Only a few aloes were able to resist my lethal kindness.

THOSE PEOPLE! BY WEIYU DU 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 86

My mother had a balcony of aloe, cape jasmines, and Chinese asparagus. I killed all of them except the aloe but with good intentions. I wanted to nurture the plants.

Mom nurtured me by forcing me to eat two chopsticks of nauseatingly sweet car…