The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 87: Shen Chaobei and His Wife Seek Help

Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Shen Chaobei and His Wife Seek Help

Shen Mingzhu slept extremely soundly that night, somehow not troubled by the presence of a man lying next to her.

However, Pei Yang wasn’t by her side; the bed was cold, indicating he had been up for a while already.

Shen Mingzhu got dressed in a good mood, inwardly pleased with the man’s promise-keeping behavior.

After climbing the mountain, Pei Yang returned to the inn where he was stopped by Pei Wenping.

Seeing him drenched in sweat, Pei Wenping scolded him for missing the point, "What am I to say about you? I go out of my way to set up the perfect scenario, and instead of cuddling with your wife, you run off to climb a mountain? Are you out of your mind?"

Pei Yang cleared his throat and defended himself, "I went after I woke up."

Pei Wenping looked at him, "How was last night?"

Pei Yang scratched his head, "It was okay."

At least he shared a bed with his wife, which was a big step forward compared to before.

However, Pei Wenping, unaware of Pei Yang’s true feelings, felt her heart cool considerably.

Just a few seconds and you’re already self-satisfied?

All grown up for nothing, good-looking but useless.

Oh, it’s such a headache!

They had breakfast at the country inn, egg soup noodles with the owner’s homemade pickled vegetables, sour and tasty.

During the meal, Shen Mingzhu remembered the car issue and deliberately asked Pei Wenping, "Big sis, how are we getting back to the city after breakfast? Wasn’t the car broken? Do we need to wait for someone to fix it?"

"No need, it’s already fixed," replied Pei Wenping.

Shen Mingzhu feigned curiosity, "How did it get fixed?"

"It fixed itself."

"..."

Wait, aren’t you even going to pretend a bit?

Shen Mingzhu had no idea that Pei Wenping’s mind was consumed with worry about her brother’s health, not sparing a thought for anything else.

After breakfast, the four of them drove back to the city.

Shen Mingzhu could clearly sense that Pei Wenping was in a low mood, something she had noticed during breakfast.

"Big sis, did you not sleep well last night?" Shen Mingzhu asked out of politeness.

Pei Wenping looked at her, her gaze complex, "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Quite well indeed," Shen Mingzhu replied.

She slept straight through to the morning without even dreaming.

Pei Wenping hesitated to speak, but it turned into a sigh, "It’s fine, as long as you think it’s good."

Yet, she thought to herself, the wife, coming from a rural background, probably never had anyone teach her about the intimate matters between a man and a woman, so she might be clueless.

Considering how she feels about her own brother, whom she herself disdains, the fact that her sister-in-law still seems satisfied is baffling.

Shen Mingzhu felt there was more to Pei Wenping’s words and couldn’t help but speculate. Could it be that Pei Wenping was disappointed because she and Pei Yang hadn’t taken their relationship to the next level?

This caring big sister was perhaps too eager for her own good.

Subconsciously, Shen Mingzhu’s gaze drifted to the front seat.

By coincidence, Pei Yang just happened to look up, meeting her eyes through the rearview mirror.

He smiled at her before turning his focus back to the road ahead.

It was Chen Yi who had driven them there, but today it was Pei Yang’s turn to drive.

As it turned out, a man capable at steering a boat also possessed admirable driving skills—very steady on the road.

——

Not many days had passed since they returned from the hot spring when Shen Chaobei and Du Juan brought Daya into the city.

Both spouses were local farmers, having ventured no further than the town for their marriage certificate.

The city’s tall buildings, spacious streets, bustling commerce, myriad of goods, and the traffic lights at street corners all felt strange and wondrous to the family of three.

Shen Mingzhu personally went to the station to pick up the family and bring them back home.

Upon entering, when they saw the floors cleaner than their own faces, Shen Chaobei and Du Juan dared not step forward.

It was only after hearing Shen Mingzhu say that cleaning was done daily that the couple dared to lead their child inside.

