The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era

Chapter 184: Let’s Talk in Bed

Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Let’s Talk in BedAlthough Shen Mingzhu knew that the man was deliberately playing the martyr, she still couldn’t help but soften and compromise.

"Alright, then you talk, I’m listening."

"Let’s talk on the bed."

Shen Mingzhu: ???

Meeting Shen Mingzhu’s cool gaze that seemed to say "What are you talking about, are you seeking death?", Pei Yang hurriedly explained: "I mean, let’s lie on the bed and talk, just talk. I promise I won’t do anything else."

Seeing that Shen Mingzhu still looked skeptical, as if thinking "Do you really think I’m that easy to deceive?", Pei Yang simply lifted his shirt.

"Look at my body. Even if I wanted to do something, I’m all will, but no strength."

Shen Mingzhu stared at the man’s flat and emaciated abdomen, which was skin and bones, with only one thought in her head: Where did my six-pack abs go?

Standing at the door of Pei Ziheng’s room and looking at the bare bed, Shen Mingzhu turned back and complained to the man, "There’s not even a pillow."

"I’ll go get one!"

Watching the man tiptoe, turn the knob of the master bedroom door, and sneak in with a crouched, guilty figure, Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but chuckle silently.

To avoid waking Pei Ziheng in bed, Pei Yang moved more cautiously than crossing a minefield in a war zone. He didn’t turn on the light, instead, using the moonlight from the window to first wrap up his wife’s quilt and pillow, then went around to the other side of the bed to grab a pillow but deliberately didn’t take a quilt.

After getting what he needed, Pei Yang turned and tiptoed out of the room, closed the door, and sighed with relief.

The moment the door clicked shut, Pei Ziheng on the bed rolled over heavily.

In the second bedroom, Shen Mingzhu saw the unpacked luggage by the wardrobe and began to tidy it up.

It wasn’t so much tidying up, since the clothes were already folded—she just needed to sort them into the closet.

Pei Yang came in with the pillow and quilt and saw his wife organizing his luggage, feeling utterly delighted.

After Shen Mingzhu finished with the luggage, Pei Yang also spread the pillow and quilt on the bed.

Seeing that there was only her own quilt on the bed, Shen Mingzhu looked at the man, "Where’s your quilt?"

"It’s pinned under our son. I was afraid of waking him, so I didn’t bring it over."

This explanation made sense, but Shen Mingzhu turned around and took a new thin quilt from the closet, "You can use this."

Pei Yang’s eyes widened as big as cow’s eyes, "Where did that come from?"

"Your sister gave it to me. It’s an employee benefit from the cotton mill. It’s two yuan cheaper than outside. She bought one for me."

"..."

Two yuan! Does he lack those two yuan?

...

After the dream of sharing a quilt with his wife shattered, Pei Yang didn’t play any more tricks and dutifully covered himself with the new quilt, chatting with his wife about his sea rescue experience.

Pei Yang didn’t go into detail about the dangers he encountered, merely glossing over them with a few light strokes.

But even without his elaboration, Shen Mingzhu could guess that his experience must have been extremely perilous. The injuries on his body, his frail figure, and pale complexion said it all.

However, now that he had returned safely, if he didn’t wish to discuss it, she didn’t want to pry too much either.

"So the

Nearing the school, father and son encountered Pei Ziheng’s homeroom teacher, Ou Liya.

After learning Pei Yang’s identity, Ou Liya chatted briefly with him about Pei Ziheng’s school performance and then took the initiative to take on the task of walking Pei Ziheng to school.

Ou Liya didn’t hold Pei Ziheng’s hand as they walked. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to; it was that Ziheng was unwilling.

Pei Ziheng would only hold hands with his own mother.

As they approached the school gate, Ou Liya couldn’t help but look back twice at Pei Yang’s tall and straight figure.

"Ziheng, what does your dad do for work?"

"A sailor."

"And your birth mother?"

Pei Ziheng tilted back his beautiful pale face and said earnestly, "Ms. Ou, I only have one mother, and she’s even closer to me than a birth mother."

Ou Liya smiled and didn’t say anything more, but inside she sneered: This country woman sure has a way with kids.