Thousand Pieces of Gold

A picture of a young woman looking through a barred window precedes this chapter.

Lalu waits to go through Customs in San Francisco. She reflects on the fact that she’s heard people talk about gold all throughout her journey, which reminds her that her father always called her his qianjin. Li Ma, the woman bringing her to the auction house, has instructed her to pretend to be a merchant’s wife. She tells Lalu if she fails to get through customs, she will go to prison, but if she succeeds, she will be able to eventually go back to China.

When Lalu steps in front of the customs officer, she is shocked at the white man because she has never stood that close to a white man before. Li Ma encourages her to give the man her papers, but Lalu is confused and unable to do so. Li Ma gives the man and his Chinese interpreter Lalu’s forged paperwork. As she passes the papers to the interpreter, she slips him some gold. The customs officer allows Lalu to enter the country.

While Lalu and Li Ma head into the city, some white boys throw stones at them.