I was born and listened to my neighbor's older sister talk about her family of origin.

Ms. Cheng.

After examining Jinglan's injuries, Ji Yue asked in a deep voice, "Are you going to report this to the police?"

Cheng Jinglan raised her head and looked at Xu Hai with a complicated expression.

Xu Hai hesitated for a moment, then gave a fawning smile, his voice carrying an unusual air of weakness.

His eyes held a warning: "Jinglan, we're husband and wife. We fight in bed and make up before we get out of bed. Don't..."

Report.

Cheng Jinglan interrupted him, saying each word clearly, "I want to report this to the police."

"Cheng Jinglan! You motherfucker..."

"Shut up." Ji Yue gave him a cold look. "Say one more word, and I'll take you away right now on charges of obstructing official business."

Xu Hai's voice abruptly stopped.

Ji Yue took out his phone and dialed the police station.

"Hey, Lao Zhang, it's me. There's a domestic violence case in Jiangyue Residential Area. Could you bring two people over? Yes, the victim wants to file a police report... Okay, I'll be waiting for you."

After hanging up the phone, Ji Yue looked at Cheng Jinglan.

"The ambulance and your colleagues will be here soon. Don't move, wait for the doctor to arrive."

Cheng Jinglan nodded, her gaze falling on her daughter.

Xu Zhiyu remained kneeling. Jiang Ye, who had somehow brought over an ice pack wrapped in cotton cloth, was applying it to Xu Zhiyu's face.

Her other hand was being held by Jiang Ye.

As Cheng Jinglan watched this scene, a strange and indescribable emotion welled up inside her.

She had never given her daughter such warmth in her entire life.

It was this ten-year-old boy who helped them at the crucial moment.

"Knowing fish."

Cheng Jinglan spoke, her voice hoarse.

Xu Zhiyu turned her head away.

"mom?"

"sorry."

Cheng Jinglan's tears finally fell.

"It's my fault for making you suffer like this."

Xu Zhiyu's eyes instantly reddened, but she still shook her head.

"It's not Mom's fault."

She glanced at Xu Hai, and for the first time, disgust and hatred welled up in her usually cold and indifferent eyes.

"It's his fault."

Xu Hai felt a chill run down his spine from the look in his daughter's eyes.

He suddenly realized that what he had done today might have really ruined this family completely.

The moment this thought popped into his head, an indescribable sense of panic welled up inside him.

He no longer has parents or siblings. If even his wife and daughter leave him, he will truly be all alone in this world.

For a moment, Xu Hai was somewhat dazed, not understanding what he had been doing all these years.

A moment of impulsiveness could lead to lifelong regret.

But he quickly dismissed the idea from his mind.

What regret? His wife cheated on him, she cuckolded him, and his daughter is siding with her mother and wants to leave with him!

If he doesn't hit someone, he's not a man!

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.

Ten minutes later, the ambulance and police arrived at the same time.

Cheng Jinglan was lifted onto a stretcher, with Xu Zhiyu following beside her.

Jiang Ye did intend to go along, but it was too late, and his parents ordered him to go back to sleep.

Jiang Ye could only stand at the entrance of the building, watching her back as she stepped into the ambulance, and then turn around.

"Ah Ye... I might not be able to attend the graduation party. Could you please tell the school for me?"

I also want to apologize to Xiao Ning.

Xiao Ning was the girl who asked Xu Zhiyu to go up and perform.

Xu Zhiyu still had things to say.

She wanted to say sorry.

I may never have the chance to let you see me dancing under the lights again.

Jiang Ye smiled, as if he could see through her thoughts.

"It's okay, there will definitely be other opportunities in the future."

Xu Zhiyu's eyes trembled slightly. She lowered her head, her long eyelashes concealing the emotions in her eyes.

He then turned and boarded the ambulance.

The car doors closed, and the taillights disappeared into the night.

Ji Yue walked over to Jiang Ye and patted him on the shoulder.

"Kid, you did a good job calling the police in time. Otherwise, the consequences for that mother and daughter would have been much more serious."

Jiang Ye turned his head.

"Uncle Ji, can I ask you something?"

"explain."

"Aunt Cheng has reported the incident to the police. What will Xu Hai do?"

Ji Yue paused for a moment.

"If the injury assessment determines that it is at least a minor injury, he will be criminally detained and may face criminal penalties. However, if it is only a minor injury, he will be detained for a maximum of fifteen days and fined."

"However, I have examined the injuries of this mother and daughter, and they don't even have minor injuries. At most, I'm afraid they can only be detained for two days and fined."

Jiang Ye's eyes darkened.

He knew that, given Xu Hai's personality, he would only become more outrageous after he got out.

"but."

Ji Yue suddenly changed the subject.

"Ms. Cheng just told me that she wants a divorce and has already prepared the evidence."

Jiang Ye raised his head.

"What evidence?"

"She has kept video surveillance evidence of Xu Hai's debts over the years, his gambling, and today's domestic violence."

Ji Yue sighed softly, "This woman is no simpleton. I'm afraid she's been preparing for all of this for a long time. With evidence of gambling and debts, plus the video of Xu Hai's domestic violence, she can directly file for divorce."

After saying that, he paused slightly: "I'm afraid that she deliberately let Xu Hai see that divorce agreement."

"I just didn't expect it to be discovered ahead of time, which caught us off guard today."

Fortunately, according to the law, the mother is given priority in child custody.

Ji Yue said, "Especially when the father has a history of domestic violence."

Jiang Ye was stunned for a moment, then understood, and a chill rose in his heart.

If all of this was indeed Cheng Jinglan's plan, then she clearly included Xu Zhiyu in her scheme as well.

She knew perfectly well that Xu Zhiyu would open the door to protect her.

Based on what he had seen before, he thought that Cheng Jinglan was only strict with Xu Zhiyu on the surface, but actually loved her very much in her heart.

But now it seems that's not the case.

This mother may indeed love her daughter, but she loves herself even more.

Her love for her daughter was tinged with selfishness.

If something involves her own interests, she will not hesitate to use Xu Zhiyu as a shield.

After all, if Cheng Jinglan truly loved Xu Zhiyu, how could she allow her daughter to end up in the same situation as in her previous life?

Xu Zhiyu knew nothing about any of this.

She was just a little girl who, even though her mother wasn't good to her, would still stand up for her mother in times of danger, regardless of her own safety.

Thinking about it this way, could Cheng Jinglan have other motives for wanting to keep Xu Zhiyu by her side at all costs?

Jiang Ye frowned, his mind in turmoil.

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.

Day two.

On the day of the graduation party.

Jiang Ye stayed at school for half a day, then asked for leave at noon to visit Xu Zhiyu at the hospital.

After taking a bus and traveling through several streets, he arrived at the city's central hospital and found Cheng Jinglan and Xu Zhiyu's ward.

The ward where the two were staying was a VIP ward in the hospital, costing nearly a thousand yuan a day, which was definitely not something Cheng Jinglan could afford.

He paused as he reached the door of the ward.

In the ward, besides Cheng Jinglan on the bed and Xu Zhiyu sitting beside her, there was also a middle-aged man who was a stranger.

The man was dressed in an expensive, impeccably tailored suit, with sharp eyes and an air of authority.