The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 360 - 359: Genius or Monster

Chapter 360: Chapter 359: Genius or Monster

Shen Baolan began to tease, "Mom, guess how much I earned?"

Ma Sufen took a look at the mixed hair coupons and coins in the cloth bag and estimated, "Did you make about three yuan?"

"After deducting the cost, I earned five yuan and thirty-five cents today."

Shen Baolan carefully went through the accounts with Ma Sufen.

All forty wholesale popsicles were sold. Accounting for the ones that broke and melted, a total of thirty-five were sold, making three cents each, and after covering the losses, she earned a total of seventy cents.

She made two cents profit on each soda, selling a total of twenty-five bottles and earning fifty cents.

All the other earnings came from selling cold water.

One bucket of boiled water, with added colorant and sweetener, cost less than fifty cents, and with nearly a hundred cups sold, the clear profit was four yuan and fifteen cents.

Shen Baolan was so excited that her face glowed with delight, "Mom, you have no idea how much money selling cold water can make. We absolutely cannot let anyone in the family compound know about this, or they’ll all start selling cold water and we won’t make any money."

Ma Sufen was also astounded by the profit from selling cold water, and her mind buzzed with calculations.

Earning five yuan a day, she thought, wouldn’t that amount to a hundred and fifty yuan in a month?

That would be twice what her son makes from his job!

...

The next morning, not only did Ma Sufen willingly get up to make breakfast, she also took care of boiling the water for Shen Baolan.

After breakfast, Shen Baolan happily pushed her cart out to set up her stall.

In the evening, Ma Sufen, unusually, didn’t go out to chat with people but stayed at home instead.

As soon as Shen Baolan came home, her mother served a special meal she had saved and then took over the money bag to start counting the cash.

The day had been hotter and the business even better than the day before, earning well over six yuan.

Ma Sufen couldn’t stop smiling, even cooking an extra egg for breakfast the next day as a treat for Shen Baolan.

Several days passed, and Shen Baolan’s cold water business flourished.

She made at least four to five yuan every day.

Ma Sufen’s attitude towards her warmed considerably, even braving the scorching midday sun to bring her lunch.

...

"Do these problems once. If you don’t know how, leave them blank for now, I will teach you later."

Pei Ziheng put the practice book with circled problems in front of Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun had always lacked patience and perseverance when it came to studying, becoming restless after more than half an hour.

That’s why Pei Ziheng would always circle the essential problems, trying to keep the time spent to under half an hour.

Zhao Yun looked at the circled problems and threw his pen down, "I don’t want to study anymore."

Pei Ziheng glanced over.

Although he said nothing and his fair, delicate face showed no expression, Zhao Yun inexplicably felt intimidated.

Though he was the older brother, he knew all too well how dark and dreadful his brother, who was six years younger, could be.

He definitely didn’t dare to anger Pei Ziheng.

"Ziheng, I don’t want to go to junior high school, and you’re not there. It’s so boring to study alone."

Pei Ziheng looked at him and asked, "Don’t you want the big house that Dad promised to buy you?"

"We can buy the house later. There’s only one brother, and if I’m not there, what if someone bullies you?"

As he spoke, Zhao Yun’s expression changed from conflicted to resolute, sounding nobly determined, "I’ve decided, I’m not taking the exam! I won’t leave you behind, no matter what. Cool, right? That’s loyalty for you."

Pei Ziheng gave a faint smile, "Yeah, I’m touched."

Zhao Yun’s smile almost reached the ends of his ears, "So, does that mean I don’t have to do these problems now?"

Before Pei Ziheng could reply, Zhao Yun quickly closed the workbook, "Ziheng, let’s go to the arcade. There’s a new game that’s really fun!"

"No, do the problems."

Zhao Yun was puzzled, "I’m not even taking the test anymore, why do I need to do the problems?"

"To honor your brotherly love," Pei Ziheng declared with sincerity, "I’ve decided... I’ll take the exam with you. We’ll go to junior high together. Happy now?"

Zhao Yun: "..."

There’s really no need for that.

"Ziheng, stop joking around. You’re only in third grade, how can you take the elementary-to-junior high transition exam?"

"Are you questioning my ability?"

That’s not it.

As a brother, Zhao Yun knew all too well how terrifying Pei Ziheng’s intelligence was. It only took a glance through a sixth grade math book for him to learn everything in it.

The teachers always said Pei Ziheng was a genius, but Zhao Yun felt that Pei Ziheng was more like a monster.

"Ziheng, are you really going to take the transition exam?"

"Hmm."

"But the registration period has already passed."

"Uh, so I registered early."

Zhao Yun’s eyes widened, "You registered? How come I didn’t know?"

Pei Ziheng didn’t lift his head, "You never asked."

Zhao Yun wanted to say something else, but Pei Ziheng tapped the workbook on the desk, "Get to work. Once you’ve learned the types of problems I circled today, you can go out and play."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yun immediately picked up his pen.

...

Since finding out that Pei Ziheng was also taking the transition exam, Zhao Yun’s enthusiasm and self-motivation for studying had significantly increased.

Even though, if he didn’t pass the exam, Zhao Dafa could still pay for him to get in through the back door.

But then he wouldn’t have the big house.

Pei Ziheng did the math for him, work hard for half a month and get a 15,000 square-foot house.

That works out to a clear profit of a thousand yuan a day.

Only a fool would pass up such easy money.

Although Zhao Dafa was always busy with business and socializing, no matter how late, he would always check on his son’s room when he got home.

Today was no exception.

What surprised him though was that his son, who normally went to bed early, was still studying at almost 11 PM.

Zhao Dafa was both delighted and relieved. His son was finally growing up and showing some persistence.

After freshening up and seeing the light still on in his son’s room, he personally warmed some milk and brought it in.

"Xiaoyun, it’s so late. Drink the milk and go to sleep. You can study more tomorrow."

Zhao Yun rubbed his eyes and downed the milk in one go.

"Dad, you go to sleep first. Don’t mind me. I need to finish these."

"I must pass the junior high exam."

Zhao Dafa had thought his son was working so hard for the house and was about to offer some words of comfort, but then he heard his son say—

"Ziheng is also taking the transition exam. If he passes and I don’t, that would be too embarrassing. I want to go to junior high with Ziheng!"

Even though he knew Pei Ziheng was a genius, the fact that Pei Ziheng was skipping three grades to take the junior high exam still left Zhao Dafa speechless with shock.

Back in the bedroom, when he told Zhou Hui, she was equally shocked.

Going to junior high at seven? Unheard of.

"Ziheng is only seven years old this year at most. Can he really handle junior high at such a young age?"

Leaning against the headboard, Zhao Dafa lamented, "Ziheng is naturally suited for academics. If this were ancient times, he’d be the embodiment of the god of scholars, a once-in-a-lifetime top scorer in the imperial examinations! The sister from the Shen family is indeed a rare and exceptional stepmother, having raised Ziheng so well."

Hearing her husband praise Shen Mingzhu, Zhou Hui didn’t feel very comfortable, and she responded half-heartedly, preparing to turn off the lights and go to sleep, when she heard her husband say:

"You should visit the Pei family more when you have time, to learn from Sister Shen, draw on her experience, and see how she educates her children."

Zhou Hui’s feelings were complicated.

On one hand, she didn’t want to bow down to Shen Mingzhu. She was a true city dweller, with a marriage that was more superior to that of Shen Mingzhu, and she harbored a certain pride.

On the other hand...