In this chapter, we are introduced to a number of characters who are important figures in the Chinese business community. The first person we meet is the head of the company, Mr. quan. He tells us that the company has been suspended from business in Hong Kong because of an outbreak of smallpox. The company has also been hit by an attack from an unknown source, which has led to the loss of many jobs. . The second person is Mr. Lu Qian, the wife of Mr. Yucheng. She is pregnant, and she is worried about her husband, who does not love her. She tells him that she has found a medicine in her doctor's office, but it is not safe for pregnant women.