?Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Two Stepmothers Compared   Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Two Stepmothers Compared                                   Just a few steps into the department store was the women’s clothing counter, hanging with fashionable items you couldn’t find outside.


    I thought for sure Shen Mingzhu would stop to take a look since in her past life she was particrly fond of buying clothes, hitting the stores every other day and soon enough she used up all our Cloth Coupons at home.


    However, contrary to Pei Ziheng’s expectations, Shen Mingzhu only nced at the women’s counter and walked past it, holding him.


    Past the women’s clothing was the children’s section, and Shen Mingzhu stopped there.


    The sales clerk greeted her with a keen eye, “Miss, are you looking to buy some clothes for your little brother?


    Take a look here, all thetest styles for this year, we’ve got summer and autumn clothes.”


    Shen Mingzhu put her stepson down on the ground and shook her slightly sore arms, asking the sales clerk, “Do you have a stool?


    The child is tired from walking, let him sit and rest a while, I’ll have a look.”


    The sales clerk enthusiastically led them into the counter and brought out the stool she rested on for Pei Ziheng to sit on whileplimenting how good-looking they both were.


    “You and your brother are really handsome, and such fair skin too.”


    Shen Mingzhu looked at Pei Ziheng and asked with a smile, “Do we look alike?”


    The sales clerk, with eyes wide open, lied smoothly, “Yes, very much so.”


    “He’s my son.”


    “What??” The shock on the sales clerk’s face was genuine, “Oh my, miss, I couldn’t tell you were married already.


    You only look about seventeen or eighteen years old.


    And the child is already this big?


    No wonder you look so alike, of course, you’d look like each other if he’s your own.”


    Who wouldn’t be pleased to beplimented on looking young and pretty?


    Shen Mingzhu felt secretly thrilled inside and didn’t correct the clerk’s ttery.


    Who’s your son, you hypocritical woman!


    Pei Ziheng criticized inwardly but didn’t speak out to refute it, not to give Shen Mingzhu face, but out of sheer exhaustion that he didn’t want to talk.


    Shen Mingzhu briskly picked out five or six sets of boys’ clothes, and, after consulting Pei Ziheng’s opinion, finally settled on three sets.


    Then she went on to buy him coats, shoes, underwear, and socks, showing considerable thoughtfulness and carefulness.


    After shopping, not to mention Pei Ziheng, a four-year-old child, getting extremely tired, even Shen Mingzhu’s feet were in pain.


    As soon as they left the store, she immediately hailed a rickshaw.


    Upon entering the familypound gate, they were met with several older sisters and aunts gathering together, chatting andughing.


    Seeing mother and sone back with bags big and small, someone called out a greeting.


    “Pei Yang’s family, you’ve bought so much stuff, huh?


    Need a hand?”


    Shen Mingzhu responded with a smile, “No need, they’re all clothes and shoes for the child, nothing heavy.”


    An unfamiliar middle-aged sister came over to Shen Mingzhu with a smile, “Good thing I ran into you here, so I don’t have to go upstairs.


    Here, this is for you.


    If Pei Yang isn’t at home, never mind, but you’d better bring the child for a drink.”


    Just one nce at the cover told Shen Mingzhu it was a wedding invitation.


    She wanted to ept it, but her hands were full.


    So the middle-aged sister gave the invitation to Pei Ziheng instead, even giving him a little teasing while doing so, acting as if they were well acquainted.


    Once home, mother and son slumped on the couch, not wanting to move.


    “Xiaohuan, get me the water cup from the bedroom.”


    Pei Ziheng red at Shen Mingzhu with a cold sneer.


    There it was, the cat out of the bag, having him, a four-year-old child, fetch her a water cup!


    Shen Mingzhu defended herself righteously, “I carried you for so long while shopping that my hands are sore.


    What’s wrong with you getting me a water cup?”


    She did have a point…


    Forget it, I’ll just return the favor for her carrying me, and then we’ll be even.


    Watching his stepmother secretly rejoice as he toddled off to the bedroom to grab the water cup, Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but gloat inwardly.


