Chapter 83 My sister-in-law gave birth.
Lin Yuanshu could only work with Engineer Tian to find a way to synthesize tetrabutylammonium bromide independently. She believed that once the data from the experiment on improving the sulfadiazine production process came out, the director of the Chemical Industry Bureau would help solve the problem of not being able to purchase tetrabutylammonium bromide.
Engineer Tian didn't expect that his first task after being seconded to the dye chemical plant would be to independently synthesize tetrabutylammonium bromide. However, for him, it was quite a challenge, but also a novel experience.
What surprised him most was that Lin Yuanshu's hands were even steadyer than his own when he conducted experiments. It was impossible to tell that Lin Yuanshu had never been to a laboratory before, nor had he systematically studied pharmaceutical knowledge.
"Are you really a high school graduate?" Engineer Tian looked at Lin Yuanshu with disbelief.
Lin Yuanshu explained with a smile, "My friend's maternal grandfather works at the Pharmaceutical Industry Research Institute, and I have learned a lot from him."
Engineer Tian suddenly realized, "I see. I knew it. How could a high school graduate like you, who hasn't systematically studied pharmaceutical knowledge, know so much about the production process of sulfadiazine and even propose improvement methods? This kind of knowledge can't be learned just from library books."
Lin Yuanshu smiled but didn't reply. No matter how much he said, it was better than others' imagination. Sometimes, the more you say, the easier it is to make mistakes.
Although Deputy Factory Director Mao did not know what Lin Yuanshu and Engineer Tian were doing, she did the logistical work as promised, helping Lin Yuanshu obtain the equipment and raw materials for synthesizing tetrabutylammonium bromide.
If it weren't for the fact that Deputy Factory Director Mao was her superior, she really wanted to give him a big hug. Deputy Factory Director Mao was just too capable; he could even get the equipment and raw materials for synthesizing tetrabutylammonium bromide. If it were her, she probably wouldn't even know where to find them.
Thankfully, there were no cases where people had the correct answers but couldn't find the exam paper.
She is now working on improving the production process of sulfadiazine, and since she has already started, she wants to do it to the best that is possible in this day and age.
Currently, it takes at least seven days to produce a batch of sulfadiazine drugs in the production workshop, which is why sulfadiazine is in short supply.
She wanted to shorten the production time of sulfadiazine so that more sulfadiazine could be produced, preventing doctors from being unable to prescribe the drug and patients from being unable to buy it.
After being reprimanded by Deputy Factory Director Mao, Director Xia stopped paying attention to the renovation of the production workshop. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but he was too busy dealing with a mess and had to exert tremendous effort just to stay in his position as workshop director.
He dared not make any rash moves for the time being, because he did not know how much dirt Deputy Factory Director Mao still had on him. He did not want to fight a losing battle with an egg on a rock. He was not losing to Deputy Factory Director Mao, but to Deputy Factory Director Mao's lover.
Seeing that Director Xia had been dealt with, Wu Jianhua was terrified. Unless it was for work, he would not go to see Director Xia. He wanted to use this method to show his remorse to Deputy Factory Director Mao and hope that Deputy Factory Director Mao would be lenient and let him off the hook.
Director Zhou and Director Tang were unaware of the full story. When they saw Deputy Factory Director Mao dealing with Director Xia, they assumed it was a show of force from Deputy Factory Director Mao, a warning not to go against her like Director Xia had done.
Therefore, they cooperated fully with Deputy Factory Director Mao's work and dared not engage in any underhanded tactics.
A week passed in the blink of an eye. When Director Qian heard that the task was progressing smoothly, he was both happy and sad. He was happy that the chemical plant had a new way out, but sad that the chemical plant was no longer a chemical plant.
Unlike Director Qian, the other ministers were simply happy. It wasn't that they had no feelings for the chemical plant, but compared to promotions and better benefits, the chemical plant wasn't that important.
