The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 533 - 532: Clocking in According to the Criminal Law Regulations

Chapter 533: Chapter 532: Clocking in According to the Criminal Law Regulations

"...Hong Tai has already been detained by the municipal special task force, and all his venues were sealed off this morning. I heard it was the Yan Family’s young master who personally went to the provincial department to request the crackdown, to sweep out gangsters and eradicate evil..."

Upon hearing the latest news brought by his secretary, Zhou Hechun was stunned.

People in his position needed to be especially cautious and sharp.

On the surface, this incident seemed like a crackdown on criminal gangs, but he couldn’t help thinking more deeply.

Did he offend the Yan Family, or was someone targeting him?

However, he couldn’t get involved in Hong Tai’s matter anymore.

Not only must he refrain from getting involved, but he also needed to quickly distance himself from Hong Tai to avoid being implicated.

Thinking this, Zhou Hechun immediately issued a series of instructions to his secretary.

After the secretary left to carry out the tasks, he hurriedly picked up two boxes of fine tea and scurried off to seek guidance from his old superior’s home.

...

"Ziheng, what are you looking at? Let’s go."

At the entrance of the stationery store, Zhao Yun sat on the motorcycle and urged Pei Ziheng, who was standing in front of the newsstand.

Pei Ziheng bent down to pick up the newspaper, dropped ten cents, and mounted Zhao Yun’s motorcycle.

Zhao Yun revved up the motorcycle, and as they moved forward, he glanced through the rearview mirror and saw Pei Ziheng reading the newspaper, prompting his curiosity:

"What’s written in the newspaper? You’re still reading it on the bike."

Pei Ziheng folded the newspaper and looked ahead, a faint look of puzzlement crossing his refined and aloof face.

"Hong Tai and Duan Shaolong have been arrested by the city’s Public Security Bureau."

"Really? Where did you get that news?"

"It’s written in the newspaper."

Zhao Yun immediately braked, snatched the newspaper from Pei Ziheng’s hand.

After reading the report on the newspaper, Zhao Yun’s face broke into a grin, "Heaven has eyes! Without their backing, let’s see how that Tang scum can act so arrogantly!"

"Let’s go, we’ll tell Aunt Mingzhu the good news right now!" he said, as he started the motorcycle and turned around.

Caught up in Zhao Yun’s exhilarated mood, Pei Ziheng also started to feel joy.

No matter the reason, Hong Tai’s downfall was a piece of great news for them.

Once they arrived at the food factory, they headed straight for Shen Mingzhu’s office with the newspaper in hand.

Passing through the admin office on the way, Zhao Yun did not forget to stick his head in and greet Shen Hongmei.

"Mom."

Seeing that Pei Ziheng had come to the factory, Shen Mingzhu was slightly surprised.

Since the food factory moved here, due to the distance and having to care for a younger sister at home, Pei Ziheng didn’t visit her in the factory often.

"What brings you here?"

She affectionately patted his head.

Pei Ziheng, enjoying the touch, rubbed his head in the palm of her hand before he handed over the newspaper for Shen Mingzhu to see.

Seeing the news that the criminal gangs led by Hong Tai and Duan Shaolong had been taken down by the Public Security Bureau following a violent skirmish, Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help feeling overjoyed.

Without Hong Tai as a backer, Tang Jinshui was now just a paper tiger.

Seeing her happiness, Pei Ziheng felt equally delighted.

"Mom, I want to eat marinated raw crabs again."

Shen Mingzhu, in a good mood, agreed immediately, "We’ll buy big crabs this afternoon."

"Great."

Zhao Yun, hearing this, exclaimed, "I want to come too!"

Shen Mingzhu patted his shoulder, "Okay, we’ll all go together. Let me finish my work first, and you guys can play for a while."

"Sure!"

Zhao Yun, carrying a bag of snacks, wandered around the factory area with Pei Ziheng. Along the way, they ran into Shen Hongmei going to the workshop to find someone.

"Aunt Hongmei, I haven’t seen you for a few days, but how come you seem to be getting prettier?"

