The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 168: Slandering Shen Mingzhu for Seduction

Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Slandering Shen Mingzhu for Seduction

Shen Mingzhu opened the door and was slightly surprised to see Zhou Shuhuan standing outside.

"Shuhuan, what’s the matter?"

Zhou Shuhuan looked at Shen Mingzhu inside the door and was momentarily lost for words.

Although he frequently saw her, Shen Mingzhu was always neatly dressed. Her hair was tidily combed, and occasionally she wore light makeup, exuding a delicate beauty that seemed appropriate whether she was heavily or lightly made up.

But the Shen Mingzhu before him now was starkly different from the one he was used to seeing.

Perhaps because she had just taken a bath, she wore a sleeveless yellow nightgown, with her wet hair draped over her shoulders, revealing two sections of her white, lotus-like arms.

The palm-sized face was so lustrous it resembled a ripe peach, her apricot eyes clear and bright as if washed by water.

She was a natural beauty, unadorned and pure.

The phrase spontaneously popped into Zhou Shuhuan’s mind.

...

Zhou Shuhuan slowly descended the staircase, his mind preoccupied with Shen Mingzhu’s appearance, so much so that he became oblivious to his surroundings, until he bumped into a fuming Shen Baolan coming up to the second floor, which brought him back to reality.

However, before he could gather his thoughts, Shen Baolan grabbed him by the collar, "What are you doing here? Who did you come to see?!"

Zhou Shuhuan didn’t see anything wrong with his visit to Shen Mingzhu, but faced with Shen Baolan’s sharp and biting questioning, he inexplicably felt guilty.

He was also worried that Shen Baolan might make a scene with Shen Mingzhu, so he decided not to tell the truth.

"I’m not looking for anyone, stop making a scene."

Whether it was Zhou Shuhuan’s impatience that hurt her, a certain tight string in Shen Baolan’s heart suddenly snapped.

Although she had used her prophetic dreams to successfully steal Shen Mingzhu’s fiancé, she hadn’t had a peaceful day in the past year, always worrying that Shen Mingzhu might take Zhou Shuhuan back someday.

She was acutely aware that if she hadn’t interfered, Zhou Shuhuan would have married Shen Mingzhu.

Furthermore, from the time she got pregnant to the miscarriage and even now, Zhou Shuhuan hadn’t touched her, not even given her a second glance when she lay undressed on the bed.

This intensified her insecurity and panic.

Therefore, when she heard that Zhou Shuhuan had come to Building 5, her subconscious assumed that what she feared had happened; she believed Zhou Shuhuan was there for Shen Mingzhu and even thought the two had been involved behind her back.

"Zhou Shuhuan, make yourself clear, what exactly are you here for? Did you come for that shameless vixen? Speak up, or this isn’t over!"

It was dinner time, and each household was eating, but hearing the commotion in the corridor, they all opened their doors to watch the drama unfold.

Seeing that everyone in the building was peeking out to see the spectacle, Zhou Shuhuan’s face alternated between red and white. He pushed Shen Baolan away and turned to walk down the stairs.

Refusing to let it go, Shen Baolan glared at Zhou Shuhuan’s retreating back for two seconds before suddenly turning and running upstairs.

Zhou Shuhuan looked up when he heard the commotion, and realizing what Shen Baolan was about to do, his expression changed drastically.

As the couple ran upstairs one after the other, the onlookers followed with their bowls in hand.

"Bang bang bang!"

The knocking clearly indicated the visitor bore no good intentions.

Shen Mingzhu had gone to her room to change clothes and then to the kitchen to grab a kitchen knife before calmly opening the front door.

Seeing the door open, Shen Baolan raised her foot to rush in but was startled by the gleaming kitchen knife in Shen Mingzhu’s hand.

"Shen Mingzhu, what are you trying to do?!"

Shen Mingzhu pointed the kitchen knife towards Shen Baolan’s face, "You come to my house late at night, and I want to ask you, what are you trying to do?"

Shen Baolan, cornered by the kitchen knife, kept retreating, but her mouth was relentlessly vulgar, cursing at Shen Mingzhu.

"Shen Mingzhu, you slutty vixen, if you want a man, go find one outside. Why seduce my Zhou Shuhuan? Have you no shame? Lucky for you, your man kicked the bucket. If he knew you were such a promiscuous tart, I bet even his coffin lid wouldn’t be able to hold him down..."

