This novel is marked with the characteristics that there is no single thread and central figure One of the most sobering scenes centers around everyone's detachment toward that quagmire and its result in several calamities. The background and characteristics of these people are vague, where they are labeled as functional parts that constitute the society without any human agency and identity. Chapter 2 mainly narrates the story of how people in Hulan town are involved in several
local events and festivals, revealing some of the pervasive superstitions in traditional beliefs. One of the events, the dance of the sorceress plays a significant role in plot development in Chapter 5.
Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 Chapter 3 and 4 turn to describe the narrator's family and other people living in the compound. Chapters 3 is particularly devoted to the narrator's grandfather, but those warm scenes are only a transient flashback throughout the whole book [my translation]. "I" enjoy playing in the garden, studying poetry, and eating different food cooked by my granddad. This chapter also depicts many other narrator's family members including the narrator's grandmum who died because of her illness. "I" dislike her as she cannot bear my naughty behavior. Chapter 4 then turns to portray the narrator's family compound and how different types of tenants live their lives. The house consists of seven axisymmetric buildings standing in a line with a gateway in the middle that appears to be imposing, along with six more shabby rooms, three dilapidated huts, and three milling sheds. But it is viewed to be dreary from the perspective of the young narrator, where the narrator repeated it several times throughout the chapter. The tenants dwelling in are described as coarse individuals including hog farmers, bean-flour sifters, a miller, a carter and his family.
Chapter 5, Chapter 6, and Chapter 7 The last three chapters are respectively unfolded surrounding three characters: The child bride, Second Uncle You, and Harelip Feng. Chapter 5 is a tragic story of Xiao Tuan Yuan, an arranged child bride of the carter family. Once she arrives, many people feel curious about her and want to have a look. After a few days, the child bride's mother-in-law starts to beat her, making her become even more of the focal topic of conversation among neighbors. Later, she is then thought to be "sick" and the dance of the sorceress is set up to drive away from the evil spirit together with loads of special potions and magical charms offered by different people, but the child bride's illness becomes more serious so a soothsayer is invited. However, nothing seems to work and the sicker the child bride is thought to be, the harder her mother-in-law will beat her. Finally, the family turns to the sorceress again. This time the child bride is bathed with extremely hot water in front of the public. Suffering from all those afflictions, the child bride died eventually. Chapter 6 talks about the narrators' relative Second Uncle You whose name "You" comes from his nickname "Youzi" (有子). From the narrator's perspective, he appears to be a weird vagrant who just sleeps wherever there is a place available for him with his jumbled bedding. He wears a straw hat without a brim, a gown going down to his knees and a pair of shoes lacking either soles or heels. Later, the narrator discovers Second Uncle You stealing different kinds of goods but then also joins him, and they both choose to conceal the secret for each other. There is also a scene describing how others believe that he is trying to commit suicide by hanging himself or jumping down the well but it isn't the truth. The behavior of Second Uncle You indicates his position as completely an outsider of the household. The last chapter concentrates on the character Harelip Feng who is a miller, poor but honest. One day, when "I" go to the mill to buy some rice cake, "I" accidentally discover Harelip Feng's wife and child who have never been talked about by him before. Harelip Feng comes to my grandfather for help because his proprietor's wife is extremely irritated with the presence of his family members who are thought to ruin the "Fengshui" (风水), and my grandfather finally agrees to provide them with a hay storage shed for temporary settlement. Such an affair soon be known to the entire compound and almost everyone starts to discuss and gossip about Harelip Feng's wife Big Sister Wang. Another "excited" activity for neighbors is to gather together to watch the fun of anything related to Harelip Feng's family. Unfortunately, Big Sister Wang died after giving birth to the second baby later in September, but Harelip Feng still holds a firm belief on life. He takes all responsibilities for his work as well as two children instead of filling himself with sorrow as is expected by everyone in the compound. == Literary criticism and significance ==