Another geomancer told him that the gods would help him if he had a temple archway built. What would he not do as long as he could get a son? So no expenses were spared and he did as the geomancer told him. But the gods remained unmoved and gave him another girl. As the newborn baby uttered her first cry upon entering this world, her father began to wail most miserably.

    He was now a bitterly disappointed and broken man. He became a heavy drinker. He habitually beat up his wife and daughters for no reasons at all. He had nothing to live for. He felt he could not look people in the face because he had no son. When the whole village had electric lights installed, he had to go without because he had no rnoney. In fact, his debts ran to four figures and he could see no way of repaying them.

    Then one day early this year, after loading himself heavy with drink, Zhou Chenghu ended his own miserable life at the age of forty. Perhaps he was not as guilty as the man who tried to drown his own daughter, but to leave his wife and six daughters to fend for themselves, though no crime was certainly not excusable. And all because he had no son!

              Text B

    After ignoring family planning policies and siring three girls Zhang, who lives in a village in Henan Province, finally got the son he was waiting for this year.
    Despite the heavy fines exacted for breaking the regulations on family planning, Zhang was overjoyed.
    The honest and simple peasant does not hesitate when asked why he so much desired a son. "Why? Who'll support me when I get old?"

    Actually there are some homes for old folks in the village and nearby. But though he supposes they live well there, Zhang still does not believe the old folks are happy.
    "It's just so-so there. Wlio knows what it'll be like over there when I get old. It's better to have a son," Zhang said.
    And a son-in-law cannot be depended on to support him, says Zhang.

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