The scene opens on the roof of the school, where the two students are standing in front of a glass bead. The two students have just skipped class, and the bead is a gift from their father. The bead is symbolic of the difficulty of the "shu road" , which means "the difficult road leading to heaven." The bead symbolizes that the two boys have been punished for skipping class together, and it is the bead that they are holding that symbolizes the change in their father's attitude toward life. When the bead reaches the top of the roof, it is clear that the sky is in the grasp of both boys. They are both amazed at the change that has taken place in their world, and they eagerly await the day when they will celebrate their birthdays.