The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 607 - 606 Zhou Shuhuan Being Pursued

Chapter 607: Chapter 606 Zhou Shuhuan Being Pursued

"I’m not going, being a nanny to their dog is a blatant insult to me!"

Having walked not far from the Lou Family, Shen Baolan complained to Zhou Shuhuan, discontented.

Zhou Shuhuan’s face revealed a fierce, cold smirk, "Fine, if you don’t go, let Huayuan cut off our supplies, the factory shuts down due to a strike, we end up in debt, and then we all spend the rest of our lives working off the debt, how about that!"

Shen Baolan, stunned by the shouting, retorted, "It’s not like they’re the only ones selling circuit boards. Can’t you switch to another supplier?"

"Do you think you can do whatever you want? The goods we must deliver to others, the brand of components we use, it’s all clearly written in black and white in the contract. You think you can just change as you please. Why don’t you just shoot for the sky?"

Shen Baolan was dumbfounded.

Zhou Shuhuan pointed at her, "Either go to the Lou Family and shovel dog poop, or we all go down together. Your choice!"

With no other option, Shen Baolan could only pinch her nose and take up the job as a dog nanny at the Lou Family’s house. Meanwhile, Qiao Ya returned to the electronics factory to continue her secretarial work for Zhou Shuhuan, and Huayuan no longer mentioned ending their cooperation.

It hadn’t even been half a month before Shen Baolan couldn’t stand it anymore.

Taking care of dogs was a dirty and tiring job, and extremely draining.

In the morning, you had to take the dogs out for their business, then rush back to prepare their meals. After they ate at noon, they needed to go out again, and in the afternoon, you would wash and groom several dogs. Barely catching a breath after all the work, you’d have to prepare the dogs’ dinner, then take them out for a walk, dealing with more poop and pee.

By the end of the day, she felt like her bones were falling apart.

But Shen Baolan didn’t dare outright say she didn’t want to do it, fearing that Qiao Limei would turn against her and cut off the electronics factory’s supplies.

"My mother-in-law accidentally broke her leg falling down the stairs, and I need to go back to take care of her. You’ll need to find someone else for this job."

After giving her reason for resignation, Shen Baolan’s heart was in her throat.

If Qiao Limei insisted on not letting her go, she wouldn’t dare leave.

To her surprise, Qiao Limei didn’t make things difficult, "An elderly person’s health is important. Go back and take care of her."

Shen Baolan felt a weight lifted from her shoulders, so relieved she almost jumped for joy. But then she heard Qiao Limei say,

"I’ve heard your mom is also in Fucheng. Starting tomorrow, let her replace you."

Shen Baolan didn’t dare refuse. As long as she didn’t have to do it herself, that was enough.

After all, this whole mess was stirred up by her mother. If it weren’t for Liu Cuihua’s whispering in her ear, she wouldn’t have provoked Qiao Ya in the first place.

After returning, Shen Baolan explained the situation to Liu Cuihua.

Of course, Liu Cuihua wasn’t happy, but Shen Baolan had already thought of a strategy, promising that once this matter was settled, she would borrow money for her eldest brother, Shen Hao, to open a snack shop.

Only then did Liu Cuihua agree to replace Shen Baolan as a dog nanny for the Lou Family.

Packing her bags overnight, Shen Baolan and her son took the train back to Fengcheng early the next morning.

Compared to the ambition she had when she arrived, it felt more like a sordid escape.

Seeing Shen Baolan return to Fengcheng so quickly, Ma Sufen naturally had to inquire, worried that Shen Baolan might have caused trouble over there.

Shen Baolan of course didn’t dare to tell the truth, using the excuse that Yuanbao couldn’t adapt to the climate in Fucheng, always falling ill, and that’s why they had returned to Fengcheng.

Looking at her grandson, who had become darker and thinner, Ma Sufen believed her.

Little did she know, the darkening was due to the plentiful sunshine in Fucheng and the higher temperatures there. The child loved to run outside, and naturally, he got tanned and slimmed down.

On the train, Shen Baolan had made up her mind—she would rather die than return to Fucheng. She would have Zhou Shuhuan give her some money to open a snack shop in Fengcheng, which she and her elder brother, Shen Hao, would run together.

