On the day my sister-in-law gave birth, my mother went to a fortune-teller to have her fortune read.

It's definitely a boy!

As soon as the baby cried, my mother rushed into the room.

As soon as she entered, my mother's face fell, and she pointed at my sister-in-law and started cursing.

In the room, my sister-in-law lay pale on the bed, as thin as a bamboo pole. Her cheekbones were prominent, and fear was evident in her eyes.

She was holding a chubby baby in her arms.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a boy.

My brother sat on the doorstep, smoking, with an exceptionally unpleasant expression on his face.

"What happened? How did you give birth to a girl? Didn't we invite the old gentleman?"

"There was already something worthless in the family! Now we have another one!"

The worthless thing my brother referred to was me.

When I was born, my mother planned to give me away, but as soon as people in the village and beyond heard that I was a girl, they shook their heads and refused to take me.

My mother cursed for a long time, feeling angry, and wanted to go argue with the fortune-teller.

My brother slammed the door and left.

He cursed a few unlucky words.

Only my sister-in-law and I were left in the room. I stared at the chubby baby in her arms, so white and plump, it made me want to touch her.

My sister-in-law held the baby and murmured to herself, "A girl is good, a girl is obedient..."

But soon, my mother came back, rushing into my sister-in-law's room.

She changed her attitude in an instant, with a smile on the corner of her mouth.

She sat next to my sister-in-law, but her eyes were fixed on the baby in her arms.

"Xiulan, I just inquired about it. Mr. Wang said you have heavy yin energy in your destiny. The first child is a girl, so I specifically begged for a solution to get rid of your yin energy. I guarantee that the next child will be a boy!"

Mr. Wang is the master who makes paper effigies for coffins. I often help out at his shop to support the family.

My sister-in-law looked at my mother in astonishment and instinctively held the baby in her arms tighter.

Sister-in-law said, "Mom, I like girls. Girls grow up to be obedient, just like Pan'er!"

My mother turned her head and glanced at me, with undisguised contempt and disgust in her eyes.

I curled up in the corner, staring at the worn-out sneakers my brother had left on my feet.

My sister-in-law continued, "Grown-up girls are filial. Nowadays, city people all want girls!"

My mother's face suddenly changed, and she reached out to snatch the baby from my sister-in-law's arms. "Girls are a loss! After giving birth to a boy, there is still hope. Xiulan, listen to your mother. Mother won't harm you!"

Sister-in-law tried to snatch the child back.

"Mom, give the child to me. I gave birth to her, I'll raise her!"

"Mom, I beg you, give the child back to me..."

My brother rushed forward, tightly holding my sister-in-law's hand, with a fierce and menacing look in his eyes.

Despite my sister-in-law's hoarse cries, my mother still took the baby away.

My sister-in-law looked anxiously, wanting to get up and chase after them, but she didn't expect my brother to slap her hard.

Nosebleeds flowed, and my sister-in-law, who was already thin, couldn't withstand my brother's blow.

She fell by the side of the bed.

"Zhang Xiulan, let me tell you, if you can't give birth to a boy, believe me, I'll beat you to death!"

My mother ran out with my sister-in-law's baby.

My brother also followed them out. My sister-in-law looked at me with the last trace of hope.

I didn't dare to look up at her.

Because in this family, Iwas considered worthless and unwanted. My mother's disdain for me was evident, and my brother's anger towards my sister-in-law was directed at me as well. I was the constant reminder of their disappointment and frustration.

I quietly sat in the corner, hugging my worn-out sneakers, the only possession that was truly mine. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I held them back, afraid to show any sign of weakness.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. My sister-in-law's condition worsened, both physically and emotionally. She became a shadow of her former self, bearing the weight of her husband's abuse and the loss of her baby.

I watched silently from the sidelines, feeling helpless and invisible. I wished I could do something to protect her, to change the circumstances we were trapped in, but I was just a young girl, powerless in a world that didn't value me.

One day, my sister-in-law disappeared. She had escaped from the suffocating grip of my brother and mother. They searched for her frantically, cursing and blaming her for everything that had gone wrong.

But deep down, I knew the truth. My sister-in-law had left to protect herself and, perhaps, protect her baby from the toxic environment she had brought her into.

Months passed, and life in our household became even more unbearable. My brother's anger grew, and my mother's resentment towards me intensified. I became the target of their frustrations, enduring verbal and physical abuse on a daily basis.

But amidst the darkness, a glimmer of light appeared. It was my sister-in-law, returning with her baby in her arms. She had found refuge with a distant relative, far away from the toxic influence of our family.

She looked at me with kindness and warmth, something I had never experienced before. She held out her hand and said, "Come with us. You don't have to stay here anymore."

Tears streamed down my face as I reached out and held her hand tightly. With each step away from that suffocating environment, I felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders.

From that day forward, my sister-in-law became my guardian angel, my protector. She gave me the love and care that I had always longed for. We built a new life together, away from the cruelty and rejection that had haunted me for so long.

As I grew older, I realized that my worth was not determined by the opinions of others. I was not worthless or unwanted. I had the power to define my own value and create a life filled with love and happiness.

Although the scars from my past still lingered, they served as a reminder of my strength and resilience. I vowed to never let anyone diminish my worth again, and to always stand up for those who were treated as less than they deserved.

And so, the girl who was once considered worthless found her voice and her purpose in a world that had tried to silence her.