The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 579 - 578 It’s all your fault!

Chapter 579: Chapter 578 It’s all your fault!

"Wenping, it’s me!"

If Chen Yi hadn’t reacted quickly, he would have been hit by Pei Wenping’s broomstick.

Staring at Chen Yi, who was clutching the broom, it took Pei Wenping a while to come back to her senses, "Why is it you?"

Chen Yi looked helplessly at the broom over his head, "Could you put this down first?"

Pei Wenping reluctantly withdrew the broom, and said gruffly, "What are you doing here?"

"Just passing by, thought I’d come up and see you."

Having said that, Pei Wenping rewarded him with a roll of her eyes.

Chen Yi just laughed.

Pei Wenping glanced behind Chen Yi, not seeing the two children, she couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed.

"Xiaolu and Xiaochao have classes, they didn’t come back with me this time. I’ll bring them back during the winter break."

Hearing Chen Yi’s explanation, Pei Wenping felt even more grumpy, "Nothing else?"

Chen Yi patted the handle of his suitcase, "Xiaolu and Xiaochao prepared birthday gifts for you."

Pei Wenping was momentarily stunned.

Yes, today was her birthday, and seeing Chen Yi, she had thought the children had also come back secretly to surprise her.

That was why she was disappointed to learn they hadn’t come back.

Once inside, Chen Yi looked at the shoe cabinet by the wall, "Do you have slippers for me?"

"No."

Chen Yi opened the cabinet door on his own, rummaged out a pair of men’s slippers, and said with some excitement, "Aren’t these it?"

"Those are Pei Yang’s."

Chen Yi examined the soles, "They’re size 42, isn’t Pei Yang’s shoe size 44?"

"Stop with the nonsense, if you want to wear them, then wear them; if not, forget it."

After the rebuff, Pei Wenping turned and went into the kitchen.

The slippers were indeed prepared by her for Pei Yang, but when she bought them, she ended up choosing size 42.

Old habits are not easily changed and forgotten.

"Meow~"

Seeing a strange man, Tudou, who was lying on the couch cushion, stood up with its amber-like cat eyes warily glaring at Chen Yi.

Chen Yi had always known that Pei Wenping kept a cat, but seeing its true form for the first time, he couldn’t help but scrutinize it for a few seconds.

An orange tabby, its belly and paws as white as snowballs, chubby and fluffy, it looked so cuddly.

While Pei Wenping was fetching water in the kitchen, Chen Yi reached out to bond with the cat but was avoided by Tudou leaping away.

Looking at the orange cat standing on the windowsill, its fur all puffed up, Chen Yi couldn’t help but chuckle.

Indeed, pets reflect their owners.

After drinking some water, Chen Yi opened the suitcase and took out the birthday gifts he had brought.

His daughter’s birthday gift for Pei Wenping was a scarf she had knitted by hand, and his son’s gift was a thermos.

Looking at the gifts, Pei Wenping finally showed some smile on her face.

Chen Yi placed a red envelope and a jewelry gift bag on the coffee table, "The red envelope is from mom and dad for you, and the jewelry is from me. Happy Birthday, Wenping."

Pei Wenping glanced at the items on the coffee table, her smile faded a bit.

"Thank them for me, but it’s not necessary. I’m no longer a daughter-in-law of the Chen Family. Take your gift back too; I can’t be bothered to return the favor."

Chen Yi looked at her, "Mom and Dad have always been concerned about you; they fear you’re not doing well. They won’t be at peace if you don’t accept it."

"As for my gift, you can simply consider it as well wishes from an ordinary friend. You don’t need to return anything."

Hearing that, Pei Wenping couldn’t be bothered to say more. If he was so eager to give, let him. She’d just consider it as finding money.

"Anything else?"

Chen Yi pretended not to hear the pushiness in her words, stood up, and began to tour the house.

The layout was the same as before, only with new furniture and a sofa; the decorations on the wall and the arrangements had also changed; the balcony was filled with various plants, giving off a sense of warmth amid a familiar sourness that tugged at his heartstrings.

