The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 65 - His Wife Is Really Awesome!
Chapter 65: Chapter 65 His Wife Is Really Awesome!
Chapter 65 -65 His Wife Is Really Awesome!
When Zhou Shuhuan arrived, the Pei Family’s dinner had just been served.
As Shen Mingzhu expected, on the third day of the Lunar New Year, it was impossible to buy vegetables, and they only managed to get some eggs from the grain and oil shop before they raided Pei Wenping’s place for some meat and vegetables.
By the time they returned from this round trip, the sky was almost dark.
Since it was the holiday season, they didn’t feel right taking too much, so they only took a large cabbage, a few potatoes, two onions, and a pound of pork.
With these ingredients, Shen Mingzhu made two dishes and a soup.
A dish of braised pork with potatoes, a dish of sweet and sour cabbage, and a bowl of egg drop soup.
Seeing Zhou Shuhuan come over, Pei Yang seemed especially happy, “Have you eaten yet?
Do you want to sit down and eat with us?”
Zhou Shuhuan intended to say he had eaten, but when he glanced at the dishes on the table, he was momentarily stunned.
The main dish was a steaming plate of braised pork with potatoes, with soft and glutinous potato chunks and glossy red chunks of meat, served on a pristine white round plate that looked like a beautiful work of art under the light.
The sweet and sour cabbage, with its thick sauce coating each crisp and tender leaf, looked delicious.
Finally, there was the egg drop soup, with strips of egg like willow fluff loosely scattered in the clear broth, dotted with bright green onions on the surface.
Wafts of tempting aromas made their way to Zhou Shuhuan’s nose, and he swallowed his saliva reflexively.
“Won’t it be too much trouble?”
“Trouble?
We’re brothers; no need for formalities here.
Come on, sit down.”
Pei Yang enthusiastically pulled Zhou Shuhuan to the table.
Seeing Zhou Shuhuan gaze intently at the dishes on the table, Pei Yang laughed, “There aren’t many dishes, so don’t be picky.
We couldn’t buy any vegetables at the market today, so I had to raid my sister’s place for some.
Otherwise, we wouldn’t even have anything for dinner.”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Shuhuan immediately said, “I’ll bring some from home for you guys tomorrow.”
“Alright, then I won’t be polite with you.”
Zhou Shuhuan smiled, “Why would you be polite with me?”
While they were talking, Shen Mingzhu carried the rice pot out of the kitchen.
Pei Yang slapped his forehead, “Oh no, we might not have enough rice.
Hold on, I’ll go boil some noodles.”
As he was about to get up and head to the kitchen, Shen Mingzhu stopped him.
She handed the rice pot to him, “You guys eat, I’ll go make the noodles.”
Pei Yang looked at her and smiled awkwardly, “You’ve been busy all evening, I’ll do it.”
“I’ll go.”
Without giving the man a chance to respond, she turned around and went into the kitchen.
Zhou Shuhuan had come over late at night, obviously to catch up with Pei Yang.
Knowing what was appropriate, she wouldn’t let Pei Yang cook the noodles and leave Zhou Shuhuan sitting alone at the table waiting.
Pei Yang, holding the rice pot, returned to the table and met Zhou Shuhuan’s gaze, unable to help but smile, “Mingzhu has gone to cook the noodles, let’s start eating.”
“Let’s wait for your wife to join us.”
“Sure, then let’s chat for a bit.”
Zhou Shuhuan was taken aback.
He had said it out of politeness, not expecting Pei Yang to actually wait for Shen Mingzhu.
Only relatively enlightened families like theirs, who had been educated in the city, would consider this.
In many families, particularly in the countryside, women had a very low status and were not even allowed at the table during meals.
This showed how much Pei Yang truly doted on his wife.
But upon reflection, if his own wife had been like Shen Mingzhu—gentle, delicate, virtuous, and capable—he too would have cherished her and not wanted her to suffer any grievances. freewebnøvel.com
Too bad he didn’t have Pei Yang’s good fortune.
At the beginning of their marriage, he was quite satisfied with Shen Baolan, who was comparable to Shen Mingzhu, capable and efficient in her work, pleasing him with little attentions, and also being filial to his parents.
He felt quite happy and content at the time, thinking he had chosen the right wife for his second marriage.
But ever since Shen Baolan got pregnant, she changed.
Not only did her figure get out of shape, but she also stopped caring for herself, looking unkempt all the time.
Housework was neglected, and she would talk back to his mother, causing unrest at home.
In contrast, Shen Mingzhu, having been married into the family for half a year, became more and more beautiful.
