The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 653 - 652: Are You Really Preparing for Pregnancy?

Chapter 653: Chapter 652: Are You Really Preparing for Pregnancy?

Back at the hotel, Shen Mingzhu first called home to make sure that both children were safely at home before she was able to relax.

After chatting with the kids, she spoke a few words about work with Pei Wenping.

Once the call ended, Shen Mingzhu drew back the curtains, looked out the window at the dimly lit cityscape, and felt a faint sense of melancholy.

There were no slenderness of the Canton Tower, no Sun Yat-sen University, this world was different from the one she was originally from.

...

On the second floor of the bar, Zhou Shuhuan and a group of friends were seated in the largest private area, evaluating a line of hostesses there to drink with customers.

"Yang, you pick first, which one do you like?"

Zhou Shuhuan turned his head and yelled into Pei Yang’s ear.

The bar was in the midst of its performance segment, and on several small stages on the first floor, a few bikini-clad dancers gyrated and swayed to the pulsing music, eliciting screams of excitement from the patrons.

"I don’t need these things."

Zhou Shuhuan pressed down on the hand Pei Yang used to refuse and put his other arm around Pei Yang’s shoulder, "It’s fine, we’re just drinking, nothing else."

"My sister-in-law is kind of stingy, she’d get upset if she found out."

Zhou Shuhuan pointed at him and mocked loudly, "Henpecked husband!"

Pei Yang, out of options, lifted his glass in Zhou Shuhuan’s direction, gesturing for him to let it go.

Seeing this, Zhou Shuhuan didn’t press any further and turned to let others pick.

After the selection, three hostesses who were not chosen left with disappointment, while the rest scattered like stars to sit beside each man.

The job of a hostess was actually quite innocent, just helping to drink and play games without involving anything else, but the problem lay with the customers who weren’t always behaved, taking advantage of the alcohol to get touchy-feely.

Zhou Shuhuan was relatively well-behaved, and although he had called for hostesses, he didn’t interact much with them, instead pulling Pei Yang aside to chat.

But the others were not so principled, either hugging and holding or touching waists and legs, and one went too far, reaching his hand into a hostess’s neckline.

Noticing that Pei Yang disliked these things, Zhou Shuhuan used the excuse of needing to smoke to suggest they go outside for a walk.

They ran into an acquaintance at the staircase and ended up going to the third floor to drink.

The third floor featured private karaoke rooms.

Zhou Shuhuan brought Pei Yang, following the young man who had led them up, into one of the rooms.

Inside, there were four or five men and women who greeted the young man affectionately as "Third Young Master," their warmth tinged with a degree of respect, clearly indicating that this person called the Third Young Master had no small stature.

"Third Young Master, this is my childhood friend, Pei Yang, just arrived from Fengcheng, I brought him out to have some fun."

The Third Young Master sized up Pei Yang, seemingly impressed by Pei Yang’s tall, handsome appearance, and his air of stability and capability, he courteously offered a "welcome."

The Third Young Master, just hearing the name, it was clear he was a rich second generation. The several men and women with him were also rich kids, their conversation revolving around luxury cars, beautiful women, trading stocks, and betting on games.

Pei Yang had nothing to add to these topics and didn’t understand them, so he simply treated the conversation as a form of entertainment.

Perhaps worried that Pei Yang felt out of place, Zhou Shuhuan opened a conversation with him when there was a break, "Yang, what stocks do you usually buy?"

Pei Yang shook his head, "I don’t buy any."

"No way, who doesn’t play with stocks these days? Big bro, you’re really behind the times," a young fellow nearby joked loudly, without any reservation.

Pei Yang wasn’t upset, just smiling as he explained that he didn’t understand stocks.

The Third Young Master seemed to have a good impression of Pei Yang and spoke up, "Trading stocks is easy, you just buy whatever I buy, and I can guarantee you’ll make a steady profit."

"Thank you for your consideration, Third Young Master."

Zhou Shuhuan quickly responded on his behalf, and then gestured for him to show his stance.

Pei Yang spoke up, "Thanks a lot, Third Young Master."

