This chapter opens with a description of Tong xie and his companion, the fox spirit. The fox spirit is kind of like Tongxie, but he's not as rational as the other one. He'd give up his rationality if he were to choose between the two, and he'd be upset if he chose the other. This is the first time we've heard that this is the case, and we're not sure what to make of it. The narrator tells us that hiding zhi-yi isn't his business, and that he should just stick to the fox's side. He says that since the fox is willing to sign a contract with the young man, he should have something to attract him. He gives us a pearl that's worth a lot of money, and the narrator says that it's a good thing that he doesn't need to thank the brothers for touching it.