The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 350 - 349: You Can’t Catch the Wolf Without Sacrificing the Child

Chapter 350: Chapter 349: You Can’t Catch the Wolf Without Sacrificing the Child

Zhao Yun didn’t care about Zhou Hui’s displeased face, rattling off a torrent of words, "Aunt Mingzhu already told you to watch the child, and you agreed. Knowing we were all going back, how could you still leave Daya alone on the hillside? What if she fell or encountered a snake?"

"With Uncle Shen not at home and entrusting Daya to Aunt Mingzhu’s care, if Daya were to get hurt or bruised, how could Aunt Mingzhu explain it to Uncle Shen?"

Liang Xiaowen, not to be outdone, chimed in to defend her mother, "Brother, it’s not as serious as you’re making it out to be. Mom and I walked around on the hillside looking for wild vegetables, and nothing happened."

"Besides, we called her when we were leaving. She wouldn’t come, insisting on picking some berries. Could my mom have forcibly dragged her away?"

Zhao Yun humphed, "People must keep their word. If you promise to do something, you should see it through. Dad, you’d agree with me, right?"

Zhao Dafa looked at his son with some surprise, "Well, well, young man, you’ve got a point there. Those years of education weren’t wasted on you."

"Of course,"

Seizing the opportunity, Zhao Yun started negotiating, "Dad, why don’t you buy me an apartment too? Aunt Mingzhu already bought Ziheng an apartment, and yet as the eldest brother, I don’t even have my own place. It’s shameful to admit out there."

Zhou Hui interrupted anxiously before Zhao Dafa could speak, "What’s there to compare about? Buying a house isn’t a trivial matter; you can’t just go out and buy one."

Zhao Yun sneered, "Auntie Hui, buying a house might be a big deal for others, but it’s just a small matter for my dad. My dad has all the money in the world; buying an apartment is nothing to him."

Zhao Dafa was quite pleased with his son’s flattery, but he didn’t give in right away.

"If you can pass the entrance exam to junior high school, you can pick any apartment in Fengcheng."

Zhao Yun readily agreed, but Zhou Hui felt uneasy inside.

Everyone’s buying apartments, what’s wrong with adding one more?

Luckily, Liang Xiaowen was a clever girl, playfully cajoling and acting adorably in front of Zhao Dafa.

"Daddy, what about me? If I get into junior high, will you buy me an apartment too?"

Zhao Dafa, chuckling, added a piece of rib to Xiaowen’s bowl, "Xiaowen, when you get into junior high, Daddy will also give you a big present."

"I want a gift like brother’s. Can I have that?"

Before Zhao Dafa could respond, Zhao Yun across the table retaliated, "Copycat, can’t you stop imitating me in everything?"

Liang Xiaowen pouted, "Daddy, look at brother, he’s bullying me again."

Turning to his son, Zhao Dafa scolded, "As a brother, can’t you be a bit more yielding to your little sister?"

Zhao Yun argued with conviction, "Everyone’s new to being a person; why should I be the one to yield?"

For a moment, Zhao Dafa found himself at a loss for words.

Zhou Hui tried to mediate, "Alright, Xiaowen, you shouldn’t always compare yourself with your brother. He’s the eldest son and is going to inherit the family business in the future."

Xiaowen’s lips quivered, and she looked pitiful, "Daddy, I’m not trying to compete with brother. I just want the same gift as him. If I don’t have what brother has, classmates will laugh at me, saying I’m not your biological daughter, not loved by Daddy."

Her cutesy act won Zhao Dafa over.

"Alright then, when you get into junior high, Daddy will buy you an apartment too."

"Really?!"

Leaping off her stool, Xiaowen joyfully threw herself into Zhao Dafa’s arms, "Thank you, Daddy! I will study hard for sure, and at the end of this term, I’ll be among the top three in my grade, not letting you down."

"That’s good to hear."

Liang Xiaowen attended Fengcheng First Elementary School, one of the best primary schools in Fengcheng, renowned both for its teachers and its reputation, far surpassing Zhao Yun’s Heping Primary School.

