The novel begins with the introduction of Ruth Young, a middle-aged Chinese-American woman who is making a living as a ghostwriter. She is also in charge of being a mother figure to two of her boyfriend’s daughters. Aside from that, Ruth is troubled with care for her mother Lu Ling. After showing signs, her mother gets diagnosed with dementia. Ruth hasn’t had the closest relationship with her mother, and in hopes of discovering a form of connection, she decides to revisit the autobiography her mother wrote about her life. The writing is in Chinese, so Ruth decides to have it translated.
After the book of Lu Ling’s life gets translated, Ruth finally begins to discover more about her mother’s life. Lu Ling was born into a prosperous Liu family in one of the Chinese villages. She had many siblings, but the most impactful person in her life was her nursemaid called Precious Auntie. Precious Auntie suffered terrible burns and was left unable to speak. She communicated with Lu Ling with writing. Precious Auntie was the only daughter of a widower and bonemaker, who healed people in various ways.
She was a beautiful young woman, and got proposed to by two men - a coffin maker called Chang and a man called Baby Uncle of the Liu family. She accepted Baby Uncle’s proposal and on the day of their marriage ceremony, they got attacked, presumably by Chang. Her father and Baby Uncle died in the attack. Liu family took Precious Auntie in, to help her recover, but in an attempt to take her life, she swallowed burning ink, which left her permanently unable to speak. She was also pregnant with Baby Uncle’s child. That child is revealed to be Lu Ling, and explained the close relationship the two had. But, as Lu Ling started growing up, she grew distant from Precious Auntie and cruel to her in an attempt to follow he ambitions.
In an ironic twist of fate, she gets proposed to by one of Chang’s sons. Despite Precious Auntie’s attempts to stop her, she accepts. In turn, Precious Auntie kills herself and leaves a letter revealing to Lu Ling that she is actually her mother. Liu family start believing that Lu Ling is cursed and send her off to an orphanage.
Lu Ling married and made her career as a teacher there. But, after she lost her husband in the World War II, various circumstances led Lu Ling to remarry and end up living in America. Her second husband died when Ruth was born, so she had to raise her on her own. Lu Ling remained haunted by the memory of Precious Auntie for the entirety of her life. Ruth begins to understand her mother and her choice a lot more. She also decides to take her life into her hands, and with the support of her boyfriend stops working as a ghostwriter, but instead a writer with her own name.
