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

When my husband and daughter came home from get off work, the house immediately became lively.

Chen Juansheng looked at the packed food in the refrigerator and asked curiously, "Why did you buy so much?"

Xie Mingqi paused for a moment, unwilling to bring up the matter of Yue Jiangting and his son, and too lazy to make up an excuse, she replied in a firm tone: "Just eat it, why do you care so much!"

Chen Juansheng stopped asking questions and went to heat up the food.

"Mom! Only my dad can tolerate your fierce and unreasonable behavior. Any other man would have divorced you long ago!" Qianqian made a face at her mother and teased her with a grin.

"I haven't even settled accounts with you yet!" Xie Mingqi glared at her daughter, her face turning cold. "I sent you a message this morning, why didn't you reply?"

"Oh! Really? Let me see." Chen Qianqian hurriedly pulled out her phone to check. "Oh dear, I didn't see it, I was too busy this morning!"

"Don't try to fool me! Don't I know you? I can tell what you're up to the moment you stick your butt out!" Xie Mingqi glared at her. "You're just deliberately not replying! Tell me, how's it going with that boy you were set up with on a blind date?"

"Mom!" Chen Qianqian stomped her foot angrily, her face flushed red. "How can you speak so rudely! You're not acting like a university professor's wife! Can't you please be more mindful of your image?"

"Don't change the subject, just tell me!"

Chen Qianqian glanced guiltily at her mother, then turned and ran towards the kitchen.

Xie Mingqi reacted quickly, grabbing her by the back of the neck and pulling her back.

"Mom! Mom! Let go!" Chen Qianqian immediately begged for mercy, "I'll tell you, okay?"

Xie Mingqi stared at her sternly: "Speak now!"

Chen Qianqian had no choice but to scrunch up her face in a bitter expression: "I really don't like him. Not only is he short, but he's also stingy. He's even prettier than me. I even suspect he's gay!"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Xie Mingqi poked Chen Qianqian's forehead with her finger. "You're still too young. What's the use of just looking at a husband's appearance? Can it feed you? Even the most handsome person gets boring after a while, and you get used to ugly people. Are you no longer in contact with him?"

Chen Qianqian pouted and sat back on the sofa with a long face: "Mom, if you didn't care about looks, why did you choose my dad back then? Why didn't you find a son of an official?"

"Pah! I only chose you because of your dad's high education and promising future. Your dad's good looks are just a bonus!" Xie Mingqi recalled Chen Juansheng when he was young, with his glasses and gentle and refined appearance, which made her fall in love at first sight. Her tone softened.

Chen Qianqian glanced at her mother with disdain: "You're saying the exact opposite, aren't you? I clearly only looked at her looks, and you still won't admit it!"

Xie Mingqi pretended to hit her again, and Chen Qianqian moved away a little.

“No, you have to take the initiative to message him and ask him to come out again.” Xie Mingqi looked at her daughter helplessly. “If you really don’t like it,”

She paused for a moment, as if she had made up her mind: "Then forget it, Mom will find you someone better."

Chen Qianqian breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that her mother had turned the page on this matter. She then came over with a grin and hugged Xie Mingqi's arm, asking, "Mom, Cheng Peng, whom you saw at the hospital the other day, is he the son of one of your friends?"

“You don’t know your Uncle Cheng? He’s a colleague of mine. He quit his job and opened a shop in the electronics market. I heard he has several branches now.” Xie Mingqi said casually, then suddenly her eyes widened as she stared at Chen Qianqian warily. “Why are you asking this? Do you and Cheng Peng keep in touch?”

"It doesn't happen often anymore. We just added each other on WeChat and exchange a few words occasionally." Chen Qianqian's eyes darted around. "It's nothing, I was just asking casually."

After saying that, he hurriedly ran towards the kitchen, Xie Mingqi's voice following him like a shadow: "I'm telling you, you're not allowed to date him! Do you hear me?"

Chen Qianqian ignored her completely and ran into the kitchen to pester her father.

