The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 275 - 274 Stepmother

Chapter 275: Chapter 274 Stepmother

"Yawen..."

Ou Liya’s belongings crashed to the ground, scattering textbooks and various documents everywhere.

A sheet of paper fluttered to Xie Yawen’s feet.

Desperately pale, Ou Liya moved to pick it up, but Xie Yawen was quicker.

"Disciplinary Notice: Ou Liya has accepted bribes from parents during her teaching tenure, severely violating professional ethics, and after consideration, the decision has been made to terminate her employment..."

In the past few days, Ou Liya’s biggest fear was that Xie Yawen would find out about this incident, so much so that she didn’t dare to contact Xie Yawen or visit the Xie Family.

Yet, to her dread, Xie Yawen had seen it all. Her extreme panic made her voice tremble, "Yawen, listen to my explanation..."

A good academic upbringing kept Xie Yawen from losing his temper. Instead, he politely handed her belongings back to her.

"If I hadn’t come to see you today, would you have never planned on telling me?"

Ou Liya clutched the disciplinary letter tightly as if hiding her shame from sight, "Yawen, I was just afraid that you’d be angry..."

Xie Yawen chuckled softly, "Fear is useless now, I already know."

"Liya, I reminded you to keep yourself clean, but you failed to do so. My parents already know about it. I came here today to tell you that our relationship is over."

It was as if the guillotine suspended above her head had fallen, crashing down and nearly toppling Ou Liya with dizziness.

Instinctively, she grasped Xie Yawen’s hand, "Yawen, I know I was wrong, I’ve already been punished. I’ve lost my job, and I can’t afford to lose you too, please, I beg you..."

Ou Liya tried to throw herself into Xie Yawen’s arms, crying, but he decisively pushed her away.

"I’m sorry, in other aspects I might consider our past and help you out, but not with this. That’s also what my parents want," he said.

"Forget about the other stuff; keep it. But give me back the ring."

Once Xie Yawen left with the ring, Ou Liya collapsed onto the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

...

"Goodbye Aunt Mingzhu, see you tomorrow, Pei Ziheng!"

Outside the snack factory, Zhao Xiaotong, Gao Yuanyuan, and a few other girls chattered away as they waved goodbye to the mother and son, cheerfully continuing on their way home.

Shen Mingzhu, with one hand supporting her waist and the other resting on her young son’s shoulder, was filled with contentment.

She had been worried that her son would be ostracized and alienated by his former classmates after switching classes, but it appeared she had been worried for nothing.

After he transferred, Zhao Xiaotong and the others were just as they had been before, accompanying her son home from school every day without a hint of estrangement.

"Aunt Mingzhu, I’m hungry. Do you have anything tasty?"

Hearing Zhao Yun clamor, Shen Mingzhu playfully patted his head, "Auntie doesn’t have much at the factory, just lots of snacks. Come on, let’s go to my office to get some."

"Alright!"

"Aunt Mingzhu, your belly seems a bit bigger; are you about to have a little sister? When you do the full moon celebration for her, I’ll ask my dad to give a super big red envelope!"

Shen Mingzhu was amused by his remark, "You really are your father’s good son."

Zhao Yun, not picking up on Shen Mingzhu’s teasing, boasted proudly, "After all, my dad has lots of money. Ziheng and I are good brothers; his sister is my sister, too. It’s only right for my sister to spend my dad’s money, no problem at all."

Shen Mingzhu laughed until she shook, but Pei Ziheng looked at him disdainfully and rolled his eyes, "Who needs your money? Our family can take care of my sister ourselves."

"Hey, why the formality with me?"

"I’m not being formal with you."

"Yes, you are..."

Watching the quarreling brothers, Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but smile.

Children digest food quickly and get hungry easily. Plus, with her pregnancy, Mingzhu often had cravings, so she always kept a variety of snacks in her office.

Today’s snack was homemade yogurt containers.

Home-fermented yogurt, mixed with cereal, crushed cookies, nuts, bean powder, and fruits, layered evenly with yogurt and toppings to fill the entire lunch box.

Yogurt boxes need to be frozen.

But considering her son’s delicate stomach, Shen Mingzhu didn’t freeze it for too long, just chilled it a bit before taking it out.

Zhao Yun had the yogurt box for the first time and was amazed.

"Auntie Mingzhu, you’re really amazing; everything you make is so delicious. Do you have any sisters at home?"

Shen Mingzhu smiled as she watched the two children eating yogurt, "Why do you ask that?"

Zhao Yun swallowed a big mouthful of yogurt before saying, "My dad wants to find me a stepmom. If you have sisters, I’ll have him marry one and bring her home to be my stepmom! Auntie Mingzhu, your sisters must be as beautiful and great cooks as you are."

Shen Mingzhu laughed, "Then you’re going to be disappointed. I don’t have any sisters, only two older brothers."

Zhao Yun sighed, turning his disappointment into appetite and started to fight with Pei Ziheng for food with a spoon.

His mouth was big, and he would swallow a spoonful at a time without chewing, putting the slow and meticulous Pei Ziheng at a disadvantage.

In no time, the lunchbox was empty, and both felt they hadn’t had enough.

Actually, there was another box of yogurt in the cabinet, but Shen Mingzhu didn’t want the children to eat too many cold foods, so she took out the leftover cookies from making the yogurt boxes to satisfy their cravings.

After eating their fill, the children took out their textbooks and began doing homework.

Under Pei Ziheng’s influence, Zhao Yun had gradually started to take his studies seriously and no longer messed around aimlessly as he used to.

Just past five o’clock, Pei Yang returned from outside.

The weather in May had already warmed up, and after running around outside all day, Pei Yang was soaked in sweat.

Usually, Shen Mingzhu would dodge to the side, put off by the smell of his sweat, but today she approached him and gave him a meaningful look.

Having shared a bed for half a year, he almost instantly understood Shen Mingzhu’s hint.

Glancing at the two children focused on their homework at the coffee table, Pei Yang quietly walked over to the low cabinet, turned his back to the children to hide the lunchbox in his arms, secretly motioned to Shen Mingzhu, then left the room first.

Half a minute after Pei Yang left, Shen Mingzhu got up and followed him out.

Pei Ziheng watched her retreating figure, his little white face puffing up with resentment.

By the time Shen Mingzhu found Pei Yang hiding in the storage room, he was pondering over the yogurt in the lunchbox.

"Wife, what is this? How do you eat it?"

Shen Mingzhu magically produced a metal spoon, took a scoop, and fed it to his mouth.

Pei Yang tasted it, chewing while clicking his tongue in wonder, "Delicious! What is this?"

"Yogurt box."

She had also made yogurt boxes last year, but Pei Yang wasn’t at home at the time, so this was his first taste.

As if not satisfied, Pei Yang took the spoon from her and scooped up a big mouthful. Just as he was about to eat, he suddenly thought of something and offered the spoonful to her instead.

"This is sour, you like it."

Shen Mingzhu turned her head away, "You eat yours, I can manage by myself."

Saying so, she took out another metal spoon and reached into the lunchbox to eat the yogurt herself.

Pei Yang watched her spoon, grumbling, "I don’t mind sharing with you, but now you’re grossed out by me?"

Shen Mingzhu glanced at him, "Are you still eating? If not, I’ll take it to share with our son."

"I am!"

Pei Yang quickly scooped up several big mouthfuls. In the blink of an eye, two-thirds of the yogurt in the lunchbox was gone.

The rest he handed to Shen Mingzhu.

Shen Mingzhu ate slowly, in small bites, just like a little rabbit, making Pei Yang’s heart feel tender.

"Wife, I’ve got good news for you."