The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 506 - 505 Shen Hongmei Gets Dumped

Chapter 506: Chapter 505 Shen Hongmei Gets Dumped

The money in the drawer was neither more nor less, precisely one thousand three hundred and fourteen.

1314.

Mingzhu turned her head to look at the man beside her.

The look of grievance and dissatisfaction on the man’s face had disappeared, replaced by doting and a smile.

"Happy Qixi Festival, wife."

For a moment, Mingzhu was at a loss for words, and her eyes became slightly moist.

She felt an inexplicable urge to cry, unsure whether it was out of embarrassment or being touched.

Under the light, the man’s left ear was a bit red—where she had pinched him just before.

She had thought he was secretly saving up some personal money and had not been gentle in her approach.

She raised her hand to rub his ear, "Sorry, I wronged you."

"A beating is affection, a scolding is love; your beating and scolding are the deepest love for me."

Mingzhu was just amused by his poor attempt at humor when Guoguo beside her suddenly started clapping her little hands, "Mommy is laughing."

Mingzhu turned around and pulled her daughter to her, pretending to be angry, "You little rascal, helping Daddy make fun of Mommy."

Guoguo twisted her fair little fingers, speaking in a childish and cute voice blaming others, "Brother said Mommy would be happy."

So that’s what she did.

Mingzhu turned back and gestured with her finger for Ziheng, who was at the door, to come over and said fiercely, "You come here, too."

Ziheng immediately came to her, unable to hide the nervousness on his handsome little face.

"Mommy, don’t be angry, we won’t help Daddy tease you anymore."

The blame was shifted back onto Pei Yang.

Listening to the siblings passing the blame to each other, Mingzhu couldn’t help but laugh, "You’ve been tricked, Mommy was also pretending just now to tease you all, now we’re even."

Ziheng instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

Guoguo threw herself into her arms complainingly, "Mommy is naughty!"

Mingzhu hugged the two children, one on her left and one on her right, kissing each, "There must be penalties for mistakes and rewards for merits, Mommy thanks you for the gifts you prepared."

Pei Yang, feeling unfairly blamed, came closer, "The gift was prepared by me, I want a kiss too."

Mingzhu gave him a disdainful look, "No kiss."

"Why not?"

"Because you’re ugly."

"When have I been ugly? It’s been this way for so many years, okay? Don’t make blind accusations."

Mingzhu turned her head to the side, "Still no kiss."

"No, you have to kiss me today."

After saying that, he reached out to grab her face to steal a kiss.

Mingzhu laughed and hid behind the children, "Ziheng, Guoguo, save Mommy!"

The two children immediately blocked Pei Yang to keep him from getting close to Mingzhu.

"Don’t bully Mommy."

"I’m not bullying her."

Outside the door, hearing the joyful laughter of the family of four, Pei Ke turned and went downstairs with a relieved heart.

Nobody knew how worried he had been that the couple might start arguing.

He had even prepared to take the blame for his nephew, confessing that he had hidden the money.

The young people these days really know how to play.

He was getting old.

...

The next day, after the morning meeting ended, Mingzhu called Shen Hongmei into her office to assign her to purchase some raw materials, only to find Shen Hongmei with dark circles under her eyes, looking listless.

"What did you do last night?"

Hongmei looked at her, and her eyes suddenly reddened.

Mingzhu put away her teasing tone and asked with concern, "Did you have a fight with Liang Kean?"

Shen Hongmei shook her head and spoke in a low voice, her nose sniffing, "Everything was fine on the way back after the movie, but the moment he got home, he called me and said we weren’t suitable for each other and that we shouldn’t see each other anymore. I thought about it all night and couldn’t figure it out. We had a good time watching the movie, and he even said he’d take me to meet his parents during the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Shen Mingzhu comforted her with a pat, "Don’t jump to conclusions. I’ll ask Chen Liang about it."

Shen Hongmei wiped away her tears, her face showing a bit of stubbornness, "I don’t have to cling to him. I just want to know what exactly he despises about me. Even if I’m to die, I want to die with a clear understanding."

