Chapter 3—Pages 244-283 Summary

After the wedding is over, Yuan is ready to see his father after all these years. In fact, he feels sad in his mother's home for she sits more quietly than ever, and Mei-ling is busy with school. He thinks perhaps the girl is avoiding him as part of her modest nature, something he likes about her. When the time comes that he must leave, he realizes he wants to say good-bye to Mei-ling. So he waits for a later train in hopes of having dinner with her and his lady mother before leaving. "And as they talked he found he listened for the girl's speech, very clear and soft and pleasant, always, and not shy and giggling as the laughter of maids is sometimes. She seemed always busy at some bit of sewing, and once or...