The Kidney Test That Revealed Everything

My nephew was sick and needed a kidney transplant. My daughter was a perfect match. My daughter clutched her medical report, her brow furrowed into a single line. She bit her lip, deciding to donate her kidney to save her cousin.

I stopped my daughter, saying: "Let's conduct an experiment first, before we decide whether to donate." Then, I swapped my daughter's and nephew's medical test results.

1

When I received my best friend's call, I was stunned. She told me our family's medical examination results were in. My nephew had uremia and was already in the terminal stage. To save my nephew, he would need a kidney transplant.

My best friend paused: "I ran compatibility tests on all of you. Only Ruru was a match." "The decision is yours, but you should know your nephew is terminal. If he's getting a transplant, sooner is better."

Ruru is my daughter, who just turned eighteen this year. She has her college entrance exams in just a few months.

I turned to look at Ruru. She was right beside me. She had obviously heard my best friend's words too.

Her little face was conflicted, her eyebrows furrowed into a single line, her fingers trembling slightly. She asked: "Mom, should I... donate my kidney?"

I took a deep breath and patted my daughter's shoulder: "If you don't want to donate, you don't have to. I promise no one can morally blackmail you."

"But... if I don't donate, will my cousin die?" "He might, or he might not—I don't know." I sighed, "Let's conduct an experiment first, before we decide whether to donate."

I swapped the covers of my daughter's and nephew's medical reports.

Tonight happened to be the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The whole family would be having dinner at my mother-in-law's.

I wanted to see, if they thought the one who needed a kidney transplant was my daughter— would they let my nephew donate his kidney?

2

It was already past five when my daughter and I arrived at my mother-in-law's. My husband, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and my nephew had almost finished eating.

My mother-in-law was gnawing on a chicken foot: "You're never on time for meals. Look what time it is? "Don't you know to come earlier to help with the cooking? "Making this old woman cook for you—what a lack of filial piety."

These words were clearly meant for me. In the past, whenever it was our turn for family dinners, I would always buy the ingredients in advance and come early to cook everything. This time, I had been delayed by the medical examinations.

My husband Liu Jialiang frowned, "Hurry and eat. You can wash the dishes later."

I looked at the table—most of the food was gone. A pile of shrimp shells sat before my nephew. But there wasn't a single shrimp left in the serving dish.

The only thing left on the entire table was a vegetable dish that hadn't been finished.

My mother-in-law pushed the vegetable dish toward my daughter and me: "I saved this especially for you two. Women should eat more vegetables—it's better for your health."

I looked at the unfinished chicken foot in my mother-in-law's bowl and was about to snap. But thinking about the medical reports in my bag, I temporarily held back.

I took out the medical reports and placed them on the table: "The results from last time's examination are in. Ruru has uremia, terminal stage."

3

The whole family froze.

My husband Liu Jialiang was the first to react: "Ruru, you're sick? Uremia?"

My daughter, knowing about her cousin's illness, had been crying for a long time. Her entire face was streaked with tears, looking heartbroken and terrified.

My daughter glanced at me, then nodded gently.

My mother-in-law also reacted, frowning as she threw down her chopsticks: "I told you girls have bad luck! I told you to have another son, but you wouldn't listen!"

My sister-in-law Wang Mingli comforted me: "Sister-in-law, don't be sad. Did the doctor say how many days she has left to live?"

I glanced at my nephew who was still eating, wiped a few tears: "The doctor said without treatment, maybe a year at most."

My sister-in-law nodded thoughtfully: "There's not much point in treating terminal cases. Let Ruru suffer less. Take her out to have fun and eat good food this last year. At least she won't have lived in vain."

I looked up and glanced at my sister-in-law. Did she mean I shouldn't waste money treating Ruru?

Under the table, Ruru's grip on my hand tightened. She had obviously understood my sister-in-law's meaning too.

My mother-in-law chimed in: "Mingli is right. There's not much point in treating terminal cases. It wastes money and you can't save them anyway. You'll lose both the person and the money. "Ruru, be understanding and don't get treated."

Ruru's grip on my hand tightened again. I held her hand in return and gently patted it, signaling her to be at ease.

