The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 62 - Husband and Wife Return Home Together
Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Husband and Wife Return Home Together
Chapter 62 -62: Husband and Wife Return Home Together
“What car are you in?”
After entering the ticket gate, Shen Mingzhu led Pei Ziheng while turning her head to ask Pei Yang.
He was carrying a large luggage bag in each hand and had a canvas backpack on, but he seemed to handle it effortlessly.
It must be said, men really do have great physical strength. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
“I only managed to get one sleeper ticket, and the two seat tickets are in car number 3, the sleeper is in car number 9.”
Shen Mingzhu nodded, “Then I’ll take you to car number 3 first.”
Pei Yang glanced at her and didn’t make a sound.
Once they were on car number 3 and had stowed the luggage, Shen Mingzhu stretched out her hand to Pei Yang, “Give me the sleeper ticket, I’ll head over first.”
Pei Yang sat in his seat and looked at her, “You stay with me, we can send Ziheng to the sleeper later to rest.”
Shen Mingzhu reflexively refused, “I don’t want to, I want to sleep in the sleeper.”
Pei Yang looked at her with a mix of laughter and helplessness, “Do you have any shame?
Such a grown person still competing with a child for a sleeper ticket.”
“No matter how tough life gets, one must not short-change oneself.
Ziheng is still young, he has plenty of opportunities to enjoy life ahead.
I’m already of this age, every day counts, I must seize the time to enjoy.”
“…”
Shen Mingzhu, holding her sleeper ticket with a contented smile, headed to car number 9.
The father and son sat side by side, shoulder to shoulder, head against head, silently watching her disappear at the end of the carriage.
“Is Auntie Mingzhu like this at home too?”
“Yes, when she craves something, she eats this and that but doesn’t let me eat, always saying that I’m still young and it would affect my growth.”
Pei Yang sympathetically rubbed his son’s head, “Whatever you want to eat, daddy will buy it for you on the way back.”
“I want popsicles, and spicy chicken feet!”
“Actually, I think Auntie Mingzhu has a point.”
“…”
After Shen Mingzhu found her sleeper berth, she ate something, then lay down to sleep, not waking up until midnight.
After waking up and collecting herself, she took her bag and headed to car number 3.
The father and son who sat side by side were sleeping soundly.
Pei Ziheng was sprawled out, his upper body resting on Pei Yang’s legs, with his lower body curled up on the seat.
Pei Yang sat steady, his arms encircling Pei Ziheng’s body to prevent him from tumbling onto the floor, his head leaning on the chair back.
Shen Mingzhu reached out to wake the man, but her hand had barely touched his shoulder when it was suddenly clutched tightly.
At the same time, Pei Yang also opened his eyes.
Recognizing her, the sharpness and coldness in Pei Yang’s eyes quickly dissipated, and the strength in his grip eased, though he did not let go, his fingertips inadvertently caressing the skin on her wrist.
“Why are you here?
Missed me?”
Shen Mingzhu ignored the man’s teasing and pulled back her wrist, “Go sleep with Ziheng.”
“And you?”
“I’m wide awake.”
Seemingly awakened by the pair’s conversation, Pei Ziheng made a couple of grunts.
Only then did Pei Yang carefully lift his son and stand up.
As he passed by her, he whispered in her ear, “Be careful, there’s a mix of all sorts on the train.”
“Okay.”
After the man walked away, Shen Mingzhu raised her hand to rub her itchy ear, sat down, took out books and snacks, and started to read and snack to pass the time.
She didn’t know how much time passed when someone suddenly sat beside her.
She turned her head, a bit surprised.
“Why are you back?
Aren’t you worried about leaving Ziheng alone over there?
What if he gets lost?”
“He won’t get lost.
There won’t be any stops before 5 A.M.”
Having said that, Pei Yang suddenly leaned in close to Shen Mingzhu, who reflexively leaned back, but he only snatched the cotton candy from her hand.
A deep chuckle emanated from the man’s chest, resonating and alluring, “Why dodge?
