The Last Generation

Three White Guards* were at the door. In chalky coveralls and white masks

showing nothing but the eyes behind the face screens, they looked chilly, 

sterile, and like bulky robots just off the assembly line. Volunteers for the

government's "dynamic-zero" effort, they seemed transformed once donning the

uniforms which not only fended off the deadly virus but also seemed to endow

the power to give and take away.

 

"You need to go with us." The tall white on the right with a beer belly

insisted. He sounded over 50. As he turned temporarily to face away, one could

see the letters POLICE on his back. 

 

"But we have tested negative. We don't need to go to the cabins." Shut in for

the lockdown for almost two months, the young couple were desperate. How could

such a simple message fail to get across?

 

"We have explained everything. You have to go. Or you are going to be punished for

security reasons." Tall white was getting testy.

 

"You don't have the right." the slender young man in bottle bottom glasses stated 

with a calm as if he actually believed what he had just said.

 

"Well. We'll see if we have." The reply came with a scorn. There was no surprise

in his voice. "We've explained everything. We'll follow the law. If you don't

comply, we'll punish you. Once you are punished, it's going to affect the next

three generations of your family." 

 

"We are the last generation. Thank you." He slammed the door.

 

* After the Red Guards in the Cultural Revolution.

 

[I don't know exactly the story behind the last sentence. He could mean that he 

had no kids and no plan to have any as a way to protest, or his kids were all 

out of the country and out of reach from whatever punishment they could inflict.]

[7grizzly]

回复 '暖冬cool夏' 的评论 : Thank you, 暖冬, for double-checking. Much appreciated.

Besides a few vlogs from the Chinese Northeast, I haven't paid much attention to life within the Wall. My family is here after all, and I am thankful. Have a great weekend!

[暖冬cool夏]

Re-reading the story, I actually found the expressions "beer belly", "bottle bottom glasses", "like bulky robots just off the assembly line" very vivid. I understand the ending perfectly now. Thanks, my friend.
The young retorted the threatening warning with a sneer. A lot of young people nowadays may prefer to be single or a dink, or they don't want their next generation to suffer like they are now.
Have a great weekend!

[7grizzly]

OK. I just updated it a bit, hopefully not making it worse :-)

[7grizzly]

回复 '暖冬cool夏' 的评论 : Thank you, 暖冬, for reading and your questions themselves are informative. Of course after reading the Chinese news, one understood everything. But the point is that maybe I should provide more context for future and, more importantly, non-Chinese readers. Thank you again.

[暖冬cool夏]

I just saw a Chinese version. Never mind. You are translating.

[暖冬cool夏]

Interesting, white guards after red guards... What I don't quite understand is the last sentence. Why the guy responded that this was the last generation? He did not have any offspring, so the punishment or threat won't work?