Once inside, the three were again stunned by the living room’s arrangement.

Shen Mingzhu graciously showed the family around the house before asking Pei Ziheng to take Daya downstairs to play, while she stayed to chat with her elder brother and sister-in-law.

The couple was reserved and down-to-earth, and despite sitting for a long time and having several cups of tea, they struggled to broach the main topic, until Shen Mingzhu took the initiative to ask.

"Big Brother, Sister-in-law, have you settled the matters of the family division?"

Only then did Shen Chaobei open up and explain the purpose of their visit.

When she learned that the elders wanted to have Shen Chaobei, the eldest, move out and set up his own household, Shen Mingzhu wasn’t too surprised, but what she didn’t expect was for Qin Jinlian not to offer any money to help the couple build a new house but to leave them to their own devices.

"...Mingzhu, your big sister-in-law and I came to find you as a last resort, hoping to borrow some money to go back and build two new rooms. Rest assured, we will definitely repay you, or else I’ll write you an IOU..."

"Big Brother,"

Shen Mingzhu interrupted Shen Chaobei, "I cannot lend you the money."

Shen Chaobei’s face showed deep disappointment, his lips parted as if to speak, but in the end, not a word came out.

"No worries, I’ll find another way..."

He attempted to smile but couldn’t. Instead, embarrassed, he bowed his head.

After some hesitation, Du Juan, beside Shen Chaobei, voiced her inner thoughts, "Mingzhu, do you still mean to teach me how to make egg cakes?"

"Yes."

Du Juan’s anxious face lit up with joy, and a hint of light and hope appeared on the honest face of Shen Chaobei.

Seeing the honest and straightforward Shen Chaobei like this, Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but feel helpless, "Big brother, don’t you have anything else to ask me?"

Shen Chaobei quickly asked, "Mingzhu, are you well? And Pei Yang? Hasn’t he made life difficult for you because of the Yang Family’s affairs?"

Shen Mingzhu sighed, "Big Brother, aren’t you going to ask me why I won’t lend you the money?"

Shen Chaobei was at a loss for words for a while before he stammered, "You must have your difficulties, we shouldn’t have come to you, you’ve already done enough for the family."

Shen Mingzhu didn’t want to beat around the bush and said plainly, "I’m not lending you the money, not because I don’t trust you and sister-in-law, nor because I’m indifferent, but because this isn’t the right approach to the matter."

"What does it mean to split the household? Dividing up the household means exactly that, dividing the property, and to kick you out without a share? That makes no sense!"

"Your new house must be built with money from our parents’ savings. If they refuse to contribute, then there’s no need to divide the household. Things should remain as they were before."

Not to divide the household?

Shen Chaobei and Du Juan looked at each other, puzzled.

"I’ve already agreed with your sister-in-law to divide the household, but to say now we won’t... What am I supposed to tell our parents?"

Shen Mingzhu scoffed, "Just tell them the truth, say you have nowhere else to stay. I refuse to believe that our parents would actually force you out."

"Chaobei, listen to Mingzhu. Anyway, if we don’t split the household, there are others who are more anxious than us."

That Du Juan could say such a thing gave Shen Mingzhu a new respect for her.

Shen Chaobei wanted to return home that day, but Shen Mingzhu, considering it was the couple’s first city visit, wanted to show them around to broaden their horizons, persuaded the family to stay a few more days and return after the New Year’s celebration.

Since there wasn’t enough room in the Pei Family home, they rented a double room at a nearby hotel.

In Shenjiagou, Qin Jinlian, waiting left and right for the eldest couple’s return, grew increasingly anxious, even muttering about it in her sleep at night.

"It’s been three days, why hasn’t the eldest come back?"

"I wonder how much money the eldest borrowed from Mingzhu, hopefully a good amount, so we can buy Lizhen that gold chain along the way and get her to bear me a fat grandchild sooner."