A butterfly emerges from its cocoon and flies high
The early spring morning light filtered through the tall glass dome of the National Congress Center, casting a dazzling array of light and shadows on the polished marble floor. Mo Xiaoyu stood in front of the bathroom mirror, carefully adjusting her pearl earrings and dark blue suit. Today, she would be honored at the Great Hall of the People as the recipient of the Social Contribution Award.
"Are you ready?" A deep voice came from behind. He was wearing a neat dark suit today and had a warm smile.
Mo Xiaoyu took a deep breath and said, "I'm even more nervous than when I faced Chen Yongchang."
The awards ceremony was solemn and grand. When the host called out her name, the audience erupted in applause. With every step she took onto the podium, Mo Xiaoyu could feel the softness of the red carpet beneath her feet, a reflection of the hardships and rewards she had endured along the way.
"Ms. Mo Xiaoyu has made outstanding contributions to the field of mental health with the 'Mockingbird Foundation' she founded..." The award speech echoed in the venue.
As she accepted the heavy trophy, Mo Xiaoyu's gaze swept across the audience. Her mother sat in the front row, tears glistening in her eyes; Chen Que smiled and nodded at her; Lawyer Li, wearing a tuxedo for a rare occasion, looked pleased; even Zhou Ling sat in the corner, silently applauding.
At this glorious moment, her phone silently vibrated in her purse. After accepting the award, she checked her messages. It was an urgent message from Lin Wei: "The Emotional Health Act has encountered obstacles in its legislative process. Chen Yongchang has joined forces with several companies to sign a joint opposition."
At the celebration banquet, the joyful atmosphere was overshadowed by this news.
"They seized on a clause in the bill," Lawyer Li said, lowering his voice. "The clause mandating that businesses provide mental health services is being accused of 'increasing the burden on businesses.'"
Shen Que added: "Chen Yongchang is very clever. He has elevated this issue to the level of 'business environment.'"
Mo Xiaoyu gently swirled his champagne glass, the golden liquid rippled in it. "So, we may win the battle, but we might lose the war?"
The next morning, the atmosphere in the foundation's offices was solemn. Mo Xiaoyu stood in front of a whiteboard covered with the opposition's main arguments.
"'Increasing business costs,' 'interfering with business autonomy,' 'formalism,'" she read out the accusations. "We must admit that these criticisms are not entirely without merit."
Lin Wei was puzzled: "Sister Mo, should we compromise?"
"No, we need to find a better way." Mo Xiaoyu wiped the words off the whiteboard. "If mandatory implementation doesn't work, then let companies participate voluntarily."
She immediately formed a task force to revise the bill, changing "mandatory requirements" to "incentives" and "uniform standards" to "categorized guidance." She also designed a combination of tax incentives and policy support.
Three days later, Mo Xiaoyu took the new plan and asked to meet with the relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
"We understand the government's concerns," she said bluntly, "so we've proposed this new model of 'government guidance, market dominance.'"
The person in charge carefully reviewed the plan and nodded frequently, saying, "This approach is better. It achieves the policy goals while avoiding the controversy of administrative intervention."
However, just when the revised plan was about to be submitted, a new crisis emerged.
A prominent media outlet published a lengthy report questioning the foundation's "excessively close ties" with government departments, suggesting that Mo Xiaoyu was exploiting the influence of her award to "seek policy rents." Even more problematic, the report mentioned her past with Gu Yanshen, describing her "transformation from canary to policy broker."
"This is Chen Yongchang's counterattack." Shen Que put down the newspaper. "He knows he can't win in a head-on fight, so he resorts to personal attacks."
Mo Xiaoyu stood in front of the French window in her office. The spring sunshine was shining brightly, and the magnolias downstairs were about to bloom, but her mood seemed to be shrouded in dark clouds.
"Sister Mo," Lin Wei pushed the door open, "a few partners called, and they sounded very hesitant..."
"As expected." Mo Xiaoyu turned around and said, "Please contact all the directors for an emergency meeting this afternoon."
