The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 20 - Shen Mingzhu Wins Over the Eldest Sister-in-law with Her Abilities
Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Shen Mingzhu Wins Over the Eldest Sister-in-law with Her Abilities
Chapter 20 -20: Shen Mingzhu Wins Over the Eldest Sister-in-law with Her Abilities
“Big sister, the total cash expenses for the house during this period were about 100 yuan, 30 feet of Cloth Coupons were used, six Purchase Coupons, 50 jin of Food Coupons, and 3 jin of Sugar Coupons…”
With each item Shen Mingzhu mentioned, Pei Wenping’s face grew darker.
By the time Shen Mingzhu had finished, Pei Wenping was furious.
“Sister-in-law, Pei Yang may have saved up some money over the years, but not for you to squander it like this!
You’ve only been married into the family for half a month, and you’ve already spent two months of Pei Yang’s salary!
If this continues, even mountains of gold and silver couldn’t withstand your spending!”
After venting her anger, Pei Wenping still wasn’t satisfied and exhaled sharply, “Give me your passbook and the coupon book.
I’ll manage them for now, and you’ll come to me for your monthly expenses.”
This was taking away her financial autonomy.
Shen Mingzhu was not in a hurry.
“Big sister, calm down.
Let me show you something.
After you’ve seen it, if you still think I’m wasteful, I’ll do as you say.”
“Fine, remember you said that.”
Hearing that she was willing to hand over the passbook lightened Pei Wenping’s tone slightly.
Shen Mingzhu brought out the accounting book.
“From the day I married into the Pei Family, I have recorded every single expense in detail every day, and I’ve attached all the receipts, take a look.”
Pei Wenping was quite surprised to hear that Shen Mingzhu had been keeping accounts.
Keeping accounts was not unusual, as she did it herself, but it was generally a habit of city dwellers.
Country folks weren’t so meticulous.
She had never heard of or seen a rural woman keep accounts before.
Thinking this, Pei Wenping opened the book curiously, wanting to see what Shen Mingzhu had recorded.
To her astonishment, this sister-in-law of hers, with only a junior high school education from the countryside, had prepared accounts that were no less professional than hers.
The records of daily income were clear at a glance and the accounts were neat and beautiful.
When she had finished looking through the book, all the anger in Pei Wenping’s heart dissipated.
Among all the expenses, Shen Mingzhu accounted for only a very small portion.
Her nephew, Pei Ziheng, accounted for one-third, daily necessities and food for one-third, and the rest was for a large oven.
Pei Wenping was about to ask what she bought the oven for, when she suddenly sniffed, “What’s that smell?”
Shen Mingzhu suddenly remembered the egg cake she was baking and hurried to the balcony.
“What’s wrong?
What happened?”
Pei Wenping also hurried after her to the balcony and saw Shen Mingzhu using tongs to pull out the unburned charcoal from the oven, both surprised and worried.
“Why are you burning charcoal on the balcony?
Be careful not to start a fire and burn down the house.”
“Big sister, don’t worry.
I’ve insulated the bottom of the oven, and I’ll keep an eye on the fire.
It won’t catch.”
After hearing her explanation, Pei Wenping sniffed again and made sure the delicious fragrance was coming from the oven, then asked curiously what she was baking.
“I’m baking an egg cake.
It’s my first time using a charcoal stove, so I don’t know if it will work.”
Pei Wenping looked at her with even more surprise, “Sister-in-law, you know how to bake egg cakes?”
“I taught myself.”
Once the temperature in the oven had dropped, Shen Mingzhu put on her gloves, opened the oven door, and in an instant, a rich fragrance of egg and sweetness spread through the air.
Through a window the size of an A4 sheet of paper, one could see a square iron box in the oven, containing a golden-brown and tempting egg cake.
It looked delicious.
Pei Wenping stretched her back as she watched the egg cake in the oven, feeling both surprised and excited, “Sister-in-law, is the egg cake done?”
Shen Mingzhu examined the color and fluffiness of the egg cake inside the iron box and said, “It should be almost ready.”
Shen Mingzhu used a baking spatula to remove the egg cake, along with the iron box, from the oven and tipped it onto a round enameled plate.
She then began patting the surface of the cake, which still clung to the parchment paper, and the soft, golden-brown egg cake trembled like a baby’s tender buttocks.
“What are you doing?”
“Just-baked egg cakes need to be vented to prevent them from collapsing and deforming.”
Pei Wenping marveled, “There’s so much to know about baking egg cakes?”
Shen Mingzhu smiled without answering, thinking there was indeed a lot more to it.
After venting the egg cake, Shen Mingzhu used a knife to cut the perfectly square cake into small squares, three fingers wide.
Without waiting for her to finish cutting, Pei Wenping couldn’t wait to grab a piece to taste.
The egg cake’s outer crust was golden, and its inside soft yellow, tasting fluffy and sweet, melting delicately in the mouth, leaving Pei Wenping utterly content with her eyes squinting in pleasure.
“Delicious!
Sister-in-law, how come your egg cake smells so good and is so fine, not greasy at all, and even better than those made by master bakers from time-honored brands!”
Her baking skills and techniques were, after all, brought from forty years in the future, having been researched and advanced by countless dessert masters.
They had won the praise of even the pickiest modern palates, so conquering the tastes of this era was a piece of cake.
Having her taste fully gratified, Pei Wenping had no ill temper left towards Shen Mingzhu.
She affectionately held Shen Mingzhu’s hand, her demeanor warm and gracious, as she made plans for her.
“Although you don’t have much formal education, I see you have a talent for keeping accounts.
How about enrolling in a class?
After you finish, I can guide you for a while, and after the New Year, I’ll try to find you a job.
Pei Yang is almost never home all year round, and Xiaohuan is at school now.
You must be lonely at home all day.
With a job, life is easier, and you won’t fall behind the times.
What do you say?”
To be frank, the fact that Pei Wenping was planning so thoughtfully and meticulously for her truly meant she was treated like family.
Unfortunately, Shen Mingzhu could only firmly yet politely decline, because she had her own plans.
“Big sister, I don’t want to start working just yet, I want to take advantage of my youth to earn a diploma first.”
“Getting a diploma is good too.
So, do you want to attend a vocational school or night school?”
Neither, “Big sister, I want to take the self-study exams.”
Pei Wenping was greatly surprised and hastily advised, “Sister-in-law, the self-study exams are not easy.
Many high school and vocational school students fail to pass.
With only a junior high education, how many years will it take you?”
Indeed, the original owner of the body only had a junior high education, but she was not the original host.
She, after all, had been a graduate student at a top 211 university in her previous life.
Taking the self-study undergraduate exam would be a breeze for her.
“Big sister, I want to give it a try.
I’m still young, so I’m not afraid of failure.”
Seeing her so determined, Pei Wenping not only stopped dissuading her but also offered encouraging words.
Shen Mingzhu packed up all the baked egg cakes for Pei Wenping to take home.
At first, Pei Wenping declined, but after hearing that Shen Mingzhu planned to bake another batch in the afternoon, she happily accepted them.
However, before leaving, Pei Wenping specifically mentioned Shen Baolan, “Your fellow townsman really does have a warm heart, otherwise, I wouldn’t have heard so much.”
Now Shen Mingzhu understood everything; it turned out that Shen Baolan had been running her mouth to Pei Wenping.
