The next day, the two men prepare to leave for the northern city of Gujiang. As they prepare to depart, the young man asks the old man to help him relax. The old man tells him that he is a healthy man and that he loves his wife. The young man says that he should not waste his time with Gujiang, because he is in love with the one he loves. He says that the doctor has told him he is not ready to go through with the experiment, and that the dog that lives next door has barked at him all night. The two men agree to go to Gujiang together.