The Fan Summary

Grandmother and third sister are buried in accordance with their status in the household not far from Lily's home. The family is too poor to make much ado about the burials, but enter into their three-year mourning period. The young girls continue to heal and learn nu shu, and the first stage of the marriage contract is begun for elder sister and elder brother through the local matchmaker, Madame Gao. Elder brother is matched to someone of Aunt's home town of Gaojia, which means she will be able to communicate with her family. Elder sister is matched to a family higher in rank, but is only eleven and will not live there permanently until she is pregnant.

Madame Gao is coarse and unsophisticated compared to Madame Wang and makes in inappropriate comments in front of the little girls. Elder sister's sworn...