"And another thing." Wen Ci's eyes were red-rimmed, her mind flooded with memories of her youth. Her childhood had been truly miserable; she had even considered jumping into a river to end it all.
"She knew she was switched at birth back in middle school, but she kept it a secret. Every month, she took money to support her biological parents.
They took that money to eat at restaurants in town, while I was at home gnawing on tree bark!"
In the sixties and seventies, every household needed ration tickets to buy anything. Whenever the Wen Family had money, they would take Wen Yaozu out to eat at restaurants.
She survived by growing snake gourds.
Snake gourds grow quickly, but they have little flavor or nutritional value.
Wen Ci subsisted on snake gourds throughout her entire adolescence. At home, only a young Wen Yaozu pitied her. He would secretly hide some meat for her behind the Wen parents' backs so she could satisfy her cravings.
