A month before the final exams, I casually posted an update celebrating my daughter-in-law's pregnancy. Little did I know, the new intern teacher screenshot it and shared it in the parent group. The group instantly erupted, a boiling cauldron of outrage: "Only a month until final exams, is it appropriate for the homeroom teacher's daughter-in-law to be pregnant right now?!" "This is the crucial sprint stage! Who will take responsibility if it delays our children?!" "Anyway, your daughter-in-law is still young. Just terminate the pregnancy now and plan for a baby after the exams!" I rubbed my eyes, unable to believe the words scrolling across the parent group chat. My daughter-in-law was pregnant – how did that suddenly become my responsibility as the homeroom teacher and mother-in-law? Seeing my refusal, the parents banded together, storming the school, even demanding that I relinquish my position to the new intern teacher. Their words, veiled in insinuation, painted me as too old, too burdened with personal affairs, unlike the young, pretty intern who was "up-to-date." In a fit of rage, I immediately resigned, taking early retirement. Yet, after the final exams, why did my class's acceptance rate to top universities become the lowest in the entire grade? 1 My son and his wife had been married for five years, trying to conceive for three. My daughter-in-law was finally pregnant. I instinctively posted an update on social media. The next second, Miss Hailey Grant, the new intern teacher, liked it, then screenshotted it and posted it in the class group chat: "Congratulations to Mrs. Vance on becoming a grandmother! After waiting so long, it's finally happening. Mrs. Vance, you must shower your daughter-in-law with attention!" The usually quiet class group suddenly buzzed with notifications. A parent, whose contact was saved as "Kayla Johnson's Mom," tagged me: "Mrs. Vance, is that your daughter-in-law who's pregnant on your social media?" I politely replied, "Yes," and she immediately shot back: "Forgive my bluntness, but with only a month until the final exams, is it really appropriate for your daughter-in-law to be pregnant right now?" Kevin Chen's mom chimed in: "The last month is crucial for the sprint. Who will take responsibility if it delays our children?" I quickly clarified: "Parents, I think there's a misunderstanding. It's my daughter-in-law who's pregnant, not me. It won't affect the students." But the parents wouldn't back down: "You can't say that. With a pregnant daughter-in-law, a mother-in-law is bound to be preoccupied. Naturally, less energy will be dedicated to the students." "A senior year homeroom teacher must be fully dedicated to the students' needs. The final exams are a life-altering event!" Once the floodgates opened, other parents echoed the sentiment: "I agree with Kayla Johnson's mom!" "A graduating class homeroom teacher should put in more effort than other teachers!" "I propose that Mrs. Vance's daughter-in-law terminate the pregnancy!" I was shaking with anger—not only the immense physical harm of such a procedure, but these parents were overstepping their bounds! Kayla Johnson's mom even started a poll in the group: "Vote 'support' if you back Mrs. Vance's daughter-in-law terminating the pregnancy!" Soon, 45 parents responded, with 40 supporting the motion. I suppressed my fury and replied: "My daughter-in-law's pregnancy is a private family matter, no need for your concern! The final exam sprint plan was set three months ago and will absolutely not be affected!" Kayla Johnson's mom called me directly: "Mrs. Vance, don't mind me interfering, but during the final exam sprint, everything must prioritize the students. You've been a teacher for over thirty years; you should understand this principle. While it's still early, hurry to the hospital and terminate the pregnancy. You can always have another one after the exams." I cut her off. "My daughter-in-law's pregnancy is my private matter. You have no right to interfere." With that, I hung up, wearily pinching the bridge of my nose. Since the start of senior year, I had worked tirelessly, practically living at school 24/7 except for sleep, sacrificing almost all my personal time for my students. Now, they were brazenly demanding my daughter-in-law terminate her pregnancy! I thought stating my position would end it, but two days later, another incident unfolded. 2 Early one Saturday morning, as I was accompanying my daughter-in-law for her prenatal check-up, my phone suddenly buzzed with continuous notifications. Juggling breakfast in one hand and her appointment slip in the other, I fumbled for my phone in my bag—Kayla Johnson's mom had sent four or five more messages in the group: "Mrs. Vance, Kayla accidentally lost her comprehensive Chinese test paper from yesterday!" "Please snap a picture of the test so I can print a new copy for her to do!" "Tell me which questions Kayla got wrong so I can help her focus on reviewing them!" "Mrs. Vance, where are you?" "Please reply?" I was about to respond when our turn for registration came up. I shoved my phone back into my pocket, intending to reply after we were done. After registering, paying the fees, and settling my daughter-in-law into the examination room, I finally pulled out my phone to message Kayla Johnson's mom. Kayla Johnson's Mom, I'm sorry, I was just with my daughter-in-law for a check-up at the hospital, so I couldn't reply immediately. The test papers are all at school. Please wait a moment; I'll head to school to take pictures after her check-up is done. It was Saturday, a day off, so I thought this explanation would be understood. The next second, Kayla Johnson's mom sent four consecutive voice messages into the group. "Mrs. Vance, yesterday I said your daughter-in-law's pregnancy would distract you, and you insisted it wouldn't!" "Today