The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 602 - 601 Shen Baolan’s Calculation

Chapter 602: Chapter 601 Shen Baolan’s Calculation

In the family courtyard, Shen Baolan watched her son Yuanbao playing with other children while chatting with the kids’ mothers, basking in their flattery and fawning compliments.

Seeing Liu Cuihua waving to her from outside the courtyard gate, Shen Baolan’s spirits lifted and she quickly got up to go out.

"How did it go? Did Shen Mingzhu get so angry she died?"

Hearing her daughter’s question, Liu Cuihua eagerly nodded and vividly recounted what she had seen and heard to Shen Baolan.

Liu Cuihua had hidden herself to enjoy the scene when the people of Shenjiagou surrounded Shen Mingzhu asking for money.

When she learned that Shen Mingzhu had paid for the meal for the money borrowers and even found them jobs, keeping busy all afternoon, Shen Baolan couldn’t help but laugh heartily, showing her big teeth.

Even though Shen Mingzhu hadn’t lent out any money, Baolan had achieved her goal of making life difficult for Mingzhu.

Liu Cuihua, still not satisfied, held a grudge against Shen Mingzhu for taking 500,000 from Zhou Shuhuan.

"When I go back to my parents’ home tomorrow, I’ll spread the word about her! She thinks she’s so capable. When all the folks from miles around come knocking, I’d like to see how she copes."

Shen Baolan was more than happy to hear this.

Anything that upset Shen Mingzhu pleased her immensely.

After relishing the thought, Cuihua broached another subject, "Your eldest brother and sister-in-law want to open a snack shop, but they’re short on funds. Talk to your son-in-law and see if he can chip in a bit."

"Let’s wait a bit. Shuhuan is also strapped for cash right now. He just bought a house, and the money for decoration hasn’t been figured out yet. If only he hadn’t given 500,000 to Shen Mingzhu and her husband, I would have persuaded Shuhuan to give at least 100,000 or 80,000 to your eldest brother..."

Shen Baolan was all bluster and no substance, but Liu Cuihua took her words to heart.

Feeling that Shen Mingzhu obstructed her son and daughter-in-law from making big money, her resentment towards Mingzhu deepened.

While harboring this resentment, Cuihua did not forget the matter at hand, "Listen, you better keep a sharp eye out. Your son-in-law is all by himself over in Fucheng, make sure that no sly vixen gets her hooks into him."

This reminder irritated Shen Baolan as well.

Zhou Shuhuan had left for Fucheng the day before, and she had wanted to go with him, but Shuhuan had insisted she stay at home to take care of his parents and the two children.

"Are you foolish? Don’t you know to learn from Shen Mingzhu? Hire a nanny to care for the two old folks, and keep Zhou Hao at home too. You bring Yuanbao over, and the three of you live an easy life with your son-in-law. With father and son living together every day, their bond will deepen, and when it comes time to divide the inheritance, won’t he get more?"

Shen Baolan had an epiphany and decided to follow Liu Cuihua’s advice.

...

The next day, before Shen Mingzhu even finished her breakfast, Qin Jinlian arrived with Erya in tow.

Qin had previously visited after learning that Mingzhu had made 500,000 from Zhou Shuhuan, but found no one home, as Mingzhu had been in Shanghai City at the time.

"Did you really make 500,000 from Shen Baolan’s husband?"

"True or not, it’s none of your business."

"How is it none of my business? Liu Cuihua, that damnable woman, has been going around spreading rumors about you. I’m going to make a fuss at the Zhou family’s place. If she won’t let you be, then Shen Baolan won’t have any good days either!"

Mingzhu calmly took a sip of her millet porridge, "Don’t bother with that; I can handle it myself. Just take good care of Erya."

During the conversation, Mingzhu deliberately observed her little niece’s eyes, which seemed more normal now, without the rosy glow of high-altitude red.

"Erya, try this. It’s called a pine nut cake, we bought it from Shanghai City. It’s really tasty."

Influenced by Mingzhu, Guoguo was also very proper in her dealings with people.