My mother-in-law continued: "Ruru, don't blame Grandma for being cruel. Your family doesn't have much money either. If it's all spent on your treatment, what will your parents have for their retirement? "I think it's better to save the money for Xiaotian. Xiaotian will definitely be willing to support your parents in their old age."

Liu Xiaotian is my husband's nephew. He was still gnawing on a chicken leg.

Suddenly being singled out, he mumbled, "That's right, save the money for me. I'll support them in their old age. "If you don't give me money, I won't support them."

My brother-in-law didn't speak, but he nodded silently—clearly agreeing to give up on treatment.

I coldly swept my gaze across the whole family: "The doctor said a kidney transplant can save Ruru."

4

When they heard I wanted to give my daughter a kidney transplant, my mother-in-law got anxious and slapped the table, "A kidney transplant? That costs a fortune! Besides, who would be willing to donate a kidney to Ruru? Wouldn't you have to buy it? My mother-in-law waved her hand dismissively, "No, we can't waste that kind of money!"

My sister-in-law Wang Mingli pressed her lips together, "Sister-in-law, don't make trouble. Kidney transplants require matching. It's not that easy. "So many people wait until they die without finding a donor. You'd better not get your hopes up."

My brother-in-law was still nodding silently on the side.

Fine, I see how it is now. Not a single person in this family values Ruru's life.

I had known for a long time that my mother-in-law's family favored boys over girls.

Back when my sister-in-law and I were both pregnant, my mother-in-law went to fortune tellers to predict whether we were carrying boys or girls.

When she heard the fortune teller say we were both carrying boys, my mother-in-law was overjoyed. She told everyone she was blessed, destined to have two grandsons.

During our pregnancies, she killed chickens and ducks, preparing this and that. She looked so benevolent.

Later, my sister-in-law gave birth to my nephew a few days before me, and my mother-in-law moved in to care for him, bringing formula and diapers. She praised my nephew to everyone, saying he looked so smart just by looking at him.

But on the day I gave birth, my mother-in-law waited outside the delivery room for ages. When she saw I had given birth to a girl, her face changed completely, and she shouted: "They switched the baby! It should be a grandson! Did you switch my grandson? Mine was definitely a grandson!"

This left the doctors and nurses looking at each other in bewilderment. When they confirmed I had indeed given birth to a daughter, my mother-in-law stamped her feet in anger, "That damn fortune teller lied to me!"

She didn't even hold my daughter, her face cold as she picked up the formula and diapers and left. For my entire postpartum month, my mother-in-law never appeared again.

Before my daughter was even six months old, my mother-in-law was pressuring me to have a second child. But I had hemorrhaged badly giving birth to my daughter and wasn't easily able to conceive again. For all these years, I never got pregnant again.

My mother-in-law and husband were both furious about this, but I was quite pleased. My daughter Ruru was well-behaved and sensible, much better than my mischievous and idle nephew.

At first, my mother-in-law found fault with everything about my daughter. She even declared that daughters were worthless goods.

But she couldn't resist my daughter's beauty—her big eyes blinked so endearingly that people wanted to kiss her. Not only that, my daughter was smarter than most children. Many things, she only needed to be taught once.

My daughter was also sweet-mouthed, speaking in her baby voice, loving to call out "Grandma, Grandma." Gradually, my mother-in-law and husband became gentler with my daughter too.

I thought that even if they valued my nephew more than my daughter in their hearts, they would still take out money to treat her when they learned she needed a kidney transplant.

I never expected they wouldn't even pretend. They directly told my daughter to give up treatment!

I wonder what their reaction would be when they learned the one with uremia was my nephew?

I looked at my husband: "What about you? You don't want to save your daughter either?" My daughter Ruru also turned to look at her father. Her eyes filled with hope.

5

My husband gritted his teeth, first looking at my daughter, then at my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law slapped my husband's head: "What are you thinking? I already told you girls are useless, told you to have another one. "I'm telling you, if you spend all your money to buy a kidney, don't call me Mom anymore! And don't expect Xiaoming to support you in your old age. "When you die, there won't even be anyone to break the mourning bowl for you!"

My sister-in-law timely nudged my nephew. My nephew finally stopped gnawing on his chicken leg, smacking his lips and licking the residual chicken soup from his mouth, "That's right, Uncle. Save the money for me. I'll support you in your old age. "I'm a man. I'm the pillar of the Liu family!"

