I later learned she was my mother's older sister's daughter. My mother's sister had eloped with a poor scholar against the family's wishes, thinking she found true love. But he turned out to be a gambler and drunkard, who tried to pawn his wife when he had no money. My mother's sister narrowly escaped with her life and entrusted her daughter to my mother on her deathbed.
My mother, feeling sorry for Violet who had suffered a lot, treated her with great affection. Even my usually stern father told me, "Annie, Violet has had a hard life. You should be more considerate of her."
I nodded.
I was the only child and had always been lonely. I was happy when my cousin came.
But gradually, I realized my cousin wasn't as kind as I imagined.
In public, she always acted scared of me, timid and compliant, but in private, she would pinch me. If I fought back, she would cry and complain.
After many incidents like this, my mother believed I was secretly bullying her.
Once, she deliberately fell into the lake in front of me. When I tried to save her, my mother rushed over and slapped me hard!
My face was turned sideways from the blow. My ears were ringing, and I experienced a moment of deafness.