Episode 1 One Child

DANCE MUSIC

SPEAKS MANDARIN

Hey, black pig!

Don't stress yourself, please.

Hey, go home.

And take your stupid car with you!

IN MANDARIN:

MESSAGE ALERT

PEOPLE CHATTING

-Hi, Mei.

-Hi, you all right?

Hi, I'll be there in a minute.

'Hello, this is Qianyi.

'Thank you for calling me.'

What is this about?

'I have a message from your mother.

'Your mother here in Guangzhou.'

'Mei, are you there?'

'Hello?'

I don't know any mother in Guangzhou.

'You were adopted, yes?'

Yes.

'I am talking about your mother who had you adopted.

'I am a friend of hers.'

What message?

'She needs your help.'

What do you mean?

'Her son, your brother, is in trouble.'

What brother?

'His name is Ajun. He was born after your adoption.

'An African man was killed in the street in my city,

'and your brother was arrested for the crime. Arrested and convicted.

'I am a journalist for a newspaper here, City News.

'I reported on the case, and your brother was not involved.

'He was just a witness.

'Mei?'

Yes?

'Can you come here?'

To Guangzhou?

-'Yes.'

-What can I do?

'Because you are from England, it will help us.

'You can stay in my apartment, and I will get everything you need.

'Your mother is desperate to see you.'

Is she there? Is she with you?

'No, she is in her home and I am in my apartment.

'We have appealed against your brother's sentence.'

What is his sentence?

'One moment.'

WRITING

'Careful.'

'I can organise everything once you are here.

'All you have to do is get your flight and your visa.

'But tell no-one. Just tell people you're meeting your mother.

'This is most important.

'Don't worry, Mei, I will take care of you.

'You will be safe, I promise.

'I will send you the link to my report on his case,

'but it will tell you nothing of what really happened.

'We will reveal the truth at the appeal.

'Trust me, Mei, please.

'You were adopted from the Guangzhou Orphanage

'on 16th of April 1992, yes?'

Yes.

'Your adoption number is 2985, yes?'

Yes.

'And you have a wax burn mark, right side.'

I have a birthmark there.

'No, your mother told me it is a burn mark.

'She made it before you went into the orphanage,

'in order to identify you.

'In the hope that she would see you again.'

'Please read my report.'

Bobby!

Hi! Mum, Dad?

There you are!

Jim!

-How was your journey?

-It was fine.

Oh, you look well.

-No, you don't, you don't look well, you look tired.

-Mum...

-Are you working too hard?

-No.

-You sure?

-Mum, I'm just...

-No more than anyone else.

-I hope so.

-Where's Dad?

-Busy with his book.

He's scratching himself again. Which means he's got to an important bit.

Jim, Mei's here!

-Hello, Mei!

-Hi, Dad.

Be with you in a moment.

OK.

Maybe I am a bit tired.

Nice, quiet weekend.

-I'll take my bag upstairs.

-All right.

What would you like to drink?

Tea, please. Thank you.

My tutor thinks I can get a posting in San Diego,

-the astrophysics centre.

-Hey! That would be something.

That's certainly would!

-He's promised to see what he can do for me.

-That's marvellous!

-Their facilities are amazing.

-Congratulations.

And I've had a message from China.

From my birth mother.

Not from her directly, but from a woman contacting me on her behalf.

-Well, that'll be a scam.

-No, it's not, Dad. She wants to see me.

-Who does? Your birth mother?

-Yes.

-Mei, this has to be a scam.

-No, it's not.

-There was a scam only last year. Do you remember?

-In the newsletter?

-I know, but this isn't.

The woman I spoke to had the day of my adoption,

-and my adoption number...

-People can find that out...

..and she asked me if I had a burn mark where I have it.

-That's a birthmark, Mei.

-She said it's not.

She said it's a burn mark.

That my birth mother had marked me before she abandoned me.

In the hope of...

If she were to ever see me again.

-And your birth father? Do you know anything?

-He died 11 years ago.

-Apparently.

-Oh, that's terrible.

How did she know where to find you?

She already had the day she put me in the orphanage.

And the name the orphanage gave me.

The rest of the information she got from there.

And what do you know about her?

She lives in Guangzhou.

That's really all I know.

Did she say why she wants to see you?

Because...

Because I suppose she's been searching for me.

What you want to do?

Well...

Now that she has made contact...

-You want to go and meet her.

-Yes, I do.