My daughter couldn't help but cry out: "Dad?"

My husband Liu Jialiang cruelly shook off his daughter's hand: "Your grandmother is right. We... we shouldn't waste that money."

The hope in my daughter's eyes vanished, and large tears began to fall. "Dad, you really won't save me?"

My husband's eyes were red as he lowered his head, not daring to look at his daughter: "If you must blame someone, blame your fate."

My daughter suddenly lost all strength, collapsing into my arms, her voice choked: "Mom..." I quickly held my daughter, "Mom's here, Mom's here."

I coldly watched these so-called "relatives." I decided to give them one last chance: "My best friend tested everyone. We don't need to wait in line for a donor or buy a kidney. Someone in our family is a match for Ruru and can donate."

6

My husband suddenly looked up, "Really? Ruru doesn't have to die? "Was it me who matched? Ruru, don't worry, Dad will donate a kidney to you."

I shook my head: "Not you." "Then who?"

My gaze swept across them one by one. Except for my husband, who looked happy, everyone else had stern faces, not the least bit pleased.

My mother-in-law: "Who exactly matched with Ruru? Was it you?"

I still shook my head. My mother-in-law grew impatient: "If not you, then who?"

I pointed my finger at my nephew: "Liu Xiaoming."

7

My mother-in-law jumped up first: "Lin Mingya, are you doing this on purpose? "You say Xiaoming matched? You want Xiaoming to donate a kidney to your daughter?! "I'm telling you, don't even think about it! "I think you're just jealous that your sister-in-law gave birth to a son, so you're deliberately trying to make Xiaoming donate a kidney!"

My brother-in-law was no longer silent, "Sister-in-law, if you need me to donate, I definitely would, but Xiaoming is still young, he can't donate."

I snorted coldly: "Eighteen years old, not young at all. The doctor said this is the best age for kidney donation."

My sister-in-law glanced at my mother-in-law, pretending to be sincere: "Sister-in-law, it's not that we won't donate. It's mainly that Xiaoming is the only male heir in the Liu family. "Kidney donation isn't a minor surgery. If something happens... the Liu family line will end."

Hearing this, my mother-in-law stood up abruptly: "I said, Xiaoming cannot donate! Lin Mingya, if you dare scheme against Xiaoming, I won't be done with you!"

My mother-in-law turned to my husband: "Liu Jialiang, you show some attitude."

My husband's face was very pale, but he still stood up: "That's right, Xiaoming can't donate. Ruru, your illness... we, we should just accept fate."

My daughter had calmed down considerably. She wiped the tears from her face, not looking at my mother-in-law or husband.

Her voice trembling, she asked my nephew: "Brother, I'm only eighteen. I still want to live. Can you save me? "You're the only one who can save me now. Please."

I knew my daughter was giving my nephew a chance.

My nephew gave my daughter a disdainful look: "Grandma already said you have a worthless life. I'm not donating a kidney to you. It would hurt too much. "Besides, if I lose a kidney, am I still a man?! Whoever wants to donate can donate, but I won't."

My daughter wouldn't give up: "The doctor said people can live with just one kidney. But if you don't donate a kidney to me, I won't survive. "You really won't donate one kidney to me?"

"No, no, Liu Ruru, you're so annoying! Whether you live or die, what's it to me!"

My daughter bit her lip, her little face pale. She tightened her grip on my hand, her gaze now filled with determination.

I immediately understood. My daughter had decided she would not donate a kidney to my nephew.

I stood up, "If the one who was sick was Xiaoming, would you spend money to save him?"

My mother-in-law jumped up first: "Bah, bah, bah! You crow-mouthed woman! Xiaoming is perfectly healthy. If you dare curse him again, I'll tear your mouth apart!"

My daughter also asked: "If my cousin needed a kidney transplant, and I happened to be a match, would you ask me to donate?"

My sister-in-law, afraid my daughter was still eyeing her son's kidney, quickly spoke up: "How could we be those kinds of people? We would never force someone to donate a kidney! "If our Xiaoming needed a kidney transplant, we wouldn't even go to the hospital. We'd just save the money to eat good food. "Even if we couldn't survive, we wouldn't drag others down with us. "Ruru, it's not that your aunt doesn't love you. You're being too unreasonable! How could you ask your brother to donate a kidney!"

