Before I Went to School

: Treasured Pearl

2

When my mom was twenty, Uncle Young was sixteen.

He had dropped out of school three years prior.

Mr. Young and Mrs. Young arranged a marriage for him, but they didn't have enough money for the bride price.

The few of them put their heads together and set their sights on my mom, who had always been their workhorse.

They arranged a marriage for my mom.

The man was an old widower from the next village. He was an idle good-for-nothing, but word was he'd made a bit of money in business before.

My mom refused. She would rather stay home and serve her parents for the rest of her life.

But she wasn't given a choice. Without so much as a wedding ceremony, my mom was packed up and sent to the neighboring village.

Mr. Young and Mrs. Young took the money and immediately put my mom out of their minds, throwing a grand wedding for Uncle Young with great fanfare.

My mom tried to go home.

But even though it was the next village over, it was still dozens of miles away.

On top of that, the old widower knew what my mom was thinking and kept a tight watch on her.

My mom was married for three years and never once went back home.

In the second year, my mom got pregnant and gave birth to me.

And just like that, my mom bewilderingly became a mother.

Because I was frail, sickly, and a girl.

The old widower would beat and curse my mom and me at the slightest provocation.

In my childhood memories, I can't recall the old widower's face clearly.

But I can always see my mom, carefully shielding me, her eyes filled with an indescribable tenderness.

"Treasure Bead, Mom's right here."

My heart ached for my mom, but her heart ached for me even more.

She raised me until I was five, and then heaven finally showed some mercy.

The old widower got drunk, fell into a river, and drowned.

After my mom led me through the funeral proceedings in the village, we were driven back to Mr. and Mrs. Young's house.

"Mom, Dad, Treasure Bead and I have talked it over. We'd like to stay here."

At the time, my aunt was six months pregnant and needed someone to look after her.

My mom had worked as a nanny and done farm work, and Uncle Young was working out of town.

It was the perfect opportunity for Mrs. Young to sit back and enjoy life.

"Well, isn't that just perfect! It's for the best if you stay!"

Mrs. Young beamed, slapping her thigh.

She immediately started ordering my mom around. "Zhaodi, go make dinner."

"Scrap, hurry up and go pull some vegetables from the field for your cousin."

That's right. My name is Scrap, but I'm also called Treasure Bead.

I'm a girl.

The old widower had said that since I was going to be married off someday anyway, there was no point in giving me a proper name.

Everyone called me Scrap.

Only my mom, after coming back from the market one day, carefully unwrapped a plastic ring from three layers of wrapping and placed it in my palm.

"I see other kids like these toys. You should have what other kids have."

"My child, Mom's going to give you a name."

"Let's call you Treasure Bead. What do you think?"

I was just a little girl back then, and all I knew was that my mom was very happy.

I held the plastic ring and babbled in agreement.

"...Ma... Ma."

My mom froze for a second, then gave a smile sweeter than the candy she would secretly slip me.