Chapter 6

At sixteen, I was of college age.

I pleaded with George, holding his hand:

"Grandpa, all my classmates are going to college. I want to go too!"

George looked at me indulgently, his eyes revealing emotions that were clearly more than just a grandfather looking at his granddaughter.

"Fiona, how can other people's children compare to you?"

"If you want to learn something, can't Grandpa just invite teachers to teach you at home?"

He wanted to keep me caged, just like Mother had been years ago.

"What can I learn at home? Those teachers you hire only teach simple things. The professors at university are ones you can't hire even with money!"

I pretended to be angry and shook off George's hand.

"Grandpa doesn't really love me."

"Oh, my precious darling!" George wrapped his old hand around my shoulder, "Grandpa promises you, whatever you want, Grandpa will give you!"

At the same tender age.

Mother chose to get married, while I chose to go to school.

I majored in medicine.

The medical knowledge I had accumulated since childhood, combined with cutting-edge Western medical theories, led to a qualitative leap in my understanding.

I also found an internship at a private clinic through a professor.

When I didn't have classes at school, I would help out at the clinic.

One day, I saw a familiar figure sneaking into the consultation room.

I put on a mask and followed, peeking through the door crack. It really was Rose.

"Doctor," Rose said, "I haven't had my period for a long time."

The doctor adjusted his glasses: "How long?"

"Six months."

"Are you pregnant?"

"That's the problem..." Rose said embarrassedly: "I don't seem to be pregnant, but..."

How could she keep her period when she wasn't eating to lose weight?

"Lie down and let me take a look." The doctor examined her while asking: "You're married, right?"

"Yes."

"Have you had children before?"

"No."

I was suddenly shocked.

Never had children? Then how did she breastfeed me before?