The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 276 - 275 The Villain Plays Tricks

Chapter 276: Chapter 275 The Villain Plays Tricks

"This year, Fengcheng is going to hold its first Sugar and Alcohol Exhibition and Sale, do you know what that is?"

She certainly knew, as in her past life she loved strolling through sugar and alcohol fairs, because there she could sample all sorts of delicious foods for free. One year, she even got indigestion from eating too much sugar and suffered from vomiting and diarrhea afterward.

Upon learning that local sugar and alcohol businesses from Fengcheng could sign up for the exhibition, Shen Mingzhu immediately became interested.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival just over three months away, if she succeeded in participating in the sugar and alcohol exhibition, she could start selling mooncake vouchers early. When the time came, customers could just take the vouchers to the store to pick up their goods.

The couple discussed in the warehouse the matter of signing up for the exhibition.

...

At dusk, the golden orange sunset cast a beautiful silhouette of the family of three returning home.

Close to the residential compound, they ran into Feng Huiying, who was also on her way home.

Pei Yang headed home first to cook dinner with groceries in hand, while Shen Mingzhu, holding her son’s hand, strolled slowly with Feng Huiying, listening to her chat about some childbirth experiences.

As they entered the residential compound, they were greeted by the sight of Shen Baolan, who was also heavily pregnant, chatting with a few women comrades by the flower beds.

Speaking of which, Shen Baolan was a couple of months behind Shen Mingzhu in her pregnancy, but her belly was much larger, and her waistline was broader, though she still looked much better than last year when she was pregnant, not having ballooned up like a pig.

The two women came from the same village and married into the residential compound one after the other, and now they were both pregnant at the same time. It was a rare gathering, and inevitably people in the compound started comparing the two.

"Pei Yang’s wife, you’re seven months along, aren’t you? How come your waist is still so slender? From the back, you don’t even look pregnant."

Upon hearing the compliment about Shen Mingzhu’s figure, Shen Baolan lowered her head to look at her own waist, pursed her lips, and waddled over to Shen Mingzhu with her protruding belly.

"Shen Mingzhu, with your belly so small and round, you’re definitely going to have a daughter!"

"Look at my belly, it’s big and pointed. I’m sure to have a son."

Seeing Shen Mingzhu staring at her belly, Shen Baolan instantly puffed up with pride.

She had expected Shen Mingzhu to be envious or to argue, but after observing her belly, Shen Mingzhu walked away, seemingly unconcerned about the prospect of having a daughter.

She must be pretending! Who knows how upset she is inside.

Shen Baolan refused to believe there was a woman who didn’t wish for a son!

Watching Shen Mingzhu’s slender and graceful silhouette, Shen Baolan couldn’t help feeling jealous again.

To avoid repeating last year’s mistakes, this time she had been careful not to eat too much during her pregnancy, but as the months passed, her figure had still changed.

Yet there was Shen Mingzhu, also pregnant, looking as delicate as when she was a girl, with skinny arms, legs, and waist, and her skin so fair and tender, she seemed to grow more beautiful by the day.

...

"What are you looking at?"

Having bought a few wild crucian carp for dinner, Pei Yang had wanted to ask Shen Mingzhu how she wanted them prepared, but as soon as he entered the room, he saw her standing in front of the dressing mirror, looking at her left and right sides.

"Everyone says my belly is round, implying I will have a daughter."

Pei Yang stepped behind her, leaned over, and rested his fuzzy head on her shoulder, his deep eyes fixed on her reflection in the mirror.

"Wouldn’t having a daughter make you happy?"

Shen Mingzhu pouted, "But everyone is saying that, and I’m afraid if I set my hopes too high, I’ll be disappointed if it turns out to be a son."

"That’s simple, if it’s not a daughter, we’ll just have another one."

"You wish, go cook your meal!"

Pei Yang didn’t insist further and went to the kitchen after asking her how she wanted the fish cooked.

