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

A chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. Mei Yusheng held Xuanxuan tightly, her heart aching with tenderness.

"You've really gone too far, even using such a young child!" Mei Yusheng stared at Shen Yingying with a half-smile. "I never expected you to be this kind of person! It seems I really didn't know how to judge people."

She didn't see Yue Jiangting for who he truly was when she was young. She thought she had married a good husband and devoted herself to him for half her life, only to be betrayed in the end.

He treated Shen Yingying like his own daughter, thinking she was a kind, gentle, and quiet girl. He never expected her to be so scheming and cruel, even using his own three-year-old son.

A wave of intense fatigue washed over her limbs. Mei Yusheng really wanted to take Xuanxuan away, but she knew she couldn't!

No matter how reluctant I am, I have to let go and hand this adorable little glutinous rice ball over to his mother.

Mei Yu's voice choked with emotion, her eyes burned, and her vision blurred.

She tilted her head slightly to keep her tears from spilling out; she had grown accustomed to using this gesture to conceal her sorrow.

"Since Mom is so stubborn, I've done everything I could to persuade her and said everything I needed to say. Just don't regret it!" Shen Yingying dropped all pretense, her face grim and her tone icy.

"Xuanxuan, come here, come home with Mommy!" Shen Yingying pulled Xuanxuan from Mei Yusheng's arms and said as she walked out, "Your grandma doesn't care whether you live or die, what are you still doing clinging to her?"

Mei Yusheng felt a void in her arms and a sense of emptiness in her heart. The air conditioning in the restaurant was on full blast, and she was so cold that her teeth were chattering.

It has to be said that Shen Yingying was the most convincing and formidable opponent she had ever encountered; she was almost ready to surrender. In order to see Xuanxuan at all times and be able to accompany him as he grew up, she was almost willing to compromise.

She mustered her last bit of strength and slowly walked out of the restaurant.

The air outside was hot and dry. The clear morning sky was completely covered by large clouds, but because the clouds were not very thick, the sunlight pierced through them, casting a faint halo.

There wasn't a breath of wind; it was suffocating.

Mei Yusheng stood on the curb, watching the passing vehicles and crowds, feeling dizzy.

She waited for almost ten minutes before finally managing to flag down a car. She got in, half-asleep, told the driver her address, and leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes.

The duel with Shen Yingying had almost exhausted all her energy. As soon as she closed her eyes, she saw Xuanxuan's tearful little face and heard Xuanxuan crying in her ears. Tears slid down her cheeks.

The driver saw this in the rearview mirror, said nothing, turned on the stereo, and selected a soothing song.

The gentle notes soothed Mei Yusheng's heart, and she slowly calmed down.

As she grew older, a faint smile appeared on her face when she got off the bus. She thanked the driver and slowly walked back.

Xie Mingqi opened the door for her and was startled to see the tear stains on her face: "What happened? Did that old man go with you? Were you bullied?"

Mei Yusheng nervously peered inside.

"Auntie is asleep. I persuaded her to sleep after dinner," Xie Mingqi said hastily, knowing that He Qingmin was worried about her overhearing.

Mei Yusheng nodded, changed into slippers, came in, and threw her bag onto the shelf.

"I'm going to take a shower first, I'm all sweaty and smelly." She said as she walked towards the bathroom in the bedroom.

Xie Mingqi watched her retreating figure with worried eyes, knowing that she needed some time to sort out her feelings, so she didn't ask any more questions.

Fine jets of water poured relentlessly over his head, sliding down his cheeks and mingling with his tears.

After washing up, Mei Yusheng's expression returned to calm. She changed into clean and comfortable loungewear and came out while drying her hair.

"Don't worry, that old man didn't go. I just felt bad seeing Xuanxuan." Before Xie Mingqi could ask, Mei Yusheng brought up the topic. Her eyes were still bloodshot and her eyelids were a little swollen.

Xie Mingqi went to get the hairdryer, went around behind Mei Yusheng, and dried her hair: "Don't worry, Xuanxuan has her parents and grandfather, she can live well even without you."

Mei Yusheng was silent for a few seconds before slowly recounting how Shen Yingying used Xuanxuan to appeal to her emotions.

"This is outrageous!" Xie Mingqi exclaimed, nearly dropping the hairdryer on the floor in her excitement. "I never expected Shen Yingying to do something like this! She's really hiding her true colors!"

Mei Yusheng gave a wry smile and smoothed her hair: "It's already dry."

"If you ask me, everyone in your family is shrewd, except for you, who's such a simpleton. No wonder you've been fooled for so many years!" Xie Mingqi put away the hairdryer, brought over two cups of coffee and a plate of snacks, and placed them on the coffee table. "You don't need to be sad for Xiaozhi. Birds of a feather flock together! And Xuanxuan, he's cute now, but who knows what he'll be like when he grows up. If you go back and live a miserable life for him, and he grows up to be a selfish little jerk, you'll cry your eyes out! You'll have wasted so much time, and by then you'll be too old to walk, and you'll be even more desperate!"

Mei Yusheng took a sip of coffee and ate a small cake, thinking that Xie Mingqi's words did make sense.

"I understand. I won't sacrifice myself for anyone anymore, except for Mom." Mei Yusheng's brows relaxed, and she finished all the snacks on the plate.

"Didn't you eat lunch?" Xie Mingqi glanced at the empty plate and asked suspiciously.

"I'm already full from being angry, what's the point of eating?" Mei Yusheng curled her lips into a self-deprecating laugh.

"Wait here." Xie Mingqi stood up, ran quickly into the kitchen, and soon brought out a steaming bowl of egg noodles with two eggs on top.

Mei Yusheng didn't stand on ceremony; she picked up her chopsticks and ate with slurping noises.

With a full stomach, my mood also lightened.

"The sound of rain is back?" The bedroom door opened, and He Qingmin came out in her wheelchair.

Mei Yusheng hurriedly went to greet her: "Mom, why didn't you call me when you woke up? What if you fell while getting into the wheelchair by yourself?"

He Qingmin's gaze first fell on Mei Yusheng's face. She stared at it for a few seconds, and when she didn't see anything wrong, she felt relieved: "I'm not so bad that I can't even do the most basic things. Otherwise, I would really be a useless person."

Xie Mingqi chatted with them for a few minutes, then got up to say goodbye and went home.

When He Qingmin asked about the meeting at noon, Mei Yusheng didn't dare to tell her about Shen Yingying's constant pressure, and only briefly mentioned that she was still trying to persuade her to go back.

“Yusheng, Mom is also worried about how you will live after the divorce.” He Qingmin’s brows were furrowed with deep concern. “Yue Jiangting is a bastard, but how will you, a woman, live alone after leaving home?”

“Mom, you don’t need to worry. I’ve already thought it through.” Mei Yusheng held her mother’s hand. “Although I’m already in my early fifties, I still have a long life ahead of me. Now that I’ve seen through that person, I can no longer live with him. I find him disgusting, and I feel wronged and resentful.”

He Qingmin sighed deeply: "It's all Mom's fault. If I were in better health, I could help you, but now I can only be a burden to you."

Mei Yusheng was startled: "Mom! How could you say that? With you by my side, I have more motivation and courage to live well. Please don't think nonsense. If anything happens to you, it will be a real catastrophe for me!"