The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 616 - 615: Looking for Trouble in the Toilet (Lit. Lighting a Lantern in the Toilet, Looking for Shit)

Chapter 616: Chapter 615: Looking for Trouble in the Toilet (Lit. Lighting a Lantern in the Toilet, Looking for Shit)

"Ziheng! Ziheng!"

Early in the morning, just as Pei Ziheng started having breakfast, Zhao Yun was shouting outside the door like someone rushing him to his grave.

Shen Mingzhu told Pei Ziheng to invite Zhao Yun in to sit for a while and have some more breakfast.

At Zhao Yun’s age, he had high metabolism and big energy consumption—he wouldn’t get fat no matter how much he ate.

"My mom..."

The moment Pei Ziheng’s gaze landed on Zhao Yun’s multicolored face, his words halted.

Embarrassed, Zhao Yun covered his bruised face with his hand, "If I said I got this from playing basketball yesterday, would you believe me?"

"Do you think I’m an idiot?" Pei Ziheng asked calmly.

"No."

So Zhao Yun stopped covering up and let Pei Ziheng examine his face.

"That bastard Gong Rong dared to bully you while I wasn’t around, how could I let him off the hook?"

"So, did you win?"

"He didn’t get off easy either!"

"So, you lost?"

Zhao Yun froze.

Although he was taller than Gong Rong, he naturally couldn’t match Gong Rong, who came from a martial arts school, in a fight. Full of bluster, he ended up getting beaten up like a battered bear.

How frustrating!

"I’m still having breakfast, my mom asked you to come in and sit for a while."

"No thanks, I’ll just wait outside, hurry up."

With a face bruised blue and swollen, he didn’t have the nerve to go inside and lose face.

Pei Ziheng didn’t insist.

"Xiaoyun?"

"Outside."

"Why doesn’t he come in? It’s too hot outside."

It was the end of May, and the sky would brighten by six in the morning. By a quarter past seven, the sun had started to get scorchingly hot.

"He’s embarrassed."

Shen Mingzhu found this both amusing and puzzling. The boy who used to be thick-skinned and ate his fill was now feeling shy?

"He used his face to play basketball yesterday," Pei Ziheng tried to spare his good brother some dignity.

So he was injured.

Shen Mingzhu was inclined to call the boy in to have a look, but then she thought that Shen Hongmei wasn’t careless and would probably take good care of him, so she put the idea to rest.

...

On the way to school, Zhao Yun brought up the one-on-one fight with Gong Rong.

"...Was it that bastard who forced you to agree? Don’t bother with him. From now on, I’ll walk with you to and from school every day."

Zhao Yun had basketball practice every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday after school and didn’t go home with Pei Ziheng.

"No, I was the one who suggested it."

Screech!

Zhao Yun slammed on the brakes, eyes bulging at him, "Have you lost your mind? Even I can’t beat that bastard, and you go up against him one-on-one, that’s like looking for a death wish in the bathroom!"

Looking for a death wish in the bathroom—seeking death.

Pei Ziheng asked calmly in return, "I guess you wouldn’t want an extra grandfather, would you?"

? appeared slowly on Zhao Yun’s forehead.

"If I lose, I’ll have to call Gong Rong grandfather. Since you’re my brother, rounding up, you would also have to call him grandfather with me, so..."

Pei Ziheng smiled, "You’d better hope I win. If I win, you get to gain a great-grandson for nothing."

Zhao Yun: ???

Thanks a lot!

...

Nobody knew who started the rumor, but the news of Pei Ziheng’s one-on-one challenge with Gong Rong soon spread throughout the school, and even neighboring middle schools, high schools, and vocational martial arts schools had heard about it.

The reasons behind the event were varied in the rumors, but everyone reached a consensus that Pei Ziheng must have gone mad.

A wet-behind-the-ears kid, challenging a boxer to a duel, isn’t that like using an egg to hit a rock?