Since working with Lin Yuanshu, Zhou Dafu has felt a little awkward. He had imagined that working with Lin Yuanshu would involve Lin Yuanshu humbly asking for his opinion and praising his ideas, just like at home, showing him the utmost respect.
In reality, Lin Yuanshu would only give him orders with a blank expression, and if he didn't do it well, she would point it out directly, showing him no respect whatsoever. He felt extremely embarrassed by this and didn't even want to work with Lin Yuanshu anymore.
So, after thinking it over, he decided to talk to Lin Yuanshu about this issue and ask him to respect her more at work.
After dinner, Zhou Dafu called out to Lin Yuanshu, "Second wife, wait a moment before going back to your room. I want to talk to you."
Lin Yuanshu stopped, glanced at Chow Tai Fook, then sat down on the sofa and asked with a smile, "Dad, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Sister-in-law Xue was originally going back to her room, but when she heard that the two were about to chat, she immediately returned to the living room and sat down at the dining table. She didn't dare to sit next to the sofa, for fear that Zhou Dafu would kick her out of the living room.
It's no wonder she was curious. Although her father-in-law always favored Lin Yuanshu, they rarely sat down to chat unless there were special circumstances.
The older brother slowed down his pace of clearing the dishes, curious about what they were talking about!
Unfortunately, Zhou's mother and Zhou Xiangyang went to the toilet and returned to their room, respectively; otherwise, they would definitely have stayed to eavesdrop, especially Zhou's mother.
Because Zhou Dafu had his back to the dining table, he couldn't see his elder brother and Sister-in-law Xue's subtle actions.
Although Lin Yuanshu saw them, she didn't chase them away. After all, she and Zhou Dafu had nothing to hide, and chasing them away would only make things more obvious.
Zhou Dafu cleared his throat and said with a serious expression, "Second daughter-in-law, even at work, I hope you don't forget your identity. You are my daughter-in-law. You can't point out my problems so directly. It makes me lose face."
After listening to Zhou Dafu's words, Lin Yuanshu felt that it was expected. Most elders are not very accepting of being criticized by their juniors, and even if they know they are wrong, they are unwilling to let their juniors say it.
She smiled and said, "Dad, why would you think that way! I was still giving you face. When I pointed out your problem, there was no one around. But when I point out other people's problems, I don't care whether there are people around or not. Wrong is wrong."
Zhou Dafu still seemed dissatisfied, saying, "How can I be the same as others? They have nothing to do with you."
Lin Yuanshu took a deep breath and said seriously, "In my eyes, you are no different. After get off work, I am your daughter-in-law, and at work, I am your boss. Just do what you're supposed to do! If I can't point out your problems, how will you correct them and do your job well!"
Zhou Dafu said defiantly, "Deputy Factory Director Mao is also my superior. You can ask Deputy Factory Director Mao to point out my problems."
Lin Yuanshu rubbed his temples, his tone serious and unquestionable. "Dad, you need to understand one thing: I'm the one in charge of the workshop renovation. Deputy Factory Director Mao doesn't know anything about these things. How can she point out your mistakes? I can't just find out your problems and then tell her so she can talk to you, can I? I have a lot of work to do right now and don't have time to deal with these unnecessary things. If you really feel embarrassed, you can go back to work in the maintenance department."
She felt that Chow Tai Fook's behavior was insane, and that she had been too easy to talk to in the past, which was why Chow Tai Fook was taking advantage of her.
She was busy day and night, leaving early and returning late, working overtime like crazy. When she finally got off work on time and wanted to rest, she still had to talk to Zhou Dafu about all sorts of nonsense. So she was too lazy to talk to Zhou Dafu nicely.
Sister-in-law Xue and her elder brother stared at Lin Yuanshu in utter shock. They never expected that Lin Yuanshu would dare to speak to Zhou Dafu like that in private. They had originally thought that Lin Yuanshu would fawn over Zhou Dafu like they did!
