The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 796 - 795: Who’s the Father, Who’s the Son

"Mama, Elsa loves apples, so I will bring her extra of our crispy apples, and Kona loves our liquor-filled chocolates, so I’ll bring her more of those too..."

At dinner, Pei Tang was excited about the prospect of seeing her little friends and couldn’t even concentrate on eating. Her small mouth chattered away, listing all the various snacks she planned to bring for her pals.

Pei Yang, sitting diagonally opposite, was munching on pickled cucumber from the table while murmuring resentfully, "I rank just above Fugui in this family. You guys never take me along when you go out to have fun."

Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but laugh teasingly, "Actually, if it weren’t for the species barrier, we’d definitely take Fugui with us."

The satisfied German Shepherd, Demu, who had been dozing off beside Pei Tang’s feet after his meal, swished his tail in agreement upon hearing he was being discussed.

Pei Yang huffed, "I don’t care, I want to go play with you guys too."

Shen Mingzhu noncommittally replied, "Sure, if you can find the time, no problem."

At the mention of time, Pei Yang fell silent.

He tended toward conservative business operations, but his steady approach had also led Hengxin to flourish quite well. Currently, he had opened branches in several cities.

Over the past two years, the talent he had nurtured, Pei Ke included, had been dispatched to branches around the country.

The Fengcheng headquarters now completely relied on him, the big boss, to command and monitor, truly indispensable even for a single day.

"Tomorrow, I’ll get the HR department to recruit an extra batch, no, two batches, to hire two batches of graduates into the company and train them well. By next year, I should be able to go out and play with you all."

Shen Mingzhu reminded him, "Quality over quantity in talent is what’s valuable. The more you’re in a hurry to expand, the more you need to strictly screen for talent. There’s a saying, ’Better to have a vacancy than to fill it with the wrong person.’"

"The wife is right, reward her with a big drumstick."

Saying this, he fished out a soft and tender old hen from the soup pot, tore off a plump drumstick to put in her bowl, but Shen Mingzhu avoided it with her bowl in hand.

"I don’t want it. If you want to eat it, eat it yourself."

"Chicken is all protein; It doesn’t make you fat."

"I won’t eat it even if it doesn’t make me fat, I’m full."

"You’re full after just two bites?"

"Do you live by the sea? You’re too nosy; just eat your food."

After scolding her husband a couple of times, Shen Mingzhu laid down her chopsticks and got up to walk around the yard to aid digestion.

She wasn’t sure if it was her age or just living a life too leisurely, but her weight had steadily risen this year, reaching the point where it needed to be controlled.

"Guoguo, you eat it."

Pei Yang casually placed the big drumstick that Shen Mingzhu had refused into his daughter’s bowl.

Pei Tang stared at the drumstick that was almost as big as her face and protested, "It’s so big, how can I finish it?"

"Eat as much as you can; if you can’t finish it, give it to Fugui."

"Okay."

She’d been too busy talking since the meal started and hadn’t eaten much. Now, smelling the mouthwatering drumstick, she actually did feel hungry and began to gnaw on it hungrily.

Her cheeks were already round and plump, and when she ate, her cheeks puffed out on both sides — she looked as cute as a hamster.

Ziheng couldn’t help but steal a few glances at her.

However, Pei Yang misinterpreted his gaze, thinking he was envious of his little sister having a drumstick to gnaw on, so he tore off another drumstick and placed it in Ziheng’s bowl.

Looking at the large drumstick that covered his bowl, Ziheng frowned, "I don’t want it."

"Don’t follow your mother’s diet; you’re at the age where you need to grow, so eat up."

Pei Ziheng wordlessly placed the chicken drumstick back onto the dish and continued to eat, pinching his chopsticks.

Pei Yang glanced at him, "Son, let’s talk business. You and I are listed in the same household registry, after all. In the future, could you supply your company’s goods to me first?"

Aside from direct sales, Pei Ziheng had also signed a number of quality dealerships, with Hengxin being one of them.

Pei Ziheng’s company products were well-controlled in quality, stylish in appearance, rich in functions, and fairly priced. He never worried about sales, only about running out of stock to sell.

"Want to take advantage through the back door? Sure."

Pei Yang’s mouth hadn’t yet curved into a smile when he heard Pei Ziheng’s next sentence, "There’s something you can do for me. If you handle it, I’ll make sure you’re the first to get all the new products from my company as soon as they hit the market."

"What’s the matter?"

"The NTT lab in the Island Nation has developed a PHS communication technology that allows wireless radio communication within a small area. I want you to help me bring that technology over here."

Pei Yang stared blankly, "Why don’t you go yourself?"

Pei Ziheng replied nonchalantly, "Oh, I need to accompany Mom and Guoguo on a trip, I don’t have time."

Pei Yang laughed out of irritation, "You little rascal. You go off to have fun and leave me to do the work?"

"You don’t have to do it; I won’t force you."

Pei Yang took a deep breath, "You say that so nonchalantly. It’s the fruit of their serious labor, the advanced technology they researched. Do you really think they’ll just let you bring it over so easily?"

Pei Ziheng responded coolly, "If you can’t do it, just forget it. I can find someone else."

"Who says I can’t?"

"Then I’ll take it as you’ve agreed."

Pei Yang: "..."

At night, lying in bed, Pei Yang couldn’t help but complain to Shen Mingzhu about their son’s lack of respect for him, "He’s becoming more and more disrespectful. I’m his father, and he’s my son, yet he’s the one ordering me around now. Has he confused his role?"

Shen Mingzhu hit the nail on the head, "From a business cooperation perspective, he is your party A, your boss."

Pei Yang, unable to rebut, could only sulkingly say, "I don’t even have time to go out and have fun with you all, let alone spare time to help him investigate that what’s-it-called PS technology."

"It’s PHS."

PHS belonged to the second-generation communication technology, also known as the Personal Handy-phone System or Wireless Local Loop—what would later be known as Xiaolingtong.

It was first launched by the NTT lab in the Island Nation, developed based on the characteristics of high population density and low mobility of the country’s populace.

Once this technology was successfully introduced, our country’s wireless communication technology would leap forward in development. It would take between one to three years, but ordinary families would be able to afford mobile phones.

Hearing Shen Mingzhu’s explanation of PHS technology and its importance, all the indignation and dissatisfaction on Pei Yang’s face vanished, replaced by earnestness and excitement.

"So, if I manage to bring this technology back, I’d be doing something good for the country and the people?"

"Mhm, actually, introducing this technology isn’t difficult. Since it has not been successfully commercialized yet, as long as you’re willing to pay, the NTT lab will definitely agree to sell the technology to you."

Like the siblings, Pei Yang held unconditional trust and admiration for Shen Mingzhu.

If she said something could be done, then it definitely could be.

After Shen Mingzhu and her siblings boarded their flight to London, Pei Yang also followed Fengcheng’s Telephone Bureau technical team and the interpreters onto a plane headed for the Island Nation.

During the flight, Engineer Xu from the Telephone Bureau’s technical team talked to Pei Yang about Pei Ziheng, praising him for his achievements at a young age. With just a few words, he had convinced the city’s top leaders to fully support this inspection visit to the Island Nation.

What?

His son had met with top city leaders and even convinced them to support the inspection visit?

How was he not aware of this?