The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 111: The Sly Mother and Son Duo

Chapter 111: Chapter 111: The Sly Mother and Son Duo

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Ever since Pei Yang joined the search and rescue team at sea, Shen Mingzhu had been in a foul mood.

The familiar mothers, seeing her cold demeanor, wisely chose not to approach her, but there were always those who were oblivious—

"Yo, Mingzhu, you’re frowning every day, you must be worried about your Pei Yang, right?"

"If you ask me, everyone’s fate is predetermined by the heavens, worrying is useless."

"Having a man like Pei Yang, you might as well just accept your bad luck. With the sea’s rough winds and waves, it’s easy to lose his life in an accident."

"Once something happens to your Pei Yang, you’ll be left a widow with a child to raise, how will you manage your days then—"

Seeing the undisguised schadenfreude on Shen Baolan’s face, Shen Mingzhu felt that odd sensation rising unbidden in her heart again.

It was as if Shen Baolan was certain that Pei Yang would run into trouble, certain that she would end up a widow.

Mingzhu couldn’t help but link together all of Shen Baolan’s past abnormal behaviors and mind-boggling actions, forming a terrifying notion in her mind.

Could it be that Shen Baolan was reborn?

But Shen Mingzhu almost immediately dismissed the idea.

If Shen Baolan had been reborn, then she would have known that Zhou Hao would become very successful in the future, bringing her, as his stepmother, glory and wealth. Given Shen Baolan’s character of not waking up early for anything that didn’t benefit her, she should have contentedly played the role of a dutiful Zhou family daughter-in-law and a good stepmother to Zhou Hao.

Yet Baolan’s recent series of foolish behaviors, clashing with her mother-in-law Ma Sufen to the point of life and death, and at times completely neglecting her stepson Zhou Hao, all the while shamelessly fixating on Pei Yang with a belly several months in size, did not fit the part.

Perhaps, through some unknown means or strange encounter, Baolan had foreknowledge of Pei Yang’s premature demise?

Then everything would make sense.

When it came to arranged marriages, Baolan chose the unimpressive Zhou Shuhuan over the far superior Pei Yang in every aspect because she knew Pei Yang would die early and didn’t want to be a widow.

For this reason, she even craftily schemed for the original person to fall into the water, so that the original could not attend the marriage meeting, leaving only Pei Yang, whom Baolan had rejected, for her to marry.

No wonder Baolan always paid close attention to Pei Yang’s whereabouts and would say things to her like "I’ll see if you can still laugh after a while", she obviously had a premonition that something would happen to Pei Yang.

Shen Mingzhu suddenly thought of when Pei Yang first came back; Baolan always hovered around Pei Yang, inquiring when he was leaving.

When Baolan heard that Pei Yang was not leaving until April, she had the shocked expression of someone struck by lightning.

Mingzhu then thought about the current Tai’an incident.

If Pei Yang had not lost his seaman’s certificate and had boarded the Tai’an, he would have undoubtedly been involved in the maritime disaster.

In other words, Pei Yang was supposed to die in this disaster.

Baolan knew this too, so when she saw that Pei Yang did not set out to sea but returned home for vacation, and when she learned that Pei Yang wouldn’t leave until April, she was devastated, realizing the information didn’t match up with what she knew, leading to a series of uncontrolled behaviors.

But there was still something that didn’t add up.

If Pei Yang was supposed to die in the maritime disaster, and the disaster had already occurred, had Pei Yang escaped his tragic fate?

Then why did Baolan still seem so certain that Pei Yang would be in trouble this time?

Unable to figure it out, Mingzhu didn’t bother to ponder any longer, but a spark of hope ignited in her heart.

Maybe the bastard could actually make it back alive this time.

This thought greatly improved Shen Mingzhu’s mood, and as she looked at Baolan’s smug face, she sneered inwardly and decided to add to her annoyance.

After all, according to the plot she knew, Zhou Shuhuan later became wealthy, bought a villa in a rich neighborhood, and it was because of this that Zhou Hao was able to meet, know, and fall in love with the female lead who was both white and rich.

"Shen Baolan, you still have the mood to worry about my business? If something really happens to my man, his house, his savings, his son, they all belong to me. I can raise my son on my own, and when the time comes, I’ll find him a virtuous and filial daughter-in-law, and our life will be so much more peaceful."

