When Luo and the narrator returned the book to Four-Eyes, the two friends find out that Four-Eyes isn't too keen on
lending them any more from his suitcase. But then, at the end of summer, they find another chance to get another novel.
Four-Eyes receives a letter from his mother telling him of a former admirer who thinks he can get a job for him at a revolutionary journal. In order for him to do so, he must gather a collection of authentic folk songs full of "romantic realism".
Four-Eyes searches for weeks on end, even skipping out on his work in the fields to try and gather songs to no avail. Finally, just as he was about to give up, he learns of an old miller, who supposedly knows all the songs of the region. However, he is rejected by the miller and earns nothing but a
massive infestation of lice from the visit.
At his wits end, he finally agrees to lend the narrator and Luo a few of his books if they can procure the songs from the
old miller.
