The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 580 - 579: If I Had Known This Day Would Come, Why Bother in the First Place

Chapter 580: Chapter 579: If I Had Known This Day Would Come, Why Bother in the First Place

"Where does it hurt?"

Pei Wenping, having been inexplicably kicked by Chen Yi, still maintained his good temper, his face showing concern.

Pei Wenping quickly calmed down, pushed away his hand, got up from the ground, and then picked up the motorcycle.

As Pei Wenping inspected the motorcycle, Chen Yi’s gaze revolved around her.

Seeing that she could walk and move without any signs of injury, he unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

After brushing off the mud from her body, Pei Wenping pushed the motorcycle to find a repair shop. The front of the bike had a dent, and the rearview mirror was broken.

Chen Yi picked up his luggage and accompanied her.

By the time the two arrived at the Pei family’s home, it was already two hours later.

Seeing Chen Yi, Shen Mingzhu was slightly surprised, but she quickly noticed Pei Wenping’s mud-covered clothes and hurriedly asked with concern, "Big sister, what happened to you?"

"Don’t even mention it. I took a fall on the road, and both the front end and the mirror broke. The repair cost me fifty yuan!"

"It’s just a bike that’s broken; it’s good that you didn’t get hurt."

Shen Mingzhu comforted her a few words, then led Pei Wenping into the bedroom and found one of her own clean coats for Pei Wenping to change into.

While Pei Wenping was changing, Shen Mingzhu brought up Chen Yi, "When did Xiaolu’s dad come back?"

"Who knows about him."

"He couldn’t have come back especially for your birthday, could he?"

While Shen Mingzhu joked, she was quite certain in her heart.

Pei Wenping set aside her dirty clothes, took the clean coat, and as she put it on, she replied, "I don’t care why he’s back."

As she spoke, she also told Shen Mingzhu about how old Mrs. Gu had tried to set her up with a widower.

Shen Mingzhu then understood why Pei Wenping was so enraged.

Work was not going smoothly, she had been bizarrely matched with a widower, and she had also taken a tumble on the road. One thing after another just seemed to pile up. If it were her, her mood wouldn’t be any better.

Shen Mingzhu consoled her with some kind words and then took out the birthday present she had prepared for Pei Wenping.

It was a large LV shopping bag in the classic monogram design, purchased by Pei Ke from Hong City.

Influenced by Shen Mingzhu, Pei Wenping had also gained an understanding of these international brands and liked this birthday present very much, her face blooming into a smile.

No woman can escape the law of "bags heal all woes."

When the two came out of the room, Pei Yang had already returned and was sitting on the sofa having a serious conversation with Chen Yi.

Shen Mingzhu didn’t go over to disturb them, instead, she took Pei Wenping to the yard to roast a leg of lamb.

Chen Yi came to talk business with Pei Yang, not as an excuse, but he indeed had an issue to discuss.

Chen Yi had a friend who was well-connected and dealt with microcomputers, or what was known in future generations as computers.

Recently, his friend’s company had initiated a new project to develop a Chinese Character Paging System, and they urgently needed funds. Chen Yi wondered if Pei Yang might be interested in investing.

Pei Yang himself was in the pager business and naturally saw great potential in the Chinese Character Paging System.

He didn’t even wait for Chen Yi to finish introducing the project before he immediately agreed to invest, asking, "How much is needed for the investment?"

"That depends on how much you want to invest. The project’s fundraising target is five million yuan."

Feeling that Pei Yang might be getting overzealous, Chen Yi advised him to consider it carefully again.

"Although this project is good, all investments carry risks, and the return period is not certain. It could be as short as a year and a half, or as long as three to five years."

"Alright, I will discuss it properly with Mingzhu."

After making an impromptu investment in Zhou Shuhuan’s electronics factory, he had promised Shen Mingzhu that he would consult her before making any future investments.

Having discussed the serious matters, Chen Yi began to inquire about Pei Wenping’s recent situation.

