After forty years of martial law, Taiwan finally saw its end. The summer following its repeal was not only scorching hot but also filled with a tense political atmosphere as the wave of political liberalization swept through the island.
"Down with the eternal legislature! Old thieves, get out!" The streets of downtown Taipei were packed with protesters. Waving banners of opposition and marching in long, organized lines led by command vehicles, the demonstrators stretched across multiple streets. Traffic was completely paralyzed—even a mouse couldn't scurry across the road.
Taxi driver Lao Wang found himself trapped in the protest for nearly half an hour. Growing anxious, he checked his watch and wondered how much longer it would take to get past the mere ten-meter stretch of road ahead.
"You can protest all you want, but don’t block traffic!" Unable to hold back his frustration, Lao Wang stepped out of his taxi and complained to the marchers. His words were met with a torrent of curses and a wave of rough shoves.
Reacting instinctively, Lao Wang raised his hands to defend himself, shouting, "Can't you be reasonable?" But his protest only enraged some of the more aggressive demonstrators. Fists and kicks rained down on him, forcing the poor driver to cover his head and flee, yet he couldn't escape the relentless beating.
Caught in the same traffic jam, Ashan saw the attack and rushed forward to help. He called out to the violent mob, "Stop fighting! We're all on the same side!" However, his words only made things worse. Seeing his strong build, tanned skin, and military-style buzz cut, some protesters mistook him for an undercover government agent. They turned their aggression toward him, shouting, "Beat this KMT lackey to death! Take down this secret police dog!"
Outnumbered and overpowered, Ashan couldn't withstand the flurry of blows. Eventually, his vision blurred, and he collapsed under the assault.
In the hospital room, Ashan's mother stood beside his bed, calling his name over and over again, her voice filled with worry. He remained unresponsive, his head wrapped in bandages, with traces of blood still seeping through the gauze.
《Epilogue》
Modern China endured a century of turmoil, and even after the victory against Japan, the civil war between the Nationalists and Communists made lasting peace elusive.
For centuries, migrants from mainland China have crossed the sea to settle in Taiwan, and this continues today. The prosperity and stability Taiwan enjoys now owe much to the contributions of past and present immigrants.
Ashan’s story is not unique. There are countless untold stories like his, reflecting the struggles and milestones of Taiwan’s development in our era.
台灣經過了長達四十年的戒嚴時代，終於落幕結束了。解嚴後的夏天，隨著政治開放的熱潮，似乎更加的炎熱，空氣中也帶著令人緊繃的氣氛。
「打倒萬年國會！老賊滾蛋！」在台北鬧區的一條街上，擠滿了抗議的人潮。隨著鮮明反對旗幟，指揮車的前導，抗議的人群行列，拉長了好幾條街。交通當然也就堵塞，連老鼠也過不了街。
計程車司機老王在無意中陷入此人潮，已經近半個小時了。他焦急地看著錶，心想不知還要過多久，他才能穿過這不到十米的街道。
「你們遊行可以呀！但是不要妨害到交通嘛！」憨直的老王終於忍不住走下車來，向遊行的隊伍抱怨。不料到隨之而來是一陣惡罵及粗魯的推擠。
老王自然反應地伸出手去阻擋，口中不停地喊著：「你們到底講不講理啊！」想不到，這反而更加激怒了遊行中的暴力份子的拳打腳踏。可憐的老王只得抱頭鼠竄，但是仍然無法逃離無情的追打。
此時也陷在車陣中的阿三為了幫助計程車司機解圍，挺身而出向暴力群眾喊道：「不要再打了，大家都是自己人嘛！」幾個追打老王的持棍份子見到了身體結實，膚色棕黑，留著平頭的阿三，像是發現了潛藏在人群之中的軍警便衣份子，轉而圍向阿三大聲叫著：「打死你這個國民黨的走狗！打死你這個情治爪牙！」雙手難擋四拳，阿三在多人棍棒齊下，無法抵抗的情況下，終於眼前一黑，倒了下去。
在醫院的病房裏，焦急的阿三媽一聲又一聲地叫著「阿三！阿三！」躺在病床上的阿三似乎沒有什麼反應，只見得平頭纏著的紗布中還滲透著些許血漬。
《後記》
中國近代經歷了百年的戰亂，抗日勝利後，因國共戰爭仍和平難以一求。
台灣多世紀以來一直就有唐山移民跨海而來，至今亦然。台灣人能有今日之平安快樂的日子，過去的移民及今日的移民都有很大的貢獻。
阿三不是單一的故事，其實在我們的身邊一直有許許多多阿三的故事，記載著我們這個時代台灣發展的點點滴滴。
