The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 731 - 730: It Was You From the Start to the End

Chapter 731: Chapter 730: It Was You From the Start to the End

"You said, as long as you’re not angry anymore, I’ll agree to anything."

Shen Mingzhu looked at him and said, "I’m planning to go abroad for a while."

Pei Yang was taken aback, "What did you just say?"

"I’m planning to go abroad for a while."

"Not that sentence, the one before it."

Shen Mingzhu glanced at him but didn’t speak.

Pei Yang said to himself, "I’m going to help Aunt Ying with dinner. We can talk about whatever it is later."

Shen Mingzhu grabbed him, "Are you still a man, not keeping your word?"

Pei Yang said with frustration, "We agreed you weren’t angry anymore, so why do you still want to leave? Do you not want me and this home anymore?"

"I want to go abroad to study and recharge, and incidentally, to clear my head. These past years have been all about work, family, and the kids. I’ve been stretched too thin and I need a short break to have some space for myself."

Pei Yang pressed his lips together for a while before speaking, "Then how long are you planning to go?"

"One year."

"That long!? Make it shorter, six months."

"I plan to study for an MBA in management, which takes at least one year."

Saying this, she gently took his hand and said warmly, "I’m not easy to get along with and I have a bad temper. Over the years, it’s always been you who’s accommodating and tolerant. Honestly, the fact that we’ve come this far is far more due to your efforts than mine, but this isn’t sustainable."

"Relationships between people should be mutual, equal, and balanced. If it’s always one person giving, then over time there will inevitably be conflicts and resentment, which will wear both sides down."

"My going abroad is partly to enrich myself through study and partly to momentarily distance myself from family and work, to regain energy so I can better manage our home and our marriage in the future."

Shen Mingzhu held his face with both hands, her voice coaxing, "I know you’ll support me."

Pei Yang replied gloomily, "You’re just taking advantage of the fact that I love you."

Shen Mingzhu said proudly, "Yes, you are my rock and my confidence."

All of his reluctance and dissatisfaction were melted away by her tender complaints.

"Wife, I will not bind you in the name of love. You can do whatever you want, but I just hope that whatever you do, you’ll think of me and this home."

"Okay."

Shen Mingzhu agreed earnestly, then asked him, "What do you want for a New Year gift?"

"My underwear, one pair has got a hole in it, two pairs are fraying at the edges, and now I’m just alternating between two good pairs."

Shen Mingzhu said speechlessly, "Don’t you know how to buy what you’re missing?"

"I want you to buy them; they’re comfortable when you choose them."

Shen Mingzhu rolled her eyes, "Just underwear? Nothing else?"

Pei Yang wrapped his arms around her, bringing her into his embrace, and whispered in her ear, "That’s enough."

What I’ve always wanted is you,

your love.

Pop!

Suddenly, fireworks outside the window startled Shen Mingzhu.

She turned her head and found that the sky had darkened, and a brilliant firework had burst open in the somber sky.

Another firework shot up like a meteor toward the night, blossoming in a splendor of colors.

"It’s not even New Year yet, and someone is setting off fireworks."

"Isn’t it nice to have something to watch?"

"Of course, it’s good. Why not watch for free?"

The couple stood by the window, silently watching.

The fireworks display lasted for over ten minutes.

The angle was just right; not too far, not too close, with an unobstructed view of the sky, and Shen Mingzhu thoroughly enjoyed it.

"It’s finally over."

Looking at the night sky, peaceful once again, Shen Mingzhu let out a contented sigh.

"There were a total of 520 shots."

Shen Mingzhu was surprised, "You counted?"

Upon catching the laughter in his eyes, she came to a belated realization, "Was it you who arranged for someone to set them off?"

So, it wasn’t a freebie after all.

"How much did it cost?"

Pei Yang held up a finger.

"Ten thousand?!"

She could still accept spending two hundred thousand on a bag since it could be used for many years and even appreciate in value.

But fireworks are useless. They brought joy for just ten minutes, and then ten thousand was gone!

"You wastrel, you think money is easy to come by, don’t you?"

Confronting Shen Mingzhu’s verbal assault, Pei Yang dared not nor was willing to fight back, only running and dodging.

Yet his mouth didn’t stop: "You can’t just enjoy it and then not acknowledge it, when you were watching them, your teeth were practically showing with joy!"

She had thought they were free, no cost involved, so of course she was happy.

But as it turned out, she was the one getting played for a fool, so no wonder she was angry.

"If you dare to waste money like this again, see how I’ll deal with you!"

"Then you need to stop getting angry all the time. If you don’t get angry, I won’t waste money."

Great.

Shen Mingzhu expressionlessly took down the feather duster hanging on the wall: Damn man, prepare to die!

"Ouch, be gentle, wife!"

Upstairs.

The siblings sat side by side on the step at the corner of the staircase, heads together eavesdropping on their parents’ commotion, whispering to each other:

"Brother, is mom getting even angrier?"

Pei Ziheng patted her soft head. "Once dad has taken his beating, mom won’t be angry anymore."

"Oh."

Poor dad.

Pei Wenping felt deeply sympathetic toward her father, while also making a mental note. Never to anger mom; otherwise, she would end up wailing like her dad was now.

Pei Ziheng took her hand and stood up to return to the study on the second floor.

Walking along, Pei Wenping curiously asked, "Brother, will you spend a lot of money like dad to make your wife happy in the future?"

A tenderness filled Pei Ziheng’s eyes. "As long as it’s someone I care about, I will."

Finishing, he also taught her, "Guoguo, remember, a good man is one who willingly spends money to make a woman happy. Those who only talk sweetly but don’t act are just taking advantage."

Pei Wenping shook his hand joyfully. "Brother, then when I grow up, I’ll marry you, so we can always be together, okay?"

"Not okay."

Most of the time, Pei Ziheng was unconditionally indulgent and compliant towards Pei Wenping, his sister.

But this was something he couldn’t oblige.

"Why not?" Pei Wenping pouted unhappily.

"Brothers and sisters can’t get married."

Resting her head against his arm, she said, "But I really like you, brother. Don’t you like me?"

"Silly girl."

Pei Ziheng lightly flicked her nose with his hand, avoiding a direct answer to her question.

...

Another New Year’s Eve was fast approaching.

On the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month, Shen Chaobei’s family of four finally returned to Fengcheng.

They had dinner with Shen Mingzhu’s family on the day they returned and stayed at Pei Ke’s house overnight.

Pei Ke’s house was much like Shen Mingzhu’s, occupied only by him and Cui Lianying, so there was plenty of room to accommodate a family of four.

The next morning.

Shen Mingzhu’s family of four, along with everyone from Shen Chaobei’s household, drove back to Anping Town to celebrate the New Year’s Eve.

Pei Wenping and the members of the Chen family celebrated together. Although it might be awkward, it was bearable for the sake of the children.

Pei Ke and Cui Lianying went to visit Cui Lianying’s eldest son’s family.

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