Chapter 110: Two in One

Chapter 110: Two in One

"Sister-in-law," Qin Yao called out to her.

He An, the elder sister-in-law, looked flustered. The item in her hand slipped and fell to the ground with a "puff" sound, the outer packaging cracked.

Back then, the packaging of sugar cakes was very basic. The cakes were usually wrapped in old newspapers, with a paper box inside, and sometimes covered with white sugar paper.

After the outer shell cracked, a round red pill could be vaguely seen.

Qin Yao didn't know what it was but went forward to help pick it up. She wondered if it could be some kind of prenatal supplement? But something felt off. How could a fetal stabilizer look so shoddy? When she saw the exposed paper charm, an eerie guess suddenly came to her mind.

The next second, Qin Yao used her X-ray vision, scanned the box of pills, and saw a hidden "advertisement note" at the bottom that read: divine medicine, guaranteed to give birth to a boy...

Qin Yao was shocked. In the 1970s, 1980s, and even the 1990s, there were many cases involving so-called divine medicines. Especially in the 1980s, things got even more chaotic, and the late 1970s saw a rise in superstitions and strange practices.

After the Cultural Revolution's "Destroy the Four Olds" movement, which aimed to destroy old customs and superstitions, it wasn't without reason. These divine medicines were truly harmful, and many people, ignorant of the facts, believed in ghost and spirit tales, leading to countless tragedies where they harmed their own children.

By the early 2000s, it had become rare to see people in rural areas using charm water for medical treatments. In the early 2000s, many still sought out ghostly grannies for treatments involving charm water. Various folk remedies were rampant.

The most outrageous was the "gender-altering pill," which had been popular for a long time. It was said to be a divine medicine that could turn a female fetus into a male one.

If this pill were completely useless, it would have been bad enough. But instead, they messed with hormones, causing pregnant women who took these fake medicines to give birth to severely deformed children.

This medicine harmed many children. Some were born neither fully male nor female, becoming intersex. Others had female upper bodies and male lower bodies, or were born as infertile women, among other conditions. Many needed surgery to restore their original gender.

Some of these deformed children suffered as they grew up, while others were abandoned or killed shortly after birth.

In later years, when prenatal checkups became common and public knowledge improved, such situations became less frequent.

"Hey, you're pregnant! You can't just pop any old pills!" Qin Yao said nervously. She found it hard to believe that her elder brother and sister-in-law were so fixated on having a boy.

Why would He An suddenly have a box of "gender-altering pills"?

He An sighed, "I know. I didn't take it. It was still someone's good intention."

"Was it sent by your family?" Qin Yao couldn't understand. In such bizarre stories, it was usually an overbearing mother-in-law who forced her daughter-in-law to take these pills, only to suffer the consequences. They dreamed of having a grandson but ended up with a deformed child instead.

Such overbearing mothers-in-law would never blame themselves but would scold their daughters-in-law.

"No," He An rubbed her temples. Though she appeared proud, she was actually someone who could be easily swayed by kindness. If someone was slightly warm to her, she couldn't bring herself to speak harshly to them. "It was a colleague from the unit."

"A colleague gave you this? What was her intention?" Qin Yao found it increasingly bizarre. A colleague caring about whether you have a boy or a girl? And even giving "gender-altering pills"?

Like Chen Baozhen, He An had a tough exterior but a soft heart, making her easy to manipulate. She was a naive and kind person.

Even now, she still considered it a gesture of goodwill.

He An was surprised, "You know what this is?"

"I've heard of it in horror stories from the elderly women in the neighborhood. It's a 'gender-altering pill,' right?"

He An was shocked, "Horror stories?!"

"Yes. It's the kind of story told to scare kids straight. If you take this pill, you'll give birth to a deformed child who isn't male or female, and their spirit will come back to haunt the family for revenge," Qin Yao made up a story on the spot. Before ghost stories were censored in the early 2000s, there were plenty of tales about deformed babies coming back for revenge.

He An turned pale as she listened, but she also found it exciting and thrilling, her heart racing. She was eager for Qin Yao to share more. "What other ghost stories did your grandmother used to tell?"

He An had grown up in a well-disciplined and orthodox family. She had been raised in a protected environment, shielded from the darker aspects of society. Her family never allowed her to come into contact with such things, and she had followed the rules all her life. After graduation, she found a decent job and, through an organization's introduction, went on a blind date with Gu Xing. They got married, had a daughter, and she hadn't faced much hardship. Even now, at a not-so-young age, she hadn't experienced many challenges.

He An was like a well-protected flower in a greenhouse. Occasionally, she found life in the greenhouse boring and yearned for the storms outside.

