I gave birth to a "bronze baby" (a child with poor sexual health), and my former mother-in-law falsely accused me of having an immoral sex life.

As the contractions became more frequent, I adjusted my breathing rhythmically, and fine beads of sweat appeared in waves.

“New mother, don’t be too nervous. All your measurements are suitable for delivery, so don’t be too anxious.” The midwife gently wiped the sweat from my forehead again and again.

But how could she know my deeper worries?

I don’t know how much time passed, but suddenly I felt a tearing sensation and heard my child’s loud cry.

“Come here, Mommy’s here to see your lovely baby, a handsome boy.” The doctor brought the baby close to my face.

“Doctor, can you take a look? The baby is pink, right? I’m too tired to see clearly.” Ouyang Xiong and I both had thorough premarital checkups, so there shouldn’t be any problems this time.

“Yes, it’s a very pink and healthy color, don’t worry!” The doctor just smiled; he probably thought I was exhausted. Anyway, as long as the color is pink, that’s good. Thinking of this, my eyelids, which I had been holding open, drooped heavily…

Suddenly, I felt a violent shaking. “Su Yun, wake up! The baby’s turned yellow!” The postpartum nanny I had hired almost cried, and kept pulling on the rope at the nurses’ station behind my bed.

I picked up the child and quickly unbuttoned his clothes. I saw that his whole body was yellow, from his body to his limbs, even the whites of his eyes had a yellowish tint, the yellow was like metallic copper.

My tears flowed instantly; my worries had finally come true.

Soon, the doctor arrived. He checked the child’s vital signs with a stethoscope while asking about my medical history.

“Doctor, there’s no need to ask anymore, the child is beyond saving.” I hugged the child tightly to my chest and closed my tear-reddened eyes.

Lying in my arms is my first child with Ouyang Xiong, but also my second child. Before Ouyang Xiong, I had a brief marriage; my ex-husband’s name was Zhao Xin.

Two months after I married Zhao Xin, I became pregnant. It should have been a joyous occasion, but the celebration came to an abrupt end the day I gave birth to a stillborn baby, whose body was entirely yellow.

I remember once, my mother-in-law came to our house. Before I could even fully open the door, she started beating me up: “What kind of sins have you committed? Do you know what people say about the Zhao family? They say we gave birth to a monster! The Zhao family is an honest and upright family, how did we end up like you?”

From the time Zhao Xin and I started dating until we got married, my mother-in-law was always extremely dissatisfied with me. I actually knew why she didn’t like me.

I’ve been raised by my uncle’s family since I can remember. After a while, I always felt like I was living under someone else’s roof. So, when I was 18, I dropped out of school and went to the city to work.

My job is as a bar promoter. Because of my previous experience staying at someone’s house, I’m particularly good at reading people’s expressions and speaking to them. My performance is getting better every day. Although many people think that bar promoters are not respectable people, I know that I’m earning clean money through my own hard work.

Zhao Xin was one of my customers. He was gentle and considerate, and never made things difficult for me when buying alcohol. Being with him felt like finding a safe haven, so without much thought, we quickly became a couple.

But who would have thought my mother-in-law disliked me so much? In her eyes, not only did I “seduce” her son first, but now I’ve given birth to this sick child, giving people something to talk about and making her lose face. To her now, I’m like a troublesome, foul-smelling foot binding—she’d rather burn me to make me clean!

“Mom, don’t say that…” Before Zhao Xin could finish speaking, her mother-in-law raised her triangular eyes, her brows furrowed, and her lips trembled. She looked like a firecracker that had been lit, ready to explode into chaos.

“Why can’t I say it?! I paid for your house with my pension! Is it pitiful for an old woman to cry a few times and shed a few tears? I never liked her in the first place. What good luck could an orphan like her bring to our family?! But you insisted on being with her, and look! Now you’ve given birth to such an unlucky thing!”

“Don’t use such foul language!” I was still in my postpartum period, and I was sweating profusely just from saying a few words. But then, she suddenly pulled a pair of scissors from her bag, grabbed my long hair, and started cutting it drastically, saying as she did so:

“Who hasn’t had children? I’ve had ten, I know exactly what’s going on. I went to a big hospital in the city and the doctor said it’s a disease that only women with promiscuous sex lives get. Besides, how come you were always the top salesperson every month? Who knows what tricks that vixen used! She cut your hair, let’s see how you seduce men then!”

Zhao Xin paused noticeably upon hearing this, and after a long while, he snatched the scissors from his mother-in-law’s hand. At the same time, his mother-in-law slapped Zhao Xin hard across the face, calling him a cuckolded bastard.

After that incident, I could clearly sense that Zhao Xin’s attitude towards me had become colder. Not long after, he started not coming home at night. Finally, he came home drunk with a woman. This man, fueled by alcohol, yelled that I had contracted a disgusting disease and cheated on him. Then he burst into tears, knelt on the ground, and said that he still needed his mother-in-law to pay the mortgage…

They say alcohol emboldens cowards, and I smelled the alcohol, and I saw the coward too. That very night, I dragged my still-postpartum body away from that broken home.

