The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 638 - 637 Doubts

Chapter 638: Chapter 637 Doubts

With the cooperation project with Longchang interrupted, the company gradually lost several more partnerships, and suppliers swarmed to settle accounts. If this continued, the company wasn’t far from bankruptcy.

However, having been immersed in the business world for many years, Zhao Dafa’s network of social connections was not to be underestimated.

After making inquiries on all sides, he finally found out that Longchang’s termination of their partnership was actually orchestrated by Mrs. Yan.

This news excited Ren Yan, "President Zhao, President Shen is on good terms with Mrs. Yan. Should we ask President Shen to speak to Mrs. Yan on our behalf?"

Seeing Zhao Dafa deep in thought and not speaking, Ren Yan added, "If it’s inconvenient for you to come forward, you could ask your wife to speak to her. After so many years of sisterhood with President Shen, it wouldn’t make sense not to help out with this small favor."

Zhao Dafa looked at his secretary and asked a soul-searching question, "We haven’t offended Mrs. Yan. Why would she want to cut us off?"

Ren Yan was stunned.

Indeed, why would someone like Mrs. Yan, a lady from a prominent family, have any reason to pick a fight with their small enterprise for no reason?

Ren Yan’s mind raced and suddenly he thought of a possibility, "President Zhao, could it have something to do with your wife?"

Zhao Dafa didn’t reply because he too was uncertain, but he couldn’t help suspicion creeping in that direction.

After some thought, Zhao Dafa instructed Ren Yan to inquire about the details of Shen Hongmei’s resignation from the food factory, while he arranged a private meeting with Pei Wenping.

Pei Wenping was not a person with a good temper. She not only revealed all of Shen Hongmei’s petty schemes and calculations in detail but also gave Zhao Dafa a thorough scolding.

Having learned the inside story of Shen Hongmei’s departure from the food factory, Zhao Dafa immediately arranged another meeting with Shen Mingzhu to have dinner and apologize on behalf of Shen Hongmei.

Shen Mingzhu told Zhao Dafa with her lips that this matter would not affect the friendship between their families, but Zhao Dafa knew all too well that once there was a rift in their relationship, it was very difficult to go back to the way things were.

He had two purposes for arranging the meeting with Shen Mingzhu: on one hand, he wanted to mend the relationship between the two families, and on the other, he wanted Shen Mingzhu’s help to plead his case.

Yet, he ultimately couldn’t bring himself to speak of the second purpose.

The things his wife had done made him feel guilty and ashamed, leaving him without the face to confront Shen Mingzhu.

The reason he had been so cold to Shen Hongmei after returning home was partly due to the frustrating situation of the company and partly because he was greatly disappointed in Shen Hongmei.

But Shen Hongmei didn’t understand any of these details.

From dating to marriage, over more than two years, she had always been deeply affectionate and harmonious with Zhao Dafa.

Last night was the first time she felt Zhao Dafa’s neglect and coldness, and she was so distressed that she didn’t sleep well all night.

Therefore, hearing that Zhao Dafa had met alone with Shen Mingzhu last night, she couldn’t help but overthink.

"Hongmei, don’t think too much. It was just a meal, probably there’s some important matter to discuss," comforted a colleague, seeing the unhappy expression on Shen Hongmei’s face.

Someone agreed, "That’s right. The matchmaker for your marriage was Shen Mingzhu herself. If you and Dafa are happy together, she, as the matchmaker, should be happy too. It’s unlikely she’d sabotage anything."

Shen Hongmei didn’t doubt that there was something between Shen Mingzhu and Zhao Dafa, but last night’s coldness from Zhao Dafa made her unable to stop guessing whether Shen Mingzhu had said something unfavorable about her to Zhao Dafa.

Staring at the familiar gates of the food factory, Shen Hongmei ultimately chose to turn around and leave without going in to confront Shen Mingzhu about last night’s matter.

She didn’t want to end up like Zhou Hui.

