Chapter 25 — Post-Divorce Rebound: Claiming My Daughter and Starting Over

She had become quieter, more withdrawn. Every so often, she would lift her clear, limpid eyes to look at me, her small voice trembling with a hint of anxiety.

"Mommy?"

"That bad person..."

"Will they come back again?"

"No, darling. Never again."

Every time, I would give the same reassurance, pulling her closer into my arms. "Mommy will always protect Little Nuan."

From the lawyer, Shen, there was still no definitive news. Yet, I could feel it—the subtle shifting of the tides beneath the surface. On social media, my series of illustrations, "The Little Deer Seeking Home," had suddenly been shared by several influential art accounts. The praise poured in, followed by a steady stream of collaboration requests. One offer, in particular, stood out: an organization was curating a community-focused art exhibition. The theme, coincidentally, was "Rebirth and Courage."

After careful deliberation, I signed a contract to contribute regularly to a prominent online magazine for women. The pay was modest, but it was consistent—enough to sustain our modest life together. Finally, I could exhale. I began to pour more of myself into my painting. Under my brush, the colors were no longer the artificial, tepid shades I had been forced to use within the suffocating walls of the Gu mansion. They were now vibrant, raw, and powerful, brimming with an insatiable longing to break through the parched earth and reach for the light.

At times, I was haunted by the sensation of being watched—not by someone tailing me out in the open, but a vague, creeping discomfort. It felt as if, from somewhere hidden, a pair of eyes was constantly tracking my movements. I knew that the men working for Gu Dinshen were likely lurking nearby. I chose not to share this with Shen Yuming; I did not want to distract him. Instead, I became even more vigilant, triple-checking the locks on our doors and windows each night and teaching Little Nuan basic safety precautions.

A week later, deep into the night, Shen Yuming called.

"Miss Ye," his voice carried a strain I had never heard before. "I apologize for the late hour, but the situation has shifted. We need to meet as soon as possible."

My heart constricted. "Right now?"

"No. Tomorrow morning at ten. I will send you the address later. It is a private teahouse belonging to a friend. It is perfectly secure." His tone was uncharacteristically clipped. "Also, there is something you need to know beforehand. It concerns Lin Weiwei."

"What about her?"

"We have discovered… some very intriguing things." Shen paused, as if weighing his words. "Lin Weiwei’s background—before she entered the Gu household as a 'family doctor'—it is entirely fabricated. Her credentials, her professional certifications, even parts of her social history—they crumble under the slightest scrutiny. More importantly, her acquaintance with your former husband was likely… not a coincidence."

A fake background? Not a chance encounter? My grip tightened on the phone. "Are you saying—"

"For now, it is merely a hypothesis. We require further evidence to confirm it. But one thing is certain: Lin Weiwei is far more complex than the image she presents. That locked box you once mentioned? I suspect there is much more inside than just a few receipts."

Shen lowered his voice. "We will discuss it in detail tomorrow. Please, stay safe."

The call ended, leaving me in a state of dazed shock. Lin Weiwei—the woman who had always been so gentle, so thoughtful, and so empathetic within the Gu household? The woman I had once been grateful for, whom I had considered a sister? Her very identity was a fabrication. Who was she, really? What was her purpose in approaching Gu Dinshen and infiltrating his home? If her goal was not merely to become the mistress of the house, then what was she truly after? Did Gu Dinshen know, or was he being blinded as well? A thousand questions swirled through my mind, leaving me restless and unable to find peace in the dark.