Her skin was cared for until it was tender and clear, she was gentle and quiet, and she never caused trouble.
Who wouldn’t want a perfect wife like that?
——
Shen Mingzhu didn’t know how much Zhou Shuhuan could eat, but she knew very well how much Pei Yang could.
Two dishes and a soup were just enough for a family of three; add Zhou Shuhuan into the mix, and there definitely wouldn’t be enough.
While waiting for the water to heat, she took out three eggs to prepare some marinated eggs.
The noodles were cooked in no time.
As she served the noodles and marinated eggs, she found everyone waiting with their chopsticks still, not eating until she joined; she was both surprised and a bit touched.
“Go ahead and eat, don’t wait for me.
The food’s getting cold.”
Pei Yang took the bowl of noodles, paused for a moment, set it down in front of himself, and said to Zhou Shuhuan, “You eat the rice; I’ll have the noodles.”
Zhou Shuhuan’s gaze swept over the glistening red marinated egg bowl and he nodded.
Zhou Shuhuan had actually already eaten at home, but since the evening meal was burnt and the dishes weren’t tasty, he hadn’t eaten much.
So, when he saw the Pei Family’s dinner table with two appetizing dishes and a soup, his craving got the better of him, and he seated himself at the table.
He picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks, put it into his mouth, and immediately a savory and rich fragrance spread across his palate.
The pork was fatty without being greasy and the texture was amazing—simply delicious!
“Yang, your cooking skills have improved quite a bit.
I haven’t had food that suits my taste this well in a long time.
Today’s visit wasn’t in vain,” Zhou Shuhuan said, then picked up a piece of Tudou, shoveling it in with rice and taking big bites.
Pei Yang, who was kneading dough, glanced at his wife unconsciously.
Shen Mingzhu likewise looked at him, her almond-shaped eyes filled with a sneer.
Damn him, lying to her about not being able to cook.
Feeling guilty, Pei Yang touched his nose, then turned to Zhou Shuhuan as if to speak, but in fact, he was trying to explain to Shen Mingzhu.
“I haven’t cooked in a long time; my skills are rusty.”
Eating his meal, Zhou Shuhuan froze, “The dishes tonight aren’t made by you?”
Pei Yang laughed, his smile containing equal parts pride and showing off, “Of course not; where would I get such skills?
All these dishes were made by Mingzhu.”
His wife was truly amazing!
Pei Yang silently added in his heart.
Zhou Shuhuan stared at Shen Mingzhu in astonishment.
Shen Mingzhu gave him a polite smile, “If you like it, eat more; don’t be polite.”
Zhou Shuhuan swallowed the food in his mouth, the only thought in his mind being that he had been deceived by Shen Baolan!!!
Since getting married, Shen Baolan would often grumble in his ear, saying how Shen Mingzhu was lazy, greedy, and sloppy back in her parents’ home and how terrible her cooking was, to the extent that not even the dog would eat it.
He had once felt relieved, grateful that he hadn’t married Mingzhu.
Otherwise, eating food fit for dogs every day, he would go insane.
But what was the reality?
If this food was meant for dogs, then what he had been eating at home must be dog shit.
In truth, Shen Baolan’s cooking wasn’t bad—it was a decent home-cooked meal, but after eating it for a while, it was unsurprisingly tiresome and bland for him.
Zhou Shuhuan was skinny and did not do much physical labor, so his appetite wasn’t big.
Normally, he would only eat one bowl, but that evening, after already having half a bowl, he devoured a full one and a half bowls at the Pei Family’s.
When he finished eating and got up from the table, Zhou Shuhuan was so full he could barely stand it but didn’t dare let Pei Yang see it, so he excused himself, saying it was late and he would come back the next day to find Pei Yang.
Pei Yang told him that he was going to the Chen Family tomorrow, so the two agreed to go out for a drink the day after tomorrow evening.
After seeing Zhou Shuhuan off, Pei Yang closed the door, turned back to see Shen Mingzhu tidying up the bowls and chopsticks, and walked over.
“Let me do that,” he offered.
Before the word was even fully out, Shen Mingzhu replied, “Sure!”
She immediately untied her apron, handed it to him, and sat down on the sofa to watch television.
The entire process was smooth and swift, not more than three seconds.
To hesitate even half a second would be to disrespect him.
Pei Yang: “…”
Well, this was the wife he had married.
Other than doting on her, what else could he do?
Although Pei Yang was in the kitchen washing dishes, his thoughts wandered to the living room, then to the bedroom, and onto the bed.
The mere thought of lying on that soft, fragrant bed with his wife that night, doing those embarrassing things, made his blood nearly boil.
