Summary

It is 1955 in Nghệ An, and Diệu Lan’s husband Húng came home from a Viet Minh meeting. He was against the formation of a single political party in Vietnam and dissented within Viet Minh for this reason.

Hung’s behavior was unlike his usual self, and he had a fever from the juice they served at the meeting. Though Diệu Lan ran to find the healer, it was too late. Húng died from a poison that was served at the Viet Minh meeting, although they did not take responsibility for poisoning Hung.

After Hung’s death, the family continued to rebuild their farm. By October 1955, however, Diệu Lan is told that a nearby prosperous farming family had fled the North for the South. They left because of rumors of a Land Reform...