本来的安排是堂亲两口住在母亲家照顾母亲。但他们不久移居新加坡，把母亲送到了外村 “大妈" 的外婆家。“大妈”是外祖父已逝原配妻子的娘家。虽然血缘上没有关系，却也算是母亲的亲人。那边还有其他“舅舅”们等一家大小，还算容她。只是每天吃饭加菜常遭表姐打手，一举一动都遭白眼。后来，因不甘忍受寄人篱下的委屈，在村人帮出的主意下，母亲跑回了自己家，开始了那无人管，无约束的生活。也在村人的主意下，她把家里的地要回来，租给人种，收成5/5分成。一个才几岁小孩子，哪里知道地该收多少，只求有饭吃就行。空荡荡的院子她住着害怕，每晚就蜷睡在厅里祖母的大画像下，寻求保护。也许是什么保护吧，母亲一生虽苦，却总是大难不死。一次不小心落入河中，被乡丁看见救起，送回大画像下。
The original plan was to have a couple from Grandpa's clan take care of Mom, living in Mom's mansion. However, it wasn't long before the plan fell apart when the couple moved to Singapore. Mom was sent to another village to live with the maiden clan of her "first mom," who was Grandpa's late first wife and somewhat related to Mom despite the lack of blood relationship. Mom's new family, which included the households of several "uncles," received her reasonably well, except she was constantly censured under reproachful eyes and would have her hand slapped by a cousin if helping herself to the meal. When the misery was too much to bear, Mom eventually ran away back to her mansion on the villagers' advice, starting a life with no supervision. Again following the villagers' advice, she reclaimed the land she was entitled to and leased it out to collect half of the harvest as the rent; however, since the amount of harvest was way beyond the knowledge of a little girl of her age, she ended up barely collecting enough to stay alive. The empty mansion gave her fear at night, so she sought comfort by sleeping in the living room under the big portrait of Grandma. Although living in hardship for her whole life, Mom was able to survive a number of grave dangers, possibly having been blessed by some protection. She once fell into a river by accident, but was rescued by the village patrol and sent back to the big portrait.
