The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 80 - Making a Scene at the Maternal Home, Breaking Away the Family!
Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Making a Scene at the Maternal Home, Breaking Away the Family!
Chapter 80 -80: Making a Scene at the Maternal Home, Breaking Away the Family!
The market was even busier than she had imagined, with a variety of trinkets and snacks for sale.
Shen Mingzhu, visiting this rural market for the first time, found everything fascinating.
As she wandered, Shen Mingzhu glanced back to see Yang Lizhen and a few young women her age standing on the street corner, chatting and laughing.
Her elder sister-in-law, Du Juan, was buying vegetables at a stall, carrying heavy loads in both hands, which seemed quite strenuous.
Shen Mingzhu walked over to Du Juan.
“Elder sister-in-law, call over the second sister-in-law to help carry some.”
With a glance toward where Yang Lizhen was, Du Juan smiled and said, “Forget it, she rarely gets to see her friends, let her chat.
I can manage.”
Hearing this, Shen Mingzhu didn’t say anything more, bending over and preparing to help Du Juan with the big cabbage.
As soon as she lifted it, wow, it must have weighed at least ten pounds.
Shen Mingzhu turned her head and called out to Yang Lizhen, “Second sister-in-law, come help with the vegetables.”
The women chatting with Yang Lizhen all turned their gazes toward her in unison.
“Lizhen, that must be your little sister-in-law who married into the city, right?
She’s pretty; no wonder she could marry into a life of comfort in the city.”
“Yes.”
Yang Lizhen laughed with her friends for a few moments before leisurely walking back.
“Why did you buy so much?”
There was a hint of complaint in her voice.
Shen Mingzhu looked down, “How is this too much?
For a meal and a table full of people, this will probably only last three days.”
Yang Lizhen smiled and fell silent.
Shen Mingzhu didn’t stand on ceremony and entrusted the cabbage and potatoes to Yang Lizhen.
The smile on Yang Lizhen’s face faded slightly, but she didn’t say anything and carried them off.
Shen Mingzhu carried the radishes and green onions, while the remaining vegetables were carried by Du Juan; the three made their way back home.
Back at home, Shen Mingzhu was so tired she collapsed, lying on the kang and not wanting to move.
As she lay there catching her breath with her eyes closed, her hand was suddenly touched.
Shen Mingzhu opened her eyes to see Pei Ziheng, smiling and patting the kang’s edge to signal him to come up.
Pei Ziheng climbed onto the kang and sat down, looking at her as his little legs swung back and forth.
“Today, Grandma and the others bullied Dad.”
Shen Mingzhu immediately sat up and asked her stepson to explain in detail.
After hearing the whole story, Shen Mingzhu put on her shoes and coat and headed out.
Pei Ziheng watched her hurried departure and, after a while, hopped off the kang to follow.
Shen Mingzhu searched around and finally found Pei Yang playing poker with others at the edge of the village.
Pei Yang was having a lucky streak, winning around four or five yuan.
Seeing her approach, he stuffed all his winnings into her hands.
Shen Mingzhu pocketed the money casually, then made up an excuse to take Pei Yang away.
“Did my mother ask you to find a job for Yang Bo?”
“Hmm.”
“Did you agree?”
“Hmm.”
Shen Mingzhu instantly became so angry she could hardly speak.
“Pei Yang, do you have a hole in your head?
Will you agree to anything no matter what rubbish they throw at you?”
Looking at her, Pei Yang said, “This isn’t rubbish; it’s your family’s matter.
As a son-in-law, I should certainly help where I can.”
“Drop the lofty talk, did they coerce you?”
“No.”
Seeing her skeptical attitude, Pei Yang’s deep voice suddenly softened, “Alright, I’ll tell you the truth.
I agreed to Mom’s request just because I didn’t want them to trouble you.”
The anger brewing inside Shen Mingzhu found a vent and gradually dissipated.
By the time she and Pei Yang returned home, one after the other, the Shen Family members were noticeably tense and cautious.
Shen Xiangnan carefully approached her, his voice laced with appeasement, “Mingzhu, I caught a wild rabbit on the mountain today, would you like it braised or grilled?”
Shen Mingzhu looked at him for a while before speaking, “No need to eat, we will be leaving soon.
Let’s all go to mom’s room, I have a few words to say.”
Soon, the whole family gathered in Qin Jinlian’s room.
