Chapter 8
I really didn't want to argue with Zhou Zeyu.
But some people make it far too easy to step all over your patience.
I took a deep breath and asked,
"Zhou Zeyu, we've been together for so many years—have I ever done anything to hurt you?"
"What are you bringing this up for now?" he grumbled, clearly annoyed.
"I've never wronged you. I gave my best—for you, for our son, for our home. And now, we're divorced. You were the one who insisted on taking custody. Our son said he preferred Lin Yaqi. I let you all go, didn't I? I fulfilled everyone's wishes. I'm just living my own life now—am I wrong for that?"
"When did I ever say you were wrong?"
"Then why are you questioning me about pursuing my master's degree?"
"It's a critical time! Can't you make a small sacrifice—for your son?" Zhou Zeyu said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
I gave a cold, sarcastic smile.
"Sacrifice? Why is it always me who has to sacrifice?"
"When we graduated from college, you told me to give up grad school to help you start a business. I did."
"When the business finally succeeded and we had a son, you asked me to give up my career and return home full-time. I did."
"Then we divorced—and you got custody, just like you wanted. I gave that up too."
I let out a soft laugh, the irony too rich to ignore.
"Now you've got your new wife, your perfect little family. But the moment you don't want to deal with your son, you come back and expect me to give up my life again—for your happiness."
"Zhou Zeyu, don't you think you're a little shameless?"
"When did I say I don't want my son?" he snapped, voice cracking under pressure. "I'm just asking you to take care of him temporarily—while Yaqi's pregnant. I'll even double the alimony!"
"Oh? And what happens if Lin Yaqi gets postpartum depression? Or if that passes and she has a breakdown later? There are so many diagnoses to choose from—you'll always find something."
"Yaqi's not like that!" Zhou Zeyu shot back, desperate now. "She's really good to Yiran—like he's her own child."
"Then why is he a threat to her pregnancy?" I asked calmly. "That sounds like a contradiction to me."
Zhou Zeyu froze.
For a long moment, he couldn't speak.
Then Zhou Yiran looked up at me, his voice soft and pained:
"Mom, do you really… not want me anymore?"
He was ten now—old enough to understand more than we realized.
"I don't not want you," I said gently. "It's just… you already have Auntie Lin as your new mom. That puts my heart at ease."
Back when he was younger, I used to play the bad cop—scolding him when he slacked, pushing him to study harder. I thought it was for his own good.
But now? Now I had no expectations left. So I wouldn't be harsh anymore. What would be the point?
Yet Zhou Yiran wasn't satisfied. He said,
"Don't smile at me like that, Mom. When you smile like that… it feels like you don't love me anymore."
I reached out and gently touched his head.
"How could I not love you? I just don't want to force you to do anything you don't like anymore. Because one day, when you grow up… I don't want to be the reason you're ruined."
"Alright, Shen Xi." Zhou Zeyu finally snapped, clearly done with the emotional chess match. Maybe it bruised his ego to realize he couldn't win with me anymore.
After all, in all our years together, I had never once truly resisted him like this.
He yanked Zhou Yiran by the arm and turned to leave, but not without a parting shot:
"Since you don't care about your son, I won't bother begging anymore. Don't expect him to recognize you in the future!"
I just shrugged.
Whether I sacrificed everything or nothing at all… it didn't matter.
In the end, he'd still only recognize Auntie Lin.
So why torment myself?
Why suffer for nothing?