After a night’s peaceful sleep, Shen Baolan prepared to go out and look for a shop the next morning, but the police showed up at her door.

Shen Baolan thought she and Liu Cuihua could run off to Fucheng to avoid Shen Mingzhu’s lawsuit, but if they had learned a little more about the law, they would know that in cases where the plaintiff provides sufficient evidence, the court can make a default judgment in their absence.

The police visit had two purposes: firstly, to deliver the judgment to Shen Baolan, and secondly, to execute her detention.

Taking into account Shen Baolan’s past criminal record and her refusal to appear in court, the judge directly sentenced her to three months of re-education through labor, along with compensation for Shen Mingzhu’s emotional distress and other expenses, amounting to a total of two thousand five hundred yuan.

Thus, Shen Baolan, who had just fled the Lou Family’s den, turned around and entered the tiger’s lair of prison.

Upon learning that Shen Baolan had been arrested, Zhou Shuhuan felt not so much anger as deep helplessness and despair.

He had grown thoroughly sick of Shen Baolan’s endless troublemaking and disaster-causing.

After a night of profound contemplation, he took the initiative to invite Qiao Ya to dinner alone.

The restaurant was Qiao Ya’s favorite, and all the dishes were to Qiao Ya’s taste, the intent to please her was unhidden.

"Zhou Ge, just tell me what’s on your mind. If I can help, I’ll definitely do it."

Under the crystal lights of the restaurant, Qiao Ya smiled radiantly, propping her face with one hand, her slender shoulders and neck visible in her strapped dress, innocent as a young girl yet not lacking in charm.

Zhou Shuhuan raised his glass and drained it in one gulp, suppressing the inexplicable restlessness in his heart, "Xiaoqiao, there’s something I want to ask of you, can you let my mother-in-law return to Fengcheng?"

"I knew it was about this."

Qiao Ya murmured in response but agreed to his request, "Okay, I’ll find time to talk to my aunt."

To appease her, Zhou Shuhuan laid bare all the trouble Shen Baolan and Liu Cuihua had caused in Fengcheng.

After hearing everything, Qiao Ya felt a sense of relief, and couldn’t help but express her deep sympathy for Zhou Shuhuan.

Fueled by the alcohol, Zhou Shuhuan rambled on, airing all his frustrations and experiences from the past years.

His ex-wife was a rich girl who scorned poverty and loved wealth; following their divorce, he married Shen Baolan to step in as a mother for his son, thinking a girl from the countryside would be hard-working and diligent, but ended up being someone who stirred trouble and created strife.

A man does not easily shed tears, only when he reaches the point of heartbreak.

Seeing the man with reddening eyes, Qiao Ya couldn’t help but feel pity in addition to her sympathy.

Pity between members of the opposite sex is often dangerous and fatal.

In fact, Zhou Shuhuan’s maturity, melancholy, and sense of loneliness were all highly attractive to Qiao Ya.

"Zhou Ge, it’s no wonder you rarely smile. I thought you naturally didn’t like to smile, but it turns out you carry so much on your mind."

Zhou Shuhuan gave a bitter smile and shook his head, "You’ve seen me make a fool of myself."

"No, I like listening. Zhou Ge, I want to understand everything about you."

Her words were bold and direct.

The undisguised adoration in the girl’s eyes was like a flame that roused Zhou Shuhuan’s restless heart.

"Xiaoqiao, you’re a good girl, and I’m not worthy of you."

"But I like you just the way you are, Zhou Ge—a man with rich experience, talented, hardworking, and pure in character."

Around Qiao Ya, there were many wealthy men, but the vast majority had vices like infidelity and kept mistresses; to her, a man as loyal and devoted as Zhou Shuhuan was a rare species.

Zhou Shuhuan felt as though a fierce tempest had erupted within him.

In his over thirty years of life, it was the first time a woman had given him such high affirmation and praise.

"Zhou Ge, do you like someone like me?"

The girl’s voice carried innocence and pride: "If you like me too, I’ll stay by your side forever, helping you grow the factory. If you don’t like me, I’ll disappear right away and never show up before you again. I mean what I say."

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