Mei fi rst refused, but then submitted under his presentable impression of patriarchy as a fi gure of authority in the family.
The parents-in-law started to clean the table in a distracted manner. Mei sat still but before long was forced to leave. By the hook of an irresistible temptation she seemed to be led to sit on the highest doorstep, which was still wet. She listened carefully. The quarrel between Mang and Sang sounded now thundering and now shrieking, as if an invisible wall was bitching all about her.