As Pearl Buck states it: "there was no health in her for him." All else is subordinated to his love for her. He does not care for Ching's reports of the fields and the receding waters. He spends much of his time taking baths, which contrasts to the ritual bath he took before meeting O-lan, and he even has his braid cut off in order to please Lotus Flower; in contrast to Lotus, O-lan thinks that her husband has cut off his life.
The analogy between Wang and Hwang is drawn for us by O-lan, who, in a tone of scorn, says, "There is that about you which makes me think of one of the lords in the great house." Naturally, Wang Lung, in his present state of mind, takes this as a compliment. And much like the reports that we have of the members of the House of Hwang, Wang Lung lets the silver freely pass through his hands, spending it on jewels and favors for Lotus. Naturally, too, the relationship between Wang Lung and O-lan suffers during this period. O-lan is afraid to speak to him, knowing that his anger is always ready for a woman who "clearly had no beauty of hair or of person." The final insult by Wang Lung is when he takes the two pearls that O-lan has saved between her breasts; he plans to give them to Lotus, stating that "pearls are for fair women!"
