The novel opens on the eve of the new year, which is also known as "New Year's Eve" in China. It is a day when people celebrate the end of the previous year and begin the new one. In this case, it is also a day to celebrate the beginning of a new year. The narrator tells us that this is a very important day in the novel because it is the day of the "new year" in the Chinese language. He says that this day is also the day that "the invisible wind" comes to the rescue of the protagonist. He explains that on this day, the protagonist's master has invited him to visit him.