On the day of the divorce, I became Qin Shao's darling.

Lin Xiwei dropped her phone, which landed right in front of the two of them as they were tightly embracing.

She was still in shock, her heart pounding. She looked up and stared at the handsome face so close to hers, her mind suddenly going blank.

When she realized that she was being held in Qin Jiamo's arms, her cheeks flushed instantly, and she retreated like lightning.

As she stepped back, she realized that her phone was between their embracing bodies—it was about to fall as she retreated.

Qin Jiamo's eyes sharpened, and he reacted quickly, tightening his grip on her waist again, pulling Lin Xiwei back into his arms.

Naturally, the phone was also successfully rescued.

However, the "position" was too ambiguous.

The phone just happened to be "stuck" between Lin Xiwei's soft breasts and Qin Jiamo's firm chest.

Moreover, because the movement was sudden and the force was too great, both sides clearly felt the oppressive feeling.

This scene not only made Lin Xiwei blush, but it also made her feel instantly ignited!

But she couldn't back away immediately, because her phone might slip from her hand at any moment.

Han Rui, who was standing to the side, had an indescribable expression on his face when he saw this scene. He glanced at it twice and then quickly looked away.

"Yes, I'm sorry..." Lin Xiwei's brain was still short-circuiting, and she inexplicably apologized.

Qin Jiamo looked down at her and commanded, "Give me the phone. Do you expect me to?"

If he makes a move, it won't just be taking a phone; it will be "indecent assault."

After all, the position is so awkward.

Lin Xiwei's already short-circuited brain was bombarded again, making her feel like an idiot.

She was speechless and carefully reached out from between their chests, which were stuck together, to retrieve her phone.

"Thank you, thank you..." She clutched her phone, only then realizing she should have thanked him instead of apologizing.

Qin Jiamo: "Sometimes I don't understand whether you are wise in disguise or foolish in disguise."

"..." Lin Xiwei glanced at him.

This person's sharp tongue has struck again.

Before she could figure out how to respond, her phone rang again. She picked it up and saw it was her mother calling.

The call must have been abruptly cut off before my mother could finish speaking.

Lin Xiwei didn't answer immediately, but looked at Qin Jiamo, "Attorney Qin, um... I'm going back to work now, contact me if anything comes up."

Qin Jiamo didn't look at her, responded softly, and turned to walk towards his luxurious car parked by the roadside.

Lin Xiwei breathed a sigh of relief after watching him leave.

But for some reason, the hug from just now kept replaying in my mind—no, to be precise, it was two hugs.

And they all hugged each other tightly.

The phone was still ringing, waking her from her thoughts. She raised her hand and patted her face, intending to remind her not to overthink, but she forgot that half of her face was still swollen. The pat caused her face to contort in pain.

Sometimes I don't know if you're wise in disguise or foolish in disguise.

Qin Jiamo's words echoed in her ears like a demonic chant, and she was unwilling to admit it—it seemed as if this person's sharp tongue had hit the nail on the head.

On her way back to the company, Lin Xiwei received another call from Zhao Xingfen.

Clearly, she won't give up until she gets to the bottom of things with her daughter today.

"Mom, what do you want? I'm at work, busy." Lin Xiwei answered the phone, her tone extremely impatient.

Zhao Xingfen questioned, "Why did you suddenly hang up the phone? Don't you even want to acknowledge your mother anymore? We raised you with so much care and effort, supported your education, and this is how you repay us?"

Lin Xiwei had heard similar moral blackmail remarks since she was a child.

She didn't want to argue, and simply explained, "A rider was driving recklessly and almost hit me, so the call was cut off."

A normal mother would be concerned about her daughter upon hearing this, asking if she had been bumped or injured.

But Zhao Xingfen has always been abnormal.

Without a moment's hesitation or a word of concern, she immediately questioned again: "Then why didn't you answer when I called you later? I think you've grown too big for your britches and want to fly away from home, to sever ties with us."

Lin Xiwei felt weak all over. "Mom..."

"Everyone says that filial piety is the most important virtue, but you, a girl, are so heartless. Your father and I have committed a terrible sin, raising two children with such hardship, one unfilial and the other a good-for-nothing..."

Lin Xiwei didn't want to pay attention to it; she just thought it was like Tang Sanzang chanting sutras, and would let it go once she finished.

But her mother's nagging became increasingly excessive, and she suddenly couldn't take it anymore, directly retorting: "First of all, you chose to give birth to me and raise me, not I forced you to. If I could choose, I would rather not have come to this family."

Zhao Xingfen froze for a second, then exclaimed in disbelief, "What did you say? You're simply—"

"Secondly, even if you gave me life and raised me, I have already given back more than enough over the years! Besides, I hardly asked you for any money when I was in college and graduate school. If we have to calculate it, the money I have given back to you is already excessive."