The Third Young Master nodded contentedly and turned to chat about other things with the person next to him.

After sitting for a bit, upon receiving the hint from Pei Yang that he wanted to leave, Zhou Shuhuan then took him to say their goodbyes and leave.

Coming out of the private room, they didn’t head back to the second floor, but directly exited through the back door to the outside of the bar.

Not far from the bar was the river.

As they walked along the riverbank, they chatted and took in the river view.

"That Third Young Master just now, the third son of Changhong Electronics, is into cars, women, and indulges in eating, drinking, and gambling—all sorts of vices. He’s a complete wastrel. If his family wasn’t rich, who would bother with him?"

"I subcontract for some of their subsidiary brands. I earn a hundred thousand from a contract, but I have to give him eighty thousand. I only get twenty thousand. There’s no choice, though. If I don’t give him the money, I won’t earn a dime."

Pei Yang patted his shoulder understandingly, "Doing business is hard, especially for someone like you, who’s striving alone out there. Actually, the economic environment in Fengcheng is pretty good. Have you considered coming back to develop here?"

Zhou Shuhuan took out a cigarette, offered one to Pei Yang first, but after Pei Yang refused, he lit one for himself.

"It’s the same wherever you go. No matter what you do, you need connections, background, relationships."

As he said this, seeming to think of something, he turned to Pei Yang, "I think the Third Young Master has a pretty good impression of you. Take advantage of it. Although I haven’t earned much in business these past two years, I’ve won quite a bit by following the Third Young Master in stock trading and soccer betting. He’s not like us; he always has some insider information. If we tag along, we can at least get a sip of the soup."

Pei Yang shook his head, "I don’t touch that stuff, and you should be careful too. Fishing in troubled waters can’t last long."

Zhou Shuhuan exhaled a puff of smoke and laughed, "Yang, you really should get out more, see the world. Times have changed. The old-fashioned way of honestly earning money doesn’t work anymore."

With differing perspectives, Pei Yang didn’t insist, and changed the topic to Qiao Ya.

"What are you actually thinking?"

Zhou Shuhuan flicked his cigarette butt into the river, saying self-deprecatingly, "What can I think? You know what kind of person Shen Baolan is. I really can’t stay with her anymore, nor do I dare to continue. I can’t predict what stupid thing she’ll do next to cause me trouble. With her around, I can’t even sleep peacefully."

Thinking of Shen Baolan’s temperament, Pei Yang also felt a headache and was even more grateful that he wasn’t the one who married Shen Baolan.

Thinking this, he patted Zhou Shuhuan’s shoulder, "If it’s truly unbearable, just part ways amicably."

"I also want to part ways amicably, but Shen Baolan simply refuses to divorce. However, she must agree, because I need to divorce her this year."

The Qiao family had already given him an ultimatum, and he himself was quite fond of Qiao Ya and didn’t want to drag it out any longer.

...

Shen Mingzhu had no comment on Zhou Shuhuan’s desire to divorce but knew well that it would not be an easy process.

Given Shen Baolan’s temperament of fighting tooth and nail for no reason, it was bound to be a dramatic struggle, something Zhou Shuhuan was no doubt aware of, which is why he had been delaying until now.

After discussing Zhou Shuhuan’s situation, Pei Yang affectionately wrapped his arms around her and acted cutesy, "Wifey, I feel so lucky."

Shen Mingzhu looked down at the man lying on her chest, "Could you not lie on me? You’re crushing me to death!"

"I won’t, I like lying on you. You’re soft like cotton, so comfortable. I wish I could lie like this forever."

Shen Mingzhu was speechless.

"Wifey, if there’s a next life, I still want to marry you. Is that okay?"

"Thanks, but I wouldn’t marry you in the next life."

"Why not? Haven’t I been good enough to you?"

Meeting the man’s puzzled gaze, Shen Mingzhu replied nonchalantly, "I’m tired of sleeping with the same person, want to try a new flavor."

Pei Yang almost choked in frustration but quickly perked up, "Was it true what you said tonight about preparing for pregnancy, or were you just saying that?"

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