Zhou Dafu didn't get angry when he heard Lin Yuanshu's words. He was used to Lin Yuanshu speaking to him in such a tough tone at work, so he didn't realize there was anything wrong with it.
Although he said he didn't want to work with Lin Yuanshu anymore, he was reluctant to leave the project. After all, since he joined the project, the other team leaders in the maintenance department had been looking at him with envy.
His departure means someone will fill his place, and he's unwilling to let someone else take his place.
Chow Tai Fook ultimately chose to back down, saying gently, "Next time you point out my mistakes, you can be a little gentler and not so blunt."
Lin Yuanshu nodded perfunctorily, then solemnly instructed, "I'll try my best, Dad. I hope you won't forget my identity at work. I'm not your daughter-in-law, but your boss. Do your job well, I have high hopes for you."
Chow Tai Fook: "..."
I feel inexplicably frustrated! If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have preferred not to talk to Lin Yuanshu. The matter wasn't resolved, and I was even criticized.
It's bad enough that Lin Yuanshu criticizes me at work, but I still get criticized by her after get off work.
Lin Yuanshu got up and prepared to leave the living room.
The older brother quickly started clearing the dishes, when he suddenly noticed water under Sister-in-law Xue. He frowned and said, "Wife, even if you can't control yourself, you can't pee on the chair! How am I supposed to face this chair after this?"
Sister-in-law Xue was covered in sweat and looked very pale. She said apologetically, "I'm sorry, my stomach hurt so much that I accidentally peed. Please don't be angry."
Hearing the commotion, Lin Yuanshu rushed over, looking anxious, and said, "Why are you peeing? Your water broke! You need to get to the hospital right away. Did you prepare the things you need for childbirth?"
She was truly impressed; these expectant parents didn't know as much about childbirth as she did.
The older brother, somewhat at a loss, said, "We should be ready, but only Mom knows about this."
Lin Yuanshu couldn't help but sigh. Gay men in this era are truly their mothers' darlings!
Zhou Dafu didn't care whether his conversation with Lin Yuanshu had been overheard or not, and hurriedly ran to the bathroom to call out his mother.
Hearing the commotion coming from the living room, Zhou Xiangyang quickly went out and asked, "What's wrong with your sister-in-law's belly?"
Lin Yuanshu, supporting Sister Xue, replied without looking up, "Her water broke. You support her and make sure she doesn't fall. I'll go to the neighborhood office now to borrow a pedicab."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiangyang quickly came to Sister-in-law Xue's side and supported her arm.
Lin Yuanshu was about to let go of Sister-in-law Xue's arm when she found that Sister-in-law Xue was holding her tightly. She could only explain again, "Sister-in-law, let go of me first. I need to go and borrow a pedicab for you, and then I'll take you to the hospital."
Sister-in-law Xue gasped for breath, gritting her teeth as she said, "No, you can't leave. I want you to stay with me."
After Lin Yuanshu left, she felt uneasy, always worried that something unexpected might happen. In this family, Lin Yuanshu was the most reliable person.
Lin Yuanshu gave a helpless look. She looked at Zhou Xiangyang and then at her older brother. "Then we can only let my older brother go. You know Xiangyang's personality. He's not good at communicating with others, so I'm afraid he won't be able to borrow a pedicab."
Sister-in-law Xue nodded weakly. She would rather her lover leave her than have Lin Yuanshu leave her.
Just as the eldest brother was about to leave the living room, Zhou Dafu and his mother walked in from outside and overheard their conversation.
Zhou Dafu said with a serious expression, "You stay here and take care of your wife. I'll go to the neighborhood office now to borrow a pedicab."
“Okay,” the older brother readily agreed.
Zhou Dafu turned and left, and Aunt Zhou went to Sister Xue's room to pack things for childbirth, including "confinement cloths," diapers made of coarse cloth, swaddling clothes made of old cloth, and so on.