Qin Jinlian was the first to complain, “It’s almost noon, what’s so important that it can’t wait till after the meal?”
Shen Mingzhu looked at Qin Jinlian with a cold smile, “Mom, you took advantage of my trip to the market to make a big move secretly; you must be in a good mood, no wonder you have such an appetite.
Unfortunately, I’m not in a good mood, don’t feel like eating, and can’t eat, so you will have to endure hunger as you listen to me.”
“Mingzhu…”
Shen Xiangnan was about to stand up immediately but was pulled back down to his stool by Yang Xuezhen.
Shen Mingzhu’s gaze swept around the room, everyone was silent, and only her elder sister-in-law Du Juan seemed clueless about what had happened.
Shen Mingzhu thought she had a good grasp of the situation.
“Sister-in-law, Pei Yang has already agreed to help arrange a job for your brother.
I have nothing to say about that, but I do have a condition.”
At that moment, Du Juan looked towards Yang Xuezhen and then at Qin Jinlian.
Emotions such as shock, envy, and loss crossed her face one after the other, finally settling into an expression of numbness.
Shen Mingzhu thought that maybe at this moment, the elder sister-in-law had completely lost hope and was disheartened by this family.
Since ancient times, it is not scarcity that people fear but the unequal distribution.
Qin Jinlian had never been to school and naturally didn’t understand this principle.
Shen Mingzhu was speaking to Yang Xuezhen, but she did not pick up the conversation; instead, she pushed Shen Xiangnan with her hand.
Shen Xiangnan got the hint and hurriedly asked Shen Mingzhu what the condition was.
“To divide the family,” she declared.
“What did you say?” Qin Jinlian jumped to her feet.
Shen Mingzhu looked at everyone and repeated, word by word, “To divide the family, that is my only condition.”
Shen Chaobei and Shen Xiangnan, the two brothers, looked at each other in confusion and shock.
Shen Jianguo looked at Shen Mingzhu, wanting to say something but hesitated.
The previously numb Du Juan, however, suddenly showed a glimmer of spirit on her face.
It was Yang Xuezhen, who had been silent and had not engaged with her earlier, that stood up now, “Sister-in-law, don’t you think you’re overreaching a bit?”
“Sister-in-law, so you do have a tongue that can talk,” retorted Shen Mingzhu.
Yang Xuezhen’s face tightened, “You are already married, the matter of dividing the family hardly concerns you.”
“Hmm, then arranging a job for my sister-in-law’s brother shouldn’t concern my husband’s family either, should it?”
Yang Xuezhen’s face stiffened and she turned to confront Shen Xiangnan.
“Shen Xiangnan, when we got married, you promised me you would arrange a job for my brother.
I wouldn’t have married into this family otherwise.
Now that we’re married, if you dare to go back on your word, I will go straight back to my mother’s home!”
Shen Xiangnan was anxiously trying to explain when he heard Shen Mingzhu speak leisurely, “Brother, if your wife runs off because of me, I guarantee I’ll find you an even better one.
If not, I’ll write my name backwards.”
Yang Xuezhen “whooshed” her head around to stare at her, her face a mix of disbelief and anger.
Shen Mingzhu smiled slightly, “I was just joking with my brother.
I’m sure sister-in-law was also just kidding about going back to her mother’s house, right?”
“You brat, you’re a mother yourself, yet you speak without weighing your words.
Xuezhen, sit down, ignore Mingzhu,” Qin Jinlian offered Yang Xuezhen an out.
With the step provided by Qin Jinlian, Yang Xuezhen readily sat back down, but her confidence had clearly ebbed substantially.
Shen Mingzhu scoffed inwardly, really thinking she’s Qin Jinlian, trying to use threats of returning to her parental home.
At that moment, Shen Jianguo spoke up, “Mingzhu, let’s postpone the division of the family for another couple of years.
You know the state of our home, how can we divide this broken courtyard?”
“It is precisely because we’re poor that we must divide this household.
Only with our own small families will there be a future to look forward to, otherwise the whole family will be ruined in this poverty-stricken nest!”
“You make it sound so easy, where would we live after dividing?
Are you going to pay for a new house?” Qin Jinlian complained.
Shen Mingzhu sneered, “Weren’t you planning to buy a gold necklace for sister-in-law?
Why not use that money to build a couple of new rooms?
Without even a place to stay, buying gold necklaces, your brain must have holes in it.”
