Stepdaughter of a wealthy family? The little darling of a Beijing tycoon

The final straw that truly broke Aunt Su, causing her to lose all hope and resolutely cut off all ties to leave home, happened a month ago on her birthday.

That day was one of the few days she was willing to look forward to in her nearly sixty years of life.

As soon as it was dawn, she got up early and went out to buy a large table full of fresh ingredients. She put on an apron and stayed alone in the sweltering kitchen, washing, chopping, simmering, and stir-frying vegetables. She worked from morning until noon, her clothes soaked with sweat and her back aching from exhaustion.

In the living room, the two-year-old twin grandchildren watched TV obediently, their laughter filling the air.

Standing at the kitchen doorway, gazing at the warm, cozy scene, a small sense of comfort quietly welled up within her. She silently consoled herself that although life had been somewhat bitter, surrounded by her children and grandchildren, with a peaceful and stable family, this simple and tranquil life was fulfilling enough. She didn't ask for flowers or gifts, nor for grand celebrations; she only hoped her family would remember her birthday and enjoy a lively family meal together—that would make her content.

She poured her heart and soul into the entire process, from beginning to end, but no one came in to lend a hand, and no one asked if she was tired.

When the last dish was ready, she wiped the oil off her hands, dragged her tired body out of the kitchen, and was about to sit down to eat when the scene before her instantly shattered the last bit of warmth in her heart.

You, your wife, and your father were already seated around the dining table, enjoying the delicious food she had painstakingly prepared.

No one waited for her, no one saved a seat for her, and no one remembered that it was her birthday.

When she finally stood by the dining table, her expectations were completely dashed. The delicious food on the table had already been eaten up and was now a mess, with only empty plates, scattered scraps of food, and untouched leftovers remaining.

This is her special birthday, a day she has spent working hard all her life.

She prepared a family reunion dinner herself, but in the end, she was the only one left without a seat.

He endured half his life, gave half his life, and lived half his life for his family, for his children, and for his home.

From being exploited by her family of origin in her youth, to being mentally tormented by her husband in middle age, to having to endlessly help her son take care of his children in her old age.

She poured her whole life into ensuring her family's peace and happiness, only to find that on her birthday, she deserved nothing more than the leftovers from her family.

At that moment, Aunt Su's last bit of concern, her last bit of obsession, and her last bit of hope for family ties shattered completely, leaving her utterly cold.

It was on this day that she finally understood.

This family never needed her; all they needed was a hardworking, tireless, and selfless nanny.

That night, she quietly packed her simple belongings, blocked all her family's contact information, and finally chose to escape for herself and live for herself after a lifetime of gentleness and forbearance.

Shen Jingshu's clear, cold voice fell, each word striking Lu Chuan's heart and causing millions of viewers in the live broadcast room to completely break down.

The screen was instantly flooded with comments; no one sympathized with Lu Chuan's plight anymore, only endless heartache and indignation remained.

[This is suffocating! A lifetime of toil for the family, and on my birthday I can't even get a hot meal. This isn't a home, it's a den of cannibals!]

The most heartbreaking thing wasn't eating leftovers, but that no one in the whole family remembered her birthday, and no one waited for her to sit at the table!

[The father and son are utterly the same selfish and callous individuals: one uses emotional abuse and psychological manipulation his entire life, the other uses moral blackmail to force his mother to endure it.]

[This auntie is sixty years old and still running away—that's way too late! If it were me, I would have escaped from this bunch of ungrateful wretches long ago!]

Aunt Su, who was watching the live broadcast from the shadows in front of the screen, suddenly had tears welling up in her eyes. The grievances and sorrows that had been building up for decades finally burst forth at that moment.

On camera, Lu Chuan's face was deathly pale, his forehead covered in cold sweat, and he could no longer feign any grievance or helplessness. Stripped of all his selfish pretense in public, he panicked and hastily began to protest: "No! Master, it's not what you think! That day was just an accident! We were just too hungry, and thinking there was plenty of food, we ate a few bites first… I… I really forgot it was my mother's birthday that day, I didn't mean to!"

"Forgot?" Shen Jingshu's eyes turned icy, her tone laced with biting sarcasm. "Can a simple 'forgot' erase your mother's lifelong sacrifices? Can a simple 'forgot' absolve your entire family of your entitled exploitation?"

Her gaze was sharp as a knife, fixed on the flustered and evasive Lu Chuan, as she continued to expose his lies in a stern voice:

"That day after dinner, only leftovers were left on the table. Your mother silently watched your family chatting and laughing, and no one felt guilty towards her. Your father was completely at ease throughout, and you and your wife were unmoved, even complaining that she was standing there and looking unpleasant."

"She worked tirelessly all day, preparing meals for the whole family, only to end up with nothing. At that moment, she finally woke up completely. She had dedicated her whole life to this family, sacrificing her youth, health, freedom, and her entire life, only to find that in all of your hearts, she was just a free laborer, a dispensable tool."

"When she was sick, you stood by and watched; when she suffered injustices and endured them silently, you turned a blind eye; when she worked hard to raise her grandchildren, you took it all for granted; when she prepared a meal for her birthday, you ate it all yourself."

"You keep saying that your family is in chaos, your father is in the hospital, there's no one to take care of the children, and your wife wants a divorce. Every sentence you say is about how difficult things are for you. But from beginning to end, you've never once asked whether your mother is having a hard time, whether she's suffering, or whether she's tired."

Lu Chuan was rendered speechless, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal. All his excuses and grievances seemed pale and laughable in the face of his mother's lifelong sacrifices.

Looking at his disheveled and guilty appearance, Shen Jingshu added calmly, "Your mother wasn't willful, nor was she irresponsible. She was just tired, really tired."

"She lived the first half of her life for her family, for her husband, and for you; in the second half, she just wants to live for herself this once. Her not coming back isn't because she's heartlessly breaking up your family; it's because she's finally letting herself go."

Sighs and accusations echoed throughout the live stream, and countless viewers watched with crystal clarity.

[It's so ironic. The son only cared about who took care of the child, who looked after his father, and who did the housework; he never cared about how much his mother had suffered in her life!]

The best thing this aunt did was to decisively leave home at sixty! This family didn't deserve it at all!

[Please stop looking for Mommy! Please, just let Auntie go and let her enjoy a few peaceful days of her own!]

Lu Chuan hung his head, his body stiff, his face drained of color, his heart filled with unbearable shame and regret.

He finally understood that the "willful and selfish" mother he had described was actually the most wronged, kindest, and most pitiful person in his life.