This scene opens with a conversation between Dr. Song and his wife. The two women are discussing the recent mayoral election in Shanghai and the fact that the new mayor, Mr. sheng, is a member of the same family as their daughter, the newly-wed zhisheng. The conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Song's aunt, who tells the doctor that he is being rude to her because he is her mother-in-law. The aunt also tells him not to say anything about his daughter's father in front of the newly married saishua, because it is not her fault that she got so mad