Chapter 4 Summary

After the fish dinner, Helen begins to brag about her son, aggravating Winnie who thinks her own son has a far better character. Helen recounts arguing with Mary about whether she should call her mother long distance for no reason. Winnie ignores the obvious devotion of a daughter who wants to hear her mother's voice and thinks Helen is ridiculous for wasting time and money by arguing about wasting time and money. Helen draws out from Winnie what she already knows, that Winnie and Pearl do not talk much. Pearl calls Winnie only when she wants something.

Helen then announces abruptly to Winnie that she no longer has to hide, producing a letter from a friend, Betty, who has written to tell them that Wen Fu is dead. Winnie had forbidden Helen to speak his name, so she refers to him as "that...