Letter: Zhang tells Dr. Hsia that she has finished a portion of her project and asks him, if he has time, to look over it. She also informs Dr. Hsia about the arrival of the National Endowment for the Arts application that she has received and is already working on even though the deadline is seven months away. Lastly, she muses about academic problems, i.e.f trying to acquire texts without sufficient funding.

Letter: Zhang updates Dr. Hsia on the progress of her National Endowment for the Humanities grant, his inclusion of her works in his anthology Twentieth Century Chinese Short Stories (Xiandai Zhongguo Xiaoshuo), and her reasons for wanting to move away from northern California.

Letter: Zhang tells Dr. Hsia about her agent, Mrs. Marie Rodell, who suggested that she write a short book. Zhang requests that Dr. Hsia send a particular essay to her agent.

Letter: Zhang continues to discuss the idea of writing a book which her agent suggested. Zhang explains that the topic appeals to a wide audience and is timeless. She updates Dr. Hsia on possible essays/projects with Esquire and China Quarterly. She also tells Dr. Hsia that she has decided to relocate to southern California.

Letter: Zhang expresses her frustration at not being able to complete some of her projects. She discusses how the weather in Northern California is affecting her health and ultimately impacting her work. She has decided to move to a location that is consistently warm since she believes she works best in warmer weather.

Card: Zhang updates Dr. Hsia on her move. She expresses delight in finding a very suitable place to live. Zhang tells Dr. Hsia the general vicinity of her new apartment and asks that he not divulge her address to other people. She concludes by asking about his wife Della and baby daughter Natalie.

Card: In a holiday note addressed to both Dr. Hsia and his wife Della, Zhang expresses gratitude for her new place, health, and her hope that she can catch up on her work. Zhang concludes by wishing them and their family a Happy New Year.