The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 764 - 763: Wanting a Son or a Daughter

Chapter 764: Chapter 763: Wanting a Son or a Daughter

"Shen Mingzhu."

Although the voice on the phone had a faint familiarity, Shen Mingzhu couldn’t recall where she had heard it recently.

"May I ask who is calling?"

"Hehe..."

The person on the other end let out a strange laugh, "You really have a poor memory for someone of your status, right? But then again, with your family and career both flourishing, it’s no wonder you’ve forgotten me, an old acquaintance."

Hearing the words "old acquaintance," a sense of unease rose inexplicably in Shen Mingzhu’s heart, yet she still couldn’t remember who the woman on the other end of the phone was.

After all, Ou Liya had vanished from her life for seven years, and in her wildest dreams, Mingzhu hadn’t imagined that Ou Liya would blame her for past sorrows and go as far as to kidnap her daughter.

"Who are you!?"

"Teacher Ou, is that you?"

Another line picked up in the villa, and as Shen Mingzhu answered the phone, Pei Ziheng also heard the conversation through the extension near the kitchen door.

Unlike Mingzhu, Ziheng recognized Ou Liya’s voice instantly.

After all, he had listened to Ou Liya’s lessons as a child.

"Teacher Ou, is my sister with you?"

Although it was a question, his tone carried the confidence of someone mature beyond his years.

"Are you Pei Ziheng?"

Due to his voice changing, Ziheng sounded completely different from when he was a child, but his tone was just as it had always been, something Ou Liya found annoying.

A mere child, always trying to act deeper than adults.

"It’s me, Teacher Ou, where is my sister?"

At this moment, Shen Mingzhu finally realized that the person on the other end of the phone was Ou Liya and urgently said, "Ou Liya, what do you want? I’ll pay any ransom, as long as my daughter is safe, I won’t pursue anything further."

"What, you think you’re impressive just because you have some money?"

Ou Liya’s mockery made Shen Mingzhu realize that it wasn’t about the money.

Was it really all about her?

Although she couldn’t understand what she had done to make Ou Liya hate her this much, even to the extent of kidnapping her daughter, she quickly retorted before her brain could catch up, "Whatever it is, take it out on me, just let my daughter go."

"Fine, I’ll give you a chance to save your daughter."

Ou Liya on the other end of the line snickered with malice, "Go to your kitchen, find the sharpest knife, bring Pei Ziheng to the front of the London Television Station, and in public, chop off Pei Ziheng’s right hand."

Although she had steeled herself for some sort of difficult demand, Shen Mingzhu was still so angered by such a cruel and vicious request that she wanted to travel down the phone line and kill the person on the other end.

She held back her rage, trying to negotiate with the caller, but Ou Liya didn’t give her a chance to speak:

"Otherwise, I’ll have someone chop off your daughter’s right hand. You choose who, Shen Mingzhu, your son or your daughter."

Before Shen Mingzhu had time to think, she heard Ou Liya say from the other end, "Come here, you little bitch, say a few words to your mother."

"Mommy, mommy! I’m in a big house..."

"Shut up!"

A severe and unfamiliar man’s voice rang out, followed by the sound of a slap and the daughter’s cry of alarm, and then suddenly, it all went quiet on the other end of the line.

Shen Mingzhu’s heart seemed to hit pause, and it stopped beating.

"Guoguo? Guoguo? Guoguo!!"

She screamed frantically, her desperation and fear driving her to the brink of collapse.

Someone supported her, someone whispered something in her ear, but she felt as though her soul had left her body, her consciousness numbed, and the world around her became a blur.

"Shen Mingzhu, who do you choose?"

After an indeterminate amount of time, Ou Liya’s smug voice once again transmitted from the other end of the phone.

Shen Mingzhu’s consciousness slowly returned, and her vision gradually cleared, only to see her son standing in front of her holding an A4 paper with "Stalling" written on it.

"Ou Liya, give me some time to think."

"You can leave now, take the police car to the television station. There is a fifteen-minute drive, and you can think it over during this time. There is a phone booth in front of the television station, and I will call punctually."

"If you still can’t give me an answer by then, I will make the choice for you. I’ve heard your daughter likes to draw, but I wonder if she could still keep this hobby after losing both hands, hahaha!"

The call ended with Ou Liya’s loud laughter.

With the police’s help, Shen Mingzhu arrived at the London Television Station within the specified time.

"Ding-a-ling-a-ling."

Shen Mingzhu had never found the ringing of a telephone so grating, like countless fine needles on her nerves.

"Mum, answer the phone."

It was only after her son’s reminder that Shen Mingzhu had no choice but to pick up the receiver.

"Shen Mingzhu, who do you choose?"

Ou Liya’s voice was full of malice on the other end of the phone, unabashedly exuding excitement.

"Ou Liya, before I tell you the answer, I want to ask you a question."

Ou Liya snorted coldly, "You think stalling for time can save your daughter? Dream on. But I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll entertain you for a couple more minutes. Ask away."

"What did I do wrong to make you go to such lengths to get revenge on me, to harm my two children?"

"Didn’t you feel very smug when you saw me being laughed at? Shen Mingzhu, you brought this on yourself! It’s not your daughter I wanted to hurt, it was you."

"Then come at me! Why did you kidnap Guoguo?!"

Shen Mingzhu yelled uncontrollably.

Although the police and negotiation experts had reminded her repeatedly on the way here to stay calm and play along,

how could she remain calm when her daughter might be at the mercy of such a crazed and venomous woman, at risk of inhuman torture and abuse at any moment.

However, instead of being agitated by Shen Mingzhu’s loss of control, Ou Liya was in high spirits.

Because this was exactly what she wanted.

Pain, fear, anger, helplessness—everything she had once endured, she wanted Shen Mingzhu to taste it!

"Enough, Shen Mingzhu, my patience has run out. Choose, your son or your daughter."

Clasping the receiver in her hand, Shen Mingzhu could not stop the tears, "Ou Liya, please don’t harm Guoguo. She’s only seven years old. As long as you’re willing to let her go, I’ll agree to any other condition."

"If you want your biological daughter, fine. Right now, immediately, in front of everyone here, chop off Pei Ziheng’s right hand!"

After speaking, she warned, "Don’t think about playing any tricks. My people are watching you from nearby."

Hearing this, Shen Mingzhu looked around reflexively.

The presence of the London police and the scene outside the television station had attracted onlookers.

Looking around, the crowd was dense, and it was impossible to tell who was who.

"Mum."

Pei Ziheng somehow produced a kitchen knife, its sharp, cold light causing Shen Mingzhu’s pupils to constrict.

"Hurry up! Do you still want your daughter or not?"

Shen Mingzhu blurted out, "Wait, just give me a little more time to think."

"Hmph, Shen Mingzhu, this shouldn’t be difficult to decide. Pei Ziheng is just your stepson. Are you going to give up your biological daughter for a stepson?"

Shen Mingzhu clenched her teeth and said nothing.

"Mum, go ahead, it’s okay. Saving Guoguo is what matters."

Looking at her sensible son, a mix of conflict and agony spread across Shen Mingzhu’s face.