Zhao Xingfen flew into a rage, "Lin Xiwei! Are you even speaking human language? This is family..."

"Finally, I am not unfilial. Over the years, whatever problems have arisen in the family, I have always been the one to find a solution. Yet you have never shown me genuine care or love; you have only ever thought about taking from me. As for your precious son being a good-for-nothing, that is the result of your spoiling and pampering him; it is your own doing!"

"Lin Xiwei! Are you trying to kill yourself? What kind of daughter would talk to you like this—"

Zhao Xingfen launched into a hysterical tirade, but Lin Xiwei simply hung up the phone.

The joy of defeating Su Yunfan was completely overwhelmed by these phone calls.

As she drove, tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision so much that she couldn't even see the road ahead.

Feeling suffocated in her chest and experiencing a buzzing in her ears due to lack of oxygen, she worried that she might faint and cause a traffic accident, so she quickly pulled over and parked.

The question that had lingered in my mind countless times resurfaced.

How can she completely break free from her family of origin?

Must one take their child and leave Jiangcheng forever, or even flee abroad, in order to avoid being held hostage by this suffocating family bondage?

The car window was suddenly knocked on, startling Lin Xiwei, who snapped back to reality.

Turning my head, I saw a traffic police officer standing outside the car.

She quickly wiped away her tears and rolled down the car window.

"Hello ma'am, you can't park here. Are you feeling unwell?" the traffic police officer asked politely.

Lin Xiwei's face was disfigured on one side, and her eyes were red and swollen from crying; she looked abnormal.

But she still managed to pull herself together, smiled, and said, "It's okay, I'll be right there."

"Are you sure you're alright? Should I call an ambulance for you?"

"No need, I'm feeling better now."

"Okay, then be careful on the road."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Lin Xiwei was late when she returned to the company.

To my dismay, I ran into Feng Zheqian on the way up the elevator.

Lin Xiwei felt embarrassed thinking about how Senior Brother Feng had shown concern for her that morning, only to be rejected outright.

But since we'd met, I had to greet him, so I smiled and nodded: "Hello, Manager Feng."

Feng Zheqian nodded in agreement, his gaze remaining fixed on her face.

He could tell that Lin Xiwei had been crying and was in a very low mood, which made him even more certain of his guess—she must have been greatly affected by the divorce.

As the elevator approached, Feng Zheqian couldn't help but say, "Lin Xiwei, if you're not feeling well, you can take two days off."

Lin Xiwei turned her head and saw Feng Zheqian's calm expression and sympathy in his eyes, which warmed her heart.

She felt guilty when she thought about what happened that morning.

"Senior Brother Feng, thank you for your concern. I was rude this morning."

"It's okay, I understand."

The elevator arrived and the doors opened.

Lin Xiwei perked up, nodded to him, and walked out first.

She hasn't asked for leave yet because she has to on Friday—the court hearing is on.

I need to work hard these next two days and finish things as soon as possible.

After working overtime for a while that evening, it was completely dark by the time Lin Xiwei returned to the hospital.

But the ward remained empty.

She put down what she was holding and had no choice but to go to Madam Qin's place to pick up the little one.

I thought only the Qin family elders would be in the ward, but when I knocked on the door and went in, Qin Jiamo was there too.

The room was warm, and Qin Jiamo took off her trench coat, wearing only a shirt.

Two buttons on the shirt collar were undone, and the cuffs were rolled up to the forearms.

He was not as dignified and aloof as he was during the day; instead, he exuded a rare sense of relaxation and languor.

Lin Xiwei looked over, and the first thing that came to mind was the hug she had received during the day.

Qin Jiamo was helping Junjun build a Lego set, a mechanical loading and unloading vehicle. The two, one big and one small, were engrossed in studying it with their heads down.

Seeing his mother arrive, Junjun turned around and exclaimed, "Mom! Come quick! My uncle helped me assemble this. He's amazing; he can assemble a robotic arm!"

"Yes, you guys are great!" Lin Xiwei gave her son a thumbs up.

Qin Jiamo glanced back at her, but didn't say anything, and continued working.

Old Madam Qin smiled kindly and greeted Lin Xiwei, "Weiwei, have you finished eating?"

"Madam, I've already eaten," Lin Xiwei replied politely. "Junjun has bothered you two all day; I've come to take him back to rest."

"No rush, let them finish their research."

Madam Qin stared at Lin Xiwei, examining her carefully.

"Does the injury on your face still hurt? Have you asked the doctor for some medicine? This morning, Old Chen brought the child back and said your face was injured. I asked Jia Mo and found out what happened."

