The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 202: The Bridal Chamber

Chapter 202: Chapter 202: The Bridal Chamber

Shen Mingzhu finished collecting accounts and returned to the factory, where she saw a black Audi parked at the gate. Before she could wonder about it, Shen Chaobei, who had already been waiting at the gate, grabbed her and pulled her inside.

"A wealthy lady came, saying she wants to order our factory’s spicy strips and dried tofu."

Upon hearing that business had come knocking, Shen Mingzhu felt a surge of joy.

She adjusted her hair and clothes, then fished out a compact mirror and lipstick from her bag to touch up her lips, hoping to appear more energetic and make a good impression on the client.

By the time she had finished and entered the office, she recognized the visitor as Yan Su and couldn’t help being surprised.

The surprise and astonishment on Yan Su’s face were no less than hers.

Shen Mingzhu took the initiative to come forward and greet her, "Hello, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, please take a seat."

Yan Su looked at her for two seconds before reaching out to shake her hand.

After brewing a fresh cup of hot tea to replace the somewhat cooled one in front of Yan Su, Shen Mingzhu sat down and started a polite conversation with the visitor.

"My last name is Shen, you can call me little Shen or Factory Manager Shen, may I ask your surname?"

Yan Su sized her up without a change in expression, replying softly, "My surname is Yan."

Yan, could she be related to Yan Yi?

Shen Mingzhu speculated inwardly about the woman’s connection to Yan Yi, maintaining a proper smile, "Nice to meet you, Ms. Yan. I heard you’re looking to order spicy strips and dried tofu from our food factory, may I ask how much you need?"

Yan Su took out the spicy strips and dried tofu from her handbag, "This much, one hundred bags of each will suffice."

Shen Mingzhu was somewhat taken aback.

The package size Yan Su held was specially customized small bags for her own wedding, each bag only 20 grams, and two hundred bags together were only about four kilograms.

She had expected that someone who came to her in person would request at least fifty or a hundred kilograms.

Although disappointed, Shen Mingzhu did not show it, "No problem, may I ask when you would need them by, Ms. Yan?"

Yan Su mentioned a date, and Shen Mingzhu agreed to it.

As Shen Mingzhu escorted Yan Su out, her curiosity couldn’t be contained, "Ms. Yan, if I may ask boldly, how did you come to know about our food factory?"

Yan Su took several moments to consider before speaking, "My brother attended a friend’s wedding a few days ago and brought back these two items. I liked the taste and wanted to buy some to treat the kids."

For her personal reasons, Yan Su didn’t want Shen Mingzhu to become overly involved with her younger brother, nor did she want to reveal that purchasing the spicy strips and dried tofu was her brother’s idea.

What she didn’t know was that Shen Mingzhu also didn’t want to owe Yan Yi any favors, and upon hearing that this matter was unrelated to Yan Yi, she actually felt relieved.

...

"Miss, shall we head back home now?"

Hearing the driver’s question, Yan Su pressed on her throbbing forehead and instructed, "Go to the young master’s place."

"Yes."

Within two minutes, Yan Su changed her mind, "Never mind, let’s go home."

The driver complied.

Watching the streetscape receding outside the car window, Yan Su silently sighed in her heart: She hoped her brother would understand the boundaries and better not have any involvement with Miss Shen.

Three days later, Yan Su’s driver came to collect the ordered dried tofu and spicy strips.

Although the amount was not substantial, Shen Mingzhu was still quite pleased.

It signified that her initiative to include spicy strips and dried tofu in the wedding candies was effective; this time it was Ms. Yan, next time it might be other big bosses.

Having finished her duties early, Shen Mingzhu picked up her bag and left work.

However, she didn’t go straight home but first made a trip to the department store.

On her way home, she also stopped by the tailor’s to pick up a nightgown she had dropped off for alterations a few days ago.

When she arrived back at the residential complex, she ran into several older ladies chatting by the flowerbeds. Seeing the bouquet of vivid red roses in her hands, they all complimented her choice of flowers.

Shen Mingzhu responded with a smile and appeared to be in a good mood.

