The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 822 - 821: The Gambler

Pei Wenping was never one to shy away from confrontations, especially when she felt she was in the right.

She didn’t mention it at dinner only because she wanted to save Yi Ling some face in front of the children.

"What are you yelling for? Are you afraid that others won’t hear you? Fine, why don’t we call everyone over and let them listen to all the disgraceful things the Yi Family has done?"

Knowing she couldn’t outtalk Pei Wenping, Yi Ling turned to Father Chen and Mother Chen, showing weakness, "No matter what, I am still a daughter-in-law of the Chen Family. Are you just going to let her, a divorced woman, bully me like this?" freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Mother Chen’s lips moved slightly, but she ultimately kept quiet.

It was one thing for the Yi Family to repeatedly come over to borrow money, but showing up on the first day of the new year really got on her nerves.

Father Chen was also unhappy.

When Yi Jinbao initially came over to borrow money, he had painted such a rosy picture, claiming that it would take no more than a year to start making big money and repay what he owed to the Chen Family.

But, as it turned out, the fifty thousand Yuan had just vanished, and yet he had the audacity to ask for more money.

The money of the Chen Family wasn’t blown in by the wind; it was earned through his son’s life!

Seeing that the elderly couple refused to speak up for her, Yi Ling felt a chill in her heart.

At that time, hearing the commotion, Chen Liang also came over and asked what was going on.

Pei Wenping didn’t beat around the bush, repeating exactly what she had said to the elderly couple.

"Chen Liang, you’re now securely holding onto your government job and haven’t foolishly splurged on businesses just because you have some money. I think that’s very wise. Not everyone is cut out for business. Just carefully manage the inheritance your brother left, and you won’t have any worries about food and drink for the rest of your life."

Although Pei Wenping appeared to be praising Chen Liang, everyone could understand that she was mocking Yi Jinbao—acting all high and mighty without any real capabilities or money.

Yi Ling was so angry that her tears flowed freely, "Yes, my family in my maternal home has sought help from the Chen Family, but our families are related by marriage. Isn’t it natural to help each other out in difficult times?"

Pei Wenping sneered, "Your lips flap easily enough. It hasn’t even been a year since Chen Yi died, and the Yi Family has already taken eighty thousand from the Chen Family."

"I won’t waste words with you. I just want to ask you, when does the Yi Family plan to return the eighty thousand Yuan? How will you return it? Give me a clear plan."

Yi Ling bit her lip, her tear-filled eyes turning towards Chen Liang.

Chen Liang uncomfortably turned his head away.

Seeing that she couldn’t rely on her husband, the rest of Yi Ling’s hope was utterly extinguished.

"Why aren’t you speaking? Don’t tell me that you never planned to repay it at all?"

Pei Wenping was fiercely principled and had the moral high ground, which left Yi Ling embarrassed and unable to cope, so she turned and ran away.

Mother Chen hastily told Chen Liang to go after her.

In a short while, Chen Liang came back alone.

"Where is Yi Ling?"

"She went back to her maternal home."

The scene quieted down for a few seconds, then Mother Chen suddenly turned to Pei Wenping and scolded, "After all these years, you still haven’t changed your bad temper. You’re no longer a daughter-in-law of the Chen Family; keep out of the Chen Family’s affairs from now on!"

"If it weren’t for the sake of Chen Yi, I wouldn’t bother dealing with these messes. I’ve said my piece, take it or leave it."

Pei Wenping retorted in a tone both firm and indifferent, then she directly got into her car and drove away.

Mother Chen was so angry that she pointed at Pei Wenping’s Santana, "Look at her, acting all high and mighty. It’s only because of Xiaoyi that she can drive that car!"

"What’s the point of saying all this now? Let’s go home."

As Father Chen walked towards Chen Liang’s Audi, he said to Chen Liang, "Take us home first, then go to the Yi Family and bring Xiao Ling back. It’s the New Year; what will people say with her running back to her maternal home?"

"I understand."

...

Back home, seeing the lights on at Shen Mingzhu’s place, Pei Wenping simply took her siblings over for a visit.

"What’s the matter? Who upset you?"

Seeing Pei Wenping enter angrily, Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but show concern.

"Don’t even mention it, it’s my own fault for meddling where I shouldn’t!"

The more she spoke, the angrier she got, and Pei Wenping spilled her frustrations like a machine gun, not even bothering to spare the children present.

"Good advice is useless to a deadbeat, let them enjoy playing philanthropists till they run out of money and come back to their senses."

As Shen Mingzhu teased, she poured a cup of hot water for each of the mother and two children.

After drinking the water, Pei Wenping calmed down a bit, "That money was left by Chen Yi for the old couple’s retirement, even if it was spent on Chen Liang and Shu Ya Shu Jin, I wouldn’t have even said a word. What does the Yi Family have to do with it?"

"Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai, one willing to strike and the other willing to endure, there’s nothing much to say about it."

Although the two didn’t avoid the children in their conversation, the kids clearly had no interest in the adults’ troubles.

Chen Xiaolu, Chen Xiaochao, and Pei Tang were sitting around a small round table, engrossed in a spirited game of Fight the Landlord.

Although Pei Ziheng wasn’t participating, he played the role of Pei Tang’s "military advisor," helping him with his moves while simultaneously eavesdropping on the gossip between the Chen and Yi Families.

With guidance from Pei Ziheng, the "gambling funds" in front of Pei Tang quickly piled up into a small mountain.

The gambling funds consisted of spicy strips, dried tofu, and potato chips.

...

Two days later, Pei Ziheng obtained Yi Jinbao’s personal information from Shi Yizheng.

"This guy looks honest but he’s no good behind the back."

Even though the information was detailed, Shi Yizheng couldn’t help but complain, "To fund his gambling, he even lost his job, he’s always at the gambling table, and he’s accumulated a massive amount of gambling debt."

Pei Ziheng quickly scanned Yi Jinbao’s column for personal assets and wasn’t surprised to find it empty.

"So this means, the money he borrowed from the Chen Family wasn’t used to buy a house or start a business."

"Do you even need to ask? Obviously, he used it to pay off his gambling debts."

Knowing Pei Ziheng’s aunt was related to the Chen Family, Shi Yizheng cautioned, "You’d better inform the Chen Family about Yi Jinbao quickly, to prevent the old couple from being duped again and inadvertently paying off that bastard’s debts."

"I’m not a philanthropist. It’s none of my business if the Chen Family gets scammed."

Watching Pei Ziheng calmly pull out his lighter and set the hard-gathered information on fire, Shi Yizheng was filled with confusion.

"Then why did you have me investigate him..."

"To gather some information; you can consider it my way of snooping around."

Well, you’re the boss, your call.

Watching the information turn to ashes, Pei Ziheng’s dark eyes filled with scorn, "Since they refuse to see sense, let them continue down this path. When they fall and bleed, they’ll realize the pot is made of iron."

At the Chen Family.

Though reluctant, out of consideration for their grandchildren, the old couple eventually softened and lent Yi Jinbao another twenty thousand yuan.

Moreover, to soothe Yi Ling’s emotions, they agreed that once their grandson, Chen Shujin, started elementary school, they would try to pull some strings to get Yi Ling back into the hospital to continue working as a nurse.

The thoughts of the old couple weren’t hard to guess.

With Chen Yi gone, Chen Liang was their only direct descendant. Eventually, everything they owned would go to Chen Liang and his wife Yi Ling, and there was no need to disrupt their son and daughter-in-law’s family harmony over the matter of twenty thousand yuan.