Well...

I think, if you want to meet her, you should go.

Is that all right?

Yes. Oh, yes.

I won't go if you don't...

We'd already put some money aside for you,

-should you ever want to make that journey.

-Yes, we did.

Do you want one of us to go with you?

No, she doesn't want one of us

-chaperoning her around like a 12-year-old.

-No. No, of course.

-You certainly have our blessing, Mei.

-Yes, you do.

You don't have to worry about that.

It's important for you to go.

It was always in our mind for you to do this.

-And we must make sure that you get a lovely hotel.

-Yes!

We'll be in charge of that. But you stay in contact.

Yes, because we're going to want to know everything.

-Not that we wanted to interfere, of course.

-I will call you every day.

-Well, here we are.

-No more wondering who she might be.

-Photos!

-Yes, you must take some photographs.

-I will.

You sure you're going to be all right, going on your own?

-We should call the adoption group.

-Good idea, why not?

-They'll have lots of good advice, Mei.

-OK.

When are you thinking you might want to go?

I've finished my coursework for this term,

so it seems like the best time is now.

Come on.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Qianyi?

Mei? Hello.

I am very pleased to meet you.

IN MANDARIN:

Oh, you speak Mandarin?

Only a little. I've been practising that.

Is this where she lives?

In the village, yes. Further in.

Is this the first time that you have been here?

My mum and dad brought me here when I was ten,

-but I don't remember much.

-Most of the city was not built then.

Almost there.

BABY CRYING

Is there any way I can see her before she sees me?

I don't think that is going to be possible. Her home is very small.

OK.

SPEAKS MANDARIN

Take off your shoes.

SPEAKS MANDARIN

I was telling her about where you live in England.

That your home is in your village.

That you are studying astronomy.

She's very surprised by that.

She wants to thank you for coming here and helping her.

We managed to get home of Ajun's case documents.

She wants you to see them.

These are the statements of the witnesses.

They all say the same thing - that your brother killed the African.

Mei?

-Is this the only reason why I'm here?

-No, it's...

She's not even looking at me.

She feels ashamed.

Every statement is exactly the same, the same detail, the same lie.

You will have to be patient with her.

How many of these are there?

15.

-15 witnesses?

-Yes.

The boy who killed the African, his three friends, and 11 others.

How is that possible?

This is Guan Xiaopeng, the real killer.

And this is his father, Guan Peng.

He owns factories in Dongguan. He has 70,000 employees,

and he's a very powerful...

SHE SPEAKS MANDARIN

This is Guan Peng's brother.

The head of Provincial Security Division, Guan Xin.

Another very powerful man.

With men like this, everything is possible.

If a member of the family commits a crime,

they will make sure something is arranged.

Their usual way out is to give money to the family of the victims

so the case never goes to court.

But in this situation, the Nigerian Embassy demanded an arrest.

So someone had to be found to take Guan Xiaopeng's place.

Your brother comes from a poor family and has no connections,

so he was the obvious choice.

This is Ajun's confession.

-He confessed?

-He was forced to confess.

Mentally, physically. It is quite common.

This is the pronouncement of the court that he is guilty.

And this is the pronouncement of his sentence to death.

So what can I do?

We can work on a plan, but first I suggest you get some rest.

What's she saying?

She's begging you for help, because there's no-one to help her here.

She says the appeal is to be heard

in the Provincial Higher People's Court in three weeks' time,

and if she's not successful, then they will execute her son.

But I don't know what I can do! What can I do, what can I tell her?

-What's she saying now?

-She's saying the same as before.

There is no-one else to help her, there are only three weeks left,

and her son is all that she has in the world.

I don't feel well, I'm sorry.

We can go if you like.

Yes, please, I'd like to go. Please, I'm sorry.

I will tell her you're tired from the flight.

Tell her whatever you like, I need to go.

-Mei!

-She's not my mother.

-She's not my mother!

-She IS your mother.

I know she's not, because I don't feel it. There's nothing between us.

She's a stranger to me, just a woman. Any woman.

Didn't I prove to you that she is your mother?

And even if she is, she doesn't want me.

She's only wanting to get her son out of prison.

-She won't even look at me.

-She's too ashamed to look at you, Mei.

-Then why did she bring me back here?

-She didn't ask you to come back, I did.

I looked for you and I found you.

I was hoping that you might have connections.

-Me?

-Your family, in government or in business?

My mother translates Russian novels.

