The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 182 Mid-Autumn Reunion

Chapter 182: Chapter 182 Mid-Autumn Reunion

Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Although the Mid-Autumn Festival isn’t a legal holiday in this era, Shen Mingzhu still gave the food factory workers a day off.

Those who wanted to go home to reunite with their families did so, while those who didn’t went to the food factory to celebrate together.

All five female workers went back.

Shen Chaobei originally wanted to visit Qin Jinlian in the countryside, but Du Juan didn’t feel like making the trip, mainly because Daya got severely carsick, so they decided to stay in the city and celebrate the festival with Shen Mingzhu and her son.

Shen Chaobei felt that going back alone was meaningless, so he decided not to go back after all.

Shen Hongmei didn’t go home either.

Six people, four adults and two children, decided to have a lively Mid-Autumn Festival at the factory.

During the day, Shen Mingzhu invited everyone to watch a movie, which in fact, the movie tickets were a gift from Chen Yi; she was just playing Santa Claus.

After the movie, Shen Mingzhu and Du Juan went to the market and bought lots of good food, planning to have a grand meal that evening.

In the evening, as Shen Mingzhu was frying eggs, someone walked in from behind.

She didn’t turn around, but judging from the heavy footsteps and the tall shadow cast by the setting sun, she didn’t think of anyone other than Shen Chaobei.

"Big Brother, can you bring the dishes out, and while you’re at it, get the dishes and chopsticks..."

She hadn’t finished speaking when someone embraced her from behind.

Shen Mingzhu’s first reaction was one of alarm: Was Shen Chaobei being this bold, had he had enough of living?

However, the next second, a familiar, laughter-filled, and sonorous voice said, "Since when did I become your Big Brother?"

Shen Mingzhu turned her head in astonishment, looking at her own man who seemed to have descended from the heavens, so surprised she even dropped the spatula she was holding.

Pei Yang, quick on his feet, caught the spatula mid-air and stuffed it back into her hand.

As Shen Mingzhu followed his motion, turning her head to look at the spatula in her hand, the next instant, her face was turned back by the man, whose kiss came with a strong affection, domineering and forcefully sealing off all her breath.

"Clang."

The spatula in Shen Mingzhu’s hand still ended up on the ground.

Spatula: ...What’s going on, wouldn’t it be better to let me fall to the ground quietly?

...

Under the night sky, a bright, full moon like a jade plate rose into the air, emitting a charming and pure white light.

In the middle of the food factory’s courtyard, Shen Mingzhu and Pei Yang, Pei Ziheng, Shen Chaobei, Du Juan, and Daya, along with Shen Hongmei, seven people sat around the table, in good spirits.

The meal, all cooked by Shen Mingzhu, was complete in color, fragrance, and flavor, save for one dish of stir-fried chives and egg that ruined the mood.

The eggs were fried to a golden yellow, mixed with green chives, the interplay of yellow and green was usually pleasing to the eye, but the plate of chives and eggs on the table was inexplicably burnt.

"Mingzhu, how did you manage to burn the eggs?"

Not that Shen Chaobei was complaining, he was merely curious, but after asking, Du Juan kicked him under the table.

Shen Mingzhu glared at the man beside her, her face heating up.

The latter took the stir-fried chives and eggs before him and said while taking big bites, "Big Brother, I love burnt eggs. Mingzhu is so sweet to me; she fried them specially for me."

Shen Chaobei was amazed, "Who likes burnt eggs? Aren’t they bitter?"

"Not bitter at all, delicious."

Shen Mingzhu: "..."

Originally thinking it was just a simple meal among family, Shen Mingzhu hadn’t planned to prepare wine, but Shen Chaobei, seeing Pei Yang returning and in good spirits, insisted on drinking with Pei Yang to liven things up.

Just so happened that a couple of days ago, Zhong Qing had sent her a Mid-Autumn Festival gift that included two small jars of osmanthus wine, and Shen Mingzhu brought out one jar.

The pottery jars, about the size of an adult’s fist, had a hand-written red label saying "Osmanthus Brew" stuck on the belly of the jar.

Upon breaking the seal of the jar, a rich and intoxicating sweet fragrance of osmanthus filled the air instantly.