I asked you for a test paper, and it took you twenty minutes to get back to me!" "Do you know? In twenty minutes, Kayla could have finished an entire page of problems! If you'd given it to me sooner, wouldn't Kayla be done by now?" Before I could even explain, Miss Hailey Grant suddenly replied in the group. "Kayla Johnson's Mom, I'm the intern Chinese teacher for our class. I've already sent you the test paper privately." "I apologize for the delay. It was mainly due to traffic on my way to school. Next time, I'll definitely reply sooner." "It's Mrs. Vance's first time becoming a grandmother, so she's bound to be a little preoccupied. As parents, we should all try to understand." Hailey was a fresh college graduate this year and also the principal's niece. Our high school was a top-ranked public high school, generally not hiring teachers without any teaching experience. Hailey had just graduated this year and was admitted exceptionally due to her connection with the principal. Hailey's words made me deeply uncomfortable. I had been teaching this class since freshman year. On weekdays, I always addressed any parent concerns or questions immediately. Since senior year began, I had sacrificed my personal time countless times to tutor weaker students. Take Kayla Johnson, for example: for three consecutive Saturdays, I went to her home to tutor her for free, all because I wanted every student to face the final exams in their best condition. Now, my daughter-in-law was pregnant, and it was wrong for me, as a mother-in-law, to accompany her for a check-up on my day off? Before I could explain in the group, Kayla Johnson's mom sent another message. "Look at her, a fellow teacher, then look at yourself." "Mrs. Vance, it's a shame you're even a homeroom teacher! If a homeroom teacher of a top class can't prioritize students, then they don't deserve the title." Several other parents quickly echoed her: "Exactly, Mrs. Vance, you need to understand, teaching is your primary job. We entrusted our children to you because we trust you. Don't betray our trust." "No matter what, a teacher must always put students first." "We'll let it slide today, but we hope Mrs. Vance learns from Miss Grant in the future and doesn't let her personal affairs interfere with students' studies." The parents who spoke were usually on good terms with me; I had even tutored their children for free at their homes on several occasions. I was stunned that they actually agreed with Kayla Johnson's mom. Suppressing my tears, I replied sincerely in the group, aiming to de-escalate the situation: I've received your criticism. It won't happen again. Later, during morning self-study, as I was leading the students in reading aloud, seven or eight parents, led by Kayla Johnson's mom, stormed into the classroom. Kayla Johnson's mom, her face stern and aggressive, confronted me directly. "Mrs. Vance, would you mind stepping out for a moment? We parents have something to discuss with you." I asked the class president to maintain order, then followed the parents out of the classroom. The moment I stepped out, Kayla Johnson's mom handed me a piece of paper. I took it, and it was a hospital appointment slip for a pregnancy termination. 3 Kayla Johnson's mom spoke with an air of announcing a decision. "Mrs. Vance, given your performance yesterday, I and a few other parents in the class have discussed it and decided that your daughter-in-law should still terminate the pregnancy." "This is the appointment notice for the procedure that I and the other parents booked." "Take a look. If it's alright, please take your daughter-in-law to the hospital for the surgery today." Kevin Chen's mom chimed in support. "Exactly, if the teacher isn't taking action, we parents have to take matters into our own hands." "If you have classes, a few of us parents can personally accompany your daughter-in-law to the hospital for the procedure." I stared at the parents in disbelief. Each of their faces wore an expression of 'we're doing this for your own good.' My hands trembled with rage, but I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice calm. "Yesterday was just an accident. I promise all of you that I will dedicate twelve-tenths of my energy to seeing the students through this last month." Kayla Johnson's mom scoffed. "The final exams are a life-changing event. As parents, we must eliminate all distractions." "Everyone here is a woman, and we've all been pregnant and had children. Morning sickness, threatened miscarriage, these are common in early pregnancy. You'll definitely be distracted caring for your daughter-in-law then." "A person's energy is limited. If you're busy with family, you'll naturally become lax with students." "We can't risk our children's entire future on a gamble." I felt dizzy with anger, my blood rising. Mrs. Davis, the Chinese teacher from the next class, quickly rushed out to support me. "Parents, please rest assured. Mrs. Vance has been a teacher for thirty-five years. Not only is she highly experienced, but she is also incredibly dedicated and responsible towards her students." "Before, when Mrs. Vance's husband was hospitalized, she didn't take a single day off." "Let alone her daughter-in-law's pregnancy. With Mrs. Vance's dedicated and responsible attitude, she absolutely will not delay the children's progress." The parents were about to say more when they were suddenly interrupted by a clear, sweet female voice. "Mrs. Vance, your daughter-in-law came looking for you. She said she'd like to eat your braised pork ribs and asked if you could cook them for her this afternoon." 