> Chinese speak very freely about all topics in private and with people they know.

It sounds like that's not always the case:

https://www.inkstonenews.com/politics/tiananmen-crackdown-aw...

> Mark was intrigued by the seemingly unlikely scene, in which his now civil servant father chanted slogans against the government. But before he could probe him for more information, his mother had called an end to the discussion: “Stop talking about this.”

> ....Anecdotes of talented people punished for taking part in the protests are part of the Tiananmen story that witnesses have been passing on. The underlying message is: stay away or you will end up like that.