The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 210 - 209: It’s Man-Made, but Also Fate

Chapter 210: Chapter 209: It’s Man-Made, but Also Fate

Pei Ziheng pursed his lips and thought for a moment, saying, "It’s probably because she saw I don’t really pay attention in class, so she wanted to give the front row seat to another student who isn’t doing well."

"Mom, you don’t have to worry, I finished the first-grade textbook a long time ago, it won’t affect me getting a hundred percent no matter where I sit."

Shen Mingzhu was amused and couldn’t help but reach out to touch his tender cheeks, "Whose amazing son is this? Oh, he’s mine!"

The words "he’s mine" filled Pei Ziheng’s pale little face with sweetness and joy.

He was his mother’s son!

And his mother was his!

"Son, then do you want to consider learning something else, like painting, piano, or chess?"

Pei Ziheng thought it over seriously and said, "I want to learn martial arts, so in the future when I grow up I can protect you, Mom."

Shen Mingzhu was so warmed by her son’s words that she held his little head and kissed him hard.

Pei Ziheng’s face turned rosy from the kiss, and his black eyes twinkled like stars.

...

When Zhao Yun got home, his father Zhao Dafa was already back, reeking of alcohol and resting on the sofa.

Hearing some noise, Zhao Dafa lifted his eyelids and glanced at his son, asking offhandedly, "Where have you been wilding around? It’s so late for you to come back."

Zhao Yun carelessly threw his school bag on the sofa and mimicked Zhao Dafa’s posture, sprawling out like Ge You.

"Went to Pei Ziheng’s place."

In this period of time, Zhao Dafa had often heard Pei Ziheng’s name, but hadn’t paid it much attention, "Did you have dinner too?"

Zhao Dafa only cared about two things concerning his son: whether he had enough to eat and whether he had money to spend.

Speaking of eating, Zhao Yun suddenly perked up, "Dad, you should find me a stepmom, just like Pei Ziheng’s mom, gentle and pretty, and a good cook."

Zhao Dafa stared blankly, "Are you daydreaming? I’d like to have that sort of daughter-in-law myself. Where would I find one?"

Zhao Yun looked down on him, "You can’t even find a wife, loser."

"What did you say?" Zhao Dafa pulled off a shoe, "You little brat, getting too big for your britches, aren’t you?"

Zhao Yun got up and ran toward his room, shouting as he ran, "I didn’t say anything wrong, you’re just an old loser who can’t find a wife!"

"Stand right there for me, I’ll beat you to death today!"

"You think you can? Come on in then, come hit me!"

"You come out!"

"You come in!"

The father and son fought through the door, causing chaos.

...

On the eve of the engagement party, Shen Mingzhu went to the bank to buy a small gold bar, intending to give it to Zhong Qing as an engagement gift.

For this engagement gift, Shen Mingzhu racked her brains, as buying something too expensive was beyond her means, yet something too cheap was unacceptable to present; so she decided to go with something practical and valuable.

That evening, Shen Mingzhu applied her homemade pearl powder face mask in front of the vanity mirror, hoping to improve her skin condition for the engagement party the next day.

Pei Yang sat on the bed admiring the gold bar that Shen Mingzhu was going to give to Zhong Qing.

"You really are generous, earning money so hard, and then giving away half of it just like that."

While applying the mask, Shen Mingzhu replied, "I had no choice, even if unwilling, when I got married, she gave me a Qingyu Bracelet, and also a wedding dress; those two together are worth much more than this."

Pei Yang was curious, "If she’s already engaged, why did she give you the wedding dress? Why didn’t she keep it for herself to wear?"

"She said the engagement was arranged by her family and she didn’t like it."

When it came to this, Pei Yang suddenly leaned in close, his bright eyes fixed on her, "What about you? How were you feeling inside when you and I got our marriage certificate?"

Shen Mingzhu glanced at his robust physique, speaking her mind, "Blinded by lust."

Blinded by lust? Was she complimenting his handsomeness?

"Then, between me and Yan Yi, who do you think is more handsome?"

Shen Mingzhu gave him a look, "Why compare with Yan Yi?"

"Never mind that, just answer me."

Shen Mingzhu deliberately pondered for a while before answering, "You."

Pei Yang instantly beamed like a child who had just eaten candy, his face radiating satisfaction, "Wife, you’ve got good taste!"

Shen Mingzhu rolled her eyes at him, then suddenly, with a teasing tone, she counter-questioned, "What were your thoughts back then when you first visited Shen Baolan’s house with Zhou Shuhuan, before she chose Shuhuan over you?"

"If I say it, you mustn’t get upset."

"You go first."

"Then I won’t say it."

"Never mind then."

Seeing she seemed upset, Pei Yang admitted defeat, "Alright, alright, I’ll tell you, but let me clarify first, I absolutely had no improper thoughts about Shen Baolan."

"I was duped by the matchmaker. Before the blind date, she praised Shen Baolan to the skies, claiming she was capable, diligent, and efficient—according to the matchmaker, except for looks, Shen Baolan was better than you in every aspect."

"At that time, all I wanted was to find a woman who could take care of Ziheng. Hearing the matchmaker’s words, naturally, I favored Shen Baolan even more. It’s not my fault, right?"

Shen Mingzhu smiled without smiling, "Hmm, it’s not your fault. Go on."

Pei Yang observed her expression, feeling a bit uneasy, but still plowed on, "I felt pretty upset that she didn’t choose me. I thought I wasn’t any worse than Shuhuan. Why couldn’t she see that? At the same time, I was really worried. Ziheng was still so young, and if I married a wife who was good for nothing, how were you two going to manage in the future?"

"But the moment I saw you in person, I only had one thought: It’s good that Shen Baolan didn’t choose me."

Pei Yang, with his elbow resting on the vanity, gazed at her with a deep look, seemingly lost in sweet reminiscence, "When I took you out of the village, you quietly followed behind me, step by step. As we walked, I thought to myself, ’She’s my wife now, I must treat her well.’"

"And at the civil affairs bureau, right after getting our certificate, you looked at me with such eager eyes, blinking and blinking, almost melting my heart."

"Mingzhu, that we could become husband and wife was by human design, but even more by fate."

The last sentence was one Shen Mingzhu agreed with.

If it hadn’t been arranged by heaven, she wouldn’t have come here.

If she hadn’t come here, she would probably be in her second year of postgraduate studies by now, perhaps with over ten million followers, and with her fully-paid-for spacious apartment, her beloved car, and her million in savings.

Coming to this place for no apparent reason, she wondered who ended up benefiting from all her assets in the end.

As she was lost in thought, she suddenly heard the man beside her say, "Wife, you look like a female ghost."

Shen Mingzhu glanced at herself in the mirror—her face was pale as a sheet. Going downstairs, she could probably scare a crowd.

Before she could speak, the man had already turned her face and planted a kiss on her, "Even if you were a ghost, you’d still be my wife, and I’d still like you."

Shen Mingzhu pushed him away with disgust and applied the mask back on the smudged spots on her face in the mirror, while asking if he was going to the engagement banquet tomorrow.

Pei Yang seemed to enjoy their alone time and the intimacy, lying on the bed watching her fuss with her face, "I won’t go. I’m not familiar with Zhong Qing and don’t know her fiancé. It’d just be awkward."

Shen Mingzhu looked at him, "You’ve met her fiancé before."