Forgetfulness is essential to moving on.
-- Zhao's Father (Pages 1 - 4)

Importance: The short story opens with Zhao and his father saying goodbye on the train station platform. Though Zhao and his father both know that Zhao may never return to Shanghai or see his parents again, they both try not to cry. Instead of embracing his son, Zhao's father leaves him with the above line of wisdom. In the passages that follow, Zhao does not reflect or comment upon his father's parting advice. However, this line establishes the narrative's central conflicts and foreshadows Zhao's coming struggle to forget his past in order to survive his present. The line also contributes to the author's themes of forgetfulness, longing, and survival.

You must be Savage Zhao from Shanghai?
-- Chen (Pages 1 - 4)

Importance: Immediately upon arriving in X town, Zhao feels out of place. He finds a group of boys and follows them into the village, hoping that they will lead him...