The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 537 - 536: Novelty Seeking is Nature, Faithfulness is a Choice

Chapter 537: Chapter 536: Novelty Seeking is Nature, Faithfulness is a Choice

"Shen Bro, sorry for being late. I didn’t quite understand today’s lecture, so I stayed behind to ask the teacher about it,"

Looking at the panting Lun Jiao, Shen Xiangnan busily said, "It’s okay, I’ve only just arrived myself. Catch your breath, have some soda."

As he spoke, he handed a can of Jianlibao to Lun Jiao.

"Thanks, Shen Bro."

Lun Jiao smiled as she took it, pulled the tab to drink just as her hair was suddenly grabbed.

The next second, a slap landed on her face, causing her to drop the Jianlibao can.

"How dare you, you shameless slut! No wonder my man runs out every night—it turns out he’s been lured away by you, you little vixen!!"

Jia Yuemei, who seemed to have come out of nowhere, grabbed Lun Jiao and started hitting and cursing her.

Lun Jiao was caught off guard and completely powerless to fight back; Jia Yuemei slapped her several times in succession.

Shen Xiangnan was dumbstruck for a moment before he remembered to step forward to intervene, "Yuemei, what are you doing? Let go!"

Jia Yuemei, furious, saw Shen Xiangnan trying to defend the "little demon," and began beating him as well.

After hitting him, she broke down crying first, "You told me you were going out to play cards, but in reality, you were out messing around with others. Shen Xiangnan, do you think you’re being fair to me?"

...

By the time Shen Mingzhu received the call and rushed to the police station, Jia Yuemei, Lun Jiao, and Shen Xiangnan were causing an uproar.

Jia Yuemei adamantly accused the two of having an affair and swore she saw them hugging and kissing.

Lun Jiao and Shen Xiangnan, however, firmly denied it, saying they were only studying English.

The police officers were at a loss and could only try to soothe the situation with kind words.

"Sis, you have to stand up for me. Xiangnan has been fooling around behind my back with this fox spirit—fire her!"

Upon seeing Shen Mingzhu, Jia Yuemei immediately rushed over, crying her grievances.

Shen Xiangnan anxiously denied, "I didn’t! Little sis, don’t listen to her nonsense, there’s nothing between Lun Jiao and me."

"Bullshit! Ever since you got back from the Capital, you’ve been sneaking out late at night every few days. Are you saying you weren’t with this little slut?"

"I was with her, but we..."

"Look! He admits it himself! You harlot, seducing my man—I won’t let you go..."

Jia Yuemei, jumping with rage, was about to pounce on Lun Jiao to tear into her, but the station’s officers blocked her.

"I didn’t."

Lun Jiao said, hiding behind a police officer and weeping.

Watching the chaotic scene, Shen Mingzhu felt an infuriating urge to hit someone.

She had been sleeping when she was called over by a phone call.

"Sis-in-law!"

With her call, Jia Yuemei quieted down, but tears streamed down her face in a display of extreme grievance.

"What outcome do you want? Divorce or keep the marriage going?"

Jia Yuemei was stumped by her question; she opened her mouth but couldn’t speak for a long time.

Shen Mingzhu continued, "Want a divorce? I can make the decision for you right now. I’ll draft the divorce agreement on the spot, and we can go to the civil affairs bureau first thing in the morning."

Jia Yuemei panicked, "No, I don’t want a divorce! If I divorce him, wouldn’t that benefit this bitch?"

"If you don’t want a divorce, then shut up!"

Although Shen Mingzhu was the youngest sister-in-law and married out of the Shen Family, she was the one with the most authority.

Jia Yuemei didn’t dare to make a scene any longer.

Shen Mingzhu, with a stern face, completed the procedures and took the three of them out of the police station, where Pei Yang drove them to Tianxiangyin.

It was already one o’clock by the time they reached the place.

Pei Yang: "I’ll go and make some food, what do you want to eat?"

Shen Mingzhu gave the man a look.

Filled with anger, who would have the appetite to eat anything?

Knowing she was fuming, Pei Yang didn’t dare to provoke her and silently headed to the kitchen.

Shen Xiangnan subconsciously wanted to help, but Shen Mingzhu called him back and then took the three to a private room.

Once inside the room, Shen Mingzhu folded her arms and paced back and forth in front of the three.