I saw my daughter secretly turn on her phone's recording: "Auntie, are you sure that if Xiaoming was the one sick, you wouldn't ask me to donate?"

"Sure, sure. I'm not selfish like you people, who don't care if others live or die for your own benefit."

As my sister-in-law said these things, I carefully observed my nephew. Looking closely, my nephew's complexion was very poor, with dark circles under his eyes, and he had no energy at all. It seemed he really was in the terminal stage.

My nephew found us annoying and rolled his eyes: "I say, Liu Ruru, you have a worthless life, and you still want me to donate a kidney?! "If I had uremia, I'd find a corner somewhere and die quietly. I think you should find a corner and kill yourself too. Stop dragging us down."

My daughter trembled with anger: "Fine! I hope you remember what you said!"

My daughter turned to look at me: "Mom, let's go!" "Good!"

My husband grabbed his daughter's arm: "Ruru, don't go. I still have some money. You... what do you want to eat? I'll buy it for you."

My mother-in-law slapped my husband's back: "You might as well use that money to buy something good for Xiaoming. What are you spending money on a short-lived ghost for!"

My husband went quiet as a quail after his mother's slap. He took out two twenty-yuan bills and stuffed them into his daughter's pocket: "If you want to eat something, go buy it yourself."

My daughter took the money her father gave her and threw it back at him, her tone flat: "No need. My mom will buy it for me." Then she pulled me and walked out without looking back.

Before leaving, I placed the medical reports on their table: "Take a good look."

8

As soon as we got home, my phone started buzzing nonstop. I checked—it was my husband's family group chat "Family Harmony, Everything Prospers."

My mother-in-law: "@everyone Listen up, I have an announcement to make: My granddaughter Liu Ruru has uremia and no money for treatment. If Jialiang's wife comes to you to borrow money, none of you are allowed to lend it!"

My aunt (paternal) replied immediately: "Your granddaughter is sick and you're not treating her?"

My mother-in-law: "That's right. Although we don't have money, we have dignity. When sick, we absolutely won't drag others down."

My sister-in-law sent a thumbs-up emoji.

My uncle (paternal): "Doesn't uremia get cured with a kidney transplant?"

My mother-in-law: "That's right, but none of you should go get tested. We'll handle our family's problems ourselves. If I had such an illness, I'd find a corner somewhere and die quietly. Living would only burden my family! "I, Zhao Ximei, will not ask you for a single penny for treatment! Nor will I ask you to donate a kidney!"

My sister-in-law quietly sent another thumbs-up emoji.

My mother-in-law: "@everyone If any of you secretly lend money to Lin Mingya, don't come asking me to repay it! My son won't repay it either!"

My aunt (maternal): "After all, it's a human life. Isn't this going too far?"

My nephew Liu Xiaoming: "So annoying. If you don't want Liu Ruru to die, you go donate a kidney to her! "So damn annoying, still trying to make me donate a kidney! Go to hell!"

The group fell silent instantly.

After five minutes, my aunt (maternal) spoke again: "Did Xiaoming and Ruru match?"

My sister-in-law: "They did match, but we're not donating. Life is precious, and so are kidneys. Everyone has their own fate. "If Xiaoming needed a kidney transplant, I wouldn't ask others to donate either!"

My mother-in-law @ me: "Lin Mingya, I advise you to stop thinking about treating Liu Ruru. Save the money for Xiaoming. "You and Jialiang should just treat Xiaoming as your own son from now on. He just said he wants to buy a new phone. You pay for it."

Liu Xiaoming @ me: "Get the latest iPhone. Don't buy those miscellaneous knockoff phones."

Me: "You didn't read the medical reports, did you?"

My mother-in-law: "You're cursing us again?! We're perfectly healthy!"

Sigh, it's hard to persuade those determined to die.

I took screenshots of all the conversations in the group, hoping that when they come begging my daughter to donate a kidney, they won't forget what they said.

Then I turned on message notifications mute.

Just then, my husband Liu Jialiang returned. Before I could even yell at him, he spoke first: "Mom said we're not treating Ruru's illness. If you disagree... she wants me to divorce you."

9

Fine, I had wanted to divorce Liu Jialiang for a long time. But I had endured it because my daughter was still young and I didn't want to affect her studies.

