Chapter 3 Summary

Pei was taken aback when she encountered the Yung Kee Silk Factory. The building was larger than anything she had ever seen and built of brick. Inside, the rooms were hot and the slow moving ceiling fans did not improve the climate. Pei was shown the white cocoons and the process of spinning silk was explained. The cocoons were sorted, then boiled in water to loosen the threads, then the silk threads were wound onto bobbins to create the raw silk. The factory was owned by a man named Chung. Chung also employed managers to ensure that the girls completed their work.

All of the girls who boarded at Auntie Yee's worked the silk trade. Some were even employed in the same building as Pei. In addition to her and Lin, Mei-li and Chen Ling worked there as well. Mei-li always greeted Pei...