Ma the writer

Although ma's formal schooling was discontinued because there were no girls' schools nearby, she did not take to the sewing and embroidery that her older sisters devoted themselves to. Instead, she enjoyed reading and writing. Noticing this dadu brought her Moroccan-leather bound notebooks, and occasionally, asked her to read to him what she'd written. Ma remembered dadu as a loving father, who spent time with his children and often tucked them in bed at night.

Ma's oldest brother, who was studying in college while ma was writing in the notebooks dadu brought her, was not happy about dadu bringing her fancy notebooks. He'd ask her to hand them over to him but she didn't always give in. Ma noticed that her oldest brother, the oldest son of the house, often got preferential treatment from his parents and pledged silently that when she had children, she would treat her sons and daughters equally.