Three Women in the Cage

Yang Yu went back to the house when he was tired of scolding. Zhang Erfa didn't come back until evening, so he kept waiting downstairs, although it was of no use.

Meanwhile, when Zhang's mother saw that Zhang Erfa hadn't brought Yang Yu with him, she became increasingly displeased with him. Seeing that her third daughter-in-law couldn't give birth, she yelled at him with some resentment, "No wonder I've disliked you since you were a child. You've been cowardly and timid since you were a child. I didn't expect that now you can't even control your own wife. You're really useless!"

Zhang Sanmao on the side also snorted, and glanced at him intentionally or unintentionally, with a look full of disdain.

Suddenly, a series of distressed cries rang out from inside: "Mom... I'm in pain! I can't give birth!" The woman inside was clearly devastated. She had been trying for a whole day, but the baby still hadn't arrived. She felt her body had reached its limit and could no longer endure the torture. Her spirit began to collapse, too. She didn't know what to do to ensure a safe birth. She could only pin her last hope on Zhang's mother, hoping she could find some way to help her through this difficult time.

Zhang Sanmao was obviously a little anxious when he heard the sound. He pushed Zhang's mother to the inner room and said, "Mom, please go in and take care of my wife. She is in pain. Please help your daughter-in-law and your grandson!"

Although Zhang Sanmao's character is not very good, he is still good to his wife. Now his wife is giving birth to a son for him, so he is more anxious and worried than anyone else, but he can't do anything and can only rely on Zhang's mother.

Mother Zhang, who was pushed into the inner room, was already a little anxious. She knew that if she couldn't give birth tonight, both mother and child might not be saved. She glanced at her third daughter-in-law who was already exhausted on the bed, thought for a while, walked over and said solemnly, "Chunxiang, listen to me, you have already given birth for a day. If you don't put in some effort to give birth to him, I'm afraid you won't be able to survive until tomorrow morning. Don't blame me for being cruel then. I can only save my eldest grandson."

After saying this, Zhang's mother didn't dare to look Liu Chunxiang in the eye. She admitted that in her heart, between choosing between her grandson and daughter-in-law, she would definitely choose her grandson. Of course, it would be best if both of them were safe, but now she had to remind her to prepare for the worst.

Hearing what Zhang's mother said, Liu Chunxiang was obviously stunned. She looked at Zhang's mother who lowered her head, unable to react. It took her a long time to understand the meaning of her words. At first, she almost gave up and pinned all her hopes on Zhang's mother. Now she understands that if she continues to waste time like this, she will be abandoned. So she struggled unwillingly, "Brother Sanmao will not give up on me. He will resent you when he knows."

Zhang's mother disagreed and said, "He won't know. Besides, he is his son. Even if he knows, I think he will understand me."

Liu Chunxiang didn't believe it. She wanted to call her brother Sanmao in and ask him to choose her in person. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She had exhausted all her strength, and she suddenly became less confident. She was afraid that he would give up on her, afraid that he would choose the child, afraid that he would stand on the side of Zhang's mother. In that case, she would become even more desperate and would not even have a chance to save herself, so she finally gave up asking him in.

She can only rely on herself now. She cannot give up. She will not give up on herself just because of giving birth to a child for someone. So when she tried to give birth to the child with force, she felt a tearing pain and screamed in pain. The sweat on her forehead flowed into her eyes, mixed with tears and flowed down. She almost collapsed.

It was so painful that she thought she never wanted to give birth to a child for anyone again in this life. When she lay there catching her breath and preparing to take a rest, she saw Zhang's mother calmly preparing things to keep the child, and she suddenly became a little anxious.

She couldn't let Zhang's mother decide her fate, she wanted to live well on her own, so she said anxiously, "Mom, please, give me another half an hour, I'll take a break, and when I'm well rested, I will definitely give birth to your grandson safely." Liu Chunxiang looked at Zhang's mother with tears in her eyes and begged.

Zhang's mother still couldn't bear it, "I'll give you another half an hour, but no more, otherwise if the time goes on for too long, I won't be able to save anyone, don't blame me..." Zhang's mother shook her head helplessly.

Finally, when the time was about to run out, Liu Chunxiang looked at the clock on the wall as if it were a death warrant. She couldn't just give up like that, so at the critical moment, she used all her strength and made a desperate attempt. Along with a tearing cry from her mouth, a baby's "wa wa" cry pierced the night.

Mother Zhang was obviously a little surprised that the child was born like this. Without thinking too much, she stepped forward, hugged the child, and couldn't wait to look at it. When she saw that it was a boy, she was ecstatic and shouted to the weak Liu Chunxiang, "Chunxiang, you are a great contributor to our family. You have been wronged. Our family will treat you and our eldest grandson well in the future." After that, Mother Zhang asked Liu Chunxiang to have a good rest, and then ran out excitedly with her eldest grandson in her arms.

While running, he called out, "Old man, old man, come on, we finally have a grandson."

The men outside had been getting restless since they heard the baby crying, waiting for Zhang's mother to come out and announce the good news. As expected, they were not disappointed, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The most excited among the men were Zhang's father and Zhang Sanmao. Zhang's father looked at the little person in Zhang's mother's arms excitedly, grinning and chuckling, saying over and over, "Good...good, the third child is really successful and gave us a grandson. His mother must take good care of Chunxiang, she is the hero of our family."

Father Zhang gave instructions to Mother Zhang, patted Zhang Sanmao on the shoulders with both hands, his eyes full of love and affirmation for Zhang Sanmao.

Zhang Sanmao took a look at the child and felt happy and excited. He said that his wife would not let him down or his parents down, and he felt even happier for Liu Chunxiang.

In order to show off his eldest grandson, who was born to his favorite son, Zhang's father specially set a time for a banquet and invited everyone in the village to come and congratulate him.

As soon as he arrived at a house, he greeted him with a big smile on his face and said, "Brother, I'd like to treat you to a drink. We just had a big fat grandson. Please come with your whole family when the time comes." Father Zhang couldn't contain his joy as he spoke.

"Oh, that's great, Brother Zhang. Your wish of holding your first grandson has finally come true. Congratulations. You must bring your wife and children with you when the time comes," the neighbor echoed.

Mr. Zhang chatted for a few minutes and then said goodbye, leaving for the next family to invite.

After Zhang's father left, several neighbors gathered together and whispered mockingly, "Look how proud he is! It's just the birth of a grandson, isn't it necessary to show off like this?"

"Isn't it? I wonder why the two daughters born to the second brother's family don't come here to show off," another neighbor echoed.

Father Zhang had almost finished greeting everyone in the village. When he came back, it was already dark, but it did not affect his inner happiness and satisfaction at all. He swaggered into the inner room, wanting to see his eldest grandson.

Entering the inner room, he saw Zhang Sanmao feeding Liu Chunxiang lean meat porridge spoon by spoon, while his eldest grandson was sleeping soundly beside him.

Father Zhang smiled happily at his eldest grandson, and at the same time instructed Zhang Sanmao to take good care of Liu Chunxiang.

After saying that, Father Zhang looked at his eldest grandson again and walked out with satisfaction.