Chapter 21 — Nine Months Post-Divorce

As the car rolled away from the hospital, little Zhi Yi stirred slightly in my arms. I lowered my head and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

We are going home.

Over the next month, every single pending issue reached its conclusion. Ruan Jiang faced legal prosecution for document forgery, the dissemination of private information, and the harassment of a new mother. All the pathetic excuses she once used to play the victim dissolved into nothingness when confronted with cold, hard evidence. Fu Shuhua could no longer sweep up the mess with any shred of dignity remaining. She had unilaterally leaked DNA test results, instigated others to impersonate family members to apply for a hospital transfer, and even attempted to relocate and destroy documents concerning the final will. For every single offense, she claimed she was merely acting for the sake of the Qin family. Yet in the end, not a single excuse could shield her from the consequences. Qin Yan did not utter a single word of plea on her behalf. When the news finally reached me, I remained silent for a moment. I did not hate him for finally doing the right thing for once, but neither would this single instance make me forget how many times he had failed me in the past.

The investigation into the family assets also yielded progress. That sum of three hundred and sixty thousand was officially designated as part of an illegal asset transfer during the marriage. The origin of the down payment for the apartment registered under Ruan Jiang was recalculated, and Qin Yan preemptively covered my rightful share out of his own pocket to make amends. I did not refuse. It was not charity bestowed by him; it was simply the money I deserved to take back. As for the trust fund, Attorney He assisted me in completing the formal legal procedures, and Qin Yan signed the papers of consent. The educational trust fund bearing Zhi Yi’s name is now managed by a professional institution, with myself retaining primary guardianship as her mother.

The outcome Fu Shuhua feared the most had ultimately come to pass. The money did not fall into her hands, and the child did not return to the Qin household. On the day of Zhi Yi’s one-month milestone, I did not host a grand banquet. I simply took a quiet photograph of her at home. In the picture, the little one kept her tiny fists tightly clenched, sleeping peacefully. Looking at her, I suddenly recalled the way her minuscule fingers had gripped the hem of my clothes on the very day she was born. Back then, I had been shivering from agonizing pain, yet I managed to draw a sliver of strength from those tiny fingertips. It was only later that I truly understood: I had not carried those nine months entirely alone. She had been right there beside me, enduring it all together.

On the second day after her one-month celebration, Qin Yan sent a message. He asked if he could send a gift for Zhi Yi. I replied that he could send it to the lawyer’s office, and I would decide whether or not to accept it. It took a very long time before he finally replied with a single character. Understood.

Sometime later, he consistently sent a monthly child support allowance through the lawyer. I accepted every single payment in full, yet I steadfastly refused to let him see Zhi Yi. Ting Ting once asked me if I intended to deny him visitation forever.

Looking down at my sleeping daughter in her cradle, I softly murmured that it would not be forever. Only when she grows old enough to clearly express whether or not she wishes to see him. Until that day arrives, I will shield her from every single uncertainty.

Ting Ting nodded approvingly, remarking that it was for the best.

The days slowly settled back into a state of tranquility. I returned to work and began the routine of pausing for a brief moment in the dead of night, just after nursing, to gaze at the moon shining outside the window. Sometimes, my mind would drift back to that fateful phone call. Qin Yan had informed me that he was getting married next Wednesday and asked if I would attend. At that moment, holding my newborn daughter, I had replied that I was still in confinement, having just given birth.

Had it not been for that phone call, he probably would have continued under the illusion that I was merely a quiet ex-wife who had slipped away unnoticed. Fu Shuhua would likely have continued using her superficial pride to gloss over every sordid detail. Ruan Jiang might have slipped into a wedding dress and moved into an apartment bought with a down payment funded by my money.

Yet, in this world, there are no ifs.

The exact moment that hospital ward door was forcefully flung open, it was not just Qin Yan laying eyes on Zhi Yi; it was also the moment I finally saw myself with absolute clarity. I am no one’s fallback option. I am no one’s burden to bear. And most certainly, I am no one’s sacrificial lamb offered up for the sake of family reputation.

I am Wen Lan. I am Zhi Yi’s mother. I will love her deeply, and I will guide her wisely. If anyone fails to cherish her, walking away is never a defeat. If anyone dares to harm her, silence is never a virtue. And if anyone attempts to treat her as a mere bargaining chip, then I will simply overturn the entire chessboard.

When Zhi Yi reached two months of age, she flashed her very first smile at me. In that fleeting second, the morning sunlight seemed to linger within her bright eyes. I suddenly felt as though the three bitter years of my past marriage had merely been a long, relentless rainstorm. Though the mud left in its wake still lingered, I was already holding my daughter tightly in my arms, walking bravely into the dawn of a brand-new day.