The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 301 - 300: If you hadn’t fallen into the water, who would you have chosen?

Chapter 301: Chapter 300: If you hadn’t fallen into the water, who would you have chosen?

Looking at the worry and eagerness on the man’s face, Shen Mingzhu felt a warmth in her heart, and teased him on purpose, "What are you looking for me for, afraid I’d do something rash?"

Pei Yang looked at her, his deep eyes filled with a relaxed smile because he had found her, "I was afraid you were hiding somewhere, crying quietly."

Pei Yang’s face was smiling, and his tone was light and casual, but Shen Mingzhu could feel the deep love.

He was truly worried about her.

"What’s there to cry about, it’s my own fault for always being too kind and never learning my lesson."

Upon hearing her self-deprecation, the smile faded from Pei Yang’s face, and his expression turned serious, "Wife, you did nothing wrong. Whether a person does good deeds or evil, the heavens are watching. Otherwise, how could Goudan fall from such a high tree and come out unscathed?"

"Everyone says it’s just Goudan’s good luck, but I think there is a higher power at play, even the heavens can’t bear to let your kindness go unrewarded."

"The village chief and the villagers have clear eyes. Nobody blames you; it was just an accident. Even if the kids didn’t climb the tree today, they would climb another day. As long as there is tree-climbing, such dangers and accidents are inevitable."

After the incident of Goudan falling from the tree, Shen Mingzhu appeared strong and composed on the surface, but inside she was both frightened and frustrated, and also felt wronged.

She just wanted to help the children to the best of her ability.

But it seemed that every time she ended up causing more trouble, stirring up issues.

She even secretly reflected and introspected whether it was better just to mind her own business to survive.

But at this moment, the man’s words suddenly brightened her spirits and made her realize that her efforts were meaningful; at least, the people around her and the village chief recognized and agreed with her.

At this time, Pei Ziheng came running over from a distance.

"Mommy!"

"Where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you."

Looking at her son who was panting from running, his little face flushed red and his large, bright eyes filled with worry and care, Shen Mingzhu felt the last bit of her displeasure being completely soothed away.

"I went to Uncle Village Chief’s house to make a record for the brothers and sisters who helped pick the sour dates, so when we go back to the city, I can buy them pencils and exercise books."

Pei Ziheng stretched out his little paw and tightly grabbed her hand, his tone completely free of blame, "Mommy, I’m just glad you’re okay. I was worried you might be unhappy, so I came to cheer you up."

"I was a little unhappy at first, but seeing how much you all worry and care about me, any unhappiness has completely disappeared."

The father and son were both cheered up by her few words, and the three of them headed home to the Shen Family.

When they were about to reach the Shen Family’s entrance, they met Shen Chaobei who had come out looking for them.

Shen Xiangnan was bringing his new bride to offer drinks, only to find that the family of three was not around.

By the time she returned to her seat, Jia Yuemei eagerly poured her a drink.

"Little sister, thank you for arranging the job for me, allowing me to go to the city to earn money, and for the bracelet and the wedding candy. I’m not embarrassed to say it, but this is the first time I’ve ever worn a silver bracelet in my life."

"Little sister, don’t worry. Now that I’ve married Xiangnan, I am a daughter-in-law of the Shen Family. I will treat your parents with the same filial piety as I would my own."

Whether it was genuine or not, at least the words were nicely said and soothing to hear.

Shen Mingzhu responded with auspicious blessings as well.

After the banquet, Shen Mingzhu wanted to return to the city, eager to get home to hold her daughter.

During the National Day holidays, she had been eating at banquets nearly every day, and Little Guoguo had been looked after by Aunt Yu and her big cousin Pei Wenping.

Shen Mingzhu planned to take the sour dates they had picked back to the city as well.

As they were tidying up, many of the villagers and relatives crowded around, all implicitly expressing their interest in working at the food factory to earn money.

Not to mention that the food factory was not short-staffed at the moment, even if it was, Shen Mingzhu wouldn’t hire these people.

It wasn’t because they were too old or illiterate, but to avoid offending anyone, she didn’t reject them outright. Instead, she had Du Juan take down their personal details with pen and paper, saying that they would be notified if there was a need in the future.

Although Shen Mingzhu didn’t say she would hire them, the very act of registering was like offering them a glimmer of hope and expectation. They were all buoyant with happiness, gathering in groups to chat and dream about the good days ahead when they would go to the city to work and earn big money.

After lunch, Shen Baolan bathed her son in the sunshine at the entrance to her house while also trying to alleviate his jaundice.

Seeing several village daughters-in-law huddled together chatting, her gossipy nature couldn’t resist, and she joined them out of curiosity.

As she drew nearer, she heard everyone praising Shen Mingzhu for her capabilities, for the success of her factory, and for leading the villagers towards prosperity. They all wanted to work at Shen Mingzhu’s factory and so on.

Shen Baolan felt an extreme sense of sourness in her heart.

She sulkily returned to her own doorstep with her son, sitting on a small bamboo chair with a backrest, gazing blankly at the crop field in her front yard, filled with frustration and discontent.

All her life, she had been better off than Shen Mingzhu in every aspect, so why had their situations reversed upon getting married?

She had heeded the warnings of the heavens and married Zhou Shuhuan as she desired, destined to live as a wealthy lady, yet it was Shen Mingzhu who became a successful businesswoman and started living the good life first.

Could it be true, as Pei Yang had said, that she was fated to be a widow, bringing misfortune to whoever she married?

And that Shen Mingzhu was blessed with good fortune, destined to be rich and noble this lifetime, a cut above the rest, regardless of who she married?

Shen Baolan was so distressed that she didn’t even care to attend to her son crying loudly.

...

On the way back to the city, Pei Yang couldn’t hold back his curiosity and started a conversation with Shen Mingzhu about the accident during the blind date and her falling into the water.

"If you hadn’t fallen into the water that day and arrived on time for the blind date, between me and Shuhuan, who would you have chosen?"

Although Pei Yang believed he was superior to Zhou Shuhuan in every aspect and his wife would certainly choose him, he inevitably felt nervous, and even his breathing slowed down.

He couldn’t say why he felt nervous or what it was that mattered to him.

No matter who Shen Mingzhu had wanted to choose back then, she was now his wife, and they had a lovely daughter together.

But for some unclear reason, the thought of Shen Mingzhu potentially marrying his brother Zhou Shuhuan made him very uncomfortable.

"I wouldn’t choose anyone."

"Why not?"

Shen Mingzhu glanced at him disdainfully, "I’m young and beautiful, why would I think of being a stepmother to someone so readily?"

Hearing her words, both father and son’s expressions darkened, their eyes mournful and hurt.

Shen Mingzhu wanted to add more, but just then the bus arrived at the station, and passengers began to grab their luggage and disembark at the ticket collector’s reminder.

Shen Mingzhu got up and led her son off the bus, while Pei Yang took care of the sack of sour dates they had brought back from Shenjiagou.

Clearly affected by her words about not wanting to be a stepmother, the father and son were both exceptionally downcast all the way home, pitiful as frostbitten eggplants.

Seeing this made her feel a sense of guilt, as if she were a criminal abandoning her husband and child.

"Although I’m not keen on being a stepmother, but..."

Upon hearing her words, father and son turned to her like clockwork robots, their hopeful eyes fixed on her, just like dogs longing for a bone.

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