I had originally planned to wait until after my daughter's college entrance exams to bring up divorce. But I never expected that after this drama, Liu Jialiang would be the first to mention it.

Actually, Liu Jialiang wasn't a bad person. He was honest and willing to work. Although his salary wasn't high, it was enough for us to live on.

But unfortunately, he was a man who was filial to a fault. Whenever his mother said east, Liu Jialiang would never go west.

He told me: "My father died early. My mother raised my brother and me alone. She's suffered her whole life. I have to be good to her."

So as soon as his salary came in, he would immediately transfer it to his mother.

Everyone knows, "Emperors favor their eldest son, common people favor their youngest." My mother-in-law was already partial to my brother-in-law. After my sister-in-law gave birth to a boy, this favoritism grew day by day.

In the end, all of Liu Jialiang's salary was scraped away by his mother and sent to my brother-in-law. They said boys had more expenses and needed careful upbringing.

I had asked Liu Jialiang many times to go get the money back. But whenever his mother glared at him: "Go away, what money? I'm telling you Liu Jialiang, your family only has a worthless girl. What living expenses do you need? "Jiaqing's family has a proper boy! As his uncle, won't you have to rely on him in the future? What's wrong with giving him more money now?"

Whenever his mother got angry, Liu Jialiang's attitude would soften, and he would come back empty-handed every time.

My family's expenses basically relied entirely on me. So we hadn't managed to save much money over the years.

"Mingya, Ruru's illness is already terminal, and Xiaoming refuses to donate a kidney. Even if we spend all our money, we can't save her."

Seeing I wasn't speaking, Liu Jialiang thought I had come around: "Mom is right. We should give all our money to Xiaoming. We're both getting older and can't have children anymore. We might as well treat Xiaoming as our son and rely on him in the future."

I sneered: "Liu Jialiang, let's get divorced. Whoever doesn't agree is a grandson!"

I used to think giving my daughter a complete family was being responsible. I thought that even if my mother-in-law and husband favored Liu Xiaoming, they still loved my daughter.

But I never expected they didn't take my daughter seriously at all!

Liu Jialiang didn't think I would actually agree to divorce: "Mingya, think it over. You're not young anymore. If you divorce, you definitely won't find a good man."

"Bah, Liu Jialiang, you heartless bastard! I never planned to remarry anyway! Stop talking nonsense. As soon as the civil affairs office opens tomorrow, we'll go get the divorce certificate! If you have any conscience left, don't divide our savings!"

Just then, my daughter came out. Liu Jialiang was at a loss: "Ruru, you... you forgive your dad. Your dad wants to save you too, but your dad has difficulties. Can you understand your dad?"

My daughter glanced coldly at Liu Jialiang: "If you feel guilty toward me, then promise me you'll go divorce Mom tomorrow morning."

Liu Jialiang was stunned. My daughter had already returned to her room.

10

That night, my daughter and I squeezed into one room. My daughter said: "Mom, after I finish my college entrance exams, let's move away, move far, far away. I don't want to see Dad and Grandma anymore." "Good!"

I knew that although my daughter didn't show it on the surface, she must be heartbroken. Sigh, some hurts can only be healed with time.

The next morning, when I got up, Liu Jialiang was already sitting on the sofa. He seemed not to have slept all night. His hair was messy. He hadn't shaved.

Liu Jialiang's eyes were red: "Mingya, I've thought it through. Since you want a divorce, let's get divorced. "There's still over thirty thousand yuan at home. It's all yours. Buy Ruru something good to eat. Let her leave happily."

Liu Jialiang lowered his head, his voice choked: "It's me, her father, who has failed her."

I didn't say anything. While Liu Jialiang was feeling guilty toward Ruru, I directly dragged him to the civil affairs office. As soon as the thirty-day cooling period ended, Liu Jialiang and I got our divorce certificate.

Liu Jialiang moved out and went to live with his mother. During this time, my mother-in-law came to see me once, asking me to divide the money with Liu Jialiang.

Later, Liu Jialiang rushed over. I don't know what Liu Jialiang said to his mother, but my mother-in-law cursed me: "You vixen! So old and still seducing my son, cheating him out of all his money!" Then she left.

I quietly accompanied my daughter as she sprinted toward her college entrance exams. I felt the time passed surprisingly quickly.

