How It All Goes Down
- The bidding war turns out to not be between Dr. Crab and Nobu, but Dr. Crab and the Baron.
- Dr. Crab wins, if you can call it that, with a record-breaking bid of 11,500 yen, "Much more than, say, a laborer might have earned in a year" (24.8).
- Mother's adoption of Sayuri takes place the next week, and with it, a new last name.
- She is no longer Sakamoto Chiyo; she is Nitta Sayuri.
- In July 1935, Sayuri prepares for her mizuage with Dr. Crab.
- As if a man bidding an exorbitant amount of money for a young girl's virginity weren't weird enough, Dr. Crab out-weirds everyone by pulling out a vial and saying he plans to save some of her blood after it's over.
- The doctor plays doctor while Sayuri lies there and tolerates it, then he saves a wad of bloody cotton in the vial with her name on it, misspelled.
- After that, the world returns to normal. Sayuri resumes her geisha-ing duties, including parties for the Chairman and Nobu.
- Yet one night, Nobu is ill and cannot attend the party. With only the Chairman in attendance, he cancels Sayuri's invitation.
- She worries he doesn't care about her after all.