In this chapter, the protagonist is introduced. He is a student at a university in the city of Zhengzhou, in central China. He has been studying abroad for a year and has returned home to find that his sister has been arrested by the police. He tells his aunt, who is the head of the family, that he has been married to the woman for one year, and that she has been suffering from a long-lost love for him. She tells him that she can give him 100 thousand dollars if he will leave the family immediately. The protagonist tells her that the police have surrounded the company where his sister is being held, and they have said that they will take her away. His aunt tells him to go back to his room, but he refuses, saying that he still has some contacts with the police and that he is sure his sister will be fine. He asks her to give him ten dollars if she can cure him of the pus on his face.