The Rice Harvest
- Three days after Ji-li was forced to drop out of the exhibition, she gets a note from Chang Hong saying they need to talk as soon as possible.
- They meet in the Red Guard Committee office alone.
- There, Chang explains that they want Ji-li to head to the summer fields for labor instead of the factory.
- Ji-li's disappointed to hear this because her mom is getting sicker. She wants to stay closer to home and work in the factory instead so she can help out at home.
- Chang tells her that her family's class isn't her fault, but she can remold herself by heading to the fields and working hard.
- Ji-li doesn't want to disappoint Chang, so she agrees to go.
- When she gets there, Ji-li is overwhelmed with work.
- They have to cut rows of leaves down to harvest rice, and they can't leave until it's done. Ji-li is slower than some of the other workers, but she doesn't give up, working late into the night even though she's up before dawn.
- One night Bai Shan offers to help her, but Ji-li refuses. She doesn't want to seem weak.
- Ji-li works so hard she forgets to take care of herself. She gets a bad cut and keeps working, despite the pain.
- And then Ji-li faints. When she comes to, J-li wakes sees Chang.
- She's come in from the city to work out in the fields—oh, and she has a message for Ji-li.
- Her dad's theater company wants her to work for the Revolutionary Committee, so Ji-li will be heading back there tonight.
- This isn't the best news to Ji-li, but what choice does she have?