The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 779 - 778: Wonderful Misunderstanding

"Ah, I forgot to say, the other party had something come up and can’t make it. No worries, let’s just have fun and treat it as a family gathering."

Upon hearing this, Yan Su instinctively glanced at Han Zibin.

Han Zibin was also looking at her.

Due to Shen Mingzhu’s intentional misdirection, both thought that today was the day they were to meet their prospective match.

Now that their intended dates could not make it, both wondered if the other was disappointed.

The gathering commenced amidst delightful misunderstandings.

"Wow, sister-in-law, your figure is unbeatable!"

When Shen Mingzhu took off her bathrobe, revealing the printed bikini she was wearing, it immediately captivated Pei Qiuxia and the others, who couldn’t take their eyes off her.

Apart from Shen Mingzhu and Yan Su, Pei Qiuxia and the others were dressed in tank tops and shorts.

Yan Su’s swimsuit was a one-piece with a skirt tied around the waist, which compared to Shen Mingzhu’s bikini, was conservative enough to resemble an old lady’s.

As soon as Shen Mingzhu hit the water, Pei Qiuxia and the others surrounded her.

Some felt her slender waist, others were curious about the style of her swimsuit.

When they learned that such swimsuits were a common sight abroad and that women even wore them to the beach, Pei Qiuxia and the others were utterly shocked.

"My goodness, that little bit of fabric is barely bigger than my palm, it covers almost nothing—who would dare wear that out? Aren’t they afraid of being taken advantage of?"

Shen Mingzhu laughed, "There are even those who lie naked on sofas to sunbathe, all in the name of getting a suntan."

Naked sunbathing?

As traditional women, Pei Qiuxia and the others simply could not comprehend, but that didn’t stop them from being fascinated.

After soaking for a while, Pei Qiuxia and Shen Hongmei couldn’t take it anymore and got up to go inside for a drink and to rest.

Left in the hot spring were Shen Mingzhu, Yan Su, and Pei Wenping.

Thinking of Chen Yi, who had turned up uninvited, Shen Mingzhu teased Pei Wenping, "Brother Yi has been traveling frequently between Fengcheng and Shanghai City lately—I bet he’s spent a pretty penny on plane tickets."

"If he has money to burn, then let him," Pei Wenping scoffed.

Yan Su laughed along, "Perhaps someone just can’t sit still."

"He’s crazy," Pei Wenping remarked.

From her tone, it was clear that Pei Wenping wasn’t as annoyed by Chen Yi now as she had been in the last two years.

The saying ’a determined pursuer will break the resistance of a chaste heart’ seemed to be proven true by them.

Next door.

Seizing the moment when Chen Yi, Zhao Dafa, and Shen Zheming went inside to hydrate, Han Zibin moved closer to Pei Yang.

"Brother Pei, do you know who Miss Yan the second’s match is?"

"I don’t know."

It must be said, Shen Mingzhu had kept her lips sealed—despite sharing a bed with Pei Yang, she hadn’t let slip a single word about the secret between Yan Su and Han Zibin.

"I think that person must be extremely outstanding in every respect—family background, status, ability; only someone like that would be worthy of Miss Yan the second."

It seemed like he was making idle conversation with Pei Yang, but it was more like he was talking to himself.

Although Pei Yang might not have shared his feelings of sorrow, he disagreed with the sentiment.

"I don’t know about others, but Miss Yan the second definitely doesn’t look at that."

Han Zibin’s eyes lit up noticeably as he looked at him.

Pei Yang clearly misunderstood, thinking Han Zibin was curious about his reasoning, and elaborated, "You see, if Miss Yan the second cared about that, then wouldn’t she just pick a successor from a prominent family right off the bat, instead of searching high and low up to now?"

"Then, Brother Pei, what kind of man do you think Miss Yan the second would like?"

Pei Yang turned his head to size him up.

