Part 3, Chapter 12 Summary

Lin is beginning to have fantasies of escape, of running away from home and starting a new life under an assumed name, but knows he could never run away from his guilt. Manna generously suggests Lin take some gifts of food to Shuyu for the upcoming holiday of Spring Festival and find out how she and Hua are doing. Lin does want to see how they are, although he has heard from Hua that Shuyu's sciatica is better and she enjoys her life in the city, although she sometimes misses her home in the country.

Lin finds their rooms inside the match plant dormitory house, and peers through the window at the domestic scene displayed inside. Mother and daughter are making pies, singing, looking happy, and content. He feels emotion stirring in him, and remembers a story about a man who...