Afraid I’d eat you?”
Shen Mingzhu hit him with her book in annoyance, then lowered her head to continue reading, her ears burning hot.
The dog of a man had taken her half-eaten cotton candy.
Not minding the dirt, truly dog-like.
Apart from cotton candy, Shen Mingzhu also brought some other snacks like rice sticks, preserved fruit peels, figs, peanut crisps, and taffy, which she placed on the small table between the seats.
Pei Yang picked and chose a few to eat, his eyes falling on the book in her hands.
“What book are you reading?”
Without responding, Shen Mingzhu simply flipped the cover for him to see.
“Still a classic, let me read it with you.”
As he spoke, he leaned his big head over.
Pei Yang, being tall, was half a head taller than her even when sitting down; when he leaned over, his chin just rested above her ear.
Their skin made contact, with the warmth from his skin seemingly about to set her ear on fire.
Instinctively, Shen Mingzhu leaned towards the window, trying to get further away from him, but every time she moved a bit, that dog of a man moved closer to her as well.
In the end, Shen Mingzhu felt almost squished into a sandwich cookie.
Annoyed, she pushed the man outward, “You’re squashing me!”
“I can’t see clearly if I’m too far,” the man said with an innocent look.
Speechless, she stuffed the book into his arms, “Just read it, I don’t want to.”
Pei Yang flipped through the book, “If you’re not reading, then I won’t either.”
“…”
After that, the two chatted on and off, mostly with Pei Yang asking questions and her responding.
As it approached 5 o’clock, the conductor announced they would soon reach their stop, and that’s when Pei Yang stood up and went to carriage number 9 to find his son.
Shen Mingzhu let out a sigh of relief and, feeling a bit tired, closed her eyes and gradually fell asleep.
When she awoke, the sky was already bright, and the carriage had emptied out quite a bit.
Pei Ziheng sat in the opposite seat while she lay on Pei Yang’s legs.
He looked down at her, “Awake?”
“Mhmm.”
Shen Mingzhu sat up and looked out the window, “Where are we?”
“Ma Family Village.”
Pei Ziheng replied.
Shen Mingzhu, somewhat puzzled, turned to look at the man, noticing that something was off with him.
“My leg is numb.”
Shen Mingzhu realized it must have gone numb from her using it as a pillow.
But what could she do about it?
Surely she wasn’t expected to massage his leg, was she?
Wishful thinking.
Shen Mingzhu excused herself to go to the restroom at the end of the carriage.
After using the toilet and quickly freshening up, Shen Mingzhu returned to her seat.
Seeing the man quietly not speaking, Shen Mingzhu felt oddly uncomfortable again, “Does your leg feel any better?”
“No.”
“…Oh.”
Pei Ziheng, who was playing with a Rubik’s cube across from them, looked up, “Dad wants you to massage it for him.”
Shen Mingzhu looked at her stepson, “He doesn’t want to.”
“I do,” Pei Yang looked at her.
Shen Mingzhu exerted all her strength, wanting to pinch him hard enough to make sure he would never dare ask her to massage his leg again.
However, his leg muscles were as hard as stone, and it was her own fingers that ended up sore.
To make matters worse, the man had the gall to say in her ear, “Put some strength into it, it feels like you’re just tickling me.”
In a fit of irritation, she pinched his flesh and twisted hard.
Pei Yang let out a soft hiss, “That feels good!”
“…”
—-
Today was the first sunny day in Fengcheng after the festival, and since it was also a holiday, the restless residents who couldn’t stay at home brought out chairs to sit in the courtyard, soaking up the sun, chatting, and playing cards or chess.
Shen Baolan sat with a few other mothers, talking about child-rearing experiences while cracking sunflower seeds.
As she was enjoying the seeds, she suddenly jumped to her feet, knocking over the plate of seeds in front of her.
The other mothers were startled, and as they followed Shen Baolan’s gaze, one exclaimed, “Hey, isn’t that Pei Yang and his wife?!”
