The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 232 - 231 Pregnant

Chapter 232: Chapter 231 Pregnant

Shen Mingzhu opened her eyes and stared at the endless white ceiling above her, dazed, when suddenly she heard her son’s voice—

"Mom, you’re awake?"

"Daughter-in-law."

"Little sister, you’re finally awake!"

"Mingzhu, how do you feel? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"

Shen Mingzhu blankly looked at the crowd squeezed around her hospital bed, her memory still stuck in the moment she went to the Hengxing Building to deliver goods. She seemed to have fainted from a rush of anger, didn’t she?

She subconsciously tried to sit up, but the mere hint of movement was immediately suppressed by several hands.

"Don’t move."

"Lie down quickly!"

Shen Mingzhu looked at Pei Yang and the others with bewildered eyes. Just as a bad feeling began to rise in her heart, she heard Pei Yang’s voice, filled with joy and excitement—

"Daughter-in-law, you’re pregnant, and the fetal position is unstable. The doctor has ordered you to lie down and nurture the pregnancy."

What?! She was pregnant?

Shen Mingzhu stared at Pei Yang, unable to react for a long while.

Pei Wenping, unable to contain her joy, said, "Excited and stunned, aren’t you? We were just as surprised when we heard. Look at you, such a silly girl, pregnant for over two months and still clueless."

"Mingzhu, congratulations!" Du Juan chimed in with a smile.

Shen Chaobei scratched his head, his smile stretching almost to his ears, "I’m going to be a great uncle now, heh heh."

"Wait—"

Shen Mingzhu looked at everyone with a mix of tears and laughter, "My period was only half a month ago; how could I possibly be more than two months pregnant? The doctor must have made a mistake..."

As it happened, the doctor came in to make rounds and, upon hearing her words, immediately gave her a stern reprimand with a stony face: "With a scatterbrain like you for a mother, it’s a miracle the child hasn’t been lost. Period? That was a threatened miscarriage, do you understand? Lie down properly, don’t move, otherwise I can’t guarantee the safety of the child."

Shen Mingzhu’s mind buzzed from the doctor’s words, and she didn’t even notice when the doctor left the room.

Pei Yang, seeing her stunned and unresponsive for so long, thought she was upset by the doctor’s harsh words and bent down to soothe her.

"It’s okay, the doctor was just trying to scare you. The baby is fine."

The others also began to speak, comforting her turn by turn.

Shen Mingzhu wasn’t able to take in a word, feeling as if she were in a dream.

She was pregnant? How had it happened?

Seeing she was alright, Du Juan tactfully took her leave, "Mingzhu, take good care of yourself; I and Chaobei will head back to the factory."

At those words, Shen Mingzhu felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, jolting her back to reality.

"Has the contract been found?" she asked

Du Juan reassured her, "Hongmei is looking for it. I’ll go back and help look for it too; we will definitely find it."

Pei Yang said, "Daughter-in-law, don’t worry about the factory; even if the contract is really lost, it’s not a big deal, I’ll find a way to sell this batch of sugar."

Pei Wenping also comforted her, "Mingzhu, focus on your pregnancy. Leave the matters of the factory to Pei Yang and the others. Even if the sky falls, there are taller people to bear it; it won’t hit you."

Du Juan and Shen Chaobei didn’t stay long after that, and Pei Wenping prepared to leave too, as she had to return to the factory to resume work.

Pei Yang saw Pei Wenping out.

Despite no one blaming her, guilt and regret weighed on Shen Mingzhu’s heart like a heavy stone, making it hard for her to breathe.

Yet she also knew that the urgent matter was to find the contract.

She delved into her memories, trying hard to recall the situation on the day of the signing.

"Mom, do you want some water?"

Her son’s voice brought Shen Mingzhu back to the moment.

She turned her head to look at her son’s lovely pale face and said apologetically, "Son, mom was just thinking about something and didn’t mean to ignore you."

Pei Ziheng nodded sensibly, "I know, mom must be thinking about where the contract is."

Shen Mingzhu feigned surprise, "How did you know?"

"I guessed."

"My son is so smart."

Shen Mingzhu shifted to make some room on the bed and gestured for Pei Ziheng to sit beside her.

"Come up and sit down to talk."

"Mm."