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"It’s you who doesn’t understand your current situation. You’ve been married into the Zhou family for less than a year, and look at the trouble you’ve caused, the disasters you’ve brought?"

"Your husband didn’t divorce his ex-wife because they were on bad terms. Do you think, facing such a headache as you all day, he doesn’t miss his gentle, virtuous, and well-educated ex-wife?"

"And your stepson, even if you’re the best stepmother, can you really compare to his affections for his biological mother? It’s just that your husband hasn’t made it big yet. But once he does, soars high and achieves success, do you think his ex-wife won’t want to return to him, seeking reconciliation?"

Shen Mingzhu’s words were like needles, piercing directly to the heart; Shen Baolan’s face turned white, then red, then green— it was quite a spectacle.

"Nonsense! Shen Mingzhu, you’re talking rubbish! You think I would listen to your nonsense? You just can’t stand to see me doing well!"

Shen Mingzhu wore a half-smile, "Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, just try it and you’ll see."

Shen Baolan, dubious yet intrigued, "Try it? How do I try it?"

"Find an opportunity to badmouth his ex-wife in front of your husband and see how he reacts. If he doesn’t care, it means he isn’t holding onto his ex-wife in his heart. But if he gets angry at you, it shows that he still misses his ex-wife, thinks she’s better than you in every aspect, and won’t tolerate you speaking a word against her."

Shen Baolan didn’t know that this was a trap Shen Mingzhu had set for her; she actually took it to heart as if it was a decree from heaven, secretly planning to try it in front of her husband that evening.

"Mommy, goodbye."

At the entrance of the kindergarten, Pei Ziheng took the initiative to let go of Shen Mingzhu’s hand, waved to her, and then turned to enter the kindergarten.

His sensible and polite demeanor made other parents envious and jealous.

Especially Shen Baolan, who, after learning that Pei Ziheng had started calling Shen Mingzhu ’Mommy’, tried to cajole Zhou Hao into calling her ’Mommy’ too.

But no matter how hard she tried, Zhou Hao simply wouldn’t say it, and in his desperation, he even refused to pay her any mind, leaving her feeling utterly defeated.

However, she reconsidered, realizing that he was just a stepson; no matter how close, he couldn’t be closer than her own flesh and blood. Once she took good care of her health and later gave birth to a chubby baby boy, wouldn’t her child be much better than Shen Mingzhu’s stepson?

——

After Zhou Hao also entered the kindergarten, Pei Ziheng leisurely followed him with his short little steps.

"Zhou Hao, have this to eat."

Zhou Hao looked at the fishbone-shaped biscuit Pei Ziheng offered him, overwhelmed by the gesture.

Usually, Pei Ziheng was indifferent to him, even rude at times. But today, he was unexpectedly friendly and even offered him a biscuit.

Pei Ziheng was really nice.

Zhou Hao, while eating the biscuit, moved by the gesture, promised Pei Ziheng, "When I have something tasty in the future, I’ll share it with you too."

Pei Ziheng smiled, "I’m tired of these; my mom bakes them for me all the time when there’s nothing else to do."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Hao’s face showed envy.

"Pei Ziheng, you have a really nice mom."

"My mom is the best person in the world. Every mom is good to their own kid, no exceptions."

Zhou Hao’s enthusiasm faded as he munched on the biscuit, "I’m so envious of you. Auntie Baolan isn’t nearly as good as your mom. Her cooking is terrible, even the steamed dishes are bland, and nothing she cooks tastes good."

Pei Ziheng remarked, "That’s because she’s just a stepmother, not your biological mother. If she were your biological mom, she would surely go out of her way to treat you well, feed you tasty food, make delicious snacks for you, and never let you go hungry."

Zhou Hao’s little face was full of confusion, "But Auntie Mingzhu isn’t your biological mom, is she? Why is she so good to you then?"

Pei Ziheng’s face lit up with joy, "Because she’s the only mom I have, and I’m her only son. We are each other’s one and only. But it’s different with your stepmom; she just wants to dote on her own biological son. When she was pregnant with him, didn’t she ignore you?"

"Zhou Hao, only your biological mom will truly be good to you."