Ruth, the main character in the story, was really decent but rather self defacing in everyday life. Her decision to move back to her mother's proved to be smart. Had she stayed on and let her live-in and daughters continue to make use of her as well as take her for granted, she would remain an old girl friend to her dying days.
My aunt was suspected to be in the early stage of Alzeimer's disease. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with dementia. Both are in their early eighties. I can certainly sympathize with Ruth's struggles in caring for her mum prior to the latter's move to assisted living in a high end facility.
My maternal uncle, traveled to China for further studies in his teens. As he lost his documents during WW2, he reportedly moved his birth date backwards for three years so that he would not be over age. Till today, he insisted that he was the age in his Chinese documents. My mother did not argue with him, but by virtual of the year he was born in, the horoscope sign could not be changed as easily. Interestingly, this uncle's elder brother went to the relevant government department (many years ago) to get a copy of the younger brother's birth certificate and conveniently assumed his identity. Thus the eldest in the family easily became the youngest legally. He became a whopping six years younger than his real age. All these mirrored how YuLing and Gao Ling became each five years younger when they immigrated to USA.
We see the progression of the bonesetter's daughter, Gu Liu Xin to LuLing Young and then to Ruth Young. Gu was born and bred in China. She could not escape the lot of an undefended woman in rural China. Her first suitor murdered her father and robbed her dowry in open day light. Mrs Young had the opportunity to migrate to America and marry a citizen. Although her husband died tragically in a traffic accident, she managed to bring up her capable daughter Ms Young. The grand daughter is the one who grew up in California to have a loving husband and two adoring step-daughters.
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