Not only did she bring out her own toy dolls for Erya to play with, but she also offered all kinds of snacks and candies, displaying the grace of an older sister.

Seeing the children playing well together, Shen Mingzhu retracted her gaze and said to Qin Jinlian, "You should spend more time practicing your craft with your second brother and sister-in-law instead of causing trouble. As for Shen Baolan, I’ll take care of it."

Upon hearing this, Qin Jinlian immediately felt displeased. Just as she was about to open her mouth and criticize Shen Mingzhu for not recognizing kindness, for being heartless, and for not resisting even when people shat on her neck, the objects Shen Mingzhu had brought out choked off her words.

"This is children’s nutritional liquid. It’s good for the appetite and helps children grow taller. Take it back for Erya to drink, two servings a day. The rest are tea leaves, food, and clothes I bought for you and Dad."

Looking at the assortment of large and small packages on the table, Qin Jinlian couldn’t close her mouth from sheer happiness.

"Alright, I’ll listen to you and won’t cause you any trouble!"

Although Shen Mingzhu was in Shanghai City, Shen Hongmei had kept her updated on the events in Shenjiagou through phone calls early on.

Although Qin Jinlian was greedy and selfish, she was unambiguous when it came to presenting a united front.

After sending Qin Jinlian away, Shen Mingzhu tidied up and went out to the factory.

The food factory was starting operation tomorrow, but today, most of the employees had already arrived, and under the leadership of the management, they were cleaning and preparing for the start-up.

After making a round at the factory, Shen Mingzhu visited the two Shenji stores.

She stayed busy until two in the afternoon when she then drove to the lawyer’s office to meet with the lawyer introduced by Shen Hongmei.

She had no desire to waste her time on quarreling and squabbling.

Now was a time of rule by law, and the behavior of Liu Cuihua and Shen Baolan was even worse than that of Liang’s mother.

The materials she had the villagers write yesterday were solid evidence for suing the mother and daughter for invading privacy and spreading rumors.

...

By the time she returned home, it was already evening.

She just so happened to run into Sister Yu, who was preparing to go home after work. Shen Mingzhu stopped her to tell her the breakfast menu for tomorrow. While they were speaking, the pest Shen Baolan emerged out of nowhere.

"Shen Mingzhu, what have you been busy with lately?"

"Busy killing cockroaches."

Shen Baolan didn’t realize that Shen Mingzhu was sarcastically referring to her and Liu Cuihua, and continued to gloat, "I heard that there have been quite a few people asking for your help lately, quite annoying, right? As the saying goes, ’Fame brings trouble as pigs grow fat.’ It’s all because you’re too capable."

Shen Mingzhu treated Shen Baolan like an annoying fly and couldn’t be bothered with her. She cautioned Sister Yu to be careful and headed home.

Unexpectedly, Shen Baolan didn’t pester her, but instead started chatting excitedly with Sister Yu.

Worried that Sister Yu might be taken advantage of, Shen Mingzhu turned around and went back.

Shen Baolan took Liu Cuihua’s advice to heart and planned to hire a nanny to take care of her in-laws and stepson so she could go to Fucheng with her son and find Zhou Shuhuan.

She had run around the labor market and domestic agencies for a whole day without finding anyone suitable.

The wages were either too high, or they didn’t know how to do anything.

She wanted Sister Yu to introduce her to a nanny who was both cheap and competent.

Sister Yu didn’t agree to Shen Baolan’s request, but once Shen Baolan had left, she turned around and discussed with Shen Mingzhu the possibility of introducing her own cousin’s daughter to work as a nanny for the Zhou family.

In fact, this matter had nothing to do with Shen Mingzhu, but Sister Yu knew about the conflict between Shen Mingzhu and Shen Baolan, so she wanted to run it by Shen Mingzhu first.

"My cousin’s daughter has had a tough life. Her husband became paralyzed just two years after they married, and he’s hanging on only by medication. The family has accrued a huge debt and still has to provide for the child. The in-laws are getting on in years too, and being back in the countryside they can only grow enough crops to fill their bellies."