Divorced at fifty, I embarked on my path to success.

“Let’s discuss how to make that old bastard leave with nothing.” Xie Mingqi sat back down on the edge of the bed. “Isn’t that old vixen after his money? Let’s make sure she doesn’t get a single penny. I’d like to see how she reacts then.”

Mei Yusheng felt a little tired and closed her eyes briefly: "We don't know anything right now, and we can't come up with any good solutions. Let's wait for Attorney Qin's investigation results before we talk about it."

Xie Mingqi looked her over and sighed softly, "Okay, you go and get some sleep first, I'll come over this afternoon."

Mei Yusheng nodded: "If you're busy, you can come tomorrow."

"Okay." Xie Mingqi poured her a glass of water, peeled an apple and placed it within her reach before picking up her bag and leaving the hospital.

As she sat in the car, recalling what she had said to Han Caiyu, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty, afraid that the vile woman would go around spouting nonsense in front of Yuejiang Pavilion.

He secretly regretted not being able to control his temper and say less. If he had ruined Old Chen's chances of being elected vice principal for the sake of a moment's pleasure, it would have been a huge loss.

I started the car and sped home. After finishing a cup of coffee on the sofa, I suddenly remembered something, took out my phone, and dialed a number.

"Cheng Peng, right? This is your Aunt Xie." Xie Mingqi's voice was bright, as if she casually brought up the video recorded the day before yesterday. "You haven't deleted it yet, have you? Okay, then please keep it for a while longer, it might be useful later. By the way, about that camera, it seems we still need to install it. Okay, I'll contact you when it's installed."

After explaining everything, she hung up the phone.

The video from the day before yesterday could serve as evidence of Yue Jiangting's infidelity, but it wasn't nearly enough. She felt Mei Yusheng was oversimplifying things; how could one video be sufficient?

Ideally, we could get more, or even more exciting and stimulating scenes, or if we were lucky enough to find other weaknesses in Yue Jiangting, we could not only avoid being coerced by him in the future, but also turn the tables on him.

Xie Mingqi became increasingly smug, unable to believe that Yue Jiangting and his son could have run a clean business for so many years.

She bit her nails and paced around the room, trying to figure out how to install the camera discreetly. Unfortunately, Mei Yusheng was in the hospital, which made it too inconvenient.

Should she wait until Mei Yusheng is discharged from the hospital? She was a little anxious.

Even after Chen Juansheng and his daughter returned home, she still hadn't come up with a good solution.

"Mom, I'll go see Aunt Mei this afternoon," Chen Qianqian said vaguely, biting into a chicken leg. "I haven't seen Aunt Mei in a long time."

……

Shen Yingying brought lunch at noon. Mei Yusheng looked behind her again and again, the light in her eyes dimming: "Why didn't you bring Xuanxuan with you?"

She felt that it was fine for a child to stay in the hospital for a short while. Last time, when Xuanxuan had an upset stomach, didn't she carry him around the hospital for a long time?

"Mom, I know you miss Xuanxuan. Can you video call him?" Shen Yingying looked troubled and took out her phone to make a call.

"Never mind!" Mei Yusheng waved her hand. "Who picked up Xuanxuan today?"

Shen Yingying hesitated, unsure how to answer. Mei Yusheng immediately understood and flew into a rage: "So what if we have no one left in our family? You need a strange woman to pick up and drop off the child? Aren't you afraid she'll sell Xuanxuan!"

"Mom!" Shen Yingying couldn't stand hearing the news that Xuanxuan had been sold, and she raised her voice, "What nonsense are you talking about! Aunt Han likes children very much, she's not a human trafficker!"

"So you're already siding with that mistress? What did she give you? You're all siding with outsiders!"

"No, Mom." Shen Yingying glanced at her mother-in-law with annoyance. How could her mother-in-law, who was usually the easiest to get along with, suddenly become so unreasonable? "Dad and Guangzhi are both very busy. I have to clock in and out of work. And you're in the hospital. Besides Aunt Han, who else can pick up and drop off the children? Please understand us and get well soon. You'll have to be the one to pick up and drop off the children!"

Mei Yusheng was stunned for a moment. Judging from Shen Yingying's tone, it seemed that she regarded Han Caiyu as a member of the family. Han Caiyu had successfully usurped the family's place!

"Yingying, do you and Guangzhi also think that your father's affair was justified?" Mei Yusheng pushed away the spoon she was offered, her face gloomy. "Do you also think that I should accept Han Caiyu as a matter of course?"

“No, Mom,” Shen Yingying quickly explained, “that’s not what we think. Han Caiyu is only staying for a few days and will leave soon. It won’t affect our lives.”

"Heh!" Mei Yusheng sneered.

"Mom, you..." Shen Yingying glanced at him furtively, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Speak your mind!"

"Could you forgive your father? Pretend you don't know anything about this and live like before, okay? Guangzhi asked your father, and he doesn't want to divorce you. After all, you've been married for thirty years, have children and grandchildren, and you're both getting old. Why make things difficult for yourself? It'll only make you a laughingstock, and you won't gain anything either. What do you say?"

Mei Yusheng felt a chill in her heart: "You and Guangzhi have the same idea, you both hope that I will swallow my anger, right?"

