In this chapter, we are introduced to the protagonist, who is a sophomore student at a high school in Shanghai. He has just finished a twenty-page story, which he describes as a "nerve-wracking" exercise. He feels that he is going to regret his actions that day, and he asks his boss if he can practice his writing. The boss tells him that he should go to the hospital immediately for examination, and then he should return to class the next day and complete his homework. He then tells the protagonist to return to the comic book store and buy himself a character-writing book.