The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 713 - 712: Whose Responsibility

Chapter 713: Chapter 712: Whose Responsibility

"We have now thoroughly investigated the situation..."

The Shen Family members were all staring at Zhou Shuhuan, their demeanor oozing confidence, and Tian Wenfang had even mentally calculated the sum of compensation in her heart.

Fifty thousand.

After getting the money, the first thing to do was to buy a house in the city, and the rest would be saved for Liu Cuihua’s medical treatment and medicine.

"Your mother’s stroke has little to do with Zhou Shuhuan."

"How could it have nothing to do with him?!" Shen Hao jumped up first.

Tian Wenfang followed suit, "We saw it with our own eyes. The villagers also saw it. Mom fainted from anger while talking to him! The facts are there; how can you say it has nothing to do with him? Are you trying to cover up for him?"

"Don’t get worked up just yet. We care about evidence in our investigations. Let’s hear what the doctor has to say."

The doctor began by briefly educating everyone on the causes of cerebral hemorrhage and its common symptoms before drawing a conclusion:

Liu Cuihua’s cerebral hemorrhage was not triggered just before she fell into a coma; it had been an existing condition for some time.

Since the brain is full of tiny blood vessels, the amount of blood that bleeds at the onset of a hemorrhagic stroke is very small and would certainly not flow out through the mouth or nose.

Unless there was a significant accumulation of clotted blood in the skull, coupled with violent and rapid movement, it might then be possible for blood to flow out through the mouth or nose.

After the doctor finished, the officer turned to Tian Wenfang, "According to your husband’s statement, your mother fell ill last night during an argument with you. The symptoms were relatively mild at the time, so you didn’t notice."

The Shen Family members were stunned.

Tian Wenfang’s face went from red to white, as if she had been slapped several times.

Seeing everyone looking at her with accusing eyes, she hurriedly defended herself, "Mom was fine this morning at breakfast. How can you pin this on me?"

The officer said, "Didn’t your mother chase after Zhou Shuhuan this morning? It’s likely that the chase exacerbated her condition."

Furious, Shen Hao raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face.

"You caused Mom’s illness! If anything happens to her, I will never forgive you!"

Tian Wenfang fell to the ground with a swollen face that was visibly swelling; she sat dazed for a long time, unable to utter a sound.

She had calculated every possibility but had never considered that she herself might be the main cause of Liu Cuihua’s stroke.

Shen Dashan, not willing to give up just yet, pointed at Zhou Shuhuan and asked the officer, "So, he bears no responsibility at all?"

The officer replied, "Currently, there is no evidence to suggest he should be held accountable for this incident. If you are purely seeking financial compensation, you could negotiate, or take legal action. However, based on my personal experience, the chances of you winning the case are not great."

Shen Dashan fell silent.

Though a farmer, he wasaware that lawsuits were not so easy to handle.

Zhou Shuhuan looked at the Shen Family members with a mocking gaze, not the least bit surprised by this outcome.

Right at the beginning of Liu Cuihua’s coma, he had called a lawyer for advice.

The lawyer, having dealt with similar cases and knowing that Zhou Shuhuan had not had any physical altercation with Liu Cuihua, reassured him.

Although Zhou Shuhuan was not the main culprit behind Liu Cuihua’s cerebral hemorrhage, his presence indeed aggravated her condition. After negotiation with the police, he agreed to pay a part of the medical expenses.

The police station informed She Zheming of the decision, and he in turn told Shen Mingzhu.

That evening, when she returned home, Shen Mingzhu relayed the information to Pei Yang.

Pei Yang didn’t care whether Liu Cuihua had a stroke or not, but was curious as to why She Zheming had told Shen Mingzhu about it:

"Why did he go out of his way to tell you this?"

"Do you two often keep in touch?"

"Are you close?"

A casual "It’s alright" from Shen Mingzhu left Pei Yang on high alert.

"What do you mean ’it’s alright’? He’s so old and yet not married, doesn’t go after young girls, and is always contacting you, a noblewoman. What is he after, huh?"

Shen Mingzhu laughed, "Why don’t you ask him tomorrow? I would like to know as well."

