I ruined my future to save two cents; I was reborn and cut ties with my family

Summary

My mother was a woman who worshipped at the altar of frugality. It wasn't just a habit; it was her religion.

When I was a child and burning up with a lethal fever, she refused to buy medicine. Instead, she forced me to swallow rancid, fermented pea soup that had been sitting on the counter for days.

I grew up wearing nothing but my older sister's tattered hand-me-downs. Even when the clothes were thin enough to see through, she'd tell me I was lucky to have them.

The peak of my struggle came