The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 201: Shen Baolan Gets Beaten Up Again

Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Shen Baolan Gets Beaten Up Again

"...Her days are not easy either. Her in-laws have always despised her for not having a son. Now that every family can only have one child, a daughter-in-law who hasn’t given birth to a son can’t hold her head up in front of her in-laws."

As she spoke, Feng Huiying lowered her voice to a whisper audible only to the two of them, "Her husband keeps finding excuses not to come home. It’s said he has a mistress on the outside. Just wait and see, if the mistress has a son, her position at home will probably not be secure."

Shen Mingzhu enjoyed a bit of gossip, but upon hearing such matters, she couldn’t help feeling disgusted.

It wasn’t that she sympathized with Jiang Jing out of a sense of saintliness, but rather she felt saddened and speechless about the sexism of the era.

What’s wrong with girls anyway? Without women to give birth, humanity would have gone extinct ages ago. If they’re so capable, then they shouldn’t be born from a woman’s womb, but instead leap out of a rock!

Seeing her silent, Feng Huiying laughed again, "Actually, many people in the family compound envy you. Though Ziheng isn’t your biological child, he isn’t any different from one. In the future, no matter whether you and Pei Yang have a son or a daughter, no one will gossip about it."

Shen Mingzhu casually replied, "I haven’t thought about that yet. Let’s wait until Ziheng is older."

Hearing her say this, Feng Huiying suddenly became hesitant, "Well, Mingzhu, I want to ask you something, and I hope you won’t be upset."

"Hmm, ask away."

Feng Huiying glanced behind her to make sure no one was there, then conspiratorially leaned towards Shen Mingzhu’s ear, "You and Pei Yang... you haven’t... consummated your marriage yet, have you?"

Shen Mingzhu was plucking the old leaves from the base of a camellia when she heard this and couldn’t help but snicker.

She knew nothing good ever came of running into that Ma Sufen.

She had already felt quite guilty for not being able to give Pei Yang a consummate wedding night, and now she was even less willing to let Pei Yang shoulder an undeserved bad reputation.

So, without further ado, Shen Mingzhu explained to Feng Huiying the reason why they hadn’t consummated the marriage and the fact that her aunt Flo had made an early visit the night before, sparing no detail.

She wasn’t afraid of Feng Huiying spreading the word—she actually hoped Feng Huiying would help get the word out.

That very night, Feng Huiying told her husband about it in bed.

"...I really didn’t see it coming. Pei Yang might look tough, but he’s quite thoughtful and romantic, wanting to give Mingzhu the perfect night. Who knew fate wouldn’t be on their side."

"He really knows how to hold back too, facing his delicate wife every day without laying a hand on her."

Although He Tao felt a fair bit of respect for his friend’s willpower, he couldn’t help but tease, "It’s just that he hasn’t had a taste of it yet; a man who’s had his fill and one who hasn’t are worlds apart."

Feng Huiying threw a sideways glance at her own husband, "At least he’s faithful, which is a lot better than those who mess around outside."

"...I haven’t messed around outside, why bring this up with me?"

"You dare! Watch me break your dog legs."

"You, always cursing me, now you’ve gone and cursed yourself too. If I’m a dog, what does that make you, a bitch?"

...

Zhou Shuhuan came home and as soon as he walked in the door, he heard the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatting and laughing spiritedly in the living room.

He didn’t pay it any mind and went to change his shoes, preparing to go to his room to sleep.

These past days at the factory were packed with work. Toiling from 9 in the morning to 9 at night had left him utterly exhausted, not in the mood for extra words.

"Shuhuan, you’re off work, huh? I’ve kept some food warm for you in the pot. I’ll serve it for you," Shen Baolan quickly stood up upon spotting him.

"I don’t want any."

Zhou Shuhuan casually replied as he headed for his room, but Shen Baolan stepped forward to hold him back, "I specially made your favorite braised pork with potatoes. Have a taste."

A flood of distant memories rushed over him, recalling the braised pork with potatoes he had eaten at the Pei family’s table last year, and Zhou Shuhuan involuntarily swallowed.