All three were subdued by her cold demeanor and didn’t dare to make a sound.

Shen Mingzhu stopped in front of Shen Xiangnan, "Tell me, what are you doing going out to see Lun Jiao late at night?"

"Studying English."

"For how long?"

Shen Xiangnan counted on his fingers, "Nine days."

Shen Mingzhu sneered, "You remember quite clearly."

Shen Xiangnan blinked, "Counting by the day, one lesson a day, five yuan per lesson."

As soon as Jia Yuemei heard this, she exploded, "You gave her money? How much did you give her?!"

After speaking, she turned to Lun Jiao and cursed loudly, "You shameless..."

"Shut up, if I didn’t ask you to speak, don’t make a sound."

Jia Yuemei, unable to contain her anger but not daring to defy Shen Mingzhu, simply glared at Lun Jiao with a pair of eyes that could kill.

Shen Mingzhu glanced at Lun Jiao, who was weeping with her head bowed.

She withdrew her gaze and then asked Shen Xiangnan what he had learned.

Shen Xiangnan was fairly straightforward, reciting some vocabulary and spoken language on the spot—mainly vegetables, fruits, and meat, and the spoken language was for everyday communication.

It was evident that he had indeed learned something.

Shen Mingzhu’s anger subsided a bit, "If you want to study English, there are so many training classes outside. Why do you have to learn from a young girl? What are you really up to?"

Shen Xiangnan hesitated to speak.

"Sister-in-law, please go wait for me in the next private room."

"I won’t go!"

Seeing Shen Mingzhu’s gaze fixed on her, Jia Yuemei complained, "Is there anything you can’t say in front of me? Am I worse than an outsider?"

Shen Mingzhu, annoyed, ordered Lun Jiao, "You go to private room number three."

Lun Jiao was obedient and left immediately.

Only then did Jia Yuemei reluctantly follow and leave.

"The cost for training in the Capital, I lent it to Lun Jiao. She teaches me English, and one lesson is worth five yuan."

"How much did she borrow from you?"

"A hundred."

"Did she approach you to borrow it?"

Shen Xiangnan nodded.

Shen Mingzhu scrutinized him with a stern face, "Why would she come to borrow from you? A hundred yuan, and you lent it without a second word, without even telling your sister-in-law. What are you, growing fond of the young girl?"

"I’m not! She wanted to go to the Capital, but her family disagreed, so she had to borrow the money secretly. Little sister, there’s nothing between me and her; it’s all aboveboard. It’s Jia Yuemei talking nonsense."

"Little sister, I’m not afraid to tell you what’s on my mind, I really don’t want to be with your sister-in-law anymore. She’s narrow-minded and always looking for trouble every other day."

"Our family is living well all because of you, little sister, but she’s never satisfied. She makes a fuss over every little thing, and now I don’t even want to go home after work, nor do I want to talk to her."

Shen Xiangnan rattled on at great length, all about Jia Yuemei’s faults.

His whole being, down to each strand of hair, radiated disdain for his wife.

After he was done talking, Shen Mingzhu finally said, "Big brother, do you remember what it was like the first time you brought your sister-in-law to meet me?"

Shen Xiangnan seemed somewhat lost.

"I remember, you were particularly happy at that time, as if you had found a treasure. You held her hand tightly and said a basket of good things about her, all so that I could help her find a job."

Shen Xiangnan was stunned.

"Novelty-seeking is instinct, but steadfastness is a choice."

"There’s no perfect person in this world. You can’t just see her flaws and ignore all the years she’s been with you. Think about what you were like when you first left the village."

"As a human being, one must never forget their roots. As a man, when confronted with an issue, you should think of solutions, not run away, thinking of finding someone new. If the new sister-in-law isn’t as good as Jia Yuemei, are you going to change again?"

"A man who is irresponsible to his family and children is the most contemptible, and won’t achieve great things. If you fail as a person, how can you succeed in your career?"

After saying all this, Shen Mingzhu told Shen Xiangnan to reflect in the private room, and she went to Lun Jiao.

"Lun Jiao, what do you think of my big brother?"

Perhaps not expecting her to ask this, Lun Jiao was at a loss for words.

Shen Mingzhu asked again, "Do you think my big brother is a good man?"