Unlike Pei Yang’s robust build, Han Zibin was slender and tall, his skin paler than a woman’s by a few shades, his well-proportioned bones covered with thin muscles, giving him a delicate and youthful air.

Still harboring a grudge that Shen Mingzhu had called Han Zibin handsome, he blurted out, "Definitely not someone like you, anyway."

"Why?"

"Women of a certain age all tend to like mature, stable, and considerate men."

Like me, for example.

Han Zibin secretly rolled his eyes at him, "You make it sound like Miss Yan the second is so old. She’s only thirty-eight."

Thinking of his own age, thirty-five, wouldn’t calling Yan Su old be like saying he was old, too?

"Yes, I misspoke. Being in your thirties is not old."

"Mhm."

They weren’t old at all.

After soaking in the hot springs, around five o’clock, everyone gathered in Shen Mingzhu’s courtyard for a barbecue.

Dozens of skewers of marinated beef and lamb were spread evenly on the grill, sizzling and oozing with fat as they were scorched by the fiery red charcoal, with the air filled with the rich aroma of cumin.

Pei Yang, Chen Yi, and Han Zibin stood in front of the barbecue, bustling around in a frenzy.

She Zheming, who wasn’t skilled in cooking, stood by, passing tools and condiments from time to time.

Shen Mingzhu and the other women sat inside the house, drinking pear soup and chatting idly as they waited to eat.

"It should be about ready."

Han Zibin grabbed a large plate, ready to dish up the skewers and take them inside to the others.

Pei Yang pressed down on Han’s hand that was reaching for the skewers, "Grill them a little longer. Mingzhu likes her meat more charred."

Han Zibin replied to him, "Miss Yan the second prefers hers more tender."

The two men looked at each other; the scene was awkward for a moment.

"It’s no big deal, just grill half of them a bit more tender and the other half a bit more charred."

With a reminder from Yan Su, they both came to their senses and split the skewers on the grill into two groups.

The tender half was placed on the large plate by Han Zibin and taken inside.

Pei Yang continued to turn and grill the remaining skewers, ensuring they were charred but not burnt.

Thinking of his wife enjoying the barbecue, her face filled with satisfaction, his heart swelled with joy.

Chen Yi suddenly nudged him, "Don’t you think something is off with Little Han?"

Pei Yang, his thoughts fixed on grilling, glanced at Han Zibin’s back but did not make a sound.

Instead, it was Yan Su who spoke, "You guys only notice now? That youngster probably has his sights set on Miss Yan the second, pretty plainly."

Chen Yi shot a look of surprise at Yan Su, probably not expecting a police captain to be so gossipy.

Yan Su took a skewer of lamb, eating as he explained, "In our line of work, we see all kinds of people and reading between the lines comes naturally."

Indeed.

Pei Yang finally caught on too, realizing why Han Zibin was so protective of Yan Su earlier at the hot spring pool.

"Finally, food’s here. I’m starving."

Seeing Han Zibin bring in the skewers, everyone was somewhat excited.

Han Zibin placed the skewers closer to Yan Su’s side, explaining as he did, "This plate is grilled tenderer. If you want yours more charred, just wait a bit longer; I’ll bring them in soon."

"Thanks, Little Han."

"Our Little Han is handsome and a good cook, considerate and attentive too. His partner is really lucky."

"Little Han, you’re not getting any younger. Don’t be too picky; settle down with someone suitable as soon as you can."

Everyone teased while they ate.

Han Zibin was not upset; a smile hung on his handsome face, "I’m not picky."

Pei Wenping teased him, "You’re not picky? You probably can’t even see clearly anymore, surrounded by beauties all the time..."

"Big sis, eat up, it’ll get cold soon."

Shen Mingzhu stuffed a skewer of grilled lamb into Pei Wenping’s mouth.

The main goal of today was to play matchmaker between Han Zibin and Yan Su; they couldn’t let Pei Wenping’s few words mess it up.