Chapter 12
Edward Quan ·
“Wanqing, I admit Mom went too far, but she’s still the woman who gave birth to me.”
“I’m not stopping you from taking care of her.”
“Why can’t you help me?”
“I helped you take care of the children for twelve years, and you treated that as a given. Now you’re demanding my house too, and still asking why I can’t keep helping you?”
Zhao Ming looked up at me.
His voice grew quieter.
“I thought we were one family.”
“When you needed the house, I was an outsider.”
After saying that, I returned to my seat.
When the recess ended, the judge resumed the hearing.
Zhao Ming’s custody claim was denied.
The house was my separate premarital property. The loan agreement he submitted lacked sufficient evidence and had problems with when it was created, so it could not prove that he had contributed to the purchase.
During the divorce mediation, I asked to have the children live with me, for Zhao Ming to pay monthly child support, and for the house to remain mine.
Zhao Ming did not agree.
The judge informed both sides that if mediation failed, the court would issue a ruling according to the law.
When we left the courthouse, my mother-in-law was standing at the foot of the steps.
She had not gone to the hospital or returned to Zhao Xue’s home.
She stopped Zhao Ming and grabbed his arm.
“Mingming, you can’t agree with her. If the house belongs to her, where will we live?”
Zhao Ming looked at her.
“Mom, the house was never mine.”
His mother was stunned.
“You’re her husband!”
“But I don’t own it.”
“If you don’t have a house, what can you offer me for my retirement?”
Zhao Ming said nothing.
Zhao Xue came over from the side.
“Brother, you can’t abandon Mom. She was thrown out because of you.”
“Mom has nowhere to stay because you took her house.”
“She gave it to me.”
“Then you’re responsible for her.”
Zhao Xue’s expression changed.
My mother-in-law immediately grabbed Zhao Ming again.
“Mingming, you’re all I have.”
Zhao Ming slowly removed her hand.
“You still have Xiaoxue.”
My mother-in-law’s eyes widened.
Zhao Ming turned and walked toward the parking lot.
I remained where I was, watching his back disappear into the crowd.
This time, he did not look back.
Before the divorce decree was issued, Zhao Ming moved into a bachelor apartment near his office.
Sometimes he came to pick up the children. He always texted a day in advance and never mentioned the house again.
My mother-in-law moved back into the old home Zhao Xue had transferred back to her.
It was small, but it belonged to her.
At first, Zhao Xue did not want to hand over the keys. Later, Zhou Kaixuan’s mother visited and called Zhao Xue home to talk.
Zhao Xue had no choice but to clean up the place for her mother.
After moving in, my mother-in-law posted messages in the family group every day.
She complained that her life was miserable, that daughters were not as good as sons, and that her daughter-in-law had forced her into this situation.
Gradually, none of the relatives replied.
The more she messaged, the more clearly everyone understood what she really wanted.
Zhao Ming paid child support each month according to the ruling.
For his first transfer, he wrote the children’s names in the memo.
I did not text him to thank him.
The second time he came to pick them up, he brought two new outfits.
Zhao Nian accepted them and said, “Thank you.”
Zhao Ming looked at her.
“Have you been doing okay lately?”
“I’m fine.”
“Would you like to go out for a meal with Dad?”
“Only if Mom says it’s okay. Ask Mom.”
Zhao Ming looked at me.
I nodded.
While the two of them went out, Zhao Hang stayed home to do his homework.
He asked me, “Mom, are you and Dad really never going to live together again?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sad?”
“Sometimes.”
“Then why do you still want a divorce?”
I set down the clothes I was holding.
“Because living together requires respect. It can’t be based only on putting up with things.”
Zhao Hang lowered his head and continued his homework.
A while later, he said, “I won’t be like Dad when I grow up.”
“First, learn to take good care of yourself.”
The divorce decree confirmed that the house belonged to me, the children would live with me, and Zhao Ming had to pay monthly child support and half of their educational and medical expenses.
On the day we finalized the divorce at the Civil Affairs Bureau, Zhao Ming stood outside the door and did not leave right away.
“Wanqing, are you really not going to reconsider?”
“Reconsider what?”
“Starting over.”
I looked at the document folder in his hand.
“Do you want to start over because you miss me, or because your mother needs a house?”
“I’ve moved out now, and Mom has a place to live.”
“Then why do you still want to come back?”
Zhao Ming didn’t answer.
I answered for him.
“You’ve simply realized that life is much harder without this family than you thought.”
“I’ll change.”
“What will you change?”
“I’ll let Mom live somewhere else. I won’t force you anymore.”
“Will you give me your salary again?”
“Yes.”
“Will you keep making me carry your sister’s debts?”
“No.”
“Will you admit in front of the children how much I’ve carried all these years?”