A reborn mother longs for her daughter's happiness.

Chapter 70 Breaking out of the cocoon

Sunlight filtered through the dappled leaves, casting long shadows on the sidewalk where Li Yuan and Xiao Liu stood side by side. Their figures stretched out, like two souls intertwined by fate, heading towards an unknown judgment.

"Are you really sure?" Li Yuan turned to look at Xiao Liu, her eyes filled with concern and determination.

Xiao Liu took a deep breath and slightly raised her chin: "Yes, I've had enough over the years. I can't let him continue to treat us like this." Although her voice was still trembling, her eyes revealed an unprecedented determination.

Li Yuan gently patted her shoulder: "Don't worry, I'll be with you. Today is the day we get rid of him completely."

The two entered the somewhat deserted café. Wang Qiang was already seated in a corner, his eyes filled with impatience and arrogance. Seeing Li Yuan and Xiao Liu appear, he frowned: "Why did you bring her along?"

Li Yuan looked at him coldly: "Wang Qiang, we are here today to talk to you about the divorce. Xiao Liu must be present."

Wang Qiang scoffed dismissively: "Divorce? I haven't even agreed yet."

Xiao Liu stepped forward, mustered her courage, and said, "Wang Qiang, do you think I didn't know about your indifference and neglect towards me and our daughter all these years? Your preference for sons over daughters has made this family devoid of any warmth. I don't want to live like this anymore. I want a divorce, and our daughter will stay with me."

Wang Qiang's eyes widened, and he slammed his fist on the table in anger: "You dare! My daughter is mine, and you're not taking her away."

Li Yuan calmly said from the side, "Wang Qiang, you have not fulfilled your responsibilities as a father. Over the years, how much love have you given your daughter? You only know how to focus your energy on things you think are important, but you have neglected the people closest to you. Xiao Liu and your daughter will be better off without you."

Wang Qiang pointed at Li Yuan and cursed, "Don't pretend to be sympathetic here. This is between me and her, and it has nothing to do with you."

Li Yuan sneered, "None of my business? If I hadn't seen Xiao Liu and my daughter being treated like this by you, I wouldn't be standing here. Do you remember my last life? When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was filled with joy and anticipation for her arrival, but what about you? From the moment she was born, you were filled with disgust for her. In this life, you haven't changed. I can't just stand by and watch Xiao Liu repeat my mistakes."

Wang Qiang's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his arrogant demeanor: "The previous life? What nonsense are you talking about? Let me tell you, divorce is fine, but the daughter must stay with me."

Tears welled up in Xiao Liu's eyes, but she held them back: "Wang Qiang, stop dreaming. Our daughter won't be happy with you; you'll only continue to hurt her. I've already consulted a lawyer, and given what you've done, I have every reason to fight for custody of our daughter."

Wang Qiang sneered: "Lawyer? You think you can threaten me just by hiring a lawyer? I have plenty of money; I can hire a better lawyer."

Li Yuan shook her head: "Wang Qiang, do you think money can solve everything? You're wrong. There are some things in this world that money can't buy, like family and love. You've already lost too much. If you continue to be stubborn, you'll only sink deeper into trouble."

At this moment, Xiao Liu took out a stack of documents from her bag and placed them on the table: "Wang Qiang, this is evidence of how you have treated me and our daughter badly over the years, including your unreasonable distribution of family property, your neglect of our daughter's education and life, and so on. If you do not agree to a divorce, I will hand this evidence over to the court. At that time, you will not only lose your daughter, but you will also face more trouble."

Wang Qiang picked up the documents, glanced at them quickly, and his expression grew increasingly grim. He hadn't expected Xiao Liu to collect this evidence; he had always thought he was in control.

"You're plotting against me!" Wang Qiang roared angrily.

Li Yuan looked at him with a hint of pity in her eyes: "Wang Qiang, this isn't a scheme; this is us fighting for our and our daughter's rightful rights. You've caused us too much pain; it's time to end it all."

Xiao Liu took a deep breath and said, "Wang Qiang, I don't want things to get too tense. As long as you agree to the divorce, we can discuss the division of property and the custody of our daughter. I just hope to give our daughter a peaceful life."

Wang Qiang remained silent for a long time, his eyes revealing a hint of struggle and helplessness. He knew he had no way out; continuing to be defiant would only make things more embarrassing for him.

“Okay, I agree to the divorce.” Wang Qiang finally lowered his head, his voice low and hoarse. “However, I want to visit my daughter regularly.”

Xiao Liu looked at him and nodded: "Okay, but you must keep your promise and not affect your daughter's life."

Li Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Xiao Liu with a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. This long and arduous battle had finally seen the dawn of victory.

“Let’s go and get the divorce papers done now,” Li Yuan said.

The three stood up and walked towards the door. Sunlight bathed them, as if blessing their new life. Although the pain of the past could not be erased, they all knew that the future held infinite possibilities. Xiao Liu and her daughter would emerge from the shadows and walk towards their own light; Li Yuan, too, found inner peace and liberation in this experience; as for Wang Qiang, he would have to confront the mistakes he had made and reflect on his life in solitude.

