The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 773 - 772: Don’t Be a Do-Gooder

"Because your brother told you that when you’re bullied, tolerating and retreating only embolden the other side’s arrogance. The only solution is to hit back hard, to make them hurt so much that they won’t dare to do it again."

Shen Mingzhu approved when she heard it was her son’s advice, "Brother is right, we don’t start trouble but we’re not afraid of it either. From now on, if someone talks about you behind your back, you don’t have to be polite to her."

"Mm-hmm!"

Watching her daughter’s obedient and cute demeanor, Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but lower her head to give her a kiss, "Let’s go, it’s time to head home."

"Mom, I want to eat at McDonald’s."

If it had been before, Shen Mingzhu would definitely have refused on the grounds of unhealthiness.

But after experiencing the kidnapping, she no longer asked her daughter to control her weight.

Her only thought now was for her daughter to grow up safe and happy, so it was okay if she got a bit fatter.

"Okay, let’s go."

When they arrived at the McDonald’s entrance, Shen Mingzhu parked the car and had just gotten out when she saw several people arguing and shoving in front.

Shen Mingzhu glanced over quickly and, without paying much attention, led her daughter inside McDonald’s.

Once inside, Pei Tang chose a seat by the window where they could see the people arguing across the street.

Pei Tang, still very young, liked watching the commotion.

"Mom, they’re starting to fight."

Hearing this, Shen Mingzhu looked out the window and realized that the person being shoved around by several people was Wu Mei—Cui Junyou’s mother.

Originally, when Ou Liya had fallen from grace and lost her teaching job, Wu Mei had played no small part in her downfall.

From the pancake stall that got knocked over beside her, it was apparent that Wu Mei’s situation was not good, a far cry from her former refined and prosperous state.

A few minutes later, the troublemakers gradually dispersed.

Wu Mei struggled to get up from the ground, wiping her tears while she set the snack stall back up and bent to pick up the scattered stuff.

After a few seconds of thought, Shen Mingzhu told her daughter to eat something in the restaurant and then went across the street herself.

"Mrs. Cui."

Hearing this address, Wu Mei turned her head, her haggard face full of surprise.

"Are you... Mrs. Pei?"

Shen Mingzhu nodded, "It is me."

Not having seen each other for years, Shen Mingzhu not only retained her radiance, but also appeared even more distinguished and elegant. In contrast, Wu Mei herself had become a street vendor, unkempt and disheveled.

In comparison, Wu Mei embarrassingly blushed.

"Um, do you, do you want to buy some pancakes?"

Shen Mingzhu nodded, "I want twenty, can you make them?"

"Sure, sure, just wait a moment, I’ll make them right now."

Wu Mei, overjoyed, hurriedly got her things together and started to work.

As Shen Mingzhu stood in front of the pancake stall, watching Wu Mei make pancakes, she chatted with her about old times: "What made you decide to start a stall?"

Perhaps grateful for Shen Mingzhu’s patronage, Wu Mei began to tell of her family’s changes.

In the previous years, Wu Mei’s husband had taken advantage of economic reforms to start his own restaurant, which was very successful and made a great deal of money. They bought a house and a car, and those days were indeed prosperous.

However, last year, Cui Wei got hooked on gambling and in just half a year had gambled away everything, even accruing a huge debt.

The people who had been circling Wu Mei earlier were debt collectors.

Situations like this happened every two or three days.

"If it weren’t for the child, I’d really have thought of just ending it all!" Wu Mei said, tears brimming up as she spoke of her sorrows.

Shen Mingzhu paused silently for a moment, "Do you still remember Ou Liya?"

Wu Mei stared blankly at Shen Mingzhu, clearly not understanding why she would suddenly bring up that name.

Shen Mingzhu briefly explained how Ou Liya had taken revenge on the Zhuang Family and her situation.

Wu Mei’s eyes widened, "Are you saying that Junyou’s dad was also harmed by her?"

"It’s not impossible."

"Now she..."

"Having harmed so many lives, she can’t escape the death penalty."

"Dying once is too lenient for her! This wicked woman, ruining our family like this, sob sob sob..."

Shen Mingzhu put down the money for the cakes and quietly turned to leave.

She returned to the McDonald’s restaurant.

"Mom, do you know that auntie?"

"Yes, her son was a classmate of your brother’s in first grade."

Hearing that it was Pei Ziheng’s classmate’s mother, Pei Tang felt more sympathy and compassion for Wu Mei, who was sitting on the ground, weeping uncontrollably.

"Mom, she’s so pitiful, can we help her?"

"We can’t."

Pei Tang blinked, "Why not?"

"People must learn to be independent and strong, to stand on their own two feet. She can seek help from her own family and relatives and friends, it’s not our place to intervene."

"Then why do you help children in the mountains to study, and send them clothes and books and stationery? You don’t know them either."

Shen Mingzhu took a tissue, gently wiping the tomato sauce from her daughter’s mouth, and said,

"Children are the future hope of our country, like little saplings that need nurturing and growth. Because of their background and environment, they can’t receive education like normal children and need our help. Auntie Wu is an adult, she has the ability to earn money and solve her problems herself, she doesn’t need us to worry."

"Oh." Pei Tang pondered thoughtfully.

Shen Mingzhu patted her daughter’s head, "Let me teach you another phrase, never be an indiscriminately kind person."

Pei Tang tilted her head, "What is an ’indiscriminately kind person’?"

"Not distinguishing right from wrong, agreeing to others’ requests without principle, even at the expense of one’s own interests or the harm of those around them, they are such people. Love yourself before loving others, loving yourself is most important."

"But, I want to love mommy the most, can’t I?"

At such a young age, her sweet words were like honey-coated.

Shen Mingzhu affectionately scraped her daughter’s nose, "Love yourself first, love mommy with a part of that, as long as you enough love yourself first."

Pei Tang happily counted on her fingers, "I give most of my love to you, Mom, then to brother, last to Fugui and Dad."

Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but laugh.

One could imagine, the man’s reaction on knowing his daughter compared him to Demu.

It was already eight when they got home. Pei Tang bounced upstairs to call her brother.

Thanks to Pei Ziheng, Pei Tang now had her own cell phone.

The phone case was Pei Tang’s favorite pink bunny, complete with a stand. When not in use, the phone rested on the stand, turning it into a beautiful ornament.

"Brother~"

As soon as the call connected, Pei Tang excitedly recounted all the day’s events at school to Pei Ziheng.

Pei Ziheng listened patiently until Pei Tang finished, then praised her actions:

"Next time someone bullies you, try to handle it physically rather than verbally, once they feel pain, those people will restrain themselves."

"Uh-huh!"

Pei Tang rolled around on the bed with the phone, "Brother, I miss you so much, do you miss me?"

"Yes."

A simple affirmative was enough to make Pei Tang beam with joy, then she pouted: "It’s all mom’s fault."

"What happened?"

"Why didn’t mom have me sooner? If I were born with you, I’d be able to go to the Capital to study with you now."

Even someone as cool as Pei Ziheng couldn’t help but laugh at his little sister’s silliness.