Have another son

Minh has been a medical officer for over 10 years. He graduated with honors, and his father was also a medical officer, so Minh was immediately hired to work at the city's Center for Population and Family Planning. With a stable job, Minh soon married Hung, a police officer.

After marrying Hung, Minh soon gave birth to two obedient and beautiful daughters, which everyone admired, but Mrs. Thanh, Minh's mother-in-law, was not satisfied. She always wanted a grandson. Hearing that the Politburo agreed not to punish those who had a third child, she decided to urge her daughter-in-law.

That afternoon, when Minh came home from work, he saw his mother-in-law sitting on the sofa with a serious expression on her face saying:

- Go change your clothes and come out, I have something to discuss.

Hearing her mother-in-law say that, Minh quickly changed her clothes and went outside.

- Minh, I know that you have been hesitant to have another child for a long time because you are a party member and a population officer. But from now on, party members who have a third child or more will not be disciplined, so you can give birth to another grandchild for me.

Hearing her mother-in-law say that, Minh knew that sooner or later she would be urged to have another child. After thinking for a moment, Minh said to her mother-in-law:

- Mom, I hope you understand that whether or not we have more children is up to us.

Hearing her daughter-in-law say that, Mrs. Thanh looked annoyed and said:

- What about civil servants? Now it is allowed. Just have more children, who dares to say anything. Hung is an only child. His two nieces are grown up. Besides, I was worried about him being a civil servant so I didn't rush him. Now that you have the opportunity, you should plan to have more children.

Minh knew her mother-in-law would not miss this opportunity, because she had long hinted to Minh's biological mother that she wanted her to have another grandson.

That evening, after dinner and cleaning up, Minh asked permission to go to her room to rest early. What her mother-in-law had said in the afternoon also made her think. Previously, she could use the State's regulations to avoid having another child. But now that there were new, more open regulations, she didn't know what excuse to use.

That night, when the two daughters were fast asleep, Minh and her husband sat together. Hung held his wife's hand, his eyes sincere:

- I know you're in a difficult situation. Mom wants a grandson, and you're scared because you get sick every time you get pregnant, and you're not financially stable enough to pay for your children's education. But don't worry, I don't want you to feel pressured. If you're not ready, we won't do it.

Hearing her husband speak, Minh felt relieved. Hung was an understanding, considerate and fair person. He would not let his wife suffer because of his mother's unreasonableness. Minh smiled, her eyes filled with tears:

- I'm just afraid of making my mother sad....

He knew Minh was under pressure. They both understood that having another child was not just a matter of giving birth, but also a responsibility, a long journey with many worries ahead.

The next morning, Minh arrived at the office early. As soon as he sat down at his desk, Ms. Tam, the department head, called Minh into the office. After a while of asking about work, Ms. Tam spoke:

- Minh, yesterday your mother-in-law called me, she hopes I can advise you to have another baby boy to satisfy her wishes as well as your husband's family. Having a third child will not be disciplined anymore. Should you consider...

Listening to Ms. Tam, Minh had to confide everything to her...

*

During a reproductive health seminar in Lam Son commune, Minh stood on the podium, sharing about the importance of family planning. The presentation about the appropriate age for women to have children resounded steadily, but Minh felt torn inside. Could he stand here instructing others about reproductive responsibilities when he himself was still uncertain?...

One weekend, when the whole family gathered around the dinner table, Mrs. Thanh mentioned having another son again. But this time, Minh was surprised to hear her mother-in-law say it.

- From now on, I won't mention having another grandson to you and your husband anymore. I just want you to live happily. As long as you are obedient and smart, I'm happy.

Hearing this from her mother-in-law, Minh felt relieved. Because she did not know that it was Ms. Tam, her department head, who had met Ms. Thanh. She had helped her understand her daughter-in-law better. She did not know that after her daughter-in-law gave birth to her second child by cesarean section, she had to have part of her uterus removed. Now, if she gave birth again, it would be very dangerous, even fatal. Minh did not want her mother-in-law to be sad, so she kept it a secret for several years.

Minh looked up at her husband and smiled. In the end, what she needed was not the approval of society or the authorities, but the understanding of her family, especially her mother-in-law. From now on, she would no longer be under pressure from having a son. She silently promised to raise her two daughters and take good care of her mother-in-law.