Whatever Shen Mingzhu said to Zhao Dafa last night, she was determined to find out one way or another.

...

The eve of Pei Ziheng’s martial arts challenge against Gong Rong arrived in the blink of an eye.

Shen Mingzhu specially went to the boxing gym and found Pei Ziheng’s coach, Ma Weilong.

She first inquired about Pei Ziheng’s training situation, then subtly explained her purpose and took out five hundred yuan as a "thank you," hoping Ma Weilong could stop the match.

However, Ma Weilong flatly refused her bribe.

"Mrs. Shen, although Ziheng’s physical fitness and strength are not as good as Gong Rong’s, he is smarter than Gong Rong. In this duel, he won’t lose."

"Coach Ma, you are a father yourself and should understand the feelings of a parent. What I care about is not winning or losing, but that I don’t want to see my child get hurt."

"Mrs. Shen, don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to Ziheng."

Shen Mingzhu tried every trick in the book, even hinting that she could double the "thank you fee," but Ma Weilong remained unmoved.

In any other situation, Shen Mingzhu would have respected someone like him.

But when it came to her son’s safety, Ma Weilong’s adherence to principle enraged her.

Back home, she persisted and tried to influence Pei Ziheng into giving up voluntarily.

Pei Ziheng, as if having conspired with Ma Weilong, solemnly promised he wouldn’t lose and told Shen Mingzhu to be at ease.

It was odd for Shen Mingzhu to feel at ease.

Once back in the bedroom, she dragged Pei Yang, who was already in bed, up, "Go out and buy some medicine."

"What medicine? Are you not feeling well?"

Pei Yang said with concern as he reached out to touch her forehead, only to be slapped away irritably, "Go buy some laxatives."

"You’re constipated?"

"For Ziheng to take, so he has diarrhea tomorrow and can’t leave the house. Then we’ll see how he can go fight Gong Rong!"

Pei Yang: "...You’re serious?"

Shen Mingzhu gave him a cold sidelong glance.

Gently massaging her arm, Pei Yang tried to calm her down, "Alright, alright, don’t be angry. Coach Ma is a professional boxer; if he agrees to let Ziheng fight, he must have his reasons. Tomorrow I’ll go with you to the boxing gym. If anything goes wrong, we’ll stop the fight immediately, okay?"

Shen Mingzhu didn’t say anything else, but her heart was wrought with worry. As soon as she closed her eyes, she would involuntarily imagine various scenes of her son being brutally beaten by Gong Rong and couldn’t sleep well all night.

The next day, the whole family accompanied Pei Ziheng to the boxing gym, including Demu.

On the way there, Shen Mingzhu repeatedly instructed and reminded Pei Ziheng to protect himself well, to admit defeat if he couldn’t win, and that losing wasn’t shameful, and so on.

Contrary to Shen Mingzhu’s worries, Pei Tang had a mysterious confidence in his brother, eagerly anticipating his brother to beat Gong Rong, the big villain, until he was utterly defeated.

Today, the boxing gym was exceptionally lively, mostly filled with middle and high school students, who surrounded the four-sided boxing ring, three layers inside and three on the outside.

"Pei Ziheng is here!"

Someone shouted, and hundreds of eyes turned toward the family.

Gong Rong, already equiped and standing in the ring, loudly mocked, "Pei Ziheng, if you’re scared, you can concede. What’s the meaning of bringing your parents? Are you still not weaned or what?"

His words set off a burst of laughter in the boxing gym.

Ma Weilong comforted Pei Ziheng, "Ignore his trash talk. We’ll show our true skills in a moment. Come on, let’s go change clothes first."

After greeting Shen Mingzhu and Pei Yang, Pei Ziheng followed Ma Weilong to the changing room.

Shen Mingzhu led her daughter and Demu to a spot to sit down. Looking around at the excited youthful faces, she thought to herself: I should really call your teachers to take every one of you back and then multiply everyone’s summer homework by ten to see if you still feel like laughing.

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