Mo Dao Zu Shi: Astray

Forest of Webs, Part Three

"She is my older sister. Please bear with her," Minh said resignedly. "Thanh will grow up to be feminine one day. Just let her have her fun for now."

Quyên sighed. "I want Thanh to be girly like the other girls too. I don't want her becoming one of those weird women who fall in love with other women! But I don't want to force her too much and make her cry! I can't bear to see her sad!"

Thanh prayed with all of her heart. - Please don't let my parents hate me.

Her mother and father were her entire world. If they hated her like everyone else, what world did she have left?

Thanh heard Minh walk back to his room and Quyên entered her shared bedroom with Thanh.

Thanh kept her eyes shut and her breathing steady.

Quyên brushed Thanh's hair. "I love you, Thanh. No matter what happens or who you become, I will always love you." She got into bed with Thanh and hugged her. Thanh found herself falling into a peaceful sleep.

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Years later, Quyên passed away from a severe illness while Tara was still a teenager.

Tara couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy whenever people talked about spending time with their mothers.

Her mother didn't deserve to die so suddenly.

Tara would never know how her mother would look when she grew old and wrinkly. She had died young.

Mẹ! Why did you have to leave me!

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Thanh's aunt still berated her for her mannish mannerisms from time to time.

"You love coffee and martial arts? Why? Only men like those!"

Thanh was glad her aunt didn't visit often. She didn't need to know that she was bisexual. But she didn't want to hide it from her father.

One day, Thanh told Minh, "Bô[6]. I'm bisexual. I like other women too."

Minh sighed. "Your mother and I always figured you would grow up to like both men and women. It's so obvious from the way you dress and act."

"So...what are your thoughts?" Thanh asked warily.

"Although I worry that you will have to face society's ire" — Minh patted Thanh fondly on her shoulder. — "You are still my daughter no matter what." His eyes softened. "You may have a hard time catching up to others, but you still have a beautiful creative mind." He ruffled her short hair. "And a very nice haircut!"

Thanh was glad to know that there was no doubt her parents loved her...

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"Why do you dress and act like that? And why do you have such short hair instead of long hair? You might as well be a man."

"No...you're too much like a guy to be my type."

"How can you expect any man to fall in love with a masculine woman like you? Men want feminine women!"

"You don't like makeup, dresses, skirts, heels, or having long hair? But you're a woman! Act like it! Grow up already!"

"Who would want an unfaithful mannish woman like you?"

"Only lesbos dress like that. You're not a lesbo, are you, Tara?"

"Why do you wear a suit and loafers, Tara? Why don't you wear a dress and heels like a real woman?"