Without wine glasses, they used bowls meant for eating, pouring a small bowl for each person.

Amidst everyone’s cheering, Shen Mingzhu picked up the bowl of wine, said a few pleasantries and words of blessing, and then everyone clinked their bowls together.

The pale yellow wine was fragrant and sweet upon taste, leaving a mouthful of osmanthus aroma.

Shen Mingzhu delightedly finished the osmanthus brew in her bowl and when she looked down, she discovered another bowl in front of her.

She turned her head and glared at the sly man, "What are you doing?"

"You drink it for me."

Shen Mingzhu was about to refuse, but then she heard the innocent-faced man say, "The doctor said I can’t drink alcohol."

She was taken aback for a moment, swallowing back the words that reached her mouth.

In fact, she noticed at first glance in the evening that the man seemed to have lost a lot of weight, his complexion was also somewhat pale, unlike his usual healthy wheatish tone.

When she hugged him, he didn’t feel as broad and solid as before; he was all bones.

At the time, his sudden attack had thrown her into chaos, and she hadn’t had the chance to ask.

Now, it wasn’t convenient to ask during the meal, so she could only hold her questions and picked up the bowl to drink.

Perhaps it was the right atmosphere or maybe because the osmanthus brew tasted good, Shen Chaobei and Shen Hongmei, both appearing to be not quite satisfied, clamored for more, so Shen Mingzhu opened the remaining jar as well.

The jar of osmanthus brew that came after was almost entirely split between Shen Chaobei and Shen Hongmei.

After finishing, both unsurprisingly ended up drunk.

Shen Mingzhu and Du Juan helped Shen Hongmei back to the dormitory, while Shen Chaobei was settled by Pei Yang to sober up on the sofa in the office.

Once the two drunkards were taken care of, Shen Mingzhu planned to join Du Juan in tidying up the dinner table, but Du Juan stopped her.

"Mingzhu, take a rest. You made the dinner, it wouldn’t be fair to have you clean up too. Pei Yang is back after a long time, you should have a good chat with him."

Shen Mingzhu accepted Du Juan’s kind gesture, but still helped clean up the table. Then, she set out mooncakes, snacks, and fruits, and lastly brewed a pot of chrysanthemum tea.

The moon had risen directly overhead, a full and snowy white circle, surrounded by clouds as ethereal as gossamer, stunningly beautiful like in a painting.

The man sitting under the moonlight made Shen Mingzhu feel like he was the best Mid-Autumn Festival gift she had received this year.

"Dummy, that’s not how you fold a plane, let me show you."

In a corner of the yard, Pei Ziheng and Daya crouched on a brick-built ping-pong table, playing with paper airplanes.

Seeing the bright smile overflowing on her son’s handsome little face, the corners of Shen Mingzhu’s mouth couldn’t help but turn up.

For a moment, she felt as if her life was as complete as the full moon overhead.

Pei Yang sat beside her, his gaze fixed on their son at play, "Has Ziheng grown taller?"

"Yes, he was 115 centimeters before the start of school, which is 12 centimeters taller than this time last year."

Pei Yang took her hand, placed it on his thigh and held it, his eyes brimming with intense affection as he looked at her, "All thanks to you."

Shen Mingzhu glanced at him, "The moment you came back, Ziheng’s been a lot happier."

Her intent was to express that a child’s growth also needs the father’s company, but Pei Yang turned it around on her, "What about you? Were you happy to see me back? "

Shen Mingzhu glanced at him and remained silent.

A while later, just when Pei Yang thought he wouldn’t hear her answer and was about to reluctantly give up, he heard Shen Mingzhu quietly "Hmm" in affirmation.

It was soft, like the evening breeze carrying the scent of osmanthus, brushing past the face, intoxicatingly fragrant.

"Me too."

Pei Yang lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it gently, his voice husky despite not drinking, "Every day since I left, I’ve missed you so much. Wondering what you are doing, whether Shen Baolan has been bullying you again, missing you..."

"Wait," Shen Mingzhu eyed him, "Are you pulling a buy-one-get-one-free here, missing me and tagging along Baolan?"

Pei Yang: "..."

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