Translator's note: curious about why I'm working on the earlier chapters? You can find an explanation in the translator's note on the ninth chapter . - The cloak of the night was like a giant, satiated animal, and within Sijiucheng, [1] the lamp-light scattered cleanness, and Li Shiyi and Tu Laoyao each returned to their own homes without exchanging words. The winter wind whistled against the wood door, and Li Shiyi, holding Song Shijiu, entered the room, pushing the door open with her foot, and put Song Shijiu on the wooden bed, and from within the willow wardrobe, and took out a camphor-scented buckwheat pillow, putting it beneath her head, then fetched hot water and sat at the bedside and washed her body, seeing she didn’t make any sound, rather clever and obedient, and couldn’t help but reach out her index finger to tip up her chubby, pouting chin, and said to herself, “What sort of person are you?” Song Shijiu opened her eyes wide, and blew a perplexed bubble of spit.