Wen Qian was the third child to be abandoned, and the fourth, also a daughter, was given away. Wang Xiaoping's precious son was the fifth child, and the most important person in her life.
Unable to rely on the two daughters she kept, she began searching for the daughters she had abandoned.
It was then that she started having trouble sleeping, not out of guilt or unease, but because she couldn't figure out how to make contact.
The third child was said to have gone to university and was now working and living in the city. The fourth child was still in school and not yet earning money.
So Wang Xiaoping's hopes fell on Wen Qian. She believed that, as the birth mother, if she went to meet her, she would surely get something out of it.
Generally speaking, abandoned children crave familial affection more and are easily moved by kind words and concern.
Similarly, the least favored child in a family often hopes to gain parental approval through greater efforts.
In reality, neither gets what they want because they were never loved from the start. They don't love themselves, so they can't see that their efforts won't earn them anything in return.
On her first visit, Wang Xiaoping brought her son, drove with gifts from home, planning to make a respectable appearance, as if visiting relatives.
Unfortunately, there was no ripple in the other party's eyes, no shock or joy, as if they were merely a bystander.
When they actually started talking, Wang Xiaoping sensed strong hostility, or rather, a distinct lack of courtesy from the other party.
But she thought, the other party must harbor resentment, and having resentment was better than nothing. Perhaps with some soothing, their attitude might soften.
She could plan for the long term later. She felt heaven was helping her because this child called Wen Qian had long lost her adoptive parents.
This meant the girl was now alone, which implied she needed support.
To put it nicely, it was support. To put it bluntly, Wang Xiaoping believed a girl shouldn't have money. Her money should go to her parents, husband, or children, not belong to herself.
This girl had no adoptive parents, no husband, and no children, but she did have some money. Wang Xiaoping thought that even if she couldn't get it directly, she could at least "borrow" some.
It was a pity that her husband felt too ashamed to participate in this, so he decided not to get involved. However, if his wife could actually get money from that girl, he would admire her for it.
After the failure of the first meeting, Wang Xiaoping prepared for a second attempt. She had planned how to appear heartbroken and tearful.
But when she saw the other party's knife and whetstone, along with their wicked smile, her first instinct was to flee.
After all, she only wanted money; she hadn't considered the possibility of being hacked with a knife.
This time, the sight of Wen Qian holding a knife behind her back thoroughly frightened Wang Xiaoping, shattering her schemes.
Plagued by nightmares, Wang Xiaoping finally couldn't keep her worries to herself and told her husband about the incident. His response was that they should never seek out their abandoned children again.
This meant they should no longer count on outsiders, and the couple would have to manage on their own to support their son's affairs.
Wang Xiaoping thought to herself that the person was so heartless, even daring to threaten her birth mother with a knife. It proved that abandoning her had been the right decision.
Most people lack the capacity for self-reflection on their thoughts and actions, so Wang Xiaoping never looked for faults in herself.
Being despised now made her believe that abandoning the child over twenty years ago was correct. This kind of twisted thinking quite matched her character and mindset.
With no chance of getting benefits elsewhere, Wang Xiaoping and her husband could only use their newly saved nest egg to find a wife for their son.
This time, they planned to find a girl who was already pregnant to marry into the family, ensuring she could bear children and avoiding another divorce.
To be honest, this was highly unlikely in their local area, as it clearly went against local customs.
But surprisingly, they managed to find someone who agreed to these conditions – a woman three years older than their son who agreed to live together first and only marry after becoming pregnant.
So they happily made arrangements. Their son, having been divorced once, left the decision for his remarriage to his parents.
In fact, their son had refused to remarry, but no one in the family would allow him not to marry and have children, so this idea was basically ignored.
This was the first time the precious son felt his parents' indifference. He had always believed he was their most important child.
But now he felt that what was truly valuable might just be one of his organs, serving the purpose of continuing the family line. Otherwise, there would be no difference between him and his sisters.
In the end, he compromised. As long as he agreed to find a girl and get married, his parents would arrange everything else.
He would still be himself, with no need for his life to change, so he compromised quickly.
During the selection process, as long as their son didn't dislike the appearance, Wang Xiaoping and her husband could basically make the initial decision.
Then they let their son choose the one he found most appealing for long-term interaction.
Most girls couldn't accept having a child before marriage. This was strange, so many negotiations fell through. Only one person agreed.
Things went more smoothly than imagined. When hearing the requirement to get pregnant first, she directly brought up the bride price, requesting it be paid before the child was born.
After the two became familiar, they moved in together. A few months later, the girl finally became pregnant, and they could prepare for the wedding.
Because this girl entered the family while pregnant, those unaware of the situation simply thought it was a couple marrying due to pregnancy. Those in the know discussed it differently.
They felt the Zhang couple was too eager to have a grandchild. Just because the new daughter-in-law hadn't conceived in a year, they immediately had their son divorce.
The second time around, they directly required the bride to bring a child into the marriage. It was outrageous that someone agreed to such a demand. They didn't know whether to call it good luck or suspect the woman had other motives.
Overhearing the adults' gossip, a young student interjected, "Could it be that the woman's child isn't actually theirs? One side was desperate for a child, the other desperate to marry, so maybe..."
However, the student's imagination didn't catch the attention of those around. They believed that for the Zhang family to let the woman enter their household, they must be certain the child was their own.
The Zhang family welcomed a grandchild slightly earlier than his ex-wife's remarriage, which delighted Wang Xiaoping even more than her own son.
With his duty fulfilled, the son promptly became a hands-off manager, content that he had produced an heir to continue the family line and leaving all other matters to others.
Consequently, the son and daughter-in-law, along with their firstborn, began relying on the older generation for support. The couple was quite harmonious in this approach.
Wang Xiaoping could tolerate her son's dependence, but she struggled to accept her daughter-in-law's behavior. However, after giving birth, the young woman's demeanor had changed significantly from her initial docility upon entering the family.
Moreover, her son no longer heeded her advice, instead choosing to defend his second wife. This left Wang Xiaoping at a loss for how to deal with this woman.