My father writes about Greek history.

What connections do I have?

I'm useless to her.

And she doesn't even want me here.

This has been a terrible mistake. She never wanted me to come back.

-'I don't understand that.'

-'Why did she invite you?'

Because her son is in prison and she wants me to get him out.

Her son?

Yes.

-You didn't tell us she had a son.

-In prison for what?

It was a fight outside a nightclub.

'But why does she want you there for that? What can you do?'

I don't know.

-It's difficult to understand.

-It doesn't make sense, Mei.

I know. I told you, I've made a terrible mistake.

Didn't you say you are an astrophysicist?

-Why would you say that?

-Well, she's not a lawyer.

-I know she's not a lawyer.

-I know you know, but they don't.

'I think I need to come home.'

'We can get you home if you want to come home. That's easily done.'

'We can sort all that out.'

But what I don't understand, Mei...

Do you want us to get you a ticket to fly back tomorrow?

..why you weren't told of this trouble before you went out there.

I was.

I was asked not to tell anyone.

Why the heck not?

'I don't know.'

Who told you not to tell?

That Quini...Quini woman?

'Qianyi, Dad.'

Why would she tell you that?

I don't know! I just...

I'm OK, really, I'm just upset.

'Mei, what would you like for us to do for you?'

'We can change your ticket.'

Would you like us to do that?

-It's OK.

-Do you want us to come out there to you?

You can't, you need a visa.

OK, should we get you a contact out there, someone who can support you?

There's a woman at the adoption group, do you want me to call her?

-And then there's the consulate, the British Consulate.

-'No, it's OK.'

It's just been very stressful seeing her, and...

A long day and I have jet lag...

I have a period.

And it was a mistake to do this. That's all.

The hotel will change my ticket.

I'll come home and forget this ever happened.

Should we go out there?

She did say she was coming home.

We should've be more rigorous.

-What else could we have done?

-Ask more questions.

The adoption board encouraged her and off she went.

But, of course, you're right.

-A brother in prison?

-Well...

What she mustn't do now is get involved in anything,

-or anybody, while she's still out there.

-Didn't we tell her that?

-I don't know, did you?

-I can't...I can't remember.

I'll call her.

PHONE RINGS

-Yes?

-It's Qianyi.

I was worrying about you.

I'm OK.

Do you want to go out and eat?

I've already eaten.

The photograph she tried to give you.

Would you like to meet your brother before you go?

-Ajun?

-Yes.

-In the prison?

-Yes.

Can I do that?

I have got you permission.

It was not easy, but a friend in the prison service fixed it up for us.

PHONE RINGS

Sorry.

-Hi, Dad.

-'Sweetheart, I forgot to tell you.'

Very important,

don't get involved in anything or anybody before you come home.

'Honey, you can't do anything to help anyone there.

'So take your father's advice and come home.'

Did you hear that?

Yes.

'If you start interfering with the way they do things,

'they won't like it.'

Yes, Dad.

Bye.

Does he know about me?

Yes. Your mother told him.

Since he has been in prison, after we found you.

And?

And he's very excited to learn that he has a sister.

And he's excited to see you.

All you have to do is take this authorisation

and give a little money to the guard taking you to the visiting room.

He's expecting it, and it will allow you to speak English.

Don't worry, you'll be fine.

That is the Higher People's Court, where we go for the appeal.

Where they will make a final decision.

GUARD SPEAKS MANDARIN

My sister! All this way from London!

Shh.

We must speak quietly.

Thank you, thank you.

Cool city.

-It is.

-The coolest city!

Yes, it is a cool city.

I did not kill the African.

Please, Sister, help me.

I did not kill him.

-I saw your mother and...

-Our mother?

You meet her?

Yesterday. Yes.

I went to your home.

Do you like her?

Yeah. She gave me this.

Oh, no! That is not a cool photo!

She'll think this is cool.

She does, she loves that photo.

That is funny.

She will be so, so happy that you are here.

Will you tell her that I'm always thinking about her?

Yeah.

What do you study, Chinese?

Astrophysics.

It's the planets and...

The night sky.

-Space!

-Yes!

-You look at the stars?

-Yes.

My friend Eddie says there is a comet coming

and it will kill everyone. It will destroy the world.

No! I don't think so.

December the 21st.

That is not how to look at the stars.

When you see the stars in the sky, you must just look and wonder.

Just wonder and think... huge thoughts.