At the meeting, the directors were divided: some advocated a strong response, others suggested a temporary retreat, and still others suggested that Mo Xiaoyu should temporarily step aside.
"This isn't just my problem." Mo Xiaoyu listened calmly to all the opinions, "But what I want to say is that if we back down now, all our previous efforts will be wasted."
She stood up, her eyes determined. "I propose holding a public hearing, broadcast live throughout, so that we can subject it to public scrutiny."
This bold suggestion stunned everyone.
"It's too risky." An old director shook his head. "What if it gets out of control..."
"But this is also the most thorough self-incrimination," Lawyer Li said in support. "I agree."
The news of the public hearing immediately attracted widespread attention. The night before the press conference, Mo Xiaoyu was in the office preparing until late at night. Shen Que pushed the door open and came in, carrying a midnight snack.
"Still preparing?"
"I always feel that I am not prepared enough." Mo Xiaoyu rubbed his swollen temples.
Shen Que put down his lunch box and said, "Remember what you said when we first met? You said 'words have power.' Now, your actions are more powerful than words."
On the day of the hearing, the venue was packed. Mo Xiaoyu deliberately chose a simple white shirt and black trousers, with elegant makeup and a calm demeanor.
Chen Yongchang also came and sat in the first row of the audience with an arrogant look on his face.
The first reporter to ask a question was unkind: "Ms. Mo, some people have questioned your motives for pushing for legislation. How do you respond?"
"I pushed for legislation because I've personally seen too many people destroyed by emotional violence," Mo Xiaoyu said in a steady voice. "If I had to pinpoint a motive, it's that I don't want more people to make the same mistake I did."
Another question was even more pointed: "Has your relationship with your ex-husband, Gu Yanshen, affected your judgment regarding emotional health?"
The audience fell silent. Mo Xiaoyu remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "That experience made me realize that emotional health isn't a personal issue, but a social one. Victims need legal protection, and perpetrators need psychological intervention. This is the purpose of legislation."
Her frankness won applause.
At this moment, an unexpected person stood up - it was Gu Yanshen. He was wearing simple casual clothes and looked completely different from before.
"I want to say a few words," he said, walking to the podium. "As someone who once hurt Mo Xiaoyu, I understand better than anyone the harm of emotional violence. If this law had been enacted sooner, perhaps I wouldn't have made those mistakes."
He turned to Mo Xiaoyu and bowed deeply: "I'm sorry, and thank you."
This scene was broadcast live across the country. Gu Yanshen's personal testimony became the most convincing testimony.
After the hearing, the legislative process suddenly became smoother. Companies that had previously opposed the bill changed their stances, and even Chen Yongchang quietly withdrew his joint letter.
A month later, the Emotional Health Law was passed with a high vote at the National People's Congress. At the promulgation ceremony, Mo Xiaoyu sat on the rostrum as a special guest.
"The passage of this law marks an important step forward for our country in the field of mental health..." The leader's speech echoed in the conference hall.
Mo Xiaoyu's phone vibrated again. This time it was a congratulatory message from Lin Wei: "Sister Mo, we did it!"
After the ceremony, Mo Xiaoyu walked outside alone. The spring breeze blew on her face, bringing the fragrance of magnolia. Shen Que was waiting for her not far away, holding a bouquet of lavender irises.
"Do you know the language of irises?" he asked.
"Hope and wisdom." Mo Xiaoyu took the bouquet and smiled knowingly.
In the distance, a group of white doves flew across the blue sky, their wings shining with the luster of freedom in the sunlight.
At this moment, Mo Xiaoyu finally understood: the true transformation from a cocoon to a butterfly is not to forget the pain of the past, but to fly higher with those scars; it is not to deny the past fragility, but to transform fragility into strength.
Every time she flaps her wings, it is not only for her own freedom, but also for the thousands of souls still struggling in the cocoon.
And this flight has just begun.
Every flap of wings is a tribute to freedom
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