Shen Mingzhu sat on the sofa watching TV, but she couldn’t stop thinking about Pei Yang’s recent suggestion.

She was still young; if this child turned out to be a son, she could consider trying for a second child.

But then again, if the second child was also a boy, wouldn’t she end up raising three sons?

...

The registration for the exhibition turned out to be more bustling than Shen Mingzhu had anticipated. Outside the makeshift registration booth set up by the organizers, a serpentine line of people had formed.

"Wife, you head back to the factory first, and wait for my message."

Looking at the situation, it would take at least an hour to register, and with the sun so strong, there really was no need for her to keep him company and get sunburned.

As the couple were speaking, a somewhat familiar voice intruded obliquely.

"Yo, isn’t that Factory Manager Shen?"

Shen Mingzhu looked over and immediately lost her good mood.

Wang Hongcheng looked at the couple with a grin, "You’re here to register for the exhibition sales event, aren’t you, Factory Manager Shen? I heard you’ve opened a pastry shop and it’s doing quite well. It seems you’re ready to make a big move this year."

Shen Mingzhu ignored him completely.

Pei Yang, knowing her dislike for Wang Hongcheng, spoke up to send him away, "Manager Wang is a busy man with important affairs; let’s not keep you from making money."

Wang Hongcheng snorted with laughter and turned to leave.

Though Wang Hongcheng left, his thoughts lingered on the couple.

He didn’t take Shen Mingzhu’s tiny broken factory seriously, but now that she owned the Ronghua mooncake brand, if she were to promote it at the exhibition sales event, it would definitely affect him.

On the way back to the factory, Wang Hongcheng pondered from every angle and finally came up with a good idea.

...

The day to announce the selected enterprises for the exhibition sales event arrived in the blink of an eye.

"How did it go? Were we selected?"

Pale and breathless, Pei Yang returned to the office and Shen Mingzhu immediately asked, not waiting for him to catch his breath.

"No."

Though prepared for the possibility they might not be selected, the result still greatly disappointed her.

"What about Fushun, were they selected?"

Driven by some inexplicable force, Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help thinking of Wang Hongcheng.

Seeing Pei Yang’s hesitance to speak, Shen Mingzhu guessed the outcome.

Her own failure was heartbreaking, but her rival’s success was even more painful.

Seeing her in despair, Pei Yang consoled in a low voice, "It’s alright, there will be opportunities next year, and I’ve asked around a bit. In October, Lucheng is going to host the National Sugar and Alcohol Trade Fair, and it looks like we still have time to register."

Pei Yang was just offering consolation, but Shen Mingzhu took his words to heart.

Though she couldn’t sell mooncakes at the National Sugar and Alcohol Trade Fair, she still had apple soft candy, flower cakes, and snowflake crisp.

...

"Director Xun, this affair really troubled you, here’s a little token of my appreciation. Please accept it," said Wang Hongcheng as he handed over a thick envelope.

Accepting the envelope, Xun Kehua beamed with delight, "It was nothing, Manager Wang. You’re too polite."

"It might have been a mere trifle for you, but it was a great help to me."

Director Xun laughed, "This time, exhibition space was limited and some minor enterprises didn’t even qualify, truly a waste of resources."

"That’s correct, but some people fail to understand their place, always aiming too high and wanting to make a splash, which is quite annoying."

When leaving, Wang Hongcheng deliberately took a detour past Shen Mingzhu’s food factory. Looking at the factory sign, he spat with satisfaction and hummed a tune as he rode away on his bike.

...

"How did it go, did you find out?"

Pei Yang wiped the sweat from his brow, gasping as he replied, "I found out. The booth fee for the sugar and alcohol trade fair is one hundred and fifty per square meter, with sizes ranging from 20 to 80 square meters."

By these calculations, even the smallest booth would cost three thousand.

With the fair lasting three days, that came to a thousand a day, equating to the annual rent she paid for Friendship Mall.

Shen Mingzhu hesitated.