Summary

Chapter 5 opens with Marie recalling her afternoon spent alone as her mother and Ai-ming drive to the Canada-US border. In the evening that followed, Marie recalled the story Ai-ming told her.

In the story, a stranger gives Sparrow a letter and leaves. The letter tells him that Wen has escaped from his re-education camp and is on the run, and asks his family not to look for him. Swirl has been recently released, and is living with Sparrow’s family. The next day, officers come to their home and demand to know if they are harboring Wen, but the officers are chased away by Ba Lute.

Sparrow accompanies Zhuli to the music conservatory where they are both students. Sparrow, Zhuli, and Kai, their mutual friend who is a pianist, go for a walk in the park during their lunch break. When they...