In this story, the mother doesn't directly teach the daughter a lesson when she is 6 years old. However, the daughter learns a valuable lesson through observation and a subtle interaction.
Here's the key takeaway:
The daughter learns that her mother, despite being raised in a restrictive, traditional Chinese culture, has her own hidden desires and a sense of personal freedom.
* The Scene: The daughter is playing a game with her mother and other relatives. They're playing "Old Maid," and the daughter is excited because she's finally winning.
* The Lesson: The mother, seeing her daughter's excitement, quickly changes the game. She intentionally lets her daughter win, but does so in a way that makes it seem like the daughter outsmarted her.
This moment teaches the daughter a valuable lesson about how to navigate the complex world of relationships. Her mother, though seemingly submissive, has agency and uses her knowledge to create an illusion of control. This shows the daughter that appearances can be deceiving and that there are often unspoken truths within family dynamics.
Therefore, the life lesson isn't explicitly taught but rather inferred by the daughter through observation and subtle interaction.