In 1960, during the famine, the commune specially allocated my family 20 jin of rice seeds for scientific research.
My girlfriend, Liu Suting, wanted to assert her authority at the educated youth station, so she ground them all into flour to make rice cakes.
Holding one of the finished rice cakes, she shoved it into my mouth. "Look at Zhang Liguo. He does whatever I say! You should take a good look at yourself!"
I stared at the rice cake in her hand, stunned. She had no idea these seeds had been carefully selected by scientists for experiments, and were vital to feeding the whole nation.
With the seeds gone, my entire family was branded counterrevolutionary.
We were paraded through the streets. My parents were stoned to death, my younger sister starved to death, and, unable to bear the blow, I hanged myself.
When I opened my eyes, I was back on the day Liu Suting ground the rice seeds into flour.
Several educated youths were making rice cakes. Liu Suting grabbed one and shoved it into my mouth as if to show off:
"Eat! I saved this one just for you."
I accepted it gladly, wrapped the whole rice cake in a piece of cloth, and stuffed it into my pocket. "I can't bear to eat it. I'll save it for my mother."
Then I went straight to the village committee. "Village chief, Liu Suting, an educated youth, used my family's rice seeds to make rice cakes. She set one aside especially for you. Please have a taste."
