The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 331 - 330: Shen Mingzhu’s Power

Chapter 331: Chapter 330: Shen Mingzhu’s Power

Wang Hongcheng and Wang Defa are cousins, originally it was Wang Defa who recommended Shen Mingzhu to Wang Hongcheng.

Who could have known that in just a few short years, Wang Hongcheng would go from a spectacular private enterprise owner to a prisoner at the mercy of the courts?

Wang Defa felt guilty not only towards the Wang Family ancestors but also held an apology in his heart towards Shen Mingzhu.

After all, the things Wang Hongcheng had done were indeed not honorable.

After Wang Hongcheng’s sentence was passed down, Wang Defa talked to Pei Wenping and entrusted her to make an apology to Shen Mingzhu on his behalf.

"...Wang Hongcheng was sentenced to eight years."

On hearing that Wang Hongcheng got what he deserved, Shen Mingzhu felt relieved but also couldn’t help but be moved.

Back then, when she was selling mooncakes in the family quarters, everyone secretly laughed at her, thinking she could not possibly make any money.

It was Wang Hongcheng’s timely offer that not only helped her make money but also establish a footing in the family quarters.

If it hadn’t been for Wang Hongcheng’s later excessive greed, cutting corners, and leaving her no way out, she still would have been willing to save him some face.

"Mommy, Daddy, Auntie hasn’t been to our house for a long time, is she sick?"

Suddenly, Pei Ziheng blurted out such a question.

Looking at her son, Shen Mingzhu found it funny and absurd, "Your auntie hasn’t come because she’s busy with year-end work. How did you connect that to being sick? Next time, don’t say things like this again, it’s impolite."

Pei Ziheng pursed his lips and nodded.

Although she scolded her son verbally, Shen Mingzhu secretly planned to visit Pei Wenping when she had time.

During the time when she had just given birth to Guoguo, Pei Wenping had taken care of many things inside and out.

After the confinement period, Pei Wenping would come over whenever she was free, helping her a lot.

It’s just that in the last two months, Pei Wenping’s visits had become much fewer.

She wasn’t the sort of person who only took without giving back, and with all the care that Pei Wenping had provided for her and her family, she should indeed pay more attention to her.

...

After dinner, Yan Yi was called into the study by their father, where he sternly scolded her for running into the mountains without a word in the dead of winter.

"...Look at how heavy the snow is outside. If you had entered the mountains a day later, you might not have been able to come out!"

Yan Su hung her head low, not daring to argue.

In the living room, Yan Yi’s mother looked towards the study nervously time and again, her anxious concern impossible to hide.

These years, her daughter had been immersed in the grief of losing her son-in-law and couldn’t move on. It was only in the last two years that she had started to improve slightly. She hoped her husband’s scolding wouldn’t cause her to close off again.

Yan Yi stood up, "Mom, don’t worry too much, I’ll go take a look."

Yan Yi’s mother visibly relaxed, "Good, Xiaoyi, try to persuade your father more. Your sister is already fortunate to be unhurt; why is he still scolding her?"

Her last words carried a hint of complaint.

Yan Yi asked the servants to make a cup of calming tea and personally brought it to the study.

Just as he approached the door of the study, he heard Yan Su’s voice coming from inside—

"Dad, I want to build a school."

Yan Yi’s father stared at his daughter for a long time without speaking, clearly unable to follow Yan Su’s train of thought.

Yan Yi knocked and entered, placing the hot tea in front of his father and turned to ask Yan Su, "What kind of school are you planning to build, sister?"

"A charity school to help those children who can’t afford education so they can go to school for free."

Yan Yi nodded in agreement, "That’s a good idea, but starting a school requires a significant amount of funds and long-term investment without any return. Have you thought about a solution to this problem, sister? Although our family can give you some support, you’ll have to walk the road ahead on your own."

Yan Su nodded firmly, "I’m planning to work at my brother-in-law’s company; I will find a way to make money."

