It wasn’t until the day my mother died that I learned she hadn’t been born mute.
My grandmother had poisoned her and taken away her voice.
My grandmother felt no remorse. In fact, she was still smug about what she’d done all those years ago.
“Your mother insisted on going away to college. So I poisoned her with a bowl of limewater, then sold her to your father as his wife for 200 yuan, so I could pay for your uncle’s education.”
“Good thing I was clever. Otherwise, your uncle wouldn’t have achieved what he has today!”
When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the year my mother was a high school sophomore.
This time, I would protect her dream of going to college!