"Sister-in-law, are you sure you didn't take any? Should we go to the hospital for a check-up?" Qin Yao was worried that He An might have taken the pills but was too embarrassed to admit it. It was unclear what effect this might have on the baby, but it was very serious for a pregnant woman to take something indiscriminately. Many things could easily cause birth defects, leading to a deformed child, which would cause pain to the family.

He An shook her head. "Don't worry, I didn't take any."

She had told her friends she took them, but she had no intention of doing so. To her, it didn't matter whether she had a boy or a girl. This pregnancy was an accident. After so many years with Gu Xing, they hadn't had any children and had only Miaomiao, their daughter. They hadn't planned to have more children, thinking they were too old and Gu Xing was too busy with work. They hadn't paid much attention to it.

In the past two years, the couple had grown closer, spending more time together, and unexpectedly, she had become pregnant again... He An didn't mind the gender of the child, but she was troubled by how much Gu Xing had changed in the past two years.

He used to be a strong and robust man, but now, with his clothes off, his belly was bigger than hers. When men gained weight, it easily went to their stomachs, and the flesh on their faces also grew uncontrollably.

Perhaps it was because of love, but He An found it strange that she didn't find her husband's current state disgusting. If Gu Xing had shown up looking like this when they first met, she probably wouldn't have agreed to the marriage.

Would the child she was carrying be affected by the father's condition? If it's a boy, it wouldn't be a big deal, but if it's a girl, He An was somewhat worried.

"He's gotten too fat these past two years. If our daughter looks like him, I'm afraid I'll be doing her a disservice," He An thought worriedly, hoping that her daughter would look like her.

Qin Yao couldn't help but twitch her mouth when she thought of the scene in the snowfield earlier. "What happened to him in the past three years?"

"He gained weight," He An bit her lip. She had to take primary responsibility for Gu Xing's weight gain. "We both love cooking, and that's how it happened. When he was younger, eating like that didn't seem to affect him much..."

Qin Yao smiled. "As you get older, you can't eat like you did when you were a teenager. Once you gain weight, high blood pressure and fatty liver follow."

Sister-in-law should urge Brother to lose weight!

"The doctor said the same," He An found a bag to put the pills in. She didn't know how to handle them for a moment. It felt wrong to throw away something that someone had kindly given her, but keeping it at home wasn't right either. The thought of deformed children added to her distress.

"Throw it away, Sister-in-law. You shouldn't have any more contact with the colleague who gave you this. I feel like she has ulterior motives."

You shouldn't harm others, but you should always be cautious.

Qin Yao felt that He An, or rather, the innocence she occasionally revealed, was quite resented by others.

Living in a greenhouse, yet being curious and envious of the storms outside, was like adding discomfort to others. Some petty people would smile on the surface but hold grudges inside, wishing to tear apart her peaceful life.

Few women her age lived as comfortably as she did, in a loving relationship with her husband, who was obedient to her. They had only one daughter, who was smart and lovely, winning the affection of their in-laws.

He An currently worked in a youth organization, a respectable and easy job. It could be said that her life was smooth sailing.

Even with Miaomiao all grown up, He An, now a married woman, still retained her innocent and romantic outlook.

Other women would gather and complain about their in-laws, their disobedient children, and their estranged or abusive husbands during meals... He An didn't have these problems. Moreover, she had married well; her husband was much better than most.

In the past three years, Gu Xing had been exceptionally good to his wife. Every time he went on a business trip, he brought back gifts for her. During his vacations, the whole family went out to play, and he always made time for his family, making him a model husband.

He An had achieved the marital life she had always wanted.

Perhaps because of the intense happiness on her face, ordinary people tended to keep their distance from her. Trying to curry favor with her wouldn't lead to any backdoor opportunities. Who would want to listen to stories about her perfect marriage?

Her colleagues, seeing how happy her marriage was, felt uncomfortable and started avoiding her.

"She, she probably meant well, right?" He An said doubtfully, her tone uncertain. In fact, she had some suspicions about Zhong Xiaoxiao's intentions.

Zhong Xiaoxiao had been transferred to their unit last year, a clever woman from a township. She was articulate and, upon arrival, said she felt a connection with He An. Every time she saw her, she greeted He An warmly, making her feel at ease.

Zhong Xiaoxiao was a sharp and clever woman. He An had gone shopping with her at the department store, and every time she marveled at how capable Zhong Xiaoxiao was. She knew how to pick the best goods and never let outsiders take advantage of her. In fact, she always managed to get a bargain.

He An, on the other hand, was different when it came to shopping. She never nitpicked. If there was a small issue, she would just endure it. She wouldn’t argue over small things or confront a salesperson over their attitude.

Zhong Xiaoxiao, however, wouldn’t let a salesperson boss her around. If she felt wronged, she’d immediately escalate the issue to management. People were afraid of her because of this.