Lin Yuanshu could only comfort Sister-in-law Xue from the sidelines and teach her how to breathe. She didn't know if she was teaching her correctly, but that's how it was taught in the videos she saw.
After Sister-in-law Xue followed Lin Yuanshu's breathing method, she felt that her stomach really didn't hurt as much. She didn't know if this breathing method was really effective or if it was just her psychological comfort.
Not long after, Chow Tai Fook borrowed a pedicab, and the Chow family's door panels were removed once again.
As the four of them were about to carry Sister-in-law Xue downstairs, Grandpa Wei heard the commotion and quickly came over. He pulled Lin Yuanshu away and said with a smile, "I'll help you. I'm strong. This kind of hard work shouldn't be done by women."
Zhou Ma couldn't help but roll her eyes. Uncle Wei was just trying to curry favor with Lin Yuanshu in this way. He was such a hypocrite.
Zhou Dafu didn't have time to be polite with Uncle Wei, and the four of them quickly carried Sister-in-law Xue downstairs.
When the other neighboring women saw this, they secretly cursed Mr. Wei for being too cunning, not giving their husbands any chance at all, and they couldn't even help him if they wanted to.
Because Sister-in-law Xue absolutely refused to separate from Lin Yuanshu, Zhou Xiangyang was left behind to install the door panels.
Zhou Dafu took Sister Xue to the hospital in a pedicab, while Lin Yuanshu rode a bicycle with Zhou's mother following behind the pedicab.
After arriving at the hospital, Sister-in-law Xue was taken to the delivery room, while her brother went to handle the formalities.
Lin Yuanshu and the others sat on the long wooden benches outside the delivery room to rest. Zhou Dafu lowered his voice and said, "Little Second Wife, you have to go to work tomorrow. Go home and rest! We'll keep watch."
Lin Yuanshu thought for a moment and refused, saying, "Forget it. If I run home now, people will definitely say I'm 'insensible.' If I stay in the hospital, I can step in and resolve anything that might happen to my sister-in-law."
Upon hearing this, Chow Tai Fook said nothing more.
After Zhou Xiangyang secured and locked the door, he ran to the hospital to find Lin Yuanshu.
It was past midnight when Lin Yuanshu leaned on Zhou Xiangyang's shoulder and dozed off.
The nurse tiptoed up to Lin Yuanshu, but before she could speak, the older brother anxiously asked, "Has my wife given birth? Is it a son?"
These words woke everyone up, and all eyes turned to the nurse.
The nurse smiled awkwardly, then shook her head and explained in a low voice, "She's still in labor and it will take some more time before she gives birth. I saw that Comrade Lin Yuanshu wasn't sleeping comfortably here, so I wanted to ask her to sleep in our rest room. Although the facilities there are simple, at least there's a wooden bed, which is more comfortable than sleeping here."
Lin Yuanshu was taken aback for a moment, but instead of being polite to the nurse, he said softly, "Thank you so much for providing me with a place to sleep."
She has a demanding job tomorrow, so why refuse a good night's sleep?
The nurse shook her head excitedly, looking at Lin Yuanshu with admiration, and said excitedly, "You're welcome. We're all happy to help you. I believe you will be able to complete the plan."
Hearing the nurse's words, the older woman next to her quickly said, "Young lady, my son has to go to work tomorrow, and he's not sleeping comfortably here. Could you arrange a bed for him too?"
The nurse pursed her lips and refused without hesitation: "We can't arrange that. This is the women's rest room; men are not allowed in."
The older woman persisted, saying, "Then arrange a men's rest room."
The nurse took a deep breath. "The men's lounge is for doctors to rest in. I don't have that right."
“I don’t care. Since you can arrange a bed for this woman, you must arrange a bed for my son. Otherwise, you are discriminating against me. I will be right no matter where I go…” the woman said loudly.
