- Wang Lung's love affair with Pear Blossom comes to an end. He becomes more like a father to her, and he trusts her more than anyone. He even asks her to take care of his first daughter.
- After a while, Wang Lung wonders why his first daughter hates guys so much, and based on her answer, we're going to guess that being a pretty girl in a great house leads to a lot of sexual abuse.
- Suddenly, Wang Lung realizes he is crazy old. His grandkids are tall: they're not babies anymore. They even laugh at him because he doesn't know what's hip and happening with the kids.
- Wang Lung realizes that he's going to die soon, so he gets a coffin ready and moves back to the land.
- Wang Lung doesn't really pay attention to anything after that; he just tries to live his days in peace. There is just one moment that he remembers.
- One day, Wang Lung notices that his sons have come to the land, and they don't know he's watching them.
- Wang Lung's sons start talking about selling the land, and Wang Lung flips his lid. That makes sense, since every time they have moved away from the land, bad stuff has happened. The novel ends with the sons promising not to sell the land… but smiling at one another as if they have their fingers crossed.
- You know how this will go, don't you?