Chapter 2 Summary

Pei was wakened before dawn by her father. She dressed quickly while her mother made the customary morning porridge. She was told only that she and her father were making a long journey that day. Pei traveled by foot farther than she had ever traveled. She followed her father and picked wildflowers along the way. They stopped only once, for lunch, and enjoyed one of Pei's favorite foods, Jong, which was typically reserved for special occasions. They walked all through the day and came to their destination late in the afternoon. Pei briefly took in her surroundings. They were in the largest town Pei had ever seen. From there, they boarded a boat called a sampan, which ferried them across the river to an industrial city known as Yung Kee.

Yung Kee was filled with commotion. The marketplace was a puzzling menagerie of...