After a few days of thought (the story sticks to me like that) I do think CT had one very harsh punishment. It's…
This is the best way to explain CT's ending. I had always been unsatisfied with how the writers are trying to redeem her character through just one event on one night. But now I understand, she is still the antagonist until the end, she just lost.
I used to think that Chen Ting was crazy at first, but then I realised she is just pure evil. She knows what she did was wrong but she does not give a shit about it and never apologised, Instead she blames other people on her unhappiness and suffering. No wonder her son is depressed, and I'm not surprised if her daughter would be depressed too. I feel like she's ruining both of their lives now.
I think she only told him once and that was when they were in her beauty salon. Maybe you are confused with the part where she told Li Ba about Dongdong's mom, who is currently in prison. At that point in time, Li Ba hasn't known that she went to prison yet.
nothing is ever as satisfying as watching LX yelling his heart out to his mom. she deserves to know (or maybe realise since she sort of already know) the truth about his feelings.