Chapter 25 Summary and Analysis

It's a statement of the political machinery of the day that both Chang Shou-yu and De-hong, though they've been declared enemies of the state and hold no jobs, are receiving salaries. Chang Shou-yu even gets several years' back pay, making the family's bank account suddenly grow. Schools begin teaching and the youngest of the family, Xiao-fang, has his first schooling at age ten. As factories grow, they're recruiting workers and Jung gets the opportunity to return to Chengdu. One notable difference is that people are tired of the Cultural Revolution and long for the "good old days", making people like Chang Shou-yu and De-hong heroes.

Jung's father is released from prison. He's frail and ill and spends many months in Peking with De-hong, who has had a hysterectomy. As the universities begin to again accept students, Jung renews her hope to...