The two bond over the meal and soon begin an odd friendship, where Monkey occasionally visits Chen for advice and guidance. Monkey continues to steal for a living, until he is caught by the local thugs who beat him up and run him out of town. Monkey seeks solace with Chen who reprimands him for his continued stealing, warning him that if he continues, he'll likely end up dead. Monkey refutes Chen's notion with the statement that if he does not steal, he'll die from starvation anyhow, to which Chen states: "I don't steal... I don't starve." Though true, Monkey sees his situation different from Chen's and remarks: "You're different, you've got a monkey show! I'm different, I HAVE to steal!". Chen pities the young man and the bad card he's been dealt in life, and offers him respite in his home for the night, allowing Monkey to sleep alongside Ah Mao.