My body couldn’t travel far, so I stayed with a good friend in the city. After my postpartum period, I figured some things out. I’m preparing to take the adult college entrance examination; I want to become a pediatrician. I hope that in the future I can save more children’s lives, and more importantly, save the hearts of mothers like me.

So during the day I went to school, and at night I went straight to work as a bar promoter. Life was busy and fulfilling; there were even a few days when I didn’t remember the pain in my heart. Or perhaps it was because of those days, because I met Ouyang Xiong.

If I would have rushed into marriage when I was young because of a sense of security, now I would be even more wary of marriage because of that same sense of security.

In the blink of an eye, Ouyang Xiong and I have been together for almost three years, and there are no secrets between us.

He told me that he wasn’t actually the first child in his family; there was a girl before him who died at birth. He said that even now, his mother still cries when she thinks of his sister. So he truly understands the pain of a mother losing a child, and he’s willing to give me time to heal.

So, although he had already bought a house and put it in my name, he never urged me to register our marriage.

However, the two lines on the pregnancy test disrupted my life. I was unexpectedly pregnant, and I became extremely anxious, wondering if the baby would survive…

Ouyang Xiong quietly took leave to stay home with me. He said he would definitely ensure the child was born healthy. Looking at the man beside me, I felt I wanted to give him this child.

Just to be on the safe side, we went to several hospitals for premarital checkups, and the results were all normal. Ouyang Xiong and I both believed that there wouldn’t be any problems this time.

But now, I am holding my second “yellowish” dying child.

All the past memories flooded back, and I fainted. When I woke up again, Ouyang Xiong was already by my bedside.

Standing beside him was a gentle-looking woman with long, glossy black hair piled low behind her neck. Pink pearl flowers rested quietly on her thick earlobes. Her gray and white checkered cashmere sweater looked so delicate and warm in the sunlight streaming in from the window, making one want to get close to her.

“Su Yun, the baby’s vital signs are still within the normal range, don’t be too nervous. The doctor has several diagnoses, and we need to cooperate. I’ll go get my blood drawn first, and they’ll come over to test you in a bit. This is my mother; she’ll take care of you.” I suddenly felt a surge of strength and grabbed Ouyang Xiong’s clothes tightly, not wanting him to leave.

“Child, Ouyang Xiong will be back soon. Close your eyes and rest for a while. Auntie is sitting right next to you. If you need anything, just open your eyes and you’ll see me.” A warm and strong hand took my hand and gently squeezed it. I actually felt relieved and did as Auntie said.

Ouyang Xiong has type B blood, and I have type AB blood. At first, the doctor suspected that we had ABO hemolytic disease, but this conclusion was overturned.

At the same time, the doctor issued a critical condition notice for my child.

The doctor drew blood from me again, and I was already ashen-faced.

The aunt got up from the chair and sat directly on the edge of my bed. She held my hand tightly and said, “I’m a mother too. Your child is waiting for you. We shouldn’t collapse before the child. Maybe they’ll bring the baby over soon and you’ll have to breastfeed!”

I looked at Ouyang Xiong’s mother, and at the same time, hot tears streamed down our faces…

“Su Yun! Your child can be saved. The child has been taken to the operating room. Your blood type is the rare AB-negative type, and the child has AB-negative hemolytic disease. The doctors are preparing to perform a blood transfusion through the umbilical vein.” Hearing the doctor’s words, I lowered my head and sobbed uncontrollably.

Now, six months have passed, and holding my increasingly heavy son in my arms, I feel that the broken corner of my heart is gradually being mended.

But the events that happened at Zhao Xin’s house back then still give me nightmares at night. Ouyang Xiong said I often scream in my dreams…

Every time I woke up the next day, Ouyang Xiong would encourage me to tell him about the grievances in my heart, especially what that wicked mother-in-law had said.

He is a psychological counselor, so because of his expertise, I was able to tell him my thoughts without reservation.

I told Ouyang Xiong that his mother-in-law probably had Alzheimer’s. She clearly only had seven children, but she kept saying she had ten. Zhao Xin corrected her several times, but she still kept saying that.

If she really does have Alzheimer’s, it will be easier for me to forgive her.

A few days later, Ouyang Xiong went out of town to take care of some business. When he came back, he told me that the Housing Management Bureau needed a copy of my previous resident certificate, which was required for the newly purchased house.

Ouyang Xiong had contacted the town’s residents’ association in advance, so we could pick up the materials and leave immediately upon arrival. We decided to go to town this Saturday, and coincidentally, Ouyang Xiong’s mother was visiting us, so we took her along.

I knew perfectly well that I wasn’t going to Zhao Xin’s house, but my legs still trembled with nervousness when I got out of the car.

Ouyang Xiong’s mother hugged me from behind and said she would come with me to get the documents. I walked to the residents’ meeting room with her support. Ouyang Xiong stayed in the car to take care of the children.

When I stepped into the residents’ meeting room, I was surprised to see Zhao Xin’s mother.

“Oh, why did you bring someone with you on your business? Are you scared? Don’t forget, you used to be one of us.” The former mother-in-law raised her eyebrows, her smile sneer.