…And because of this, even though He An didn’t fully agree with Zhong Xiaoxiao’s way of handling things, for someone like her, who lived a sheltered and carefree life, she thought Zhong Xiaoxiao was amazing!

After He An confirmed her pregnancy, it was Zhong Xiaoxiao who taught her to “consider the bigger picture.”

“Your husband has only two brothers. Your younger sister-in-law has already had two sons. You really should have a boy this time. Otherwise, people will definitely laugh at you behind your back. In the future, your mother-in-law will favor your sister-in-law, and your life will become difficult.”

Upon hearing Zhong Xiaoxiao’s words, He An felt both amused and helpless. “No one will laugh at me. My husband holds a good position. Some of his colleagues only have one daughter. If not for this unexpected pregnancy, we had planned to have just Miaomiao.”

Whether I have another daughter or a son, it didn’t really matter to her. Besides, with Rui Rui and Ming Ming around, He An already felt things were good. If she had felt a little embarrassed about not giving the Gu family a grandson before, now she felt it was fine.

He An felt that her life was going smoothly, and it had a lot to do with her carefree attitude. Things that others felt the need to fight over, she found unimportant.

“Sister He An, you’re being too naive. Isn’t having a son and a daughter a good thing? You need to work hard for it. This pregnancy, be more determined, and make sure to have a boy. Then everyone will be so jealous!”

“Your life is good now, but it’s just missing a son. Really, don’t take this lightly. It’s not just men who care about this; women care even more.”

“Don’t you see how women with sons seem to carry themselves with more confidence?”

…

There’s a saying: sour food for boys, spicy food for girls. He An didn’t really believe in this, but her tastes changed after she got pregnant. Suddenly, she loved spicy food, which seemed like a sign she was having a daughter. There were some whispers at work, with some saying she was pitiful for having another daughter.

He An just laughed it off, but Zhong Xiaoxiao was indignant.

One day, Zhong Xiaoxiao suddenly brought her a box of pills, calling them “gender-selection pills.” She claimed that taking these pills would guarantee a boy.

“If you had taken these before you got married and had a boy, you would make others jealous, having both a son and a daughter, with a husband who loves you. They’d be so jealous!”

“Then they wouldn’t dare talk behind your back.”

…

He An refused, but under Zhong Xiaoxiao’s persistent persuasion, she accepted the pills, pretending she had taken them to avoid arguments.

After finishing that first box, Zhong Xiaoxiao brought another one.

He An didn’t know how to deal with these pills, and by the time she received the second box, she began to doubt Zhong Xiaoxiao’s intentions.

“It’s too strange. Why does she care so much about whether you have a boy or not?”

He An sighed, not wanting to think ill of others. “Maybe she’s doing it for my own good, hoping I’ll have both a son and a daughter.”

Qin Yao: “……”

Her sister-in-law’s naivety and sweetness were almost too much to bear.

He An didn’t mind, but Qin Yao felt very uncomfortable. Where did these “gender-selection pills” come from? Even if they hadn’t harmed He An this time, were there other pregnant women being forced to take these pills? These things were too harmful and needed to be stopped at the source. Who was producing these harmful things?

Even though the market wasn’t fully deregulated, selling something like rat poison privately would still be considered illegal. Selling gender-selection pills was even worse—those responsible deserved to be in prison.

“Zhong Xiaoxiao hasn’t gone far yet. I’ll follow her and see.” Qin Yao decided to get to the bottom of it. Even though this had nothing to do with her, the thought of “deformed children” was too cruel, and she couldn’t just stand by.

Giving these harmful pills to pregnant women was morally wrong.

"Xiao Qin!" He An exclaimed. "Be careful, have the military aide follow you."

Qin Yao left and ran into Gu Cheng, who was returning home. Without time to explain, she asked him to come along to tail someone. Gu Cheng helped her get a car, and they soon caught up with Zhong Xiaoxiao.

Zhong Xiaoxiao didn’t recognize them and had no idea that Qin Yao and her husband were following her.

They eventually followed her into an alley, where she entered a courtyard and spoke with a middle-aged man. Gu Cheng climbed over the wall to eavesdrop.

Outside, Qin Yao used her special ability to see through walls to observe, but she couldn’t hear the conversation clearly. After a short while, Gu Cheng came out looking serious and called the police officers over to arrest the father and daughter.

It turned out that Zhong Xiaoxiao and this middle-aged man were father and daughter. The man, Zhong Tuanjian, was a good-for-nothing who used to dabble in superstitious activities. His family was poor, and the local cadres could do nothing about him.

Later, upon learning that his daughter had transferred to the city, he came with a referral letter to join Zhong Xiaoxiao in the city. Zhong Xiaoxiao hated being bothered by this deadbeat. She knew Zhong Tuanjian wasn’t a good person, but he had some shady skills. When he learned that He An was pregnant, he had a malicious idea and had Zhong Tuanjian make the "gender-switching pills."