With Shen Baolan’s tirade, the number of onlookers grew, even attracting residents from the neighboring building to crowd the already tight hallway to bursting.

Those who couldn’t squeeze through simply climbed trees, hugging the branches while peering through the decorative holes of the corridor to get a view of the commotion.

"Shen Baolan, shut your mouth! Come back with me! Don’t embarrass yourself here!"

The more Zhou Shuhuan scolded, the more riled up Shen Baolan became.

She was determined to make a scene for all to know, to ruin Shen Mingzhu’s reputation, to ensure she couldn’t hold her head high ever again!

Thinking this, Shen Baolan simply lay down on the ground.

Zhou Shuhuan, being short and frail, struggled hopelessly with the big and round, over a hundred pounds heavy Shen Baolan, appearing extremely flustered.

Lying on the ground, Shen Baolan’s mouth never stopped, bawling and continuing to curse Shen Mingzhu for seducing her man.

Shen Mingzhu was genuinely provoked, raising the knife as if to strike, causing Shen Baolan to scramble up in terror, hiding behind Zhou Shuhuan, but her mouth was still vile—

"Shen Mingzhu, have you no decency? You seduce my man and now try to stab me with a knife. Everyone, come judge this..."

Zhou Shuhuan, despite his utter disdain for Shen Baolan who was behind him, feared Shen Mingzhu might do something irreparable in her rage, quickly trying to soothe her, "Pei Yang’s wife, calm down, Baolan just runs her mouth, don’t mind her."

Although the spectators were keen on watching the drama unfold, the sight of Shen Mingzhu wielding a knife alarmed several, prompting them to intervene and calm the situation.

"Pei Yang’s family, let’s talk this out calmly, put down the knife first."

Shen Mingzhu fiercely retorted, "Is it me who doesn’t want to talk things out? Shen Baolan constantly provokes me, fabricating stories about me. I’ve let her be, but she’s grown bolder by the day, coming to my doorstep to slander me openly. She thinks I’m a sick cat just because the tiger doesn’t show his power, I swear, if I don’t cut her to death today, I’ll take her surname!"

With that said, Shen Mingzhu lifted the knife, aiming to chop at Shen Baolan.

Several women rushed forward to restrain her, one of them swiftly taking the knife from her hand.

Seeing this, Shen Baolan thought everyone was siding with her and felt even more smug and overconfident.

"Shen Mingzhu, you’re just a lascivious wretch who’s ashamed of her own foul deeds. Yet you don’t allow anyone to speak of it. You’re out looking for men every day..."

"Slap!"

Zhou Shuhuan backhanded her fiercely, inflaming half of Shen Baolan’s face.

"Zhou Shuhuan, you actually hit me... for an outsider..."

Zhou Shuhuan raised his hand and delivered another slap, swelling the other half of Shen Baolan’s face.

The onlooking residents, witnessing the domestic abuse, felt no sympathy for her. Instead, they took turns scolding her—

"Shen Mingzhu has never bothered you, and every time, it’s you who eagerly create trouble. Did she desecrate your ancestors’ graves or kill your family?"

"It’s one thing for us to exchange idle gossip usually, but how can you spout such baseless slander? How do you expect your Zhou Shuhuan to face others after this?"

"When you and Zhou Shuhuan’s mother were in the hospital, Pei Yang would frequently visit and help out, running around tirelessly. With Pei Yang not at home, you bullied his wife. Have you no conscience?"

Shen Baolan’s face turned red from the accusations, but she was unyielding, "You all can talk without pain, standing up for Shen Mingzhu because she hasn’t seduced your men! Wait till it’s your turn, and you’ll jump higher than me."

Shen Mingzhu coldly sneered, "Shen Baolan, I warn you, stop spouting nonsense! If you say I seduced your man, provide evidence! If you can’t, everyone in this building can testify for me, and I’ll sue you for defamation for sure!"

Shen Baolan’s face paled at Shen Mingzhu’s words, then she pointed at Zhou Shuhuan and shouted, "If it wasn’t for you seducing him, would he come running to you as soon as he put down his dinner bowl?"

"Shuhuan’s wife, I think you’re mistaken. Shuhuan was just here to see me."

He Tao, amidst the crowd of onlookers, dropped this bombshell with his unexpected interjection.