In the cramped bedroom, the glow from the phone screen illuminated Shen Yu's dazed face.

On the live stream, the curvaceous hostess swayed seductively, her sugary coos dripping through the speakers.

"This... this isn't a dream?"

Shen Yu jolted upright, his mind a swirling fog. When his gaze landed on the divorce papers lying on the table, his heart clenched like a vice.

Memories flooded back in a merciless tide.

Once, he had a warm and loving family of three—his devoted wife, Gu Wantong, and their adorable daughter, Mumu.

But during the crucial months of his wife's pregnancy, he had fallen into the illusory world of online streaming, becoming the top patron of a flirtatious hostess.

Her honeyed words had poisoned his judgment, luring him deeper into the fantasy as she playfully called him "hubby."

Gift after gift, each costing hundreds, vanished into the digital void. When his savings ran dry, he sold their belongings and borrowed recklessly, squandering over a million yuan in just a month.

Even the money meant for their baby's formula was spent on virtual tributes.

And when the gifts stopped, the illusion shattered instantly.

The hostess coldly blocked him—no hesitation, no farewell.

The image of his wife kneeling on the floor, begging him with tears in her eyes to come to his senses, sent a sharp pang through Shen Yu's heart.

By the time he finally realized the gravity of his mistakes, it was already too late.

Now, with this second chance at life, his throat tightened as waves of regret from his past mistakes crashed over him. He sat stiffly in the law firm's chair, clutching the divorce papers in his hand, his eyes stinging with unshed tears. The painful lessons of his past life had sobered him completely—he now saw with brutal clarity just how foolish he had been.

The office door creaked open softly, and Gu Wantong stepped inside.

Dressed in a tailored khaki skirt suit, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, she looked as if time had spared her any cruelty. Even after childbirth, her figure remained flawless, her poise untouched. But the warmth that once lit up her beautiful eyes was gone, replaced by an icy detachment.

"Sign it," she said, her voice firm and unyielding. "We'll split the debts equally. All I want is custody of Mumu."

Shen Yu's heart twisted at the sight of the woman he had once loved more than anything. He knew all too well how unforgivable his mistakes had been. And now, the only thing reflected in Gu Wantong's eyes was utter disappointment—a cold, final resignation.

The pain was unbearable. His chest ached, his throat constricted.

"Wantong, I was wrong," he choked out. "I know how terrible I've been, but please... believe me just this once. I swear I'll never waste money on those livestreams again, never throw away another penny on those streamers!"

"Just give me one more chance... just one..."

He couldn't make the same mistakes again in this life.

"Stop lying to me. Your promises mean nothing anymore," Gu Wantong said through her tears. "Every time you swore you'd change, only to let me and Mumu down even harder."

"Do you have any idea? Mumu has never worn a single new piece of clothing—only hand-me-downs from others. Even the money for her kindergarten fees had to be begged from my parents."

Shen Yu's heart twisted with regret as he listened.

The pain from his past life was still fresh in his memory, and he refused to lose his family again.

"And you? Throwing away hundreds of thousands on those meaningless livestream girls."

"Mumu and I spent every day running from debt collectors, living in constant fear!"

"I can't take it anymore..." Gu Wantong collapsed to her knees, her voice breaking. "If you have even a shred of decency left, just let us go. This is my final plea."

Seeing his wife on the floor, Shen Yu stood frozen as if struck by lightning.

His mind went blank, his ears ringing.

"Shen Yu, for Mumu's sake... let's get a divorce."

Those were the words she finally spoke.

"All those grand vows you made before—I don't want them anymore. The empty dreams you painted, the promises you swore—I reject all of it!"

Her stunning face was etched with utter despair, the sight piercing Shen Yu's heart so deeply he could barely breathe.

*You monster.*

He cursed himself bitterly in his heart.

The girl who had once looked at him with such hope, her eyes sparkling with dreams, was now a mother.

Despite the hardships of life, she still bore everything with unwavering strength.

She wore tattered undergarments she couldn’t bear to replace, and even her daughter’s clothes and meals were pitifully meager.

All this suffering—it was because of him.

What good was a second chance?

It was all too late.

If fate had granted him the opportunity to start over, why couldn’t it have taken him back to those golden days?

If he could return to that time, he would have done everything in his power to protect their marriage.

"I agree to the divorce. As for Mumu..."

Shen Yu lowered his head, finally yielding.

He knew all too well that he had long lost the right to guard this marriage.

Just the mention of his daughter’s name made his heart feel as if it were being torn apart.

The words he wanted to say churned in his throat, but they refused to come out, dissolving instead into an endless ache...

Half an hour later, the two stepped out of the civil affairs office.

Shen Yu clutched the divorce certificate tightly, his eyes dull and lifeless, his heart aching as if pierced by a knife.

"Daddy, promise me you won’t spend money on those pretty aunties online anymore, and don’t sneak around eating instant noodles all the time."

Mu Mu tilted her little face upward, her big, sparkling eyes fixed on Shen Yu.

"I hid a jar of teddy bear cookies under your bed. Don’t forget to eat them, okay?"

Her hair was tied into two adorable pigtails, and though her clothes were clean and neat, they had faded from too many washes.

Her innocent face was etched with reluctance, and that pure, heartfelt worry stabbed at Shen Yu’s heart like needles.

Suppressing the pain inside, his voice choked with emotion, he replied, "Okay, Daddy promises. Be good for Mommy, sweetheart."

He crouched down and whispered softly, "When Daddy makes lots and lots of money, I’ll build you a beautiful castle. You’ll be the happiest little princess in the world. How does that sound?"

Just as Shen Yu reached out to hug his daughter, Gu Wantong swiftly pulled Mu Mu into her arms and said coldly, "Mu Mu, say goodbye to Daddy."

"Daddy... I’ll wait for you to come back..."

Before Mu Mu could finish, Gu Wantong carried her briskly toward the roadside.

A brand-new BMW X3 was parked nearby, and a middle-aged man stepped out to open the door, eagerly ushering Gu Wantong and the child inside.

Watching the all-too-familiar scene unfold, Shen Yu’s expression darkened instantly.

The middle-aged man stood by the car, his eyes filled with scorn and fury. "A loser like you has the nerve to bother Wantong? Can’t even drag yourself out of the gutter, yet you want to drag them down with you? Stay away, or you’ll regret it!"

"Cousin, don’t waste your breath. Let’s go."

Gu Wantong sat in the car, her voice laced with exhaustion and weariness.

The engine roared as the vehicle slowly pulled away.

Through the rear window, Shen Yu saw Mumu's little face pressed against the glass, her tear-filled eyes gazing at him with longing and confusion.

Those eyes, brimming with reluctance and bewilderment, pierced his heart like a sharp blade.

In that instant, Shen Yu felt an unbearable tightness in his chest.

He stared at the receding car, waves of fierce regret and determination churning inside him.

"Heaven has given me a second chance—this time, I won't let it slip away."

His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, yet he barely noticed the pain.

"For Mumu, for Wantong, I have to turn my life around and build a future worth having."

This time… he wouldn’t fail them again.