After convincing Shen Hongmei to go to work, Shen Mingzhu immediately called Chen Liang to inquire about the matter.

Chen Liang didn’t know about their breakup and promised to help get an explanation.

In the afternoon, right before getting off work, Yi Ling arrived at the food factory with a net full of fruits, personally apologizing to Shen Hongmei on behalf of Liang Kean.

"Kean’s parents want a city girl for a daughter-in-law, and he’s very filial. You two should just consider it a case of not being fated to be together," she said.

Shen Hongmei accepted this explanation, but refused to take any gifts no matter what, leaving Yi Ling somewhat embarrassed. In the end, Shen Mingzhu took the gifts.

After discussing Liang Kean’s issue, Yi Ling took the initiative to ask for some spicy strips and dried tofu to take back for Chen Liang to snack on with his drinks.

Shen Mingzhu told Shen Hongmei to go to the storeroom to fetch them.

Once Shen Hongmei was gone, Yi Ling whispered to Shen Mingzhu the real reason, "I don’t know where little Kean heard about it, but once he found out that Hongmei had previously had an abortion, he wasn’t willing anymore."

Shen Hongmei came from the countryside, wasn’t young, and wasn’t highly educated.

Although she was currently studying for a diploma through self-study, it was uncertain whether she could even get the diploma.

Now that her past had been dug up again, it was natural that Liang Kean found it hard to accept.

Shen Mingzhu was silent for a moment, "Let’s not tell Hongmei about this."

Yi Ling nodded repeatedly, "Of course, at first, I was thinking of introducing Hongmei to my cousin if it didn’t work out with Kean, but with this matter concerning Hongmei, I really can’t bring myself to mention it to my cousin."

These days, having an abortion while unmarried wasn’t something to be proud of; even family members got caught up and were subject to gossip.

Introducing such a person to one’s own relatives could lead to a fallout with them.

Shen Mingzhu got up and took some tea leaves, malted milk powder, and the like from the cupboard, filling two big bags.

"Yi Ling, these are all gifts from other people that I can’t use up. You take them back," Shen Mingzhu said with a smile.

"I can’t accept that," Yi Ling hurriedly declined.

Shen Mingzhu spoke with a smile, "You and Chen Liang have been troubled by Hongmei’s matter, and it’s also my fault for not clarifying her situation beforehand."

Yi Ling immediately said she understood, explaining that if it were her, she wouldn’t spread such private matters either. After all, every girl is sensitive about her reputation. Who would willingly expose their past shame?

Unaware of the real reason, Shen Hongmei thought that the Liang Family really looked down on her for being from the countryside. She regained her usual optimism and ambition, working diligently.

But Shen Mingzhu felt somewhat annoyed.

Who exactly had told Liang Kean about the past?

...

That night, Zhao Dafa got home at twelve o’clock to find his son still sprawled on the couch watching TV, not yet asleep. He was about to scold him when Zhao Yun beat him to the punch.

"Boss Zhao, I have some fantastic news for you!"

Zhao Dafa swallowed the words he was about to say, "Did you come first in the whole class?"

"What test? School hasn’t even started yet!"

Oh right, it was summer vacation, and he was too drunk to remember.

Zhao Dafa rubbed his head and ordered Zhao Yun to make him a cup of honey water to sober up.

Preoccupied with drinking, he asked, "Are you still interested in hearing the good news?"

Zhao Dafa took out a banknote from his wallet and tossed it onto the coffee table.

Zhao Yun leaped up from the sofa like a carp, snatched the money, and darted into the kitchen like the wind.

"Boss Zhao, please have some water."

"Hmm."

Zhao Dafa picked up the cup and started to drink, asking as he did so, "What’s the good... pfft!"

Before he could finish asking, he was scalded and spat out the water.

"Hiss, you little rascal, are you trying to scald me to death so you can inherit the family fortune?"

Zhao Yun stood with hands on hips, "I’m not stupid, how long would your money last if you died now? I’m hoping you live a long and healthy life, earn more money, and support my lifestyle for a lifetime."

Zhao Dafa: "..."

He was at a loss for words.