The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 415 - 414: Young Man, You Really Know How to Have Fun

Chapter 415: Chapter 414: Young Man, You Really Know How to Have Fun

Zhong Qing walked to the hood of the Crown car, unscrewed her lipstick cap, and wrote on the hood:

"For Sale: 100 Yuan."

After closing the lipstick cap, Zhong Qing turned with a beaming smile and said to Shen Mingzhu, "There, now it’s not expensive anymore."

Shen Mingzhu: "..."

You really are a clever one.

...

"Beep Beep."

On the side of the road, Pei Yang was walking and laughing with two middle-aged men, when they heard the horn, all three instinctively turned their heads.

Shen Mingzhu poked her head out of the driver’s side window, pulled down her sunglasses, and gave Pei Yang a flirtatious wink.

"Hi, handsome."

Struggling to keep a straight face, Pei Yang asked, "What’s up?"

"Got time? Come over to my place, my husband won’t be home tonight."

"Sure."

Pei Yang turned to wave at the two middle-aged men before walking around the front of the car to take the passenger seat.

Shen Mingzhu politely nodded to the two men on the roadside and drove away, kicking up dust.

One of the middle-aged men watched enviously as the Crown car drove off, "Tch, being handsome sure is great, can find romance right in the middle of the road, and it’s a pretty little rich lady to boot."

The other patted his shoulder, "What are you thinking? That’s someone’s wife, the President Shen of Meihao Food Factory."

The first man slapped his thigh and laughed, "These young folks really know how to have fun!"

...

Pei Yang looked at his wife, who was in a great mood, and teased, "Did you find money?"

Shen Mingzhu patted the steering wheel, "Didn’t find money, found a car."

"What car?"

"Qingqing gave me this car."

"Why would she randomly give you a car?"

"She said it’s a birthday present. This car was her first car, she hasn’t really used it much over the past few years. It’s just collecting dust at her place, so she gave it to me."

Pei Yang ground his teeth a bit, "She might just be kidding, and you had the guts to accept it."

Shen Mingzhu glared at him irritatedly, "Do you take me for a fool? Can’t I tell if it’s sincere or not?"

"You’re actually a fool."

"You’re the fool."

"Yeah, I’m the foolish husband, and you’re the foolish wife."

"Get lost."

The couple bantered all the way, and when they passed a roast meat shop, Shen Mingzhu specifically stopped the car to let Pei Yang go buy a roast chicken to add to their meal at home.

A couple of days later, Yan Su called Shen Mingzhu to invite her out to dinner.

The dining location was at the Baina Restaurant, coincidentally, where they had first met.

"Order whatever you like, it’s on me. I’m going to M Country on a business trip in a few days, and probably won’t make it back for your birthday, so let’s celebrate it in advance today."

Hearing Yan Su say this, Shen Mingzhu didn’t hesitate to order the most expensive fillet.

She quite enjoyed the steaks at their restaurant, with meat that was tender, juicy, and burst with rich creamy flavor in one’s mouth, delicious to the point of not wanting to stop.

"Are you full? Want to order anything else?"

Yan Su had barely touched her food, setting down her knife and fork and resting her chin on her palm as she watched Shen Mingzhu eat, then asked warmly after she had finished.

Shen Mingzhu sipped her sparkling wine, "I’m full, can’t eat anymore."

Upon her answer, Yan Su smiled and pushed the car key she had placed beside her towards Shen Mingzhu.

"It’s for you, happy birthday, Mingzhu."

Shen Mingzhu looked at the car key, a bit stunned, "You’re not also giving me a car, are you?"

The word "also" raised Yan Su’s eyebrow, "Who else gave you a car?"

Shen Mingzhu dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, "Qingqing, she gave me her Crown car."

Yan Su nodded, "She gave you hers, I give you mine."

"No need, I already have a car now."

Yan Su’s face fell instantly, "You accept Qingqing’s car but not mine, do you think mine isn’t good enough?"

"It’s not like that, I didn’t mean that, don’t talk nonsense!"

"As long as that’s not the case, then take it!"

