The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 291 - 290: Shen Xiangnan’s Marriage

Chapter 291: Chapter 290: Shen Xiangnan’s Marriage

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Over the past year, Qin Jinlian’s greatest worry had been the marriage of her second son, Shen Xiangnan.

Several matchmakers had been approached, but either Xiangnan didn’t approve of the match or the other party didn’t approve of him.

Finally, they had found someone both parties liked.

The woman was from the neighboring county, 21 years old, with outstanding looks and features, but her dowry expectations were high.

Just the dowry demanded four hundred, plus the "three turns with a bang," as well as the feast and other miscellaneous things, it would certainly cost nearly a thousand.

"There’s no need to discuss this with me. Once you’ve settled on it, just pick a date and get it done. I’m staying out of it."

Qin Jinlian looked at her, "Even so, you should contribute some money as a gesture. Your brother had a good marriage prospect ruined because of you."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mingzhu became angry, scoffing, "Yang Lizhen still isn’t married. If you think she’s so great, bring Xiangnan back home now and have him remarry Lizhen. If I utter one more word, I’ll take your surname!"

Qin Jinlian choked with frustration for a while before sulkily saying, "I’m not saying your brother should remarry Lizhen. Anyway, you can’t play favorites, lavishing everything on your eldest brother and ignoring whether your second brother lives or dies."

Shen Mingzhu continued to scoff, "So, you can’t stand to see my elder brother and sister-in-law doing well? Alright then, should I kick them out of the food factory and send them back to farm with you in the country?"

Qin Jinlian glared at her, "You insolent child, is that what I’m saying?"

"Then what are you saying? You sold me off once for a bride price, and that’s not enough; I have to bleed dry for a lifetime? To those in the know, I’m just his sister. To those not, they might think I’m his old mother, a married woman still expected to support her natal family’s brother."

Qin Jinlian was upset by her rebuke, and with a flare of temper, she said, "What are you blabbing about, you ungrateful wretch? Now that you live in a big house, with a good life, you just ignore your brother’s wellbeing? Have you forgotten how Xiangnan cared for you when you were young?"

"Yes, I’ve forgotten all about it! All I remember is being sold for a bride price of five hundred and fifty to Pei Yang. Now I am Mrs. Pei, referred to by others as ’Madam Pei’!"

Qin Jinlian’s face turned red and then pale, her lips trembling without forming a word.

Sister Yu heard the commotion and came out to mediate, "Oh my, it’s so hot. Everyone calm down and speak peacefully."

Seizing the opportunity, Qin Jinlian climbed onto the bandwagon, "Anyway, Chaobei said he would contribute two hundred for Xiangnan’s wedding. I won’t ask you for more; just chip in three hundred."

Shen Mingzhu sneered, "Don’t talk about three hundred, I won’t even give thirty. Marry off that daughter-in-law if you want, it’s not my concern."

After saying this, she turned to Sister Yu and commanded, "Don’t let her in again, deduct two dollars from your salary for every time she enters."

Sister Yu looked from one to the other, finally deciding not to get involved, and then turned to the kitchen.

Being so shunned and driven away by her daughter in front of an outsider, Qin Jinlian’s heart overflowed with grievances and sorrow, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

"Without me, do you think you’d be living the good life you have today? I really raised you for nothing. Had I known you’d be so heartless, I would’ve been better off not having you at all."

"Without me, your elder brother would still be farming in the countryside, and Xiangnan would still be a bachelor, unable to find a wife. And you still expect him to marry a second time? You must be dreaming."

Qin Jinlian left in tears.

She did not return to the countryside but went to the food factory to lament to Shen Chaobei.

She had thought that the most filial Chaobei would surely stand by her side and condemn her daughter’s impiety.

However, Chaobei scolded her instead.

"Even if the little sister is wealthy, that’s her own hard-earned money. She has her own child to raise and a family to support. Do you expect her to take care of her natal family’s brother forever?"