In three weeks,

if no-one speak for me,

I will die.

It is another boy who killed the African. It is not me.

I know.

I'll do everything I can for you.

Thank you.

Sister, thank you.

-Speak to Tao, he will tell you what happened.

-Speak to who?

My friend, Huang Tao. Ask him to be a witness in the court for me.

-He's my best friend.

-OK, I'll ask him.

I was standing next to him when the African was killed.

I know him all my life, he will tell the truth.

Has he not already made a statement?

-No.

-Why not?

Because they know he will protect me.

-OK.

-And then talk to Eddie, the DJ.

He teaches me everything - how to wear cool clothes,

how to speak cool English.

He is SO the cool man.

The coolest man in the world!

Has he not made a statement either?

He made a statement, but he was frightened into telling lies.

I know he wants to tell the truth. Talk to him.

OK.

-Speak to Sam.

-Who's Sam?

-Samuel Abulu.

-Is he also a witness?

-Yes.

Where do I find him?

Little Africa, Baiyun Trading. All the Africans are there.

Baiyun Trading. OK.

They are my friends.

Chinese don't like them, but they are cool people.

I am the DJ assist, so I am like African now.

-So you will talk to my friends for me?

-Yes, of course.

Of course I will.

Thank you, Sister.

Thank you.

I feel that you will free me.

I feel it in here.

-So when I am free, can I go to London?

-Yes.

-And you will stay with me.

-I want to do that.

I want to be a DJ.

A DJ in London!

You will.

In my cell...there is a little window in the top...

I can see a star.

Every night, one star. I can see it.

It is you. In the night. Every night. Looking at me.

Yes. I'm there. Every night.

GUARD SHOUTS IN MANDARIN

Please, talk to my lawyer.

-GUARD SHOUTS

-Save me from this!

-I will.

I'll get you free! And I'll take you to London.

You'll stay with me and you will DJ

and I will show you the stars in the sky...

DOOR SLAMS

GUARD SHOUTS IN MANDARIN

Anyone can see that he's innocent. Anyone can see that.

This is why had to find you. I want to see his lawyer.

HE SHOUTS

He's telling you that it is a case we cannot win.

But he's his lawyer! Why?

SHE SPEAKS MANDARIN

Guan Peng's connections are too powerful.

So why did he put in an appeal in the first place?

Because there is always an appeal.

And that's it?

-The only reason?

-He's paid by the government whatever happens,

so if he's not going to win,

he doesn't see the point in doing anything.

So...

-he's completely useless?

-Yes.

What about the British Consulate? Ask him if I should go there.

SHE SPEAKS MANDARIN

He says it is a good idea that we should do that.

HEAVY DOORS SLAM

-MAN:

-I appreciate your situation,

but there really is nothing the consulate can do for you.

-But as he's my brother...

-And not a British subject,

so we have no call to interfere with the local judicial process.

But he was just plucked out of the air to take the place of the killer!

-He is completely innocent.

-Unfortunately,

we do hear of this sort of thing happening from time to time,

but as I say, it's purely an internal matter for the Chinese

authorities, so you'll have to take it up with them.

But Qianyi says there is no-one in authority who will take it up!

Well, yes, and that is sometimes the reality, I'm afraid.

So...

I'm sorry.

-So...

-I'm really sorry, but I can't be of any help to you.

You must be able to do something. Can't you help unofficially?

Whatever I do here,

I'm still a representative of the British government, and so...

You must have some connections! Someone...

The use of connections is always compromising

and it would be unethical me to place myself,

as a British government official, in that kind of position.

I really am sorry, it's... terribly upsetting, I know.

LOUD CHATTER

WOMAN SPEAKS MANDARIN

SPEAKS MANDARIN

She wants to know how Ajun is.

He asked me to send his love to you.

SHE TRANSLATES

She's thanking you for seeing him.

Tell her that I know he's innocent.

SHE TRANSLATES

And that when I saw him, I saw him as my brother.

SHE TRANSLATES

And that I'll fight for him as my brother.

SHE TRANSLATES

She'll come back in a minute. She just didn't want to...

you know, in front of us.

Are you OK?

SHE SPEAKS MANDARIN

She wants to show you something.

SHE SPEAKS MANDARIN

She's saying that she came here from Henan Province

to work in the factory.

And she met your father, Li Nansheng.

When they were married they were given a birth permit.

If you had a permit you were allowed one child.

