conducting research, our campus belle, Lin Xiaoxiao, complained about the heat and insisted on wearing a bikini to the beach.
Her boyfriend, Zhao Kai, wanted to grant her wish and insisted on taking the whole class along.
I warned him, “Iranian law prohibits women from wearing revealing clothing. Violators can be imprisoned, and may even be in danger of losing their lives.”
He slapped me in front of everyone. “Gao Qing, stop fearmongering! Are you just jealous that Xiaoxiao has a great figure and can't stand seeing us happy together?”
The other students chimed in. “Exactly! You actually made up such an outrageous lie just to break Xiaoxiao and Kai-ge up. That's disgusting!”
I was furious and hurt, but for their safety, I still went to get our homeroom teacher.
After hearing what had happened, the teacher harshly reprimanded everyone and canceled the beach trip by force.
Later, sulking because she hadn't gotten to wear a bikini to the beach, Lin Xiaoxiao went out alone. Local extremists mistook her for a spy and arrested her. She was killed.
Zhao Kai blamed me for everything. One night, he came to my house with gasoline and set it on fire, burning me and my parents alive.
The rest of the class helped him evade suspicion by fabricating an alibi.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day our campus belle had urged everyone to wear bikinis to the beach.
This time, I just smiled. “Go ahead! Have the time of your lives!”