Xie Mingqi became more and more worried. Cheng Peng was a tall and upright young man, and he was easy-going and cheerful. He was actually a very good young man, but he was not qualified to be her son-in-law.

She hoped her daughter would marry a son of an official, or at least a wealthy family. Cheng Peng's family was somewhat rich, but they weren't good enough for her.

In her youth, she had simple thoughts. She thought Chen Juansheng was a highly educated intellectual, and she followed suit, becoming aloof as well. But reality slapped her in the face. In the face of power and money, her aloofness was merely a facade, masking her deep-seated inferiority complex.

For example, in this vice principal election, if it weren't for Yue Jiangting's investment in the school, Lao Chen might have been eliminated. Even though Lao Chen was better than others in terms of qualifications and achievements, none of that could compare to the confidence that money brought.

This is why she had to endure Yue Jiangting's threats and dared not help her best friend anymore.

She had to endure it no matter how frustrated she was, unless she could accept that Lao Chen was not selected. But how could she be willing to let Lao Chen remain just an ordinary university professor until retirement?

Suddenly, she shuddered, a thought rushed into her mind, and panic flashed in her eyes. She hurriedly opened her phone, found Mei Yusheng's number, and dialed it.

Mei Yusheng was helping Qin Chu in the kitchen when she heard her phone ring. She quickly wiped her hands, came out, and answered it.

"Rain Sound, where are you now?" Xie Mingqi's anxious voice came through the receiver.

Mei Yusheng's heart tightened: "What's wrong?"

"Tell me where you live now, and I'll come find you to have lunch together right away." Xie Mingqi spoke quickly and urgently, with an air of authority that brooked no refusal.

Mei Yusheng frowned slightly: "What exactly happened? Did Yue Jiangting cause you trouble?"

Xie Mingqi was silent for two seconds, then her voice calmed down slightly: "No, I'm just worried about you and want to see for myself if the place you live is safe."

Mei Yusheng's heart, which had been pounding with anxiety, finally settled: "Oh, I'm safe, you don't need to worry."

"Rain Sound, you don't even trust me anymore?" Xie Mingqi's voice was tinged with annoyance. "Just tell me if you want to see me or not!"

Mei Yusheng smiled helplessly. It wasn't that she didn't want to see Xie Mingqi, but firstly, she was afraid of causing Xie Mingqi more trouble, and secondly, she was staying at Qin Chu's house and didn't know how to explain it to her.

"Okay, see you this afternoon. I'll call you then."

"Can't we have lunch together now?" Xie Mingqi asked. "I'd like to have lunch with you."

Mei Yusheng glanced at the busy figure in the kitchen: "Mingqi, see you this afternoon, I have something to do right now."

"Okay," Xie Mingqi said dejectedly.

After hanging up the phone, Mei Yusheng felt a little apologetic, but she couldn't bear to see Xiao Shitou's disappointed expression.

Since Xie Mingqi didn't have anything urgent to do, she decided to finish the meal that Xiao Shitou had painstakingly prepared before meeting up with her best friend.

"What's wrong?" Qin Chu came out carrying a plate of tender lotus root and diced chicken, his eyes filled with questions.

Mei Yusheng told her about her best friend wanting to meet her.

Qin Chu smiled and placed the dish on the dining table. "Let her come over to my house."

Mei Yusheng said with some worry, "Isn't this a bit worrying? What if Yue Jiangting followed her here?"

"It's alright, he wouldn't dare to do anything reckless even if he found this place," Qin Chu said casually. "You're absolutely safe here, don't worry."

“Okay,” Mei Yusheng hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

Xie Mingqi would be very happy to know that she has gained a powerful ally.

Mei Yusheng immediately sent her her location and soon received a surprised voice message from Xie Mingqi: "You actually dare to live in a villa? Aren't you afraid that your father-in-law will find you?"

Mei Yusheng laughed, knowing she had misunderstood, and decided not to explain now, hoping to surprise her later. She simply replied, "See you this afternoon!"