Lin Xiwei didn't dare stand too close, afraid that the old lady would see her face, but it turned out that the old lady already knew.

She raised her hand to touch her cheek and replied softly, "It doesn't hurt much anymore. The doctor gave me some ointment to apply."

Madam Qin nodded: "That's good. Jia Mo said the case will go to trial on Friday, so you'll be able to get rid of that abusive man soon."

"Yes. I have to thank Attorney Qin for this; he's helped me a lot lately." As she said this, Lin Xiwei looked at Qin Jiamo again.

Strangely enough, every time she looked at this person, she felt an indescribable feeling—like admiring a high and mighty god.

The old lady said, "This is his duty, no need to thank him."

After saying this, the old lady remembered something else and looked at Lin Xiwei, asking, "Your mother came to see the child, didn't see him, and left very unhappy—did you explain it to her afterwards?"

Lin Xiwei's mood is affected whenever her mother is mentioned.

She replied politely, "I've explained it all, don't worry about her."

The old lady hesitated for a moment, then looked distressed: "Have your parents always treated you like this since you were little?"

The phrase "like that" clearly refers to parents who favor sons over daughters and exploit their daughters to support their sons.

The Qin family elders had witnessed it firsthand and roughly knew Lin Xiwei's situation, so they didn't advise her to be filial or generous.

Lin Xiwei didn't hide anything, and gave a bitter smile: "Pretty much, I'm used to it."

Mr. Qin listened quietly from the side and sighed.

"Spoiling a child is like killing a child. Your brother is a good-for-nothing because of your parents, and now you have to bear the consequences..."

Madam Qin instructed, "You must not be too soft-hearted; you must learn to take care of yourself. You must firmly refuse their excessive demands."

Lin Xiwei was quite surprised to hear this.

From the parents' perspective, most elders would probably think that no matter how wrong or biased the parents are, the children should be tolerant, accommodating, and obedient, after all, there is a blood relationship and the debt of raising them.

Unexpectedly, the Qin family elders were able to break free from this traditional mindset and consider things from her perspective.

Lin Xiwei felt a warmth in her heart and nodded emphatically to Old Madam Qin: "I'll remember, thank you, Old Madam."

On the other side, Qin Jiamo stood up and inspected the assembled mechanical vehicle from all angles.

This was the first time Lin Xiwei had met Qin Jiamo, who was a bit "childish," and she felt rather uncomfortable.

Seeing that she was staring at her son with a thoughtful expression, Madam Qin immediately explained, "This Lego set is suitable for children over ten years old. Junjun is too young and doesn't know how to assemble the circuits. Jiamo came over tonight and took Junjun with him. The two of them have been busy until now."

Mr. Qin smiled, his tone full of surprise, "He always says he won't get married or have children, but I see he's quite adept at taking care of kids."

Lin Xiwei naturally followed up with some praise, saying, "Lawyer Qin is mature, steady, and responsible. He will definitely be an excellent father in the future."

Mr. Qin snorted, "That's only if he's willing to get married."

Seeing that they had finished assembling the mechanical car, and that it was getting late, Lin Xiwei urged the little guy again.

"Mommy, I want to play with Uncle a little longer," Junjun said to his mother, pleading with her with his round, bald head.

Lin Xiwei felt embarrassed, thinking that someone of Qin Jiamo's status was being given the responsibility of raising a child as a divorced woman.

What merit does she possess?

Moreover, she has embarrassed herself in front of Qin Jiamo quite a few times recently, so she feels a bit awkward around him.

"Sweetie, let's play again tomorrow. Grandpa and Grandma Qin are tired from spending the whole day with you and need to rest."

Lin Xiwei stepped forward, hugged her son, and gently comforted him.

"Alright then..." The little guy pouted, turned to look at the two grandparents, "Grandpa and Grandma, I'm going back now. You two get some rest. Junjun will come back to keep you company tomorrow."

Lin Xiwei was both amused and exasperated. "It's your grandparents who take care of you, yet you're trying to make yourself look good."

Junjun didn't understand what she meant, and covered her face with her little hands. "Junjun's face looks good no matter what you put on it."

A funny remark from a child brought a smile to the faces of the Qin family elders, who grew even more fond of the little guy.

Qin Jiamo thought she had something to tell Lin Xiwei, so she went out with the mother and son.

In the corridor, Lin Xiwei turned around to thank him and say goodbye, but Qin Jiamo spoke first: "Didn't Han Rui give you the house keys? You should move out as soon as possible in the next few days, then go to the real estate center to complete the transfer procedures and change the owner to you. Then you can put it on the market for sale. Your ex-wife has a terrible character, so don't delay this matter to avoid any further complications."

Even before the divorce was finalized, Qin Jiamo was already referring to Su Yunfan as her "ex-husband".