Learning that the cotton mill was restructuring and that over half of the employees would face layoffs, Chen Yi asked Pei Yang, "What do you think, if I found your sister a job in Shanghai City, would she take it?"

"It’s hard to say."

Although they were divorced, after all, both children were studying there; what mother wouldn’t want to be with her children?

"But even if she does go, she won’t accept a job you found for her."

"As long as she goes there, that’ll be fine."

He was not the kind of man who couldn’t support her.

Seeing through his thoughts, Pei Yang didn’t hesitate to mock, "If you knew this would happen, why did you do it in the first place."

Chen Yi looked down at the tea in his hands and self-mockingly said, "Yes, I deserve it."

Seeing Chen Yi’s regretful and disheartened demeanor, Pei Yang didn’t have the heart to twist the knife further.

As the evening grew darker, guests began arriving one after another.

In addition to Zhao Dafa and his son, and Pei Ke with his partner, Shen Mingzhu also invited Li Bing, Pei Qiuxia, and the couple Chen Liang.

Together with the kids, they filled up two tables to the brim.

Shen Mingzhu even made her own spicy hot pot base, and they enjoyed barbecued meat while dipping foods in the hot pot, a perfect delight on a winter’s day.

During the meal, seeing Shen Hongmei sweetly getting along with Zhao Dafa, Yi Ling couldn’t help but quietly share her thoughts with Shen Mingzhu and Pei Wenping, "Doesn’t this count as a blessed girl avoiding an ill-fated door?"

Shen Mingzhu let out a light sneer, "How could it not?"

Yi Ling sipped her osmanthus-flavored rice wine and began to gossip with Shen Mingzhu and Pei Wenping about the Liang Family.

After receiving the court summons, Liang’s mother panicked for not more than two days before she set her sights on the female assistant of the defense lawyer Liang Kean had found for her.

The assistant had just graduated from the University of Political Science and Law this year, with her father being a judge and her mother a doctor.

The key was, she was single.

Liang’s mother took a liking to the assistant’s family background, thinking if she could have a judge as an in-law, how could she fear Shen Hongmei suing her?

"She’s been running to the law firm every day, bringing food and drinks, and they’ve all become fearful of her. She even took leave from her job and went straight to the assistant’s home. Boasting about herself in front of the assistant’s parents, they eventually lost patience and threw her out. Now, the law firm also refuses to defend her, telling her to find someone more capable; even Liang Kean is about to go mad."

Pei Wenping found it unbelievable, "She must be sick, right?"

"Sick and badly at that. Do you know what she said to me afterward?"

It must be said, Yi Ling was really good at keeping people on tenterhooks; all the women at the table stopped eating and pricked up their ears to listen to her continue.

"She asked me how Hongmei and Brother Zhao were getting along, whether they would make it work. I asked her why, and she said if Hongmei and Dafa didn’t work out, as long as Hongmei agreed to drop the lawsuit, she would let Hongmei continue seeing their Kean."

Even Shen Mingzhu was shocked by Liang’s mother’s brazenness.

"Let her dream on, what nonsense!" Pei Wenping, quick to anger, burst out cursing.

After cursing, Pei Wenping stood up to go to the kitchen to get some porridge.

Eating barbecued meat and spicy hot pot was likely to cause discomfort, so Shen Mingzhu had prepared a large pot of lily and lotus seed porridge to counterbalance and cool down.

No sooner had Pei Wenping stepped into the kitchen than Yi Ling followed.

Once inside, Yi Ling glanced back to make sure no one else was there before approaching Pei Wenping.

"Elder sister, please forgive elder brother. He’s always had you on his mind and often calls Chen Liang to ask after you. This time, for your birthday, he inquired several days in advance about Chen Liang’s plans, rushing back here just to celebrate with you."

Seeing Pei Wenping’s face remain cold and silent, Yi Ling hurriedly added, "I’m not trying to speak for elder brother, I’m just worried that if you two remain estranged, it will give outsiders an opportunity to take advantage."

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