"Oh, Mom, of course I understand how you feel. If Guangzhi were like that one day, I wouldn't be able to stand it either!" Shen Yingying held Mei Yusheng's hand. Her skin was smooth and elastic, and Mei Yusheng couldn't help but feel envious.

“But think about it calmly,” Shen Yingying said boldly as she saw Mei Yusheng’s expression calm down. “Even if you get a lot of money from your divorce, you’ll be so lonely. When you get old, a spouse is just a companion, or just a necessary accessory. Just bear with it, and a lifetime will pass.”

What a great saying, "Just bear with it, and a lifetime will pass by."

Mei Yusheng's lips curled into a mocking smile. For her, being over fifty, saying such things wasn't unreasonable. After all, even if she couldn't bear it, she didn't have many years left to cause trouble. Most people would choose to settle things peacefully and get through the rest of their lives without incident.

But she was not willing to give up!

Why did she dedicate half her life's time, energy, and emotions to betrayal in the end?

What does her youth matter? What does the emotion she poured into her matter? What does her decades of life matter?

We can't just accept our fate because we're old, or just drift through life because we're old!

How much longer can she live? Twenty years? Ten years? Five years?

Even if it's only for a year, she wants to truly live according to her own wishes and no longer wrong herself for anyone. She's suffered enough in this life.

Shen Yingying glanced at Mei Yusheng, seeing her indifferent expression and unsure if she had listened, so she didn't dare say anything more and just urged her to eat.

Mei Yusheng finished her meal without saying a word, then waved for her to leave quickly.

Shen Yingying knew that her words had upset her mother-in-law, and she was also a little dissatisfied. How could she act so impulsively like a child at her age? Couldn't she handle things calmly and rationally?

She believed she said those things because she was thinking of her mother-in-law; if she were even slightly rational, she would know what to do.

Mei Yusheng opened her eyes after Shen Yingying left, staring blankly at the ceiling. Having lived half her life, she suddenly found herself all alone, feeling lost and adrift.

The phone rang, and seeing that it was Cheng Peng's name, I composed myself and answered.

Cheng Peng said he wanted to visit, but Mei Yusheng politely declined, saying he didn't need to come. She also expressed her gratitude for his help the day before yesterday.

While they were on the phone, Xie Mingqi and Chen Qianqian walked in.

Upon learning that it was Cheng Peng calling, Xie Mingqi readily gave him her address.

After hanging up the phone, Mei Yusheng scolded, "That kid is very busy with work. Why did you ask him to come over? It costs money!"

"Don't worry about it. Cheng Peng is my friend's son. He's a very honest kid. If he wants to come see you, just let him."

"Aunt Mei, are you feeling better? Are you badly injured?" Chen Qianqian leaned down in front of Mei Yusheng and her hand wandered towards her waist.

"Don't move around!" Xie Mingqi patted her and scolded, "Your Aunt Mei is ticklish."

"Hehe, I know!" Chen Qianqian winked mischievously. "I just want to make Aunt Mei smile."

Mei Yusheng held Chen Qianqian in one arm and stroked her petal-like cheek with the other: "Seeing our Qianqian makes me happy."

Chen Qianqian nestled against Mei Yusheng's chest and acted coquettishly.

Xie Mingqi sighed, "He's getting more and more outrageous as he gets older! He has no posture, no manners, and he's almost thirty and still can't find a partner!"

"Mom! Who's thirty? I'm only twenty-seven, okay?" What Chen Qianqian can't stand the most is people exaggerating her age.

"She's still young, twenty-seven, such a wonderful age." Mei Yusheng sighed deeply. If only she were only twenty-seven now, everything would be alright, and she could afford to lose everything.

If time could be turned back, she would be willing to live twenty years less.

A soft knock on the door drew the attention of the people inside.

Mei Yu looked up and saw Cheng Peng standing at the door with a bright, sunny smile.

"You came so fast!" Xie Mingqi exclaimed in surprise. "I just finished the call a few minutes ago."

“I happened to be nearby and remembered what you said this morning about Aunt Mei being hospitalized. I guessed she might be here, so I called,” Cheng Peng explained, walking in and presenting a bouquet of bright yellow carnations to Mei Yusheng.

Mei Yusheng couldn't help but cheer and excitedly accepted the gift: "It's so beautiful! I love yellow carnations the most; it's a bright, sunny color, full of vitality!"

Cheng Peng smiled even more broadly: "I'm glad you like it. I'm not very good at giving gifts."

"Hello, my name is Chen Qianqian!" Chen Qianqian warmly extended her hand to shake hands with Cheng Peng.

Cheng Peng then noticed a young girl standing beside him. Her face flushed red, the blush extending to her neck, and she no longer spoke as confidently and fluently as before.

"Hello!" Cheng Peng's hand touched Chen Qianqian's, but he immediately pulled it back as if he had been burned, which made Chen Qianqian giggle.

"This is the first time I've ever met such a shy boy!"

Xie Mingqi glared at her: "You don't act like a girl at all!"

Mei Yu pressed her face against the delicate petals, feeling a pang of sadness in her heart. This was the first time in her life that someone had given her flowers.