Love at First Novel by Gu Lingfei

The old lady couldn't help but envy Mrs. Johnson.

She had a daughter, and while her own grandchildren were all boys, Mrs. Johnson's great- granddaughter, Avah, was a sweet, easy-to-care-for child who rarely cried.

In over 80 years, the old lady had never seen such an easygoing little girl.

Tania mumbled, “How's this our fault? Mom, you didn't have a daughter either.

It would've been nice if you had.

When you were younger, you could've adopted a daughter.

Maybe we'd have a girl in our family now.” The old lady sighed, “Do you think I didn't try? When I was young, a friend of mine had several daughters.

I liked one of them and decided to bring her home to raise as my own.

But within six months, she fell ill repeatedly and was on the verge of death.

half-dead from all

had no choice but to

enough, after she went back, she quickly recovered and was healthy

superstitions, so I tried again with another friend’s

happened—she was always sick, and my friend got so scared that she rushed to take her back, saying that the York family is like a Buddhist

raise a daughter of our

old lady Knew her in-laws and ancestors had daughters in the

gently chimed in, “Maybe it’s because Grandma didn’t

can make a child more susceptible to illness.”

you suddenly had a daughter, you'd treat her like a precious treasure, which might not be good for her health.” The old lady had several sons and raised them in a straightforward, no- nonsense

came to a daughter, her approach would've been

can sometimes have

you were younger, you were

natural that you couldn't give all your attention to a child.” “If you raised your daughter the same way you raised your sons, Zachary would probably have at least one aunt by now, even

treated the two baby girls she