The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 170: As a Son, I Should Spoil My Mom a Bit

Chapter 170: Chapter 170: As a Son, I Should Spoil My Mom a Bit

After Shen Baolan was taken away by the police, Ma Sufen immediately phoned her son. Zhou Shuhuan replied with, "She brought this on herself," and then hung up. Clearly, he had no intention of dealing with Shen Baolan.

Ma Sufen was also angry that Shen Baolan had caused trouble for no reason, making their family the laughingstock of the entire residential compound. She didn’t want to deal with it either, but ignoring the situation wasn’t an option either. If Shen Baolan were detained, it would still be their Zhou family losing face.

But she had had quite an unpleasant run-in with Shen Mingzhu before, and couldn’t bring herself to swallow her pride and apologize to a junior like Shen Mingzhu, so she encouraged her husband to go instead.

So, early in the morning, Zhou Quanxiong came to the door to apologize and plead, "...This was Baolan’s fault, I apologize on her behalf. The Pei family, I have been good friends with Pei Yang’s father for many years, and Pei Yang and Shuhuan have been brothers since they were little. Please, for the sake of our two families’ friendship, could you do this old man a favor and let Baolan off just this once, alright?"

Zhou Quanxiong was already sixty this year, with white hair at his temples. He was humbly apologizing to a junior like her, which made Shen Mingzhu feel quite uncomfortable.

If it had been anyone else, she might have relented.

But not with Shen Baolan, there was no way she could back down on this.

"Uncle Zhou, I’m sorry, but it’s not about refusing to give you face. It’s just that Shen Baolan has gone too far. It’s not the first or second time she’s framed me. I can overlook other things, but she insulted my character, spread rumors that I was unfaithful, and besmirched my marriage. If it were your daughter being slandered like this, could you endure it?"

Zhou Quanxiong hastily said, "Pei Yang’s mother, how about this, I’ll have her come to your door to apologize and clear your reputation, how does that sound?"

Shen Mingzhu shook her head, "It’s no use. She’s been problematic for a long time. If we don’t teach her a lesson this time, she’ll be even more brazen in the future. Besides, I’ve given her chances."

"Last night, had she been willing to publicly apologize to me, it wouldn’t have come to this. Afterwards, I gave her another chance, as long as she came back and apologized, I could have let it go, but she didn’t take it seriously."

"Uncle Zhou, I’m from the same village as Shen Baolan, I know her personality better than you do. A dog can’t change its habit of eating poop, that’s what people like her are. Only by making her truly suffer and fear will she sincerely repent."

Zhou Quanxiong left in dejection.

Knowing that Shen Mingzhu would not give any favors, Ma Sufen felt extremely resentful, and at the same time, she despised Shen Baolan for causing trouble and bringing difficulties to their Zhou family.

...

Today is the weekend, Pei Ziheng doesn’t have to go to school, but he’s not happy staying at home alone, so Shen Mingzhu decides to take him to work at the food factory.

Going downstairs, they encounter many residents of the residential compound.

Compared to usual, everyone looks at Shen Mingzhu with more reverence and wariness, and their greetings are much more polite than before.

Shen Mingzhu doesn’t show it outwardly, but inside, she is quite pleased.

Disciplining Shen Baolan was not only a way to vent her anger but also to set an example, a warning to the gossips in the residential compound.

In the morning, Shen Mingzhu provides basic training to three new workers. In the afternoon, she lets Du Juan and two senior workers teach the newbies about the products while she takes Pei Ziheng to the mooncake factory.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, she plans to check this year’s sales of mooncakes and, while there, get some at an internal price as a bonus for the workers.

At the mooncake factory, Shen Mingzhu finds a female worker with whom she has a good relationship. She learns from her that the new mooncakes she developed this year are selling very well, especially the ham and lotus seed paste with egg yolk flavors, which are already sold out. The factory is sending people to other cities to urgently purchase ham and salted duck eggs to ramp up production.

