The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 585 - 584: Laid Off

Chapter 585: Chapter 584: Laid Off

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A three or four-year-old little girl, prettier than a doll, was rosy and chubby with a babyish voice that was simply irresistible when she acted coy.

Shen Mingzhu fought the urge to be soft-hearted and pulled her daughter aside, handing the little tea-colored glass bottle to her.

She said in a serious tone, "Do you know what’s inside this? You just drink it without knowing. What if it’s poison? Do you want to be sent to the hospital and have needles poked into you, have doctors cut open your tummy to scoop out the dirty stuff you swallowed?"

Guoguo shook her head like a rattle-drum, her little face displaying fear and horror at Shen Mingzhu’s description.

The thought of having her tummy cut open if she ate something carelessly was too terrifying.

"Mommy, I don’t want to go to the hospital, I don’t want my tummy cut open."

Looking at her daughter who buried her head in her chest, Shen Mingzhu’s tone softened a bit, "If you don’t want doctors to cut your tummy open, then don’t eat things you don’t recognize, okay?"

"Mmm, I’ll remember."

"You really remember? Then tell Mommy, let’s see if you really remember or if you’re lying to Mommy."

Guoguo hastily said, "Don’t eat things from strangers, eating them might send you to the hospital to have your tummy cut open."

Seeing her daughter a bit frightened, Shen Mingzhu lovingly stroked her little head, "It’s not just things you don’t recognize that you can’t eat, you also can’t eat things given to you by strangers because you don’t know if they are good or bad people."

"Kidnappers are everywhere nowadays; they target pretty and cute little girls like you, offering them poisonous candy. After you eat it and collapse from the poison, they’ll take the chance to carry you away, and then you would never see your daddy, mommy, or brother ever again."

Shen Mingzhu had spoken similar words to her daughter more than once.

Guoguo had already memorized them well and nodded along while chiming in with her babyish voice, "Don’t eat candies from strangers, they’re poisonous."

Shen Mingzhu rewarded her with a kiss on her soft cheek, "You’re such a good girl."

Guoguo also opened her arms and hugged her, giving a big kiss on her cheek, "Mommy, don’t be angry, I will be a good girl from now on."

Shen Mingzhu held out her pinky, "Pinky swear, whoever lies will become a little dog."

Guoguo happily extended her pinky to hook with hers, then stamped a thumbprint over theirs.

Cui Lianying smiled from the side and reminded, "It’s about time for dinner."

Shen Mingzhu led her daughter to the bathroom to wash hands.

"Mommy, if I’m a good girl and obey, I won’t turn into a little doggie, right?"

"That’s right."

"Then if brother doesn’t obey, will he turn into a little doggie?"

"He will too."

"Then when brother comes back, I’m going to tell him to listen to you; otherwise, he’ll turn into a little doggie."

Hearing the conversation from the bathroom, Pei Ziheng’s lips curved slightly as he put down his backpack and stepped toward the bathroom.

"Mommy?"

Turning to see her son, Shen Mingzhu smiled and beckoned, "Come in and wash your hands. It’s time to eat."

"Okay."

Shen Mingzhu moved her daughter aside to make space for her son and then reached for a dry towel to wipe her daughter’s hands, but Pei Ziheng beat her to it.

"Mommy, let me do it."

Shen Mingzhu ruffled his hair, answered with a smile, and then turned and walked out.

Pei Ziheng bent down to dry his little sister’s wet paws, not missing even the delicate fingernails.

Guoguo babbled into his ear in her babyish voice, "Brother, you must listen to mommy, otherwise, you will turn into a little doggie."

Pei Ziheng asked her, "If brother really turned into a little doggie, would you still want me?"

Pei Tang thought for a moment, then nodded vigorously, "Yes, I would."

The boy’s delicate features bloomed like a myriad of blossoming flowers, mesmerizing the young Pei Tang so much that she was momentarily stunned.

Brother is so handsome~

Shen Mingzhu looked at the box her daughter had unpacked, feeling both helpless and relieved.

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She had originally planned to wait for the right moment to "return" these two boxes of nutritional drink, but her mischievous daughter had not only found where she hid things but also opened it.

Fortunately, her daughter had only drunk two small bottles, which wouldn’t have any effect on her health.

Reflecting on this, Shen Mingzhu took a bottle of the nutritional drink, inserted a straw, and took a sip.

Both the taste and the flavor were so much better than those she got from the hospital; they were not astringent or bitter, but sour and sweet with a fruity aroma—no wonder her daughter sneaked drinks.

After much thought, Shen Mingzhu decided to keep these two boxes of nutritional drink.

Between owing Yan Yi a favor and her daughter’s growth, she chose the latter.

Every mother would do whatever it takes for her child.

However, to prevent her daughter from stealing drinks again, she specially instructed Cui Lianying at lunch to find a locksmith in the afternoon to put a lock on the cabinet where she stored the nutritional drinks.

...

After nearly a month of agonizing waiting, the restructuring of the cotton mill was officially implemented.

From its establishment nearly half a century earlier, the cotton mill had grown to a workforce of two thousand at its peak, accounting for nearly 50% of the total output value of the provincial cotton textile industry.

But after the reform, only about three hundred employees could stay, leaving more than a thousand workers facing layoffs and unemployment.

Pei Wenping gave up her spot to stay at the factory to the factory director’s daughter-in-law and chose to leave.

She had savings and some shares in a food factory, guaranteeing a stable income each year, so she wouldn’t starve even without a job.

The old factory director was forced into early retirement, his spouse was in poor health, and his son had been laid off. If his daughter-in-law lost her job as well, the family would likely struggle to put food on the table.

When Shen Mingzhu’s food factory had just started, she faced many difficulties, and the old factory director had given her a lot of support.

This could be seen as repaying Shen Mingzhu’s debt of gratitude on her behalf.

At the farewell dinner, many people shed tears at the scene, and past resentments and conflicts seemed to dissipate amidst the sentimental atmosphere.

This was especially true when everyone sang "Farewell" together; even Pei Wenping couldn’t hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.

She had entered the cotton mill when she started working and spent fifteen years of her life there, from youth to middle age—now it all came to an end.

...

After mutual encouragement and cheer, the gathering dispersed.

"Hey, Wenping, you’re back?"

On her way up the stairs, she ran into Aunt Xu from the same floor heading out.

Seeing Pei Wenping’s downcast demeanor, Aunt Xu couldn’t help but show sympathy.

The news of the cotton mill’s restructuring and the workers’ layoffs had spread far and wide.

Indeed, Pei Wenping wasn’t in the mood, so she casually acknowledged Aunt Xu and continued heading upstairs with her head down.

"Hey, Wenping, where are you going?"

Hearing Aunt Xu’s reminder, Pei Wenping realized she had walked past her own floor.

"Oh, I’m going to the rooftop to get some things," she replied offhandedly, not wanting to be embarrassed.

Aunt Xu didn’t think much of it and went downstairs with her trashcan to take out the garbage.

Ten minutes later.

Aunt Xu came back upstairs carrying the empty trashcan. As she took out her keys to open her door, something crossed her mind, and she turned to knock on the door across the hallway.

After waiting a good while with no answer, Aunt Xu hurried back to her apartment to make a phone call.

When Shen Mingzhu ran up to the rooftop, she saw Pei Wenping bent over, about to climb over the railing, which nearly stopped her heart.

"Sister!"

Pei Wenping turned her head and saw a breathless Shen Mingzhu, which left her momentarily dazed, "How did you get here?"