Pei Ziheng stepped onto the stool, climbed onto the bed, and instead of sitting, he curled up on his side next to her, his dark, glistening eyes blinking at her.

His voice was soft and gentle, "Mommy, you have a baby now."

Shen Mingzhu wrapped one arm around him to prevent him from falling off the bed and took his tender little hand with her other hand, gently placing it on her belly.

With a smile, she said, "Yes, you’re going to have a brother or sister. Are you excited?"

Pei Ziheng thought for a moment before responding, "Mommy, have a sister."

"Why? Don’t you like having a brother?"

"I want a sister."

Shen Mingzhu pretended to be troubled, "I’ll try my best, but what if it’s a brother?"

"It won’t be. It will definitely be a sister."

Even if it were a brother, he would make him into a sister.

His mother was allowed to have only one son—him—and he would not tolerate another competing for her affection.

If it turned out to be a brother, he would make the brother doubt his very birth.

Shen Mingzhu was oblivious to the little demon in her son’s heart, but she actually did hope to have a daughter.

One son and one daughter would make a perfect pair.

...

Pei Yang escorted Pei Wenping downstairs.

"Sister, about the money I borrowed before, I’m afraid I won’t be able to pay you back until next year."

Pei Wenping waved her hand indifferently, "Money is a small matter. Whenever you have it, just give it back to me."

After speaking, she started to chastise him, "And what about you? Mingzhu doesn’t know any better, but aren’t you aware too? She’s been pregnant for over two months now and still hasn’t been to the hospital for a check-up."

Pei Yang knew he was at fault, "I was negligent in this matter; when she missed her period last month, I suspected something, but I’ve seen others get morning sickness and become unable to eat when they’re pregnant. She didn’t vomit, and she had a good appetite, and at the beginning of the month, she spotted a little, so I thought it was just my imagination."

Pei Wenping looked at him with disappointment, "To be stuck with two clueless parents, my poor little nephew is really unlucky. Luckily, he’s tough. He managed not to be mishandled by you two."

Pei Yang felt even guiltier and couldn’t help but whisper in defense, "It might not necessarily be a son."

Pei Wenping teased, "Like me, would you be happy to have twins, a boy, and a girl?"

"No!" There was not a trace of happiness on Pei Yang’s face, "Boy or girl, one is enough."

Pei Wenping said sheepishly, "You’re right. One is good. Don’t bite off more than you can chew."

Everyone envied her for having twins, a dragon, and a phoenix, but giving birth was a life-and-death ordeal for a woman. She had almost failed to come off the operating table.

She didn’t want Shen Mingzhu to go through that kind of suffering again.

"Alright, you don’t need to see me out. Go back and take good care of Mingzhu. I’m telling you, now is the time for her to nourish her body. Don’t upset her with contract issues. Once a woman gets pregnant, her brain starts to slow down, and her memory worsens. ’Pregnant women are foolish for three years’ isn’t a joke. Don’t get confused about that."

"Don’t worry, sister. Am I that kind of person?"

Knowing her brother’s character well, Pei Wenping felt at ease and reassured him, "If you really can’t find the contract, don’t worry about it. Sugar is a good product; it won’t have trouble selling. It’s just a matter of time."

Pei Wenping continued to nag as she went downstairs, "Mingzhu’s health is so poor, she needs to improve her nutrition. Don’t concern yourself with it. When I get back, I’ll have Chen Yi’s mom help me stew some soup, and I’ll bring it over after I get off work..."

After seeing Pei Wenping to the bottom of the hospital building, Pei Yang turned and went back to the ward.

Seeing him return, Shen Mingzhu immediately wanted him to help her sit up, but Pei Yang refused, "The doctor said you need to lie down and take care of the baby."

"I’m uncomfortable lying down, dizzy."

Knowing she was just being coquettish, Pei Yang had no choice but to carefully help her sit up. He grabbed a pillow to support her back and said, "Just for ten minutes."

Before Shen Mingzhu could respond, Pei Ziheng glared at Pei Yang, "Why are you being so fierce? You’re scaring the little sister."

Pei Yang: "..."

When had he been fierce?

And, "Who said your mother is going to have a sister?"

"I did."

Pei Yang raised his hand and ruffled Pei Ziheng’s hair, "Well said."