Having found no comfort from her eldest, Qin Jinlian could only hold her sorrows and return to the countryside dispiritedly.

When she spoke to her husband about the matter, he also scolded her, and Qin Jinlian utterly collapsed, sobbing loudly on the kang bed.

Shen Mingzhu initially thought her harsh words would make Qin Jinlian give up.

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The result wasn’t long in coming, Shen Xiangnan brought his partner over, hoping Shen Mingzhu could arrange a job for her at the food factory.

"Whose idea was this?"

Shen Mingzhu didn’t mind airing family laundry in public and directly questioned Shen Xiangnan in front of the girl.

Shen Xiangnan always honest in front of her, "It’s mom, she said to arrange a city job for Yuemei, worth two hundred yuan as a dowry."

Shen Mingzhu was amused to the point of laughter,

Qin Jinlian might be foolish, but she was not short of sly ideas.

She looked the girl up and down; perhaps intimidated by her stern gaze, the girl’s cheeks flushed crimson, her hands twisted together, appearing somewhat nervous.

She did look refreshing, and she didn’t seem to be the scheming type either.

"You’re Yuemei, right?"

Shen Xiangnan promptly said, "Jia Yuemei."

Fearing she wouldn’t be taken in, Jia Yuemei quickly pitched herself, "I can wash clothes, cook, clean, I’ll do anything, I’ll definitely work hard."

Shen Mingzhu looked at Jia Yuemei, "I can give you a chance, if you pass the interview, you can stay and work at the factory. But I want to be clear about one thing, you’re getting this chance not because of any promises Qin Jinlian made to you, but because I’m offering it out of regard for my second brother."

Jia Yuemei nodded repeatedly, excitement showing on her face.

"See, I told you, my little sister is really good, she wouldn’t ignore me."

After leaving the Pei Family, Shen Xiangnan couldn’t resist bragging to Jia Yuemei.

Jia Yuemei nodded happily while glancing back at the Pei Family’s red brick western-style house, a look of longing on her delicate face, "Your little sister is really pretty, and so is the house she lives in."

Shen Xiangnan also couldn’t help but look back at the Pei Family’s compound, and said, "You like this kind of thing, huh? Once I’ve saved enough money, I’ll build you an even bigger and nicer western-style house in the countryside."

"You’re just bragging. Do you know how much money it takes to build such a big house?"

Shen Xiangnan counted on his fingers, "My little sister spent more than ten thousand on this house, building a new one in the countryside doesn’t cost that much. If the two of us work in the city, we can save at least seven or eight hundred a year, that’s seven or eight thousand in ten years, at most ten years."

Jia Yuemei pouted at the thought, "That long, huh."

Seeing her displeasure, Shen Xiangnan quickly coaxed her, "Otherwise, we first build a smaller bungalow, for a bungalow, three or four thousand should be about enough."

Jia Yuemei’s face finally broke into a smile.

In the evening, Pei Yang told Shen Mingzhu the results of Jia Yuemei’s interview.

The food factory’s recruitment interview included a written test and skills assessment, both of which Jia Yuemei had passed smoothly. However, Pei Yang hadn’t hired Jia Yuemei on the spot, instead preferring to consult Shen Mingzhu’s opinion first.

Upon learning that Jia Yuemei had passed the interview, Shen Mingzhu instructed Pei Yang to arrange for her to start at the factory.

There were reasons Shen Mingzhu wanted to keep Jia Yuemei around.

If Jia Yuemei were to live in the countryside after marriage, knowing Shen Xiangnan’s nature, it was certain he would frequently run off to the countryside, which would affect his work, not to mention the risk of being manipulated by Qin Jinlian.

As long as Jia Yuemei wasn’t one to stir up trouble, Shen Mingzhu didn’t mind giving her a meal ticket, allowing the young couple to settle down in the city in the future.

Time flew by, and before they knew it, Shen Mingzhu’s confinement was over.

Interestingly enough, it happened to be the day Shen Mingzhu finished her confinement that Shen Baolan gave birth.