Susan is Adeline's half-sister. Adeline admires her ability to escape their mother's demanding rule. Susan marries well, and though she and Niang travel in the same social circles, Niang doesn't recognize Susan when they meet. Susan is the only one of Adeline's siblings who understands her feelings of abandonment when Jeanne dies, as Susan herself has also been disowned.
Falling Leaves: The True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter