Before I even married my husband, I already owed his family a life.
His elder brother had died in an accident while working away from home to save up for my husband’s wedding.
On our wedding night, my husband dragged me to his brother’s grave and forced me to kowtow.
“If it weren’t for you, my brother wouldn’t be dead.”
“You’ll spend the rest of your life paying for it.”
After that, I worked in the fields all day and waited on his entire family at night.
Whenever he drank, he beat me.
I fled to my mother’s house.
She held me and cried all night.
The next morning, she pushed me toward the door.
“Go back.”
“Your sister-in-law doesn’t want you staying here.
There’s nothing I can do.”
“Just bear it.
Once he’s old and too weak to hit you, your life will be over anyway.”
But I didn’t want to bear it anymore.