Charmed by Zhao Yun’s sweet talk, Shen Hongmei generously pulled out fifty cents and told him and Pei Ziheng to go buy some soda.

```

Normally, Zhao Yun wouldn’t even spare a glance at fifty cents.

Zhao Dafa was always indulgent with him when it came to money, with his allowance never less than fifty yuan to start.

But this was pocket money given by Shen Hongmei, and he received it especially happily, "Thank you, Aunt Hongmei!"

"Alright, go play, I’m off to work."

"Ok."

After eating quite a few snacks, they did indeed get a bit thirsty, so the two went to the small store owned by the food factory to buy two bottles of soda, squatting at the entrance to drink.

Soon Shen Hongmei came out of the workshop, heading back to the office.

Watching Shen Hongmei’s retreating figure, Zhao Yun turned his head to Pei Ziheng and said, "What do you think, can my dad and Aunt Hongmei make it work? Would Aunt Hongmei think my dad is too old?"

"All up to human effort."

As Pei Ziheng spoke, he took a sip of his soda, his lips tinted a vibrant red by the drink.

Zhao Yun blurted out without thinking, "Ziheng, you’re so beautiful."

"Why can’t you be a girl?"

Pei Ziheng’s face darkened, "Shut up!"

Zhao Yun grinned, "If you were a girl, I’d definitely marry you in the future!"

After saying this, he got up and ran.

The nasty gene deep in his bones always made him like to tease Pei Ziheng, but whenever he truly annoyed Pei Ziheng, he would chicken out.

Both cowardly and contemptible, that was just like Zhao Yun.

...

After finishing work, Shen Mingzhu took the two kids to the seafood market.

Arriving at the market, Shen Mingzhu parked at the back entrance, which was secluded and far from Tang Jinshui’s stall.

Due to caution, she didn’t want Tang Jinshui to run into the two kids.

After buying crabs, Shen Mingzhu also bought mantis shrimp and yellow croaker, planning to celebrate that evening.

Once she had purchased the seafood, Shen Mingzhu told the kids to wait in the car for her while she went inside the market to gauge Tang Jinshui’s attitude.

When she reached Rixing Marine Products Shop, she was surprised to find the doors shut tight.

She wasn’t sure if Tang Jinshui was temporarily occupied with something or had closed for business because Hong Tai got arrested, so she headed to Shengli Seafood Store, where they had talked last time.

"Yo, Boss Shen, what are you planning to buy today?"

Seeing her, the proprietress greeted her warmly.

Shen Mingzhu casually picked up a basket and bent down to select white clams and seaweed from the tank, intending to make a pot of seaweed soup at home.

While picking, she inquired nonchalantly about Rixing, "Rixing is doing well, I see. They closed up shop early today."

The proprietress, helping her select the goods while keeping her voice low, confided in her, "You’re not in the know, right? Tang Jinshui has run into trouble."

"What happened?"

The proprietress vividly recounted the brawl between Hong Tai and Duan Shaolong at the hotel.

"...The real misfortune for Tang Jinshui is that he was simply at his stall selling goods when he got a page and rushed off in a hurry, and that rush meant he couldn’t come back."

Shen Mingzhu chuckled, "Can’t be that bad, right? It’s just a fight, he’ll probably be out in a few days."

The proprietress hinted at something more ominous, "This time Tang Jinshui is in big trouble, gathering for gambling, brawling, bullying the market, forced buying and selling, extortion, causing public disturbances, infringing on the interests of the masses—at least he won’t be coming out for ten to eight years."

Well, that’s something!

Was Tang Jinshui ticking off every item in the criminal code?

"The stall was always managed by him, and his wife doesn’t understand anything. With him gone, all she could do was close the store."

To Shen Mingzhu, this news was as refreshing as drinking a cold Sprite on a scorching hot day, absolutely thrilling.

Besides white clams and seaweed, she picked out several more large lobsters and a king crab.

This standout celebration surely called for a grand feast.

Seeing her buy so much, the proprietress generously gave her two pounds of oysters, "This can help your man eat a bit more, good for the body."

Shen Mingzhu: "..."

Thanks but no thanks, not particularly keen.

As Shen Mingzhu was about to leave after paying, the proprietress suddenly asked her—

```

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