Zhong Tuanjian actually knew how to make these pills. An old master had once told him that these pills could "guarantee a boy." But this guarantee only worked at birth. The "boy" would develop breasts in puberty… turning into a veritable monster.

Zhong Xiaoxiao gave these pills to He An for two reasons: first, to curry favor and make He An remember her kindness; second, she harbored resentment towards He An. She secretly wished for He An to suffer a great misfortune. This naive woman who had everything going smoothly was infuriating. In a few years, when He An realized she had given birth to a monster, she would no longer think she was so "lucky."

By then, it would be too late to trace it back to Zhong Xiaoxiao. Besides, she had done it with "good intentions."

Zhong Xiaoxiao had planned everything perfectly, but an accident happened after she returned home. Zhong Tuanjian had struck gold by making those so-called "gender-switching pills" in the city.

In just half a month, Zhong Tuanjian made a fortune, living a life of luxury. Many fools came to him to buy the pills that "guaranteed a boy." He received endless food and meat ration coupons, which were highly valuable at the time. He started acting like he was untouchable.

Knowing about these matters, Zhong Xiaoxiao was horrified. What had started as small mischief had now grown into something dangerous. Zhong Tuanjian had caused such a big stir and showed no sign of stopping. He was practically asking for trouble.

After delivering the last batch of "gender-switching pills" to He An, Zhong Xiaoxiao rushed to warn Zhong Tuanjian to stop. A heated argument ensued, which Gu Cheng overheard.

This father-daughter pair were both rotten to the core.

When the police entered, the two hadn’t even realized what was happening. Zhong Xiaoxiao’s heart raced. "Officers, what are you here for?"

"You are illegally selling fake medicine, those harmful gender-switching pills!" Police officer Zheng found it unbelievable. For the past couple of years, the patrol teams had turned a blind eye to some private sales, as long as it wasn’t too excessive.

Farmers bringing chickens into the city to sell to urban residents wasn’t a big deal. Selling industrial goods was more serious.

But this father-daughter duo had taken things to another level. They were selling medicine, specifically "gender-switching pills" to pregnant women! If something went wrong after taking these, it would be a huge problem.

Zhong Tuanjian didn’t care. "What harmful medicine? My medicine guarantees that you’ll have a boy! Don’t go spreading lies. If you want a boy, you’ll have to beg me to sell you the medicine."

He had become arrogant after being flattered for days. He thought no one could touch him. He was like some kind of miracle worker who could guarantee boys.

Zhong Xiaoxiao was shocked. "This idiot!"

"So you admit you were selling the pills?"

"Yes, I did!"

"Then you’ll have to come with us."

…

As soon as they entered the police station and were interrogated, the previously smug Zhong Tuanjian crumbled and spilled everything. "My daughter told me to make the gender-switching pills! I didn’t know she wanted to harm people. It was her idea, not mine."

"They begged me to sell the pills! They knew I had the gender-switching pills, and they begged me for them. It’s not my fault, they asked me for it..."

"You knew this medicine was harmful, yet you still sold it?"

"They were desperate to buy it. I couldn’t refuse even if I wanted to. Look, there are still a few people who heard about it and are begging me to sell it to them."

The police confiscated the gender-switching pills made by Zhong Tuanjian, and Zhong Xiaoxiao was also detained. What was even more surprising was that several elderly women came to cause a scene, demanding the "gender-switching pills."

"Why did you have to arrest him? I haven't gotten my pills yet."

"I’ve only taken one box, and last night I dreamed I was going to hold my grandson..."

"I paid first, so you must give me the pills!"

Seeing this scene, Qin Yao felt a mix of emotions. Not everyone was like this, though. A young woman from the neighborhood stepped forward, "Officer, was it you two who reported this?"

This young woman lived next door to the Zhong family and had wanted to report Zhong Tuanjian for selling these harmful pills for a long time, but her family told her to mind her own business.

Qin Yao nodded, "It was my husband who brought the police officers."

"You did the right thing. You’re real heroes!" The young woman seemed to have a strong sense of justice. She wore two braids, had bold eyebrows, and mentioned she was a high school student. She wasn’t sure if she’d get a job assignment or end up going to the countryside.

In fact, starting this year, the educated youth who were sent to the countryside have been returning gradually.

After chatting with her for a bit, Qin Yao learned that the young woman’s last name was Wang. Qin Yao didn’t ask further. After the conversation, Qin Yao felt relieved, thankful that the pills hadn’t spread too far. Based on what Zhong Tuanjian admitted, these gender-switching pills could indeed cause intersex abnormalities.

Luckily, they were caught; otherwise, who knows how many children might have been harmed.