Sunlight streamed softly into the living room through the window. Xiao Liu sat on the sofa, tilting her head slightly, watching Li Yuan tend to the plants. With a mixture of anticipation and excitement, she said, "Sister Li, I'm thinking of taking my daughter abroad in a few days. We'd like to go to England. You know, I've always wanted to give her a better education, let her see the world, experience different cultures, and maybe even pick up some of the elegance of England so she can come back as a little lady."

Li Yuan straightened up, patted the dirt off her hands, and nodded with a smile: "That's great! England is a very good choice. Before you go abroad, you must bring your daughter to my house. My husband Liu Xuan and I, along with those naughty kids—our daughters Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin, and our son Liu Qicheng—will have a meal together. Consider it a farewell dinner for you, and let the kids have a good time."

Xiao Liu's eyes lit up: "Haha, Sister Li, are you going to throw a small party? My little girl will be ecstatic. She loves playing with her older sisters."

On the appointed day, Xiao Liu arrived at Li Yuan's house early with her daughter. As soon as they entered, Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin rushed over like two cheerful little magpies.

"Little sister, you've finally arrived! I've missed you so much!" Li Shiqing jumped and skipped with Xiao Liu's daughter's hand.

Liu Yixin chimed in from the side, "We've prepared lots of fun games and delicious food today. You'll definitely love them."

Xiao Liu smiled and said to Li Yuan, "Look at these kids, they have such a good relationship, like real siblings."

Li Yuan responded with a smile, "Of course, I talk about it all the time."

Liu Xuan poked his head out of the kitchen, wearing a cartoon apron and holding a spatula. He said comically, "Welcome, welcome! Today I'm the head chef. I'm going to show you all my skills and let you taste my Liu family's exclusive secret recipe. I guarantee you'll eat until your bellies are round and you can't walk anymore."

The children burst into laughter.

Everyone sat around the table and began to enjoy the meal. Liu Qicheng, like a little gentleman, offered to pour drinks for everyone.

"Liu Qicheng, your service is really thoughtful. You're sure to be a sweetheart in the future, and you'll charm countless young girls," Xiao Liu joked.

Liu Qicheng scratched his head sheepishly: "Aunt Liu, please don't make fun of me."

While eating with her mouth full of food, Li Shiqing mumbled, "Aunt Liu, are there many castles in England? Like the ones in fairy tales, where princesses and princes live?"

Xiao Liu replied with a smile, "Yes, England has many beautiful castles. Maybe your sister will even meet a real prince when she goes there."

Liu Yixin's eyes lit up: "Wow, that's so cool! Little sister, if you meet a prince, don't forget about us!"

Xiao Liu's daughter blushed and said, "Sisters, please stop teasing me."

At this moment, Liu Xuan brought out a plate of chicken wings he had just grilled and said proudly, "This is my specialty. It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and it smells amazing. Everyone, try it. If you don't like it, I'll have to go back to the 'cooking class' to start all over again."

Everyone picked up a chicken wing and took a bite, praising it highly.

"Brother Liu Xuan, your cooking skills are good enough to open a restaurant; it would definitely be a huge success," Little Liu praised, giving a thumbs up.

Li Yuan also laughed and said, "That's all he's good at. He spends all day tinkering with things in the kitchen, and he's also in charge of fruits and vegetables."

After dinner, the children ran to the living room to play games, while the adults sat and chatted.

Xiao Liu said with emotion, "Sister Li, I'm really going to miss this place and all of you. Although I'm going to England to start a new life, the memories here will always stay in my heart."

Li Yuan held Xiao Liu's hand: "Don't say that, it's not like we're going to die. Transportation is so convenient now, we can come back anytime we want. And we can video chat often, it's like we're right next to each other."

Liu Xuan nodded in agreement: "Yes, if anything happens when you get to England, just tell us. Don't be shy. Maybe we'll come to England to visit you guys sometime."

Xiao Liu smiled and said, "That's great, I'll be waiting for you in England."

Time flies, and before they knew it, it was time for Xiao Liu and her daughter to leave. Li Yuan and her family came to the airport to see them off.

Li Shiqing hugged Xiao Liu's daughter, her eyes brimming with tears, and said, "Little sister, you have to come back soon, I'll miss you."

Liu Yixin, wiping away tears, said, "Please remember to send us postcards!"

Liu Qicheng then handed a small gift to Xiao Liu's daughter: "This is what I prepared for you. You can play with it on the way."

Xiao Liu said emotionally, "Thank you, we will miss you."

Li Yuan and Xiao Liu hugged tightly: "Have a safe journey and live well in England."

Ms. Liu and her daughter dragged their luggage through the security checkpoint, occasionally turning back to wave. Li Yuan's family stood there until they were out of sight before leaving. Although this farewell was somewhat bittersweet, everyone's hearts were filled with anticipation and blessings for the future.