The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 323 - 322: Ou Liya Acts Out, Reaps What She Sows

Chapter 323: Chapter 322: Ou Liya Acts Out, Reaps What She Sows

Out of curiosity, Wei Shanshan asked the driver to pull the car over. She and her good friend Qiang Ting got out and walked towards Mingzhu Restaurant.

"Mr. Ning, what a coincidence."

At the end of the month, Mr. Ning was heading to Hong City to celebrate his grandfather’s birthday and wanted to find Shen Mingzhu to make some low-sugar pastries. As he was discussing this, he heard someone greeting him, turned his head to look, and though the face seemed familiar, he couldn’t recall where he had seen her before.

Wei Shanshan, with a charming and witty smile, introduced herself, "I’m Shanshan. We met before at your engagement party with Xueqi, I’ve been close friends with Xueqi since we were little."

Ning Yuan casually nodded his head in acknowledgment.

Wei Shanshan didn’t mind Ning Yuan’s indifference at all. In terms of wealth and family background, ten Wei families wouldn’t compare to a single Ning Family.

If her family had the wealth of the Ning Family, she would be even prouder than Ning Yuan.

"What’s going on here? It seems so lively."

Ning Yuan didn’t want to bother with Wei Shanshan; he didn’t like Zhuang Xueqi and consequently had no affection for Zhuang Xueqi’s friends. But then, thinking about Shen Mingzhu’s store opening, he patiently chatted with Wei Shanshan and her companion.

"This is a pastry shop opened by my friend. Please support it when you have time."

Wei Shanshan and Qiang Ting readily agreed.

Shen Mingzhu brought out some samples from the shop for them to try.

"Oh, these are alcoholic chocolates. I’ve had these before at Xueqi’s place, so they are from your shop."

Shen Mingzhu took the opportunity to introduce the other products in the shop, "Apart from the alcoholic chocolates, our shop’s rose flower cakes and snowflake crisps are also very popular."

Wei Shanshan tried a piece of snowflake crisp, wiped her fingertips with the napkin Shen Mingzhu handed her, and spoke with a patronizing tone, "Fine, then pack a box of each for me."

After speaking, Wei Shanshan turned to Ning Yuan with a flattering tone, "Mr. Ning, we were just about to visit Xueqi’s place. Do you want to come along?"

Ning Yuan would have preferred to stay as far away from the tigress Zhuang Xueqi as possible, so why would he willingly seek her out?

"I have things to do; I must be going."

"Mingzhu, just make whatever, just make sure there’s no sugar in it, and I’ll come to pick it up when it’s ready."

Having said that, he drove off in his red sports car as if being chased by a ghost.

Only when the sports car disappeared from sight did Wei Shanshan reluctantly withdraw her gaze. She turned to see Shen Mingzhu still standing and spoke irritably, "What are you staring at? Not going to do business?"

Shen Mingzhu explained with a smile, "To ensure the best flavor, our shop’s rose cakes and egg yolk pastries are baked and sold fresh. Customers are lining up for them. Why don’t you ladies take a walk elsewhere and come back in an hour to pick them up?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Shanshan got annoyed, "Are you kidding me? I’m giving you business for the sake of Mr. Ning, and you’re making me wait in line?"

Qiang Ting directly commanded Shen Mingzhu, "If you don’t bring out the pastries, we are going to leave."

"I’m really sorry. How about you leave an address, and I’ll personally deliver them in an hour, would that be okay?"

Wei Shanshan, pleased with Shen Mingzhu’s attitude and also having promised Ning Yuan to support the business, agreed.

An hour later.

Shen Mingzhu, carrying several boxes of pastries, arrived at the main gate of the Zhuang Family and pressed the doorbell.

"Young Master, the young lady is asking you to come down for pastries. Miss Shanshan has bought your favorite alcoholic chocolates."

Hearing this, Zhuang Xu, who was in the middle of a tutoring session, dropped his pen and ran out of the room cheerfully.

