Chapter 14

Only then did Zhao Ming truly understand that caring for an elderly person was never as simple as saying, “Let Mom move in.”

My mother-in-law needed follow-up appointments and medicine, and someone had to accompany her to medical tests.

When she woke in the middle of the night, someone had to help her. At mealtimes, someone had to remind her to eat. After being discharged, she needed rehabilitation exercises.

All of it exhausted Zhao Ming until he no longer had the energy to get angry.

One day, when he came to bring the children home, he said to me:

“Mom spent twelve years taking care of Xiaoxue’s daughter. I always thought she had worked so hard.”

“She did put a lot of effort into it.”

“But she turned all those years of caring for her granddaughter into a reason I had to repay her for the rest of my life.”

I said nothing.

Zhao Ming continued:

“Before Mom moved into your home, I thought if you just gave in a little, we could all keep living together.”

“I was wrong.”

“Now I understand.”

“Then don’t push her problems onto me again.”

“I won’t.”

It was the first time since our divorce that we had spoken without arguing.

But it did not shake my resolve.

People often realize they were wrong too late.

Before the Lunar New Year, my mother-in-law left the nursing home and returned to her own house.

Zhao Xue insisted that she sign an agreement splitting the cost of care, with each child paying half.

My mother-in-law refused, saying that since her daughter had taken her house, she should be responsible for her to the end.

Zhao Xue posted the agreement in the family group.

“Mom willingly gave me the house. As for the cost of caring for her, let’s follow the agreement we discussed before. Don’t think you can dump all the responsibility on me.”

My mother-in-law scolded her for being heartless in the group.

Zhao Ming replied with just one sentence:

“Follow the agreement.”

At that moment, no one in the family group mentioned my name anymore.

At last, they began to handle their own problems themselves.

On New Year’s Day, Zhao Ming came to pick up the children.

He didn’t come inside. He waited downstairs.

Zhao Nian handed him a box of dumplings.

“Mom made them. Take them home.”

Zhao Ming accepted the box.

“Won’t you visit Grandma?”

“Grandma said she doesn’t want to see us.”

“She’s been in a bad mood lately.”

Zhao Hang said, “We know.”

Zhao Ming looked at the children and asked:

“Do you think Dad is a bad person?”

Zhao Nian thought for a moment.

“Dad did a lot of things wrong, but now you’re still trying to change.”

Zhao Ming’s eyes reddened.

“Thank you.”

Zhao Hang added, “Dad, don’t ask Mom to give you the house again.”

Zhao Ming nodded.

“I won’t.”

I stood in the doorway and did not hurry the children.

Before turning away, Zhao Ming suddenly said to me:

“Make sure you keep the property deed safe.”

“I’ve always kept it safe.”

“That loan agreement was forged by someone Mom hired.”

I looked at him.

“You’re admitting it now?”

“I knew Mom had taken an old seal from our home. I also knew she’d hired someone to practice copying your signature. I didn’t stop her.”

“Why tell me now?”

“Because I don’t want the children to think their father simply lost a lawsuit.”

I didn’t ask who had forged the document.

The lawyer had already used the examination report and the chain of evidence to establish the truth.

That was enough. The matter could end here.

Zhao Ming took a keychain from his pocket.

“This is the keychain from your old phone. I found it while packing.”

I took it.

Some data from the old phone had been recovered.

The deleted mortgage-payment messages and the proof of my father’s transfer were later retrieved from the bank.

The keychain had no real value, but I kept it anyway.

“Thank you.”

Zhao Ming stood downstairs and did not come up.

I closed the door and returned to the dining table.

The children had finished dividing up the dumplings.

Zhao Nian said, “Mom, Dad didn’t argue today.”

“Mm.”

“Does that mean he’s a better person now?”

“People can change, but they still have to bear the consequences.”

Zhao Hang put a dumpling in my bowl.

“Then let’s eat.”

I picked up my chopsticks.

The house was still the same house.

Only my name was on the deed.

After the marriage ended, I didn’t move out or give up the main bedroom to anyone.

The children and I arranged our lives again: going to work on time, taking them to and from school on time, and visiting my mother on weekends.

Zhao Ming transferred the child support each month and sometimes studied with the children.

Later, my mother-in-law accepted the nursing home arrangement. Zhao Xue and Zhao Ming paid according to their agreement.

They still argued about expenses now and then, but no one came to knock on my door anymore.

I used to think that keeping a house meant only keeping a place to live.

Only later did I understand that when I stood firm on my ownership of the home, I had also reclaimed the dignity that had been trampled again and again during my marriage.

The children were doing their homework in the living room.

Zhao Nian suddenly asked me:

“Mom, what are we having for dinner tonight?”