Accordingly, being among the top three in her grade at Fengcheng First Elementary School was quite an achievement.

Zhao Dafa had a soft spot for Zhou Hui because he believed she was educated and could teach the children well, hoping that she could guide his son as excellently as Xiaowen.

"Ah~ comparing people can be infuriating."

Hearing his son sigh, Zhao Dafa was amused, "What’s bothering you now?"

Zhao Yun pinched a rib, chewing listlessly, "I envy Ziheng. He’s got a gentle, beautiful, kind-hearted stepmother who would go to any length to buy him a big apartment."

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"Auntie Hui, you’ve been married into our family for so long, my dad has bought you and Xiaowen a lot of things. When are you going to buy something for me, your stepson, so I can also enjoy the feeling of being loved and pampered by a mom?"

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With the conversation having reached this point, Zhou Hui found herself without room to refuse.

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She could only laugh awkwardly, "It’s springtime anyways. Next time I have a day off, I’ll take you to buy a couple of spring outfits."

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Zhao Yun: "I don’t lack clothes to wear."

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"How about a new pair of sneakers?"

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"No need, I have plenty of shoes. Auntie Hui, how about buying me a camera? The year Mingzhu Auntie married Uncle Pei, she spent all her private savings to buy Ziheng a Walkman."

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"You married my dad, and he gave you a substantial dowry, plus he gives you living expenses every month. You must have saved more money than Mingzhu Auntie. It definitely won’t be a problem to buy a camera."

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"I don’t want anything too expensive, just a Haio DF Camera, it’s just over five hundred. My dad has already agreed to buy Xiaowen a house, so you wouldn’t begrudge me a camera, would you?"

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Zhou Hui of course would begrudge.

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The money she had saved was meant to be a dowry for her daughter in the future.

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But as Zhao Yun said, compared to a house, a camera really wasn’t much.

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You can’t catch a wolf without losing some sheep.

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Zhou Hui smiled and agreed, "Alright, I’ll take you to buy it when I have a few days off."

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"Thank you, Auntie Hui."

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Zhao Dafa glared at his son with exasperation and said to Zhou Hui, "Don’t spoil him, he always has a scheme up his sleeve."

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Zhou Hui smiled, "It’s the first time Xiaoyun has asked me for something. It’s only right to buy it for him. His birthday is in less than two months anyway, so consider it my birthday gift to Xiaoyun."

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Liang Xiaowen happily said, "After brother’s birthday, it’ll be my turn!"

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Zhao Dafa smiled and asked her what she wanted for her birthday. Liang Xiaowen thought for a while with her head tilted and said she wanted a bicycle.

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Zhao Dafa agreed.

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Liang Xiaowen was overjoyed, and Zhou Hui’s mood also visibly improved.

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Zhao Yun, however, just rolled his eyes.

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...

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Shen Mingzhu prepared the hot water and went into the bedroom to call the children to wash up.

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On the big bed in the bedroom, Pei Ziheng was amusing Little Guoguo with a plush toy, while Daya lay beside them, face pressed into her elbow, already asleep.

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Seeing this, Shen Mingzhu went to open the door of the adjacent guest room, then returned to the bedroom to carry Daya into the guest room to sleep.

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After settling Daya, Shen Mingzhu went back to the bedroom.

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"Son."

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Pei Ziheng turned his head and put his finger to his lips in a shushing gesture.

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Shen Mingzhu smiled knowingly, tiptoed to the bed, and saw her daughter, who had been laughing merrily moments ago, now half-closing her eyes in her son’s arms, savoring the urge to sleep, her little face pink and cute with thick lashes fluttering—indescribably adorable.

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"Give sister to me, go wash up, and then get to sleep early."

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"Mm."

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Pei Ziheng obediently handed Little Guoguo over to her and got off the bed to put on his shoes and left the room.

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Shen Mingzhu held her daughter and walked around the room, humming a lullaby.

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After she lulled her daughter to sleep and stepped out of the room, she found her son sitting alone on the couch, his silhouette peaceful, seemingly waiting for her.

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Shen Mingzhu stepped forward to him.

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