"Miss Ou, please take a break. When the young master has finished the pastries, we’ll continue the lesson."

"Okay."

After the nanny left the room, Ou Liya stretched and walked to the window, preparing to enjoy the view of the villa area.

Just as she positioned herself by the window, a familiar face appeared in her view.

Shen Mingzhu!?

Why would she be at the Zhuang Family’s place?

Ou Liya’s confusion was soon resolved, as the nanny followed instructions to invite her downstairs for some pastries.

Ou Liya went downstairs and proactively greeted Zhuang Xueqi and several other young ladies of similarly affluent families.

Zhuang Xueqi carelessly pointed to a seat for Ou Liya to take, then continued chatting with her girlfriends.

The pastry rack was laden with an assortment of sweets and fruits, and Ou Liya picked up a piece of liquor-filled chocolate she had never tried before, eating and listening attentively to the conversation between Zhuang Xueqi and the others.

She had exerted tremendous effort to enter the Zhuang Family as a family tutor, all for the opportunity to mingle with the upper echelons of society.

When she heard Wei Shanshan mention encountering Ning Yuan on the road and patronizing Shen Mingzhu’s business out of consideration for Ning Yuan’s face, a flash of jealousy passed through Ou Liya’s eyes.

Although she had never met Ning Yuan, she often heard of him from Zhuang Xu and the Zhuang Family members.

In Hong City, the Ning Family, with industries spread across domestic and international markets, was a top-tier wealthy household. Although Ning Yuan was not the heir to the Ning Family, the fortune he would have access to in the future was enough to last ten lifetimes.

Shen Mingzhu actually had connections with such an elite young master?

When Zhuang Xueqi went to the restroom, Ou Liya pretended to accidentally spill tea on herself and then stood up to use the restroom to tidy up.

"Miss Zhuang."

As Zhuang Xueqi exited the restroom, she saw Ou Liya waiting in the corridor. Not paying much mind, she was about to pass by when Ou Liya called out to her.

"The pastries are tasty, but the person delivering the pastries might not be as simple as they seem on the surface," said Ou Liya.

Zhuang Xueqi turned around, her fox-like eyes narrowing slightly, "What are you trying to say?"

"The real owner behind Mingzhu Restaurant, Shen Mingzhu."

"As a family tutor, I should not gossip behind people’s backs. But since the Zhuang Family has granted me a stable and respectable job, one who receives the ruler’s grain should expect to share his worries. There are things I must caution Miss Zhuang about," Ou Liya said.

Zhuang Xueqi crossed her arms, her expression playful, "Speak."

Ou Liya divulged Shen Mingzhu’s origins from the countryside to the city, "Shen Mingzhu is very cunning and knows how to use her assets to extract benefits from men. Miss Zhuang, you should be more vigilant," she warned.

Zhuang Xueqi raised an eyebrow, "What should I be vigilant about?"

Ou Liya paused, thinking that she had made herself quite clear and that Zhuang Xueqi should understand.

But she worried Zhuang Xueqi might not have understood, or rather, she highly desired to cause trouble for Shen Mingzhu.

"For someone as noble as Young Master Ning, what kind of pastries hasn’t he tried? So why seek Shen Mingzhu specifically, and even go to the lengths of personally introducing buyers to her? If my fiancé acted this way, I certainly wouldn’t feel at ease," Ou Liya insinuated.

Ou Liya felt a surge of glee upon seeing Zhuang Xueqi’s face darken.

Shen Mingzhu, having provoked a lady like Zhuang Xueqi, your life will never turn around.

However, in the next second—

"Slap!"

Ou Liya, caught off guard, was struck by Zhuang Xueqi’s slap.

Cradling her burning cheek, she looked at Zhuang Xueqi in disbelief, "Miss Zhuang, what are you—"

Amidst Ou Liya’s shocked and puzzled gaze, Zhuang Xueqi’s voice dripped with scorn: "Are you looking down on me?"