Lin Yuanshu couldn't stand it any longer. She stepped forward and asked, puzzled, "Auntie, your daughter-in-law is still giving birth in the delivery room. Are you sure you want to offend the nurses and doctors at this time?"
"I didn't offend them. I was just telling the truth. It's obvious. They don't dare to stand up against the injustice. I'm not that cowardly." The woman struck a heroic pose.
Lin Yuanshu clapped his hands and smiled slightly. "I admire your courage. What's your son's name? Which department or production workshop does he work in?"
She likes to strike at the snake's vital spot. What's the point of arguing with an unreasonable old lady? They have their own set of logic.
She can't control the old lady, but she can control her relatives! Anyway, most of the people who can appear in this hospital are workers or their family members from the Hongguang Dye Chemical Plant. As long as the old lady's relatives work at the chemical plant, everything is fine.
The woman, completely oblivious to the danger, wore a smug smile and was about to reveal her son's name.
The son sensed something was wrong and quickly covered his mother's mouth, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry, my mother has mental problems and keeps saying strange things. My wife came to the hospital in a hurry, and my mother hasn't taken her medication today. Please don't take it to heart and ignore her. Just go about your business!"
Even with her mouth covered, the woman tried her best to retort, "I'm not mentally ill."
Unfortunately, her mouth was tightly covered by her son, so all everyone could hear was the old woman sobbing.
The mother's family members instinctively kept their distance from the mother and child. They had heard that people with mental illness would become violent when they had an episode, and they didn't want to stay in a hospital ward.
Zhou's mother showed a displeased expression and sternly reprimanded, "Keep a close eye on your mother from now on. Since she has a mental illness, don't let her bite people indiscriminately."
The son said with utmost sincerity, "I'm so sorry to have troubled you. I will take good care of my mother."
After he finished speaking, he pulled his mother away.
After seeing the troublemakers apologize and leave, Lin Yuanshu didn't dwell on it. After all, it was a small matter, and even the nurse didn't take it to heart. She followed the nurse to the break room.
Zhou Ma originally wanted to go to the rest room to sleep, but that unreasonable old lady spoke first. After seeing the nurse refuse the old lady without any mercy, she understood that the nurse also wanted to please Lin Yuanshu, and probably only Lin Yuanshu could go to the rest room to sleep.
People's hearts have changed, the world is cold and indifferent, and everywhere you look, there are people who treat others differently based on their status.
On the way to the lounge, Lin Yuanshu said softly, "I'm sorry to have troubled you."
The nurse shook her head and said softly, "This isn't even the most difficult one. I've seen much more difficult people, and I'm used to it."
Lin Yuanshu revealed a complex expression. It seems that no matter the era, medical disputes are inevitable.
Her teacher once said that in a hospital, not only are the patients lying in bed, but the family members who take care of them are also patients—one is physically ill, and the other is mentally ill.
Meanwhile, in the hospital lobby, the woman shook off her son's hand and questioned, "What nonsense are you spouting? When did I become mentally ill? Why are you saying this? Don't you want to go to the rest room to rest? I said those things for your own good, and you, instead, call me mentally ill and apologize to them."
The son took a deep breath and lowered his voice, saying, "Mom, you may not know, but I certainly do! Someone who can get a nurse to take you to the break room can't be just anyone! She asked you for my name and position. Do you think she wanted to find out more about me? Or was she planning to settle scores later?"
He had only dozed off briefly, and when he opened his eyes, he saw his mother arguing with a nurse. Although he didn't know the details of the argument, he knew something was wrong from the way the woman spoke; it sounded just like his boss's way of speaking.
His mother has really messed up this time. Instead of arguing with her, the other party has turned their attention to him.
The woman was stunned for a moment. Although she was a little scared, she still stubbornly said, "No way! She's just a woman. How much can she amount to?"
The son said with a fake smile, "There are quite a few promising women in our chemical plant. Director Tang, Deputy Director Mao, and Comrade Lin Yuanshu, who is in charge of renovating the production workshop recently, aren't they all women?"
