She had a second child, another boy, and my mother-in-law was overjoyed. After I finished my postpartum confinement, I asked for a divorce.

A second child, another boy, and my mother-in-law was beside herself with joy. After I finished my postpartum confinement, I asked for a divorce.

I never imagined that marrying my husband would mean being put on some kind of pedestal. I thought that as long as they respected me, that would be enough. I can earn my own money, and I have my own social circle, but if I cannot get respect, that is truly something I cannot accept. But unexpectedly, the thing I cared about most still happened. Just when the whole family was immersed in joy over my giving birth to a second son, I asked for a divorce after finishing my postpartum confinement.

Not long after I married my husband, my mother-in-law started urging me to have a child. At the time, I was actually reluctant, because I felt we were still very young and could work hard in our careers for a few years, and wait until our careers were stable and we had a certain financial foundation before considering a child. I told my mother-in-law that we were not refusing to have a child, just that we wanted to wait a few more years. But at the time, my mother-in-law said yes, saying that once the child was born I would not have to take care of it, that she would help look after it, and that I could still live the life I had now and keep working. I believed my mother-in-law's words, but what happened later proved it was not as she had promised. After the child was born, it was impossible for me not to care or worry at all. Many things required me to do them myself. Under my mother-in-law's and my husband's persuasion, I did not work until the child was two years old. Instead, I was forced to focus entirely on caring for the child. I also felt that I should fulfill my duty as a mother, so I did not complain at all.

Later, when the child finally grew a bit older, I felt I could safely let my mother-in-law take care of him, and that I could return to the workplace, because after chatting with friends before, I really felt I had become disconnected from society. That made an independent woman like me very anxious, and I felt I had to return to society and have my own independent source of income. But before I could tell my family what I was thinking, my mother-in-law told me she hoped I would give my son another companion, saying that one child was too lonely and that with two children they would not be bullied.

When I heard this, I refused on the spot, saying I could not possibly agree to this request. Unexpectedly, my mother-in-law later pulled some tricks, and I became pregnant again. At the time, I really broke down, but there was nothing I could do. After all, the child in my belly had done nothing wrong. Later, the child was born. Watching them delightedly coaxing the child, I was truly exhausted in body and mind. And my husband was actually very happy too, completely unable to understand how I felt. After I finished my postpartum confinement, I asked for a divorce.

In my in-laws' home, I did not receive basic respect, and no one would listen to what I said. They said I was the daughter-in-law of the family, but I felt more like a machine for bearing them children. This pushed me past my limit, and I truly could not go on living this kind of life. I had already expressed my position many times, but it was completely useless. I could see no hope. Apart from divorce, what else could I do?

(From a reader's submission. The images in this article are from the internet.)