As soon as my daughter finished her exams, I took her traveling. I posted all sorts of beautiful photos of my daughter on my social media. And many videos of my daughter participating in dance competitions.

My sister-in-law commented below: "Why does Liu Ruru look perfectly fine?"

My mother-in-law also commented: "Good thing I made Jialiang divorce you. You wasteful woman, all you know is traveling! What a waste of money! "If you know you're wrong, come back immediately and give all your money to me. I'll reluctantly let Jialiang remarry you!"

Many relatives also asked: "Isn't Ruru sick? Why isn't she hospitalized yet?" "Ruru looks so radiant. This doesn't look like someone who's sick at all?"

I replied to my aunt's comment: "Thank you for your concern, Auntie. My daughter was never sick at all."

After my mother-in-law declared in the family group that no one should lend me money, only my aunt secretly messaged me, asking if I had difficulties, saying she had tens of thousands of yuan she could lend me.

My aunt is my mother-in-law's sister, but the two never got along. My mother-in-law favored boys over girls, but my aunt favored girls over boys, having only one daughter and stopping. They looked down on each other, and whenever they met, they would exchange sarcastic remarks.

I thanked my aunt for her kindness but said I didn't need it. But I remembered her kindness in offering to help.

My aunt hadn't replied yet when my mother-in-law commented again: "What do you mean she's not sick?! Didn't you say Ruru had terminal uremia and needed a kidney transplant to survive?! "Was it a misdiagnosis? Tell me which hospital it was. I'll go find them and demand compensation!"

I couldn't help but reply: "It wasn't a misdiagnosis. Surely you haven't read the medical reports yet, have you?"

I had only swapped the covers of my daughter's and Liu Xiaoming's medical reports. If they had opened them and looked carefully inside, they would have seen whose medical report it really was.

It seemed that after all this time, not a single one of them had carefully looked at the medical reports.

Liu Xiaoming was terminal to begin with. Now, he was probably beyond saving.

11

Perhaps prompted by my reminder, my mother-in-law Zhao Ximei went home and took out the medical reports that had been placed under the table. She put on her reading glasses and examined them carefully.

The name on the uremia medical report wasn't "Liu Ruru" at all, but: Liu Xiaoming!

Zhao Ximei's vision went black, and she nearly fainted!

She called me: "Lin Mingya, you knew all along it was Xiaoming who was sick, didn't you?! "You did this on purpose, right? You deliberately wanted Xiaoming to die!"

Me: "I told you all along to take a good look at the medical reports."

Zhao Ximei was silent for a long time: "Bring Liu Ruru back immediately and let her get tested for Xiaoming."

I reminded her: "When you thought it was my daughter who was sick, what did you say? "You should save the money and buy something good for Liu Xiaoming to eat. Don't waste money. Save yourself from losing both the person and the money."

I threw Zhao Ximei's exact words back at her.

Zhao Ximei was choked up: "But Xiaoming is the root of the Liu family! If he's gone, how will the Liu family continue their lineage?! "How can a girl like Liu Ruru compare to Xiaoming? Hurry and let Ruru come back for testing. If she matches, she can donate a kidney to Xiaoming."

I ignored Zhao Ximei and hung up the phone, adding her to my blacklist.

That evening, my best friend called me and said Zhao Ximei's entire family had gone for testing, but not a single person was a match. Liu Xiaoming didn't have much time left. Without a kidney transplant, he could last at most two more months.

My best friend said: "Your nephew, when he learned he was terminal, was so scared he wet himself on the spot. "And your mother-in-law sat crying at our hospital entrance, demanding we give her grandson a kidney transplant. "It was ridiculous. She thought she could morally blackmail us. "And your husband—no, your ex-husband—he was completely dazed, looking several years older. He stood nearby without saying a word, just holding the medical report, I don't know what he was thinking. "Oh, your ex-husband's family found out somehow that Ruru and Liu Xiaoming were a match. "You two shouldn't come back for now, otherwise, your ex-husband's family probably won't let you go. They'll definitely force Ruru to donate a kidney."

12

I had tried to keep my daughter away from my ex-husband's family as much as possible. But Liu Jialiang was, after all, Ruru's father.

I don't know what method he used, but he found out my daughter had been admitted to Nanjing University. The family followed the trail and found the residential complex where my daughter and I were renting an apartment.