Pei Yang, with jealousy raging, "I’ll go tomorrow!"

"Why are you yelling?"

Pei Yang lowered his voice, "I wasn’t yelling."

Shen Mingzhu looked at him amusedly, "Are you really going tomorrow?"

"Of course, family happiness must not be infringed upon."

"Do you think you can beat him?"

"Am I inferior to him in your heart?"

"One should recognize one’s own strengths and weaknesses."

Seeing the man so infuriated that smoke seemed to be billowing out of all seven of his orifices, Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but laugh, reaching out to stroke the man’s head as if to smooth down fur, "It’s because I had something to ask him today that he mentioned it offhand."

"You think I’m dead? If you have a problem, why go to him and not me?"

"It’s none of your business."

No sooner had she spoken than the man’s figurative hackles, which had just been smoothed, almost erupted again; but they were soothed in the next second, "I’m planning to set him up with someone."

Pei Yang looked at her, "Really? Who is it?"

"I’ll tell you when it’s confirmed."

"Alright."

At this moment, Pei Yang was nothing short of a large, contented wolfdog whose fur had been smoothed, lying obediently in her lap, his tone carrying a hint of coquettishness, "Wife, my birthday is coming up."

"Hmm."

"What are you planning to give me this year?"

"I’ll send you away, thousands of miles away."

"..."

...

The next day, after wrapping up his work, Pei Yang visited the new branch that had opened last month for an inspection.

Seeing him arrive, He Tao set aside his work and warmly welcomed him.

At the beginning of the year, after being laid off, He Tao was recruited by Pei Yang to work as a pager salesperson, and now he had become the manager of the new store.

After giving Pei Yang a brief work report, He Tao brought up a personal matter, "Did you know Shuhuan left?"

Pei Yang feigned nonchalance, "When did that happen?"

Talking about Zhou Shuhuan, "This morning; he called a few of us out for dinner last night, said he’s not coming back this year and will be spending the Spring Festival in Fucheng."

Pei Yang nodded, "That’s good, it’s not convenient for his pregnant wife to travel this way."

He Tao hesitated before speaking, "You and Shuhuan have been brothers for so many years, it’s distressing for all of us to see you two like this."

"Whatever issues I have with him, they don’t affect you all. We’ll continue to interact just as we always have."

Hearing him say that, He Tao couldn’t help but sigh, "I’m just afraid that there’ll be fewer chances to see each other now. It looks like Shuhuan is planning to settle down there permanently."

"What’s all this about, you seem to be having such an animated conversation."

While they were talking, Dai Mingfang approached with a smile.

The temperature inside was high, and she was dressed lightly, wearing an apricot-colored turtleneck sweater paired with a plaid pinafore dress. Her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, radiating a sweet pear-like fragrance and exuding a youthful and lively charm.

Seeing Dai Mingfang’s eyes almost stuck on Pei Yang, He Tao tactfully found an excuse to leave, citing work.

Pei Yang also wanted to leave, but Dai Mingfang deliberately blocked his path.

"Big Brother Pei, you haven’t come to see me in ages."

Pei Yang strategically took two steps back to increase the distance between them, "Xiao Dai, don’t talk nonsense."

Dai Mingfang was amused by his reaction, "Oh come on, I’m just joking. Why are you so nervous, are you that afraid of your sister-in-law? Is she a tigress or something?"

"Even joking is not okay. Don’t make those kinds of jokes again, or I’ll dock your pay!"

After saying that, he hurried out of the store.

Once in his car and before he could catch his breath, he received a call from Shen Mingzhu.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing, I’m alone in the car."

After all these years of marriage, Shen Mingzhu instantly picked up that something was off in his tone, "Why do you sound so guilty?"

"Guilty? Why would I have anything to feel guilty about?"

Shen Mingzhu hardly ever called when there wasn’t something up, and her call just now, was it possible she’d already heard about what had just transpired? How could word have traveled so fast—did she have a spy in his store?

It seems his wife must really love him, to have people keeping an eye on him like that.

In a brief few seconds, Pei Yang’s thoughts turned into a whirlwind.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.