The middle-aged woman frowned, pondered for a long time, and said weakly, "Oh no, I just happened to run into the gun barrel. I heard the nurse call that female leader 'Comrade Lin Yuanshu.' Should I go and apologize to that female leader in person?"
The son couldn't help but clutch his chest and sigh, "Although there are many capable women in our chemical plant, the probability of running into them and offending them is not high. But you, you really choose to pick on the tough ones. If we go there now, we'll be walking into a trap. I'm sure Comrade Lin Yuanshu hasn't remembered what we look like, so there shouldn't be any major problems. But if we go and wander around in front of Comrade Lin Yuanshu and she remembers what we look like, then we'll be in big trouble."
Knowing she was in the wrong, the woman didn't dare to argue with her son. They could only sit in a corner outside the delivery room and wait for their daughter-in-law to come out.
Sister-in-law Xue tried to give birth all night but failed, and Lin Yuanshu was quite worried about her health.
The doctor said this was normal, since it was Sister Xue's first time giving birth, and it would take at least ten hours.
Lin Yuanshu felt a little relieved after hearing what the doctor said, while Zhou's mother was not worried at all. After all, she had given birth to two children and knew that the first child was not so easy to deliver.
After discussing it, Zhou's mother and eldest brother stayed at the hospital to take care of Sister-in-law Xue, while Lin Yuanshu and the others returned to work at the chemical plant. Lin Yuanshu, in particular, couldn't take leave at this crucial moment as the plan was in full swing.
Zhou Dafu went to the school first to ask for leave for his older brother, and then went to work at the chemical plant. Zhou's mother stopped working at the canteen half a month before Xue's sister-in-law's due date. She asked Li Xiaohua, who lived across the street, to cover for her, so there was no need to ask for leave for Zhou's mother.
Lin Yuanshu had her day planned out very clearly. Her morning work involved engineers from Hotan synthesizing tetrabutylammonium bromide independently. Because she was worried about the lack of tetrabutylammonium bromide during experiments, she was willing to work harder now so that engineers from Hotan could synthesize more tetrabutylammonium bromide independently.
Fortunately, sulfuryl chloride was already industrialized in this era, so she did not need to synthesize sulfuryl chloride on her own.
In the afternoon, I will go to the production workshop to discuss with Zhao Hong and others how to plan the independent pipeline. The naphthalene intermediate production workshop has changed a lot and is now taking the shape of a sulfadiazine production line.
Evenings still inevitably involve working overtime. I need to record today's work progress and prepare tomorrow's work arrangements so that the workers can renovate the production workshop in an orderly manner.
In her past life, she had no choice but to work overtime; in this life, she works overtime voluntarily. Not only are people hoping she will finish the plan quickly, but she herself also wants to finish it quickly.
She's not afraid of working overtime, but she's afraid of meaningless overtime that's a waste of time with no benefit, no pay, no rewards, and no chance for promotion.
In order to win the title of advanced worker, Zhou Dafu gritted his teeth and chose to work overtime. He didn't want to work so hard, but since Grandpa Wei and others were all working overtime, how could he leave work? He didn't want Grandpa Wei to win the title of advanced worker.
When the two finished get off work, it was already dark, and there was no need to go to the hospital to bother Sister-in-law Xue, so they prepared to go home.
Zhou Dafu was in charge of riding the bicycle, while Lin Yuanshu sat on the back of the bicycle, holding a flashlight to illuminate the way for Zhou Dafu.
As soon as Lin Yuanshu entered her home, she didn't even go to the living room, but went straight to the bed and lay down. She didn't have the strength to do anything right now and just wanted to rest.
Fortunately, she was quick-witted and ate dinner in the cafeteria that night, avoiding having to cook at home.