"Is there anything missing at home?"

"Nothing’s missing."

Chen Yi looked at the docile orange cat in her arms with unspeakable envy and jealousy.

"Do you want to switch to a different place to live?"

Meeting Pei Wenping’s puzzled eyes, he said, "The people in the staff housing are quite gossipy."

And love to meddle in others’ business.

He genuinely worried that the next time he came back, Pei Wenping would be remarried.

The thought alone was unbearably annoying.

Pei Wenping had actually considered moving to a different place. Her savings were enough to buy a condo, but she felt an emotional attachment and nostalgia for the old house, so she never moved.

During the silence, the phone in the living room rang.

It was Shen Mingzhu calling, asking Pei Wenping to come over early.

Today was Pei Wenping’s birthday. Shen Mingzhu had invited some relatives and friends to celebrate for Pei Wenping.

"I have to go out."

Chen Yi nodded, "Good, I have some errands to run as well."

Pei Wenping didn’t want to leave with him, so she lied about needing to change her clothes.

Chen Yi, recognizing the hint, swiftly grabbed his suitcase and stepped out the door.

Pei Wenping stored the gifts Chen Yi brought into the room. The old couple was quite generous, giving her a red envelope of five hundred, and Chen Yi’s gift was a gold bracelet.

Pei Wenping tried it on for size, and it fit just right.

It was substantial, probably between 40 to 50 grams.

Pei Wenping placed the red envelope and the bracelet into the safe. She planned to leave these items for her children in the future.

After putting everything away and changing into a thicker cotton jacket, Pei Wenping reluctantly left the house.

But as soon as she stepped out of the unit, she saw Chen Yi standing amidst a group of old men and women, smiling and chatting about something.

"Look, here comes your Wenping."

Seeing Pei Wenping approach, an old lady teased Chen Yi.

The older generation believes it’s better to demolish a temple than to destroy a marriage.

Knowing that Chen Yi and Pei Wenping were divorced, everyone tried to persuade them to reconcile.

Pei Wenping glared at Chen Yi and intentionally quickened her pace as she walked past.

The old lady winked and nudged Chen Yi, "When the wife is angry, just coddle her a bit, and she’ll be fine."

"Mm, I’d better be going now, we’ll talk another day."

Chen Yi waved goodbye to the old men and women with a smile, and without hurrying, followed behind Pei Wenping, dragging his suitcase.

"Why are you following me?"

Approaching the bike shed, Pei Wenping asked Chen Yi impatiently.

"You’re heading to Mingzhu’s place, right? So am I. I have something to discuss with Pei Yang. Can I hitch a ride?"

"No!"

He wasn’t surprised by the blunt rejection. "Alright then, I’ll walk over."

After saying this, he dragged his suitcase toward the main entrance of the staff housing.

Pei Wenping watched his back for a moment before turning and entering the bike shed.

As she rode past Chen Yi, Pei Wenping deliberately sped up.

After she went by, she glanced back and caught a glimpse of Chen Yi in the rearview mirror.

Not having seen him for half a year, he had grown thinner, which made his features more pronounced and his face more chiseled. Coupled with the clean lines of his hair at the temples and a stylish black wool coat, he seemed more mature and charismatic than before.

Distracted for a moment, she failed to notice a patch of slush accumulated on the road.

"Clang—"

Seeing Pei Wenping fall from her bike, Chen Yi immediately dropped his suitcase and ran to help.

"Wenping, are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Since it had just snowed, the road was slippery, but as Pei Wenping hadn’t been riding fast, she didn’t fall hard and was only slightly dazed.

Seeing Chen Yi’s concerned attempts to assist her, she reflexively kicked him.

"It’s all your fault!"

Only after scolding and kicking him did she remember that they were already divorced.

In an instant, her heart felt as if it had been hollowed out, letting in a gust of cold air, and tears started to fall without warning.

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