Zhao Ximei saw me and Ruru, her eyes lighting up: "Lin Mingya, Liu Ruru, I've finally found you."

Zhao Ximei grabbed my daughter's hand: "Come, go back and donate a kidney to Xiaoming. Xiaoming can be saved. I knew Xiaoming was destined for good fortune."

My daughter shook off Zhao Ximei's hand: "Did I ever say I would donate a kidney to Liu Xiaoming? I won't donate."

Zhao Ximei froze, pointing at my daughter and cursing: "How can you be so heartless! That's your brother! If you don't donate a kidney, he'll die!"

Although tears flashed in my daughter's eyes, she still smiled: "And when you thought I was dying, why didn't you ask Liu Xiaoming to donate a kidney to me? What, my life doesn't matter, but his life means the sky is falling?"

Zhao Ximei stammered: "How is that the same?" "What's different? Just because I'm a girl and can't continue the Liu family line?"

My sister-in-law saw that my daughter and I were firm in our stance and immediately knelt before us, slapping herself twice. It was clear Wang Mingli had used considerable force—her cheeks were red.

"Sister-in-law, Ruru, I was wrong. I really regret it. You adults should overlook my petty actions and save my son. He's only eighteen! "If he dies, how can I live?! He's my only son! Please, I'm begging you!"

Pity the hearts of parents everywhere. Wang Mingli cried until her face was a mess of tears and snot, continuously kowtowing to me and Ruru.

But I had already given her a chance; she just didn't take it. If she had stood up and said one word for my daughter back then, my daughter wouldn't have become so disheartened with them. Given my daughter's soft heart, she would probably have chosen to donate a kidney to Liu Xiaoming.

People reap what they sow.

I thought that after Zhao Ximei's family understood my daughter refused to donate, they would think of other solutions. But I never expected they would latch onto my daughter.

13

After being chased out of the residential complex by security, they ran to the entrance of my daughter's university. They even unfurled a banner: "Ungrateful Liu Ruru, Refuses to Save Her Cousin."

The university security guards stopped Zhao Ximei and them from entering, so Zhao Ximei sat crying at the university entrance. "Everyone come look, Nanjing University's new student Liu Ruru, watching someone die and doing nothing! "Her cousin has uremia. She's a perfect match, but she refuses to donate a kidney. "I, an old woman, knelt before her begging, but she ignored me completely! At my age, I'm expected to bury my own grandchild! "Everyone come judge for yourselves, is Liu Ruru even human?!"

My sister-in-law Wang Mingli also sat on the ground: "I heard Liu Ruru even won a scholarship, some kind of moral model! How can someone who watches others die deserve a scholarship?! "Pity my son is only eighteen. He could have gone to university too, but now he can only lie in bed waiting to die. If my son dies, I won't live either! "Liu Ruru, come out! If you don't save my son, I'll fight you to the death! I want to ask Nanjing University, does someone who watches others die deserve to be a Nanjing University student?!"

A large crowd gathered to watch. Even the university's dean of academic affairs was alerted.

Zhao Ximei thought making a big scene could control public opinion and morally blackmail Ruru into donating a kidney to Liu Xiaoming. But things didn't develop as she expected.

Although many students gathered to watch, not a single person spoke up for them. Everyone was quietly waiting to see what would happen next.

Ridiculous. Who among those who could get into Nanjing University wasn't smart? How could they be deceived by their few words?

My daughter and I were soon notified and came to the scene.

Zhao Ximei excitedly pointed at my daughter: "That's her, she's Liu Ruru, heartless, not even willing to donate a kidney!"

Wang Mingli tried to grab my daughter's arm, but my daughter stepped back to avoid her.

My daughter turned on her phone: "Everyone, please listen to a recording." I even borrowed a megaphone from a nearby teacher.

The recording of Zhao Ximei cursing my daughter was played publicly.

My daughter: "My grandmother initially thought it was me who had uremia and needed a kidney transplant. She said there was no money, no treatment. She even told my father to divorce my mother. "She said I should go kill myself, otherwise I was wasting money. "Now, she discovers it's her grandson Liu Xiaoming who has uremia, and she comes to morally blackmail me into donating a kidney."