Neither Zhou's mother nor his elder brother had gone home; they were still at the hospital taking care of Sister-in-law Xue. So Zhou Xiangyang was called out by Zhou Dafu to inquire about the situation.
Not long after, Zhou Xiangyang returned to his room.
Lin Yuanshu lay on the bed, asking weakly, "Why are you back so soon? It seems Dad didn't ask you many questions."
Zhou Xiangyang answered truthfully, "Dad just asked about the baby's gender."
Lin Yuanshu was not surprised at all. Not to mention Zhou Dafu's preference for sons over daughters, the whole society is sexist. She asked softly, "How is your health, sister-in-law?"
Zhou Xiangyang gave a slight smile. "Mother and daughter are safe. My little niece is very cute and looks a lot like her older brother."
Upon hearing this, Lin Yuanshu smiled with relief and joked, "It's good that you're safe. Do you know why most children look like their fathers?"
Zhou Xiangyang thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, "Because of genetics?"
Lin Yuanshu raised an eyebrow and laughed loudly, "It's to prove that I'm definitely my father's child!"
Zhou Xiangyang: "..."
Sister-in-law Xue stayed in the hospital for three days before being discharged and returning home to recuperate after childbirth.
Lin Yuanshu was woken up early by the noise outside and lost her sleepiness. She didn't need to look to know that Sister-in-law Xue had returned.
She yawned as she left the room. As soon as she stepped out, she saw her little niece in Sister-in-law Xue's arms. Zhou Xiangyang hadn't exaggerated; the little niece was quite cute, just a bit thin.
Although Zhou's mother and the others were initially disappointed that the child was not a boy, the child had already been born and could not be reborn, so they could only accept the fact.
"Have you chosen a name yet?" Lin Yuanshu asked curiously.
Lying on the bed, Sister-in-law Xue held back her tears and said, "Mom said to call her Zhaodi."
Lin Yuanshu looked at her eldest brother, who remained silent, seemingly acquiescing to the name. She then looked at Aunt Zhou.
Knowing that Lin Yuanshu was about to meddle again, Zhou Ma explained confidently, "I'm not targeting your sister-in-law. I'm doing this for her own good. Without a son, she has no one to rely on. With this name, she's sure to have a son next time."
Lin Yuanshu retorted, "If giving a name were truly useful, there wouldn't be names like Pandi, Laidi, Qiudi, and Yingdi."
Although this matter had nothing to do with her, she couldn't just stand by and watch a child who knew nothing get this name and couldn't even speak be bound by these feudal ideas.
Aunt Zhou frowned thoughtfully, then asked in a serious tone, "Second daughter-in-law, you're the smartest. From a scientific point of view, which of the younger sisters do you think has the highest probability of giving birth to a son?"
Lin Yuanshu was shocked by Zhou Ma's thought process. This was the legendary state of being half superstition and half science!
She said firmly, "None of them will do. Only ignorant women would give their children such names. Mom, you are a woman of the new era. You should learn to look forward, not backward. You don't learn any of other people's strengths, but you have learned all their weaknesses."
She then turned to her elder brother, her tone serious, "Brother, you're a cultured man, an intellectual. How could you let Mom name your daughter like that! If word gets out, how can you still call yourself a cultured man, an intellectual!"
Zhou's mother and eldest brother were so ashamed by Lin Yuanshu's words that they glanced at Zhou Dafu and placed all their hopes on him.
Zhou Dafu forced a smile and said, "Second wife, you can't say that. What will happen if your sister-in-law keeps giving birth to daughters if we don't choose this name?"
Lin Yuanshu raised an eyebrow and said softly, "Don't be so pessimistic. Look on the bright side. What if my sister-in-law only has this one child? There's no way she'll keep having daughters. Besides, Dad, we're all about gender equality now. Women hold up half the sky. If you keep favoring boys over girls, how can I feel comfortable helping you become a leader?"
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Author's Note: The information regarding sulfadiazine production lines contains personal additions.
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