In this chapter, we are introduced to a new character, a young woman named Xiexi, who has just returned from a trip to Europe. She is a member of the second generation of the family, which is led by her father, uncle, and brother-in-law. She has just gotten pregnant, and she is worried about her baby's health. She tells us that the family does not welcome her, because she is a cousin of her father's. When she asks why she is not welcome, she is told that her parents are talking to her grandmother, who is still alive, and that she will not be able to leave.