SHE SPEAKS MANDARIN

Her father's family decided that this child must be a boy,

so when you were born she knew she would have to give you away.

She remembers the tears because she knew, even the first time

she was feeding you, she was having to say goodbye to you.

After two weeks she says she fed you for the last time.

She wrapped you up so you were warm and took you to the orphanage.

She left you at the entrance and she waited

until someone picked you up and took you inside.

WOMAN SPEAKS MANDARIN

She asks if you understand.

She says that to leave you at the orphanage was the saddest

moment in her life.

She says she made a mark on your body with a candle

before she left you, hoping one day it would bring you back to her.

She would never ask this,

but it would make her happy to see the mark.

She says that she has spent every day of your life thinking about you.

I'm just going to out there for a moment.

No! Stay here.

SHE SPEAKS SOFTLY IN MANDARIN

WOMAN CHUCKLES

I've got to get him released.

There are some people I want you to meet.

OVERLAPPING CHATTER

-MAN:

-We're safe out here in the open, but we have to be careful.

We are always being monitored. So just act normal.

My name is Dongping.

I am a journalist. Hua and Dazhen are lawyers.

Chen is a businessman and Yuan is a scientist.

We are members of the Citizens' Justice Movement.

It was formed by a man named Jiang Zhen. Have you heard of him?

No.

He set it up to campaign against corruption in the courts and in the

offices of government, to create an accountable and democratic society.

What we failed to achieve at Tiananmen Square,

we can achieve through campaigning on cases like your brother's.

If we expose the truth in society in the courts, case by case,

we may see the beginning of a profound change in civic society.

And in freeing your brother,

we can bring down the two most corrupt men in our city.

These are the two men who framed your brother -

Guan Peng and his brother Guan Xin, the Chief Of Police.

If anyone of us as individuals tries to take them on,

they will imprison us,

remove us from our jobs and have our licence to practise law revoked.

They can destroy our livelihoods just like that, but acting

together in the Citizens' Justice Movement, we can bring them down.

If we can persuade one witness to tell the truth...

Get one witness to change his evidence...

..then we have something to work on.

What we are asking you to do,

and our best chance is to use you, as the sister of Ajun.

Go with Qianyi,

find that one witness for us.

And if you succeed, we will use all our influence to

get your brother freed.

MOBILE PHONE RINGS

-'Hi, Mei!

-Hello, Mei, Dad here.'

-Hi, Mum, hi, Dad.

-'What is happening?'

-Nothing at the moment.

-What you mean, nothing?

-'I'm just in my hotel room.'

-When are you coming home?

Have you changed your flight yet?

-'No.'

-Why not?

I've been doing other things.

'Anything you want to tell us about?'

Well, it's...difficult.

-I...met my birth mother again.

-'How was that?'

-It was OK.

'What you mean, OK? Why was it difficult?'

I said it was OK, not difficult.

Other things are difficult.

-What things?

-'Nothing!

'I've just got back into my hotel and I need time to think.'

OK, and we appreciate that, Mei.

But you have to give us more information than this.

I can't really talk about it on the phone.

-'Why don't you try?'

-Because I don't feel I can at the moment!

I don't know what to think, and as I said,

I've only just come back into my hotel.

Who else have you been meeting?

No-one. Why?

Because we're both extremely anxious here.

-You don't have to be!

-'So what else have you been doing

'that you haven't had time to plan'

when you're coming back?

-Nothing else!

-You must be doing something!

-'Mum, I'm not!'

-What about the situation with your brother? What's happening with that?

-I don't know.

'Mei, any foreigner trying to interfere with domestic affairs

'will just bring trouble upon themselves.'

Serious trouble.

We have looked up cases on the internet, Mei,

and if your friend out there thinks that you can make any difference...

I don't need this advice!

I know what is happening here and I know how to look after myself!

-But if you don't...

-Good God, please!

DIALLING TONE

Huh!

-We need to do something here.

-Did you find the name of the consulate?

I'll do that right now!

SHE SIGHS

I have to advise you most strongly

not to get involved with these people.

-You didn't see my brother kill Mr Alozie.

-I said what I saw!

Go away from here!

I am trying to protect my people here.

Now you'll have to protect them from this.

It was like a pain in me all these years.

And now, if I can get Ajun out of prison and free for her,

it would be the best thing I could ever do in my life.

The best thing ever.

-MR LIN:

-Get this evidence and I will make everything else possible.

We will have your brother free.