After she walked away, the older ladies whispered among themselves, "She really doesn’t care, getting stuck with such a useless man and still looking happy every day."

"Didn’t Taozi’s wife say that the couple has yet to consummate their marriage because they are saving it for their wedding night? It’s not that Pei Yang is incapable."

"Please, do you really believe there’s such a thing as a virtuous man under the heavens? How long have they been married, sleeping under the same blanket every night, what man could stand it?"

Unless he’s not a man.

...

Pei Yang had just finished preparing lunch when he saw Shen Mingzhu come back holding a large bouquet of red roses, and his face immediately turned a bit dark.

"Where did these flowers come from?"

"Bought them."

Hearing her answer, Pei Yang’s expression quickly changed from cloudy to sunny, "They’re really beautiful."

Shen Mingzhu gave the man a half-smiling, half-skeptical glance and handed him the bag with the vase in it, "Clean this, and fill it with water."

"Okay!"

Shen Mingzhu took the roses to the bathroom and soaked them in water to revive the flowers.

After eating, as usual, Pei Yang cleaned up the dishes, while Shen Mingzhu took the revived roses to the coffee table, trimming and inserting them into the vase with scissors.

By the time Pei Yang finished washing the dishes, the vase was also ready.

In the flared glass vase, a dozen or so vividly red roses, dripping with water droplets, were arranged with an artistic touch.

Shen Mingzhu, satisfied, held the vase and asked the man, "What do you think?"

"Beautiful."

Looking at the man squatting before her like a golden retriever, Shen Mingzhu patted his head in a good mood, "You sweep the floor, and by the way, take out the kitchen trash. It’s starting to smell."

Pei Yang sniffed and thought to himself that it didn’t smell, but still picked up the broom to sweep away the flower stems and petals from the coffee table and the floor. He then mopped the floor and took out the trash.

When Pei Yang returned from taking out the trash, he found that his wife was not in the living room and the bedroom door was closed. Through the door, he could faintly hear a sweet and melodious singing voice emerge—

You ask how deep my love for you is,

My love for you is true,

My feelings are sincere,

My adoration genuine,

The moon represents my heart.

...

Curious, Pei Yang pushed open the bedroom door, and when he saw the scene inside, he was completely stunned.

The bedroom still retained the decoration from the wedding ceremony a few days ago. It appeared somewhat dim due to the curtains being drawn, but a lamp in the corner was on, casting a soft glow.

Next to the lamp on the desk lay a bunch of red roses, the air was filled with a soft, pleasant scent, and the singing added to the indescribably romantic and intimate atmosphere.

Pei Yang’s gaze fell on the woman with her back turned to him.

Thin, delicate shoulders were framed by two slender straps, exposing the entire stretch of her snow-white back, which extended down to her waist before being modestly concealed by the thin fabric.

Shen Mingzhu placed the lit incense next to the roses and turned her head to see the man standing at the door, lost in a daze. She couldn’t help but speak up: "Close the door."

Pei Yang obediently stepped out to close the bedroom door behind him.

Shen Mingzhu: "..."

Is he silly?

Pei Yang looked at the closed bedroom door, belatedly realizing what had just happened. He quickly pushed the door open again, walked in, and closed it behind him.

Only then did Shen Mingzhu divert her gaze away, picking up the wooden comb on the desk to start combing her hair.

Sensing the intense heat of the man’s gaze on her back, Shen Mingzhu appeared calm on the surface, yet couldn’t hide the tension and shyness within her.

The sound of his footsteps approaching seemed to disrupt her normally steady heartbeat.

Thump, thump.

Each of his steps seemed to press directly on her nerves, making her heart flutter uncontrollably.

"Mingzhu."

Pei Yang wrapped his arms around her from behind, his broad chest pressing against her bare back through the thin layer of fabric, transferring a continuous warmth onto her exposed skin, and then spreading throughout her body.

Shen Mingzhu felt her body slowly heating up as if it were on fire.

Pei Yang turned her around, his eyes sweeping over her chest, and his breathing suddenly became heavy.

Just as he was about to lower his head and kiss her, Shen Mingzhu raised her hand to cover his burning lips, "Wait a moment."

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