“It’s a pity you don’t have that blessing. Su Yun’er is now my daughter-in-law.” Ouyang Xiong’s mother uttered a few words steadily and clearly.

“Good fortune? Let me tell you… never mind, let’s not talk about this, it’s bad luck!” After saying that, she actually took out a pile of joss paper and began to chant incantations.

“What era are we living in? Still practicing these feudal superstitions in the office? Aren’t you afraid I’ll take pictures and post them on Weibo, making you famous?” Ouyang Xiong’s mother’s expression remained unchanged, but her words were firm and resolute as she stared at the residents’ association staff.

Zhao Xin’s mother was stopped, of course, but she still wouldn’t shut up:

“I’ve escaped my bad luck. Now my son is married, and his wife is pregnant with my grandson. My good days are finally coming. But you, do you know that woman is a jinx? The child she gave birth to, oh dear, looks like a ‘ghost child,’ so unlucky!”

Just as I was preparing to retaliate, Ouyang Xiong suddenly came in carrying his noisy son. Zhao Xin’s mother froze instantly, her eyes fixed on my child. I thought this “blow” was far more powerful than any words I was about to say.

“I told you you don’t have that kind of luck!” Ouyang Xiong’s mother took a sip of water.

“How could this be, how could this be…” Zhao Xin’s mother murmured to herself.

“Let me tell you, how is that possible! You gave birth to ten children, the first nine of whom were daughters, and the last one was a son, Zhao Xin. The daughters’ names were all Zhao Di, Ying Di, Shun Di… You must have been under a lot of pressure to have a son back then! Was it your husband who wanted you to have him? Or your in-laws? Or was the whole environment forcing you to have him?” Ouyang Xiong’s mother suddenly raised her voice.

Zhao Xin’s mother stared at the aunt with a wide grin, as if a snake had been struck in its vital spot.

“I’ll ask you again! Of your ten children, how many survived? Seven, right? Where did the other three go?” Ouyang Xiong’s mother pressed on relentlessly.

“Stop talking, stop talking… I have no choice, I can’t support them…” Zhao Xin’s mother suddenly rolled off the chair and sat on the ground, wailing loudly.

Even Zhao Xin didn’t know that she had ten children, but she always talked about it throughout her life, which must have been a deep and painful secret in her heart.

But how did Ouyang Xiong’s mother know? Before I could even think about it, my aunt threw out her resounding words:

“You yourself have clearly experienced the pain of losing a child, and it’s one thing not to feel sorry for women who are also going through the same pain! On the contrary, you stab her in the heart! People say that a daughter-in-law who has endured a thousand years will eventually become a mother-in-law. You may have been a victim before, but what are you now! You are a heartless and cruel abuser! You keep saying bad luck, bad luck, aren’t you afraid that you are the one bringing bad luck?!”

Zhao Xin’s mother kept wiping away tears, her body trembling uncontrollably. I saw it all and took it as an apology for everything she had done to me over the years.

Finally, I will remember what Ouyang Xiong’s mother said for the rest of my life.

She said she was my family, and if anyone bullied me, she would be the first to stand up for me! At that moment, I burst into tears, as if all the bitterness, grievances, and suffering that had been festering in my heart over the years had finally come to a head.

Ouyang Xiong stood behind me, constantly patting my back. As I stepped out of the residents’ association’s gate, I suddenly felt that the road beneath my feet had become solid and easier to walk on.

On the way home, I sobbed as I said to Ouyang’s mother, “Auntie, thank you.” Ouyang’s mother hugged me and said, “Call me Grandma, no, call me Mom, just like Ouyang Xiong called me Mom.”

Later I learned that it was all part of Ouyang Xiong and his mother’s plan. Even the previous business trip was part of the plan. Ouyang Xiong had found out the secret that Zhao Xin’s mother had ten children.

Of course, retrieving the documents was a pretext, but the real purpose was to lure the enemy into a trap—Zhao Xin’s mother would definitely come once she heard the news.

While listening to and guiding me, Ouyang Xiong also gained a better understanding of Zhao Xin’s mother’s personality, and then discussed tactics with her.

My aunt heard about my experience of losing my son from my son and felt deeply for me, so she wanted to help me get revenge. Thus, mother and son worked closely together, and in one move, they checkmated each other.

A few weeks later, I posted my first photo on WeChat Moments: a family portrait of the four of us with a large red “囍” (double happiness) character in the background. The caption read: “Today I became Mrs. Ouyang.”

The first message came from Ouyang Xiong’s mother, my mother-in-law. She said, “My son married a good wife, my grandson has a good mother, and I have a wonderful daughter that I’ve been longing for day and night.”

I am very lucky to have such a good mother-in-law. She not only helped me get justice, but also helped me stand up completely from the loneliness deep in my heart.

A person’s life experiences are determined by time or by unpredictable circumstances. In the face of time and unpredictable circumstances, a person’s power to resist seems so insignificant, whether it is resisting the environment or resisting the evil tendencies within themselves.

But there are always some people who hold fast to their inner kindness and forge ahead. And because of these people, the originally rational timeline becomes more humane, filled with the warmth of mutual support.