Upon hearing this, not only was Yan Yi surprised, but their father, who had been sipping his tea with his head down, also looked up at his daughter. His imposing face, usually stern, showed a hint of surprise.

This daughter, ever since her second son-in-law died, had become a waste of life.

She was immersed in sorrow and the past all day long, never going to the job that was arranged for her, unwilling to leave the house or socialize.

Although she had improved somewhat over the last two years, she still spent all her days cooped up at home, lacking ambition; He was able to provide for her, and had resolved to do so for a lifetime.

Now, after a trip to the mountains, she came back as if she had changed her core.

She not only took the initiative to work but also wanted to build a school.

This was indeed a good thing.

Seeing the siblings walk out from the study one after the other, safe and sound, Yan Su’s mother breathed a sigh of relief in the living room.

And when she found out that Yan Su intended to work at Hengxing after the new year and also wanted to build a school, Yan Su’s mother was so elated she almost wept for joy.

Like Yan Su’s father, Yan Su’s mother had also been worried about her daughter over the years, afraid that she would never emerge from the shadow and pain of her son-in-law’s death.

In order to support Yan Su in building the school, Yan Su’s mother agreed to sponsor half the cost with her own savings.

Although Yan Su’s mother wasn’t a billionaire like Yan Jing, she came from a distinguished family and had a considerable dowry, plus she held the status of the master mother of the Yan Family, in charge of a significant portion of the family’s private wealth.

After years of accumulation, it was a vast fortune that could elicit envy.

...

Once back on the second floor, Yan Yi called out to Yan Su in a gentle voice, "Sister, let’s talk in my study."

Yan Su agreed.

"Xiaoyi, I know what you want to ask."

As soon as she entered, Yan Su spoke directly, "Yesterday, after descending the mountain, I met Qingqing and Mingzhu."

The way Yan Su addressed Shen Mingzhu made Yan Yi slightly raise his eyebrows.

In the past, Yan Su had always called Shen Mingzhu by her full name. Tonight’s "Mingzhu" clearly carried a few more notes of affection.

Yan Su shared with Yan Yi her experience of drinking, eating late-night snacks with Shen Mingzhu and Zhong Qing, and listening to Shen Mingzhu sing the night before.

"...She told me that no one knows whether tomorrow or an accident will come first, so it’s better to live well in the moment and take care of the happiness that’s right in front of us."

"She also said that we should always take care of ourselves first, and mentioned that I could do something to honor Musheng that would also be meaningful, as if I was completing it together with Musheng."

"The biggest regret in Musheng’s life was that his eldest sister, because she was illiterate, accidentally gave their father the wrong medicine, leading to his death."

"I think, if he knew from beyond the grave, he would also be very supportive of my idea to build a school, to prevent the same tragedy from happening in other families."

"Xiaoyi, from now on I won’t drown in sorrow anymore, I will do my best to engage in meaningful activities."

Yan Yi rubbed his forehead, both relieved that Yan Su was able to see things more clearly and helpless that he, a psychological expert, had not been as effective as just a few words from Shen Mingzhu.

The reason he had chosen psychology as his field of study was partly to help his own sister overcome her pain.

Indeed, Shen Mingzhu’s ability to persuade Yan Su also involved a fortunate convergence of the right time, place, and people.

After all, seven years had passed, and seven years itself is a milestone in the emotional journey.

Whether love or pain, after seven years it’s about time to let go.

"Xiaoyi, I can somewhat understand why you see Mingzhu differently. She really is a very special person, with a warm and resilient power, like the sun, healing those who get close to her."

Yan Yi remained silent.

She indeed had such charisma; her cheerfulness, optimism, and positive approach to life could easily affect those around her.

...

The next day, after finishing her work at the factory, Shen Mingzhu wrapped herself in a cotton coat and scarf, picked up the snack box she had prepared, and set off to visit Pei Wenping.

Just as she walked out of the food factory gate, a burgundy BMW car slowly stopped in front of the food factory.