Two lines of tears suddenly coursed down, but there was no sign of it in her voice, which was completely even. She said, ‘It’s my fault, I … seduced him. Can you tell the Party not to punish him? I’m begging you.’

Seeing the tears rolling down her cheeks, I could feel my anger abating, and I asked her in a low voice, ‘Do you really want to rescue him?’

She nodded seriously. ‘He is innocent, after all.’

‘Things have got to the stage where it is useless to talk about innocence, but there is still one way that you can save him.’

She asked me enthusiastically, ‘How?’

I was toying with her. ‘That’s up to you.’

She was very clever, and worked out what I meant straight away. ‘You mean I have to crack RECOVERY?’

‘Yes. If you can crack RECOVERY quickly, then you are a heroine, and you can do anything. Whatever you want, I will agree to.’

‘How long is quickly?’

‘As soon as you can.’

‘A year?’

‘OK.’

She heard me say the word, and then she said firmly, ‘OK. I want you to remember what you have said: you’ve given me a year!’

Then she rushed out of the door.

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