Based on the sales information gathered from the female worker, Shen Mingzhu roughly estimates that she should receive a bonus of at least five hundred this year.

Since the ham and egg yolk flavors are out of stock, Shen Mingzhu ends up taking five boxes of each of the other four flavors, totaling twenty boxes of mooncakes.

On the way home, Shen Mingzhu also buys some fruit, two bottles of wine, and some candy snacks like fruit sweets.

"Mom, I’ll go with you."

After dinner, Shen Mingzhu selects two boxes of mooncakes, along with wine and candies, to go and thank the He family, and Pei Ziheng volunteers and steps forward, sensibly offering.

Shen Mingzhu tenderly caresses his nose, "Alright then, you carry the fruit."

"Hmm."

When they went upstairs, the He Family was having dinner.

He Tao worked as a postman at the post office and usually got off work late, so their dinner time was a bit later than that of other families in the residential compound.

"Brother He, thank you for helping out last night. With the Mid-Autumn Festival coming up, I’ve brought you and Sister Feng two boxes of mooncakes. These are from a collaboration with the mooncake factory; please give them a try."

Feng Huiying smiled as she accepted the gifts, feigning annoyance, "We’re just upstairs and downstairs neighbours; there’s no need for such formality. Please, have a seat. Have you had dinner?"

Upon hearing Shen Mingzhu say that she had eaten, Feng Huiying hurried to boil water for tea, but Shen Mingzhu stopped her.

"Sister Feng, Brother He, please continue your meal, I won’t disturb you."

No sooner had Shen Mingzhu finished speaking than Pei Ziheng, about to leave with her, bowed formally to He Tao, his childlike voice clear and crisp—

"Uncle Taozi, on behalf of Dad, I thank you for helping Mom."

The people of the He Family were amused by Pei Ziheng’s earnestness.

After the mother and son left, Feng Huiying sat back down at the table, eating as she looked at the items on the coffee table and remarked to her husband with a sigh.

"Mingzhu really has it tough, with her husband away all year round, she has to be both father and mother. She doesn’t even have anyone to rely on, and when she tries to do something significant, she has to endure people’s idle gossiping behind her back, especially the wife from the Zhou family—her mouth is just too vicious."

He Tao was noncommittal, "I’m buddies with Brother Pei, and it’s not my place to interfere with his wife’s affairs. When you’ve got time, try to give her more support."

Feng Huiying readily agreed.

Downstairs.

Back home, Shen Mingzhu was preparing to boil water in the kitchen for a bath when she had hardly taken two steps before Pei Ziheng hugged her leg.

The little guy rubbed his fuzzy head against her leg like a puppy, his beautiful little face showing faint dejection and loss.

Shen Mingzhu squatted down, her voice tender, "Son, if something’s making you unhappy, tell me about it so I can cheer you up."

Pei Ziheng was not upset by Shen Mingzhu’s teasing.

As her son, he was supposed to dote on his mother a bit.

"Mom, if only I could grow up faster."

Shen Mingzhu propped her chin, looking interested, "So, what do you want to do when you grow up? Marry a wife as pretty and capable as me?"

"That’s not it!" Pei Ziheng was a bit annoyed but didn’t dwell on it, "When I grow up, I’ll be able to help you with things, protect you, and not let anyone bully you."

Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but reach out and gently tap his pert little nose, "Such a good boy, my Erza is becoming more and more like a real man, which delights my heart greatly."

Pei Ziheng smiled shyly, his mouth slightly pursed, feeling equally happy inside.

Because he had the best mother in the whole wide world.

...

The next day was Sunday. Considering the food factory would soon be starting operations, Shen Mingzhu decided to take a day off for herself. She seized the opportunity to take Pei Ziheng out to play so they wouldn’t miss the chance when things got busier later.

All dressed and ready to step out, Shen Mingzhu and her son were just about to leave when Shen Baolan’s parents and her brother Shen Hao arrived at their door, fuming with rage.