Mèng yáo was eight years old when her mother died. Her father took a new wife, and with the new wife came her daughter.

Ten year old Mèng yáo and her stepsister Xīn yàn were playing in the garden. Suddenly Xīn yàn ran into Mèng yáo. Both of them fell to the ground. "Are you okay, sister Xīn yàn" asked Mèng yáo. "I'm not your sister whore" said Xīn yán. Xīn yán started crying hard. "What happened, darling? asked Xīn yán's mother. "She pushed me mother," said Xīn yán. "I did not. She ran into me, " said Mèng yáo "You stupid child, I saw you running into her," said Xīn yàn,'s mother.

Mèng yáo's father wondered about the noise that was going outside. He decided to go out. He saw that his daughter was on the ground and Xīn yàn was crying. "What happened, my child?" asked the father. "She pushed my Xīn yàn." said the stepmother. "I did not father. She ran into me." said Mèng yáo. "Go to your room. No food for you tonight, " said her father. "But father..." said Mèng yáo. "Now!" screamed her father.

Mèng yáo stood up. Walking to her room with a sore knee. Arriving at her room, she lifted her pink dress and saw that her knee was bleeding. She went to the bathroom and wet a cloth with warm water. She dipped on her bleeding knee. It was painful for her. When she was done cleaning it up, she got dressed in her night clothes and went to bed. Her stomach grumbled in hunger. That night, she fell asleep without food.

The next morning, that is when everything changes. She was now the black sheep of the family. Her own father did not believe her. At the age of ten, Mèng yáo became the maid of the house. She had to pay for everything she needed or wanted.