In the afternoon, after finishing all the household chores at hand, I hurriedly rode my electric scooter to the school.

As soon as my daughter saw me, her little face turned long.

"Why are you here? Where's Dad?"

I patiently explained the reason to her and reached out to hold her little hand.

To my surprise, my usually affectionate daughter ruthlessly let go of my hand.

"I don't want you to attend the parent-teacher meeting for me. Let Dad come!"

As she said that, she took a step back, distancing herself from me, and the resistance in her eyes pierced my heart.

A child nearby pointed at me mockingly:

"Li Qianqian, is this your mom? She looks old, just as old as my grandma!"

Another child chimed in, "Yeah, your mom dresses so poorly. Look at my mom, she wears such beautiful dresses."

The parents standing nearby quickly stopped them and smiled apologetically at me.

That's when I noticed that the surrounding parents were all dressed brightly and beautifully. Many mothers even wore light makeup and didn't look like people in the same age group as me.

The carefully selected dress I was wearing felt like tattered rags compared to them.

In the midst of sympathetic or mocking gazes from the parents around me, I stood there awkwardly, feeling lost and unsure, looking at my daughter.

Upon hearing those words, tears welled up in my daughter's eyes out of anger.

She pushed me away with disgust:

"Can't you dress up a bit? You always look disheveled like a beggar. I don't even want to admit you're my mom!"

I looked at her in disbelief, unable to believe that my own child, whom I had raised with my own hands, could say such hurtful words.

But I still endured the embarrassment in my heart and accompanied her through the entire parent-teacher meeting.

...

In the evening, I lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

In fact, this wasn't the first time my daughter had shown disgust towards me.

When I fell asleep from exhaustion while doing housework, she would wake me up:

"Mom, why are you always lazy? Dad works hard every day to support us, and you're behaving like this!"

When I stocked up on a bunch of daily necessities on Singles' Day, she was dissatisfied:

"Why do you like to spend money recklessly? If you don't earn money every day, why do you spend so carelessly?"

I stared at the ceiling, tears soaking my pillow, as I thought about my daughter's disgust towards me today.

Before I married my husband, I was known as the most beautiful woman in the vicinity, and my family was well-off.

Li Ming pursued me for five whole years before marrying me.

But since I quit my job to prepare for pregnancy, my figure changed and the pressures of life mounted, causing him to completely change his attitude towards me.

After we got married, Li Ming handed over his salary card to his mother, and he only gave me one thousand yuan per month.

The coldness in our marriage caused me to place all my expectations on my daughter.

I paid out of my own pocket to enroll her in various tutoring classes—dance, calligraphy, traditional Chinese painting... almost every tutoring class imaginable. The annual expenses came from my dowry.

When she was little, my daughter was like a little angel to me. She was unbelievably well-behaved, and she inherited my looks—fair and lovely, melting hearts at a glance.

When did Li Qianqian change so drastically?

I turned my head to look at the husband I had shared a bed with for ten years. He was still lecturing me incessantly.

"Qianqian is still a child and doesn't understand. Don't dwell on what happened today."

"You should also pay attention to dressing yourself up. I give you a thousand yuan per month. Isn't that enough to buy a few decent clothes when you go out?"

"In my opinion, you should go out and see the world more. That dress you wore today was so tacky that it made me want to laugh..."

There was even a bright red lipstick mark on Li Ming's collar. I had always known that he was unfaithful, but seeing the evidence right in front of me ignited a fire of anger in my heart.

At that moment, I made a decision.

The next morning, I woke up early and prepared breakfast as usual. When Li Ming came downstairs, I handed him a divorce agreement.

He was stunned and looked at me in disbelief, "What's this?"

I looked him in the eye and said firmly, "I want a divorce. I can no longer continue this loveless and disrespectful marriage."

Li Ming's expression turned from surprise to anger. He slammed the table and shouted, "You're out of your mind! Who do you think you are? Do you think you can just leave? I won't let you take our daughter away from me!"

I calmly responded, "Our daughter will have the right to choose for herself when she grows up. But as for me, I can no longer live in this toxic environment. I deserve happiness and respect."

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. The divorce process was arduous, but I stood my ground, determined to create a better life for myself and my daughter.

I found a job and started working, gaining financial independence. I attended self-improvement classes and therapy sessions to heal the wounds of my past.

I focused on building my self-esteem and self-worth, understanding that my value as a person was not determined by my appearance or the opinions of others.

During this time, my daughter witnessed my transformation. She saw me regain my confidence, pursue my passions, and create a fulfilling life for myself.

Slowly, her attitude towards me began to change. She started to appreciate my strength and resilience, realizing the sacrifices I had made for her.

We rebuilt our relationship, this time on a foundation of mutual respect and understanding.

Years passed, and my daughter grew into a remarkable young woman. She pursued her dreams with determination and empathy, embodying the values I had instilled in her.

Looking back, I realized that the painful journey I went through was necessary for both of us. It taught me to prioritize my own well-being and set an example for my daughter.

Today, we stand side by side, supporting and cheering each other on. The scars from the past have faded, replaced by a bond strengthened by love, growth, and forgiveness.

Together, we have created a new chapter in our lives, one filled with happiness, self-acceptance, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her daughter.