Yan Su placed the car key in front of her, seemingly with an attitude that not accepting it meant looking down on her.

Is this how all you rich people are, so capricious?

"If you give me your car, won’t you need it yourself?"

"Oh, my sister bought me a new car."

Wow, rich sister YYDS.

Yan Su looked at her, "I didn’t want to buy it at first, but seeing you without a car, always borrowing from Qingqing, was too inconvenient, so I simply bought a new one and gave the old one to you."

At this point, Shen Mingzhu felt that not accepting the car would be ungracious on her part.

The car Yan Su owned was an imported model from the Soviet Union. Although it had been a few years, it was also a star design from the past few years.

Moreover, Yan Su had it refurbished especially for her; the original champagne-colored body was changed to pearl white, and the interior was replaced with brand new genuine leather seats, including Mingzhu’s favorite wine red color.

Really, she was touched to death.

...

At dinner that evening, Shen Mingzhu discussed with Pei Yang how to allocate the two cars, "You use the Crown car for now, I’ll drive the Volga."

"I don’t want it."

The man’s tone was clearly emotional, "It was given to you, not to me."

"If you don’t want it, forget it."

Shen Mingzhu glanced at the man, then turned to Pei Ziheng, "Erza, mom will keep it for you until you grow up, then you can drive it."

Pei Ziheng nodded happily, "Thank you, Mom."

After dinner, Pei Yang cleaned up the dishes while Shen Mingzhu took the two children out for a walk.

After the walk and returning home, Pei Ziheng went upstairs with Guoguo to play in the study, and Shen Mingzhu started heating the bath water before returning to the bedroom.

Pei Yang was half-reclining on the bed with a book in his hand; he looked up at her as she entered and then turned his gaze back, flipping a page of the book.

Shen Mingzhu approached, "Someone kindly gave me a car, why are you so grumpy?"

"I’m not grumpy."

Shen Mingzhu placed her hands on either side of the man’s face and squeezed firmly, "Look at your face, it’s longer than a horse’s."

Pei Yang took her hands down but didn’t let go, holding them in the palm of his hand.

It wasn’t that he was being petulant; he just felt dejected.

As a husband, he felt incapable of improving living conditions for his wife.

Being unable to provide for the woman he loved was a great blow and denial for a man with strong self-esteem and deeply ingrained masculinity.

He didn’t know how to express these dejected emotions.

"Pei Yang."

"Hmm."

"You’ve suffered these past few years."

Pei Yang looked up at her without saying a word.

Shen Mingzhu smiled, "Since you quit your job, you’ve devoted all your time and energy to this home, to me and the children. Whether as a husband or a father, you’ve been without reproach."

"Now that the company’s development has stabilized, and Ziheng and Guoguo are growing up, you can pursue what you wish now."

"If you want to start a business, you can use our savings; if that’s not enough, we’ll figure it out together."

Under the light, the woman’s features were tender and her gaze clear.

Pei Yang suddenly realized that even though he hadn’t said anything, his wife understood him.

She recognized his troubles and cared about his feelings.

Once he understood this, those cobweb-like emotions enveloping his heart instantly vanished.

All he had ever wanted in this life was the person before him.

"Aren’t you afraid I’ll lose all the hard-earned savings we have?"

"If we lose it, so be it. I can afford the loss." Shen Mingzhu looked at him, "Have you decided what you want to do?"

Pei Yang nodded with a smile in his eyes, "I want a kiss from my wife."

Shen Mingzhu leaned in and kissed his lips, her pale fingers lightly tapping his nose, and asked softly, "Are you happy now?"

"Hmm."

Pei Yang hugged her waist tightly, his face showing satisfaction, "Wife, I love you."

Shen Mingzhu curled her lips and rested on his chest, whispering back, "Me too."

"Me too what?"

"What you are, I am."

"I want to hear you say it."

"I’ve already said it."

"When?"

Shen Mingzhu thought hard, "Two years ago on New Year’s Eve."

In a flash, Pei Yang remembered.

He couldn’t believe that what he had missed that night was his wife’s confession.

A mix of chagrin and joy made his chest ache, and he felt compelled to do something to release these feelings.