The homeroom teacher specially sought out Pei Ziheng for a talk, concerned whether he was being bullied by Gong Rong, reminding him to focus on his studies and not to waste time on a brute like Gong Rong, who was all brawn and no brains.

The classmates had different views on this matter.

Some admired Pei Ziheng’s courage, some ridiculed him for overestimating himself, and some were just waiting to see a good show.

On the way home from school, Pei Ziheng was, once again, blocked by Jian Xun.

"Pei Ziheng, what’s the matter with you? Just because you ranked second this time, you’re throwing in the towel and agreeing to such a ridiculous and laughable bet?"

Pei Ziheng countered, "What’s laughable?"

"Ha, you don’t actually think you can beat Gong Rong, do you? Have you not looked in the mirror?"

Jian Xun’s face was filled with frustration, "I really didn’t expect you to be this weak, to not be able to get up after one defeat! I actually saw someone like you as a goal, what a shame!"

"F*ck, this Jian Xun must have some sort of problem!"

Watching Jian Xun leave in a huff, Zhao Yun couldn’t help but curse.

Pei Ziheng paid no attention to the various voices outside, signing up for a short-term boxing class, dedicating at least three hours each day to training.

The date he had agreed upon to duel Gong Rong was the first Sunday of the summer vacation, which was about 40 days away.

Beating Gong Rong was a small goal he had set for himself.

Although it was difficult, a goal without difficulty wouldn’t be interesting.

To tell the truth, he was even a bit excited; the feeling was wonderful.

...

Regarding Pei Ziheng learning boxing, Shen Mingzhu was all for it, and she would have also liked her daughter to learn if she weren’t so young.

Practicing boxing not only strengthens the body but also provides self-defense.

At this time, Shen Mingzhu did not know that her son was learning boxing not to strengthen himself, but to settle a bet.

However, she soon found out, because the homeroom teacher gave her a call.

...

"Auntie."

"Eh, Ziheng, you’re back?"

Watching the polite and sensible Pei Ziheng, Pei Wenping had a warm smile on her face, but her eyes closely examined him up and down.

For the convenience of training, Pei Ziheng had his side-parted hair shaved into a buzz cut, with a blue headband wrapped around his forehead, wearing the boxing gym’s training outfit, with a small bruise decorating his left cheekbone.

The once neatly handsome young boy looked every inch a martial artist.

Following Pei Ziheng upstairs, Pei Wenping finally took her eyes off him and began to chatter with Shen Mingzhu, "Ziheng was doing just fine; why on earth did he suddenly start boxing? It’s almost time for his senior year; what if he gets hurt? That would affect his studies, wouldn’t it?"

Shen Mingzhu smiled in response, "I’m not worried about Ziheng’s studies, he needs the exercise at his age—actually a good thing."

"That’s true, a boy shouldn’t be too weak," Pei Wenping agreed, then circled back to the matter at hand.

After the chat, Shen Mingzhu invited Pei Wenping to stay for dinner, who, without much ado, accepted the offer and eagerly went to help in the kitchen.

Shen Mingzhu then rose to go upstairs.

"Someone told me that you are going to duel with a martial school student, is that true?"

Pei Ziheng nodded, "It is true."

Shen Mingzhu took a deep breath.

Upon learning about this matter, she immediately went to the martial school to understand Gong Rong’s personal background and quietly watched him train.

Seeing him wear gloves as big as pots and leaving pockmarks on the punching bags, her heart clenched.

She couldn’t bear to imagine what it would be like if those fists landed on her son.

...

"Pow, pow pow!"

"Hit him! Go for his lower body!"

The small boxing gym was filled with noise—cheering, shouting, and supportive cries resonated nonstop.

On the stage, two boxers were fiercely exchanging blows, each punch meaty, and every move deadly. The scene, filled with blood and violence, made Shen Mingzhu’s heart quake.

Finally, when the fight ended and she felt relieved, she turned to ask Pei Ziheng, who was next to her:

"Erza, having watched the boxing match, do you still want to duel Gong Rong?"

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