My daughter's gaze was firm as she looked at Zhao Ximei: "How do I repay kindness with kindness when met with malice? I, Liu Ruru, am putting it out there right now—I will not donate a kidney!"

After my daughter finished speaking, applause broke out from the surroundings.

"I knew there had to be a twist to this story." "Just looking at that old woman's face, you can tell she's evil." "What era is this? Still favoring boys over girls. Now they're facing karma." "If she had been willing to let her grandson donate to Liu Ruru back then, the person would probably donate to her grandson now. They brought this on themselves." "Oh my god, look at what they said before. They actually told Liu Ruru to go kill herself and not burden them! If it were me, I wouldn't donate a kidney either!" ...

Zhao Ximei and Wang Mingli were pointed at by the clear-eyed university students. Their faces turned green, then white.

"No, I... it's just that Liu Ruru is heartless!" "No, if she won't donate, I won't get up from this ground!"

Finally, the dean called the police, and only then were Wang Mingli and Zhao Ximei driven away.

Things were peaceful for a month. Just when I thought Zhao Ximei and Wang Mingli had given up, reality slapped me hard across the face.

14

"Mom, save me!" Before my daughter could finish, her desperate call was cut off. When I called back, it was already a dead line.

I broke out in a cold sweat, my hands trembling as I called the police.

Fortunately, my daughter had been vigilant. She had activated the location tracking feature on her phone with me in advance.

Following the location, my daughter and the police quickly found my daughter at an underground clinic. My daughter had already been tied to a bed.

I don't dare imagine what would have happened if we had arrived even a moment later.

When my daughter saw me, she threw herself into my arms, crying. "It was Dad, Dad tricked me..."

I looked at the corner where Liu Jialiang had already been subdued. His face was pale, his eyes unfocused: "Lin Mingya... I, I had no choice. Mom said if Ruru didn't donate a kidney, she would bang her head against the wall. Mom has suffered her whole life..."

Before he could finish, I slapped him hard across the face. The force knocked one of Liu Jialiang's teeth out.

"You beast!" "Your mother wants to die? Let her hurry up and do it!"

Liu Jialiang's lips moved, but in the end, not a single word came out.

The police learned that Liu Jialiang was my daughter's biological father and asked if I wanted to write a letter of forgiveness. It could lead to a lighter sentence.

My daughter and I looked at each other and both shook our heads.

15

The next I heard about Zhao Ximei's family was two months later. My best friend called to tell me that Zhao Ximei, Wang Mingli, and the entire Liu Jiaqing family were all in jail.

It turned out that besides my daughter, there was another volunteer who was a match for Liu Xiaoming. But the other party demanded five million yuan to donate a kidney to Liu Xiaoming.

Where could Zhao Ximei and them get that kind of money? So they set their sights on an underground clinic.

My best friend said: "Zhao Ximei and them first knocked the person unconscious, then dragged them to the underground clinic to extract the kidney. "Who knew the doctors at that underground clinic were all quacks. "In the middle of the extraction, the person started bleeding heavily and died. "Even that person's kidney was punctured by the quack doctors. "After causing a death, Zhao Ximei and them tried to flee. "But they didn't realize what era this is—cameras are everywhere now. They were caught within an hour. "Now they can go reunite with your ex-husband's family in jail. "Oh, by the way, your nephew probably only has a day or two left. "Your mother-in-law's whole family is locked up. Who will collect his body when he dies?"

Me: "I'll notify his other relatives."

I casually posted news about Liu Xiaoming in the "Family Harmony, Everything Prospers" group. Then I left the group.

As for whether anyone would go collect Liu Xiaoming's body, I didn't care.

16

Sure enough, two days later, Liu Xiaoming died. When the news reached prison, I heard that Zhao Ximei collapsed to the ground when she heard the news, shouting: "Ah! The Liu family line has ended! "Xiaoming, you can't die! My dear grandson!"

Within seconds, Zhao Ximei couldn't catch her breath and went underground to accompany her grandson.

It seemed she truly did love her grandson deeply.

Wang Mingli and Liu Jiaqing also went completely mad.

As for my ex-husband Liu Jialiang, I heard he regretted it. He mumbled all day about wanting to see his daughter one more time.

I asked my daughter: "See him?" My daughter shook her head, "No."

Yes, not all "sorrys" can be exchanged for "it's okay."