Two Paths of Destiny

I was able to visit Teacher Yen, my class (who taught us Math) teacher, Ms. Yen, when I was in Taiwan on Oct 31.  Teacher Yen, who with her younger sister and Mom moved to Taiwan in 1949, while her Father, and her second elder Brother stayed in Mainland.  Her Father instructed a student of his to take the three women to Taiwan for safety.  Her eldest Brother was a student in UK at the time, who actually was mad at Teacher Yen, because he thought she was the one wanted to go to Taiwan.  The three women were cut off from the rest of the family when Communists completely took over Mainland.  Teacher Yen held up the responsibility to find a job, and supported the Mother and the younger sister.  She had a very good teaching career at the First Taipei Girl's High School.  Her eldest Brother at 1950 tried to go back home, and was captured as soon as he arrived Hong Kong, as he was considered high value intellectual (he went abroad for education under the government, although it was the Kuo Ming Dong who awarded him the fund).  During the Culture Revolution, both of her Brothers tried to commit suicide as they could not stand the torture (being beaten and sent to far away farms).  Her second Brother died (he hang himself), but her eldest Brother survived as he could not kick off the Bang Dang underneath him.  After China removed the iron curtain, she was able to see her eldest Brother again, who had once scolded her for wanting to go to Taiwan.

Teacher Yen says that she was never afraid.  not when she was going to Taipei alone to look for a job, not when her husband died of cancer, not now in her 80's.  I guess she is a real tough lady.  BiFang is the classmate who works as a Pathologist in Taipei, a real smart, hard-working and kind lady.