"Alright, serve it then."

Upon hearing his answer, Shen Baolan immediately beamed and scurried into the kitchen.

Shen Baolan was genuinely determined to work things out and live well with Zhou Shuhuan; she had become much more diligent and proactive than before, caring for her parents-in-law and husband and diligently attending to Zhou Hao’s studies every day.

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This performance also changed the minds of Pei Yang’s parents, making them willing to accept her once again.

Zhou Shuhuan knew where his wife’s cooking skills stood, so he didn’t hold out much hope, but when Shen Baolan served up a bowl of potatoes in braised pork, he couldn’t describe the depth of his disappointment with words.

A sticky mess in a bowl, he couldn’t distinguish the meat from the potatoes, and the color was so drab it left him with no appetite.

"Eat up, I’ve specially saved more meat for you. Mom and Dad said it was delicious, and Xiaohao ate a big bowl of it tonight."

Under Shen Baolan’s eager self-praise, Zhou Shuhuan reluctantly picked up his chopsticks.

The flavor was bland, worlds apart from what he had tasted at the Pei Family’s table last year.

Pei Yang was really fortunate to be able to eat such delicious food every day.

Comparing his own meals to those, Zhou Shuhuan felt not only an unpleasant taste in his mouth but also a sense of utter boredom in his heart.

Shen Baolan didn’t notice her husband’s gloom as she prattled on about the gossip in the family compound: "Today, Ma Sufen came to perform rituals in our compound; she saw Shen Mingzhu, guess what she said?"

Seeing Zhou Shuhuan look over, Shen Baolan covered her mouth and giggled, "Ma Sufen said, you know, Shen Mingzhu is still a virgin! Pei Yang is just a pretty pillow that’s good for nothing. He’s been back for so long, had a wedding, and still hasn’t..."

"Smack!"

Zhou Shuhuan raised his hand and slapped her across the face.

Shen Baolan’s words stopped abruptly as she covered her struck face, staring at Zhou Shuhuan in stunned silence.

Zhou Shuhuan rarely showed such fury, "Shut your filthy mouth. If I ever hear you gossiping about Brother Yang’s family again, I’ll hit you!"

Having said his piece, Zhou Shuhuan stormed off to his room.

Shen Baolan sat at the dining table, unable to come back to her senses for a long time.

Ma Sufen glanced at her son when he struck out but then disinterestedly continued watching television.

Zhou Hao, who was drawing on the coffee table, also showed no reaction to Shen Baolan being hit; he hummed a tune while scribbling messily in his sketchbook.

Sitting for a good while without any attention from her grandson or daughter-in-law, Shen Baolan could only wipe away her tears and clear the dishes and chopsticks from the table into the kitchen, feeling aggrieved.

...

Zhou Shuhuan lay in bed, his mind in turmoil.

No wonder Brother Yang doted so much on Shen Mingzhu, willing to spend two thousand yuan for a lavish wedding. Was it because he was impotent, and he was trying to compensate in other ways?

But such a matter couldn’t possibly be compensated for with just a wedding.

Could Brother Yang really be content to let Shen Mingzhu live as an eternal widow?

He knew it wasn’t his place to worry, but he couldn’t help thinking about it.

If only he had married Shen Mingzhu in the beginning.

If he had married Shen Mingzhu, he wouldn’t know just how happy he might be now.

His home would be clean and orderly every day; he could enjoy delicious meals daily and wouldn’t let Shen Mingzhu suffer. He would treat her well, doting on her even more than Brother Yang did.

...

After Yan Su finished arranging the details for the engagement banquet with the butler, she suddenly remembered something and took out some spicy strips and dried tofu from her handbag.

About to hand them over to the butler, she was distracted by a brand name on the packaging of the spicy strips.

When the butler waited for a while without receiving any instructions, he couldn’t help but speak up, "Second Miss, if there’s nothing else, I’ll go ahead and attend to my duties."

"Yes, go ahead."

After the butler left, Yan Su put the spicy strips and dried tofu back in her handbag.

Her brother’s attitude towards these two items was too strange; she decided to check it out for herself.

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