Chapter 10 — Post-Divorce Rebound: Claiming My Daughter and Starting Over

I raised my hand, pointing toward the old easel tucked away in the corner of the room, still draped beneath a dusty cloth.

"I think," I began, my voice steadying, "I can rely on that."

"It should be enough to sustain the two of us."

"That is an excellent choice," Shen Du Ming replied, closing his briefcase with a crisp snap. "Maintain your current routine. But remember, keep meticulous records of every commission, every invoice, and the entire creative process for each piece. It will be invaluable later."

He spent the next few minutes offering a wealth of advice: how to prioritize my personal safety, the proper way to interact with the Gu family, and the vital importance of preserving evidence. Before he departed, he handed me his private contact number.

"Lawyer Shen," I said, seeing him to the door, though I could not suppress the question burning in my throat. "Taking this case… will it cause you trouble? The Gu family in Fengdan City is quite formidable."

Shen Du Ming paused, turning to face me. Behind his gold-rimmed spectacles, his gaze remained calm and resolute.

"Miss Ye," he said. "Before the law, everyone is equal. That is my professional conviction. As for trouble… my job, quite literally, is to resolve it."

Once he was gone, I leaned back against the cold wood of the door and slowly slid down until I was sitting on the floor. My heart hammered against my ribs—the delayed surge of terror, followed by a flicker of hope so fragile yet absolute, left me physically drained. The bedroom door creaked open, and Nuo Nuo poked her head out. Upon seeing me slumped on the floor, she scrambled over, reaching out a tiny hand to touch my cheek.

"Mommy? Are you crying? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, darling. You were very good." I pressed her small palm against my cheek, savoring the warmth. "Mommy isn’t crying. I’m just… I am very happy."

And it was true. Despite the fog shrouding the path ahead, the immense power of my adversaries, and our lingering solitude, we were no longer resigned to our fate. We had finally begun to strike back. I pulled Nuo Nuo into my arms and looked toward the window. The twilight sun filtered through the glass, painting our humble room in hues of amber. That faint light felt strong enough to pierce the heavy, suffocating shadow that the Gu family had cast over us for five long years.

Yet, I knew this was only the beginning. The retaliation of Gu Ting Shen, the interference of Chu Bi Hua, the schemes of Lin Wei Wei—none of them would vanish simply because of one lawyer. The true storm was merely gathering force. I had to grow stronger before it hit, building a wall to protect both myself and Nuo Nuo. The first step was legal protection; the second was economic independence.

As for the third step, my gaze shifted to my phone. My long-dormant social media account was beginning to stir. Since I had started uploading new paintings, the likes and comments from strangers had begun to trickle in. A vague, daring thought took root in my mind.

Night descended. In the distance, the Gu family mansion glowed with opulent light, but it no longer held any claim over me. Here, in our small apartment, the warm lamp light kept the darkness at bay. We possessed almost nothing, yet we seemed to have found the courage to start anew. The arrival of Shen Du Ming was like a stone dropped into a stagnant lake; the ripples were small, but they stirred the currents beneath the surface. Following his instructions, I minimized our time outdoors, limiting my movements to dropping off and picking up Nuo Nuo from the small kindergarten I had found—a place that prioritized the psychological well-being of its children. With every step on that path, I felt a new sense of purpose taking hold.