4 I turned my head to see Miss Hailey Grant slowly approaching, accompanied by my visibly pregnant daughter-in-law. Hailey’s words were like dropping boiling water into a pan of oil, instantly erupting into a furious sizzle. "Parents, look! Going home to cook braised pork ribs for her daughter-in-law on a weekday afternoon? Isn't that inappropriate?" "How can someone like this be the homeroom teacher of a top-tier class?" "Today, either agree to terminate the pregnancy, or we replace the homeroom teacher. Mrs. Vance, you choose." My daughter-in-law looked bewildered. "No, no, that's not what I meant!" "Miss Grant, I meant I wanted to eat ribs tonight. I wanted my mother-in-law to buy some and cook them after school. I didn't say for her to come back and cook them at noon!" My daughter-in-law was so flustered she could barely speak clearly. The loud commotion drew students from their morning study, their heads poking out of the classroom, eager to see what was happening. "Change homeroom teachers? Great! Are we getting Miss Grant?" "I always hated that old hag. She gives us so much homework every day, and punishes us with copying until our hands ache." I couldn't believe it. My students, whom I had painstakingly taught for three years, were calling me an "old hag" and saying they hated me. I dug my nails into my palms, my voice trembling with barely suppressed fury. "Terminating the pregnancy is out of the question. Changing homeroom teachers is even more impossible." "If you parents have nothing else to do, please leave the school. Don't disrupt the students' classes." Kayla Johnson's mom snorted. "Mrs. Vance, you don't want to change homeroom teachers, are you perhaps unwilling to part with the bonus for the top-tier class?" Kayla Johnson's mom's words hit me like a sledgehammer. Yes, there was a bonus for the top-tier class, but it was split among all the teachers involved, amounting to barely two hundred dollars per person. If I were after money, I would have long ago quit and become a teacher at an outside institution, earning several times more than I did now. I took a deep breath, trying to be pragmatic. "I'm not changing homeroom teachers because I've taught this class since freshman year. I know each student's situation better and can provide more targeted assistance." "Secondly, the final exams are coming soon. Even if there were a suitable teacher, changing teachers at such a critical juncture would definitely be detrimental to the students." Kayla Johnson's mom rolled her eyes, pulling Hailey Grant forward and pushing her towards me. "What do you mean 'no'? I think Miss Grant is perfectly suitable!" "She's single, young, and the kids like her more. Plus, she doesn't have all these messy personal affairs." Kayla Johnson's mom's words infuriated me, but also made me laugh grimly. "Miss Grant just graduated this year. Her teaching experience is completely insufficient. This class is a top-tier class at the school; the students in it are all promising candidates for Ivy League-level schools." "How can an inexperienced novice teacher be the homeroom teacher for a top-tier class?" Kayla Johnson's mom curled her lips, her eyes full of scorn. "Mrs. Vance, do you overestimate yourself? The students in the top-tier class are inherently gifted." "To put it crudely, if you tied a dog to the podium, these kids would still ace their exams." "Besides, Miss Grant graduated from a prestigious university. Her learning ability is far superior to an old hag like you." I stood there, stunned, unable to believe such words came from Kayla Johnson's mom's mouth. This class wasn't a top-tier class to begin with; it was I who enforced discipline, rectified the academic atmosphere, and gradually raised the class's performance, bit by bit. Now, in the parents' mouths, it had become a class where even a dog tied to the podium could teach effectively. The students watching the spectacle chimed in agreement. "Exactly! I think if we switched to Miss Grant, my Chinese scores would improve even more!" "That old hag is too rigid. All she makes us do is memorize texts and copy essays all day. What's the point of that?" Then, the classroom erupted in a synchronized chant: "Change teachers! Change teachers!" Kayla Johnson's mom looked at me triumphantly. "Mrs. Vance, see? The children all demand a change in homeroom teacher." "However, given your hard work for the children for three years, we can apply to the principal. Miss Grant will be the homeroom teacher, and as for you, you can assist Miss Grant." I raised my eyes to Kayla Johnson's mom, my gaze sweeping over the students in the class. "The homeroom teacher cannot be changed. I absolutely will not agree." Kayla Johnson's mom and Kevin Chen's mom exchanged glances. "Mrs. Vance, if you don't want to change homeroom teachers, then you're choosing the pregnancy termination, aren't you?" "For the future of the 45 children in this class, we will be the villains for Mrs. Vance." Before I could react, Kayla Johnson's mom and Kevin Chen's mom grabbed my daughter-in-law and headed for the stairwell. I quickly tried to rush forward to stop them, but the other parents held me back tightly. "Are you insane?! Are you really planning to forcibly drag her to terminate the pregnancy? Do you understand that's illegal?!" Kayla Johnson's mom completely ignored me, watching as my daughter-in-law was pulled to the stairwell. I exerted all my strength, breaking free from the parents' restraint, and rushed towards my daughter-in-law. My daughter-in-law struggled fiercely. I tried to pry open the hands of the two parents. The four of us wrestled, and the scene became a chaotic scramble. I don't know who pushed or perhaps stumbled. My daughter-in-law suddenly tumbled down the stairs, a crumpled heap. "Ah…!" A piercing scream echoed in the stairwell. Everyone collectively looked down. My daughter-in-law's white dress was already stained crimson with blood. Kayla Johnson's mom fell to the ground, her face pale. "So much blood... so much blood..."
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