    After drinking some water, Shen Mingzhu picked up the wedding invitation from the coffee table and opened it, “Well, isn’t this a situation?”


    Printed on the invitation as the bride’s name was none other than Shen Ban.


    With Shen Ban marrying into the Zhou family and bing Zhou Hao’s stepmother, the match-up between her and Shen Ban, the two consecutive stepmothers, could now officially begin.


    Thinking about it still gets me a little excited.


    After closing the wedding invitation, Mingzhu looked up and saw her stepson staring at her.


    She raised the corners of her lips and said, “How about we go to the mall again after lunch?”


    Seeing her stepson’s eyes widen, showing a “you must be crazy” expression, Mingzhu realized that her suggestion was a bit too demanding.


    After shopping all morning, even she didn’t feel like moving, let alone a four-year-old child.


    Let’s rest up and talk about itter.


    There’s still plenty of time.


    ——


    At the Zhou family’s dinner table, Ma Sufen was feeding her grandson while speaking to her husband and son, “I saw Pei Yang’s wife today.”


    Zhou Shuhuan didn’t speak but his eyes were filled with questions.


    Zhou’s father started talking in his hoarse voice, “So what if you saw her?


    We all live in the same housingplex, it’d be strange if you didn’t.”


    Ma Sufen pursed her lips, “You didn’t see her, carrying all thoserge and small bags.


    Tsk tsk, I heard that ever since she married into the family, she goes out every day to buy this and that, not a single day without spending money.


    She really doesn’t treat money as money.


    I think Pei Yang’s little fortune will be squandered by her sooner orter!”


    After finishing speaking, she looked at her son with a face full of relief, “Luckily you didn’t choose her.


    All delicate and squeamish, she obviously isn’t cut out for running a household.


    If she married in, I might have ended up waiting on her instead of looking after Xiaohao.”


    Zhou Shuhuan didn’t join in the conversation.


    He had indeed run across Mingzhu a couple of times thesest few days.


    Not sure if she hadn’t recognized him or was simply avoiding him, Mingzhu hadn’t given him so much as a direct look, but he couldn’t help turning back to look at Mingzhu several times.


    She was prettier than in her photographs, her skin very white, a head shorter than Shen Ban, dressed in a printed blouse with the hem tucked into her waistband, highlighting her slender waist.


    Her hair was casually tied up behind her head, giving off an indefinable quality, not at all like someone from the countryside.


    The day of the Zhou family’s wedding celebration arrived quickly.


    Despite it being a second marriage, the Zhou family still made it a festive event, borrowing the senior activity center of the housingplex to set up the venue and even a Santana car for the wedding.


    Just after ten o’clock, the bride Shen Ban was received into the housingplex.


    As per custom, they had to set off firecrackers when the bride arrived.


    In those days, there was no ban on smoke, and the simultaneous firing of more than a dozen strings of firecrackers made one’s ears ring painfully.


    After the firecrackers, the children swarmed in.


    Mingzhu took a look at Ziheng beside her and saw him staring intently at the kids on the ground picking up firecracker remnants.


    She said, “That’s not safe; don’t go picking those up.


    If a firecracker explodes on you, you could end up disabled, dependent on others to feed you—a miserable life indeed.”


    Ziheng nced at her as if he found her words disdainful.


    Mingzhu continued, “If you are obedient, I’ll buy you fireworks to set off during the New Year.”


    As she was speaking, someone called for Mingzhu from a distance.


    This person was a rtive of the Zhou family and, knowing that Mingzhu and Shen Ban were from the same vige, wanted Mingzhu to apany Shen Ban in the bridal chamber to chat and relieve her boredom.


    Mingzhu couldn’t refuse but also found it inconvenient to bring Ziheng into the bridal chamber, so she asked him to go y with the other children.


    “Ziheng, why is your outfit just like Zhou Hao’s?!”


    Ziheng stayed silent, merely giving Zhou Hao a silent look.


    Zhou Hao was also looking at him, his eyes filled with surprise, “Ziheng, you’re dressed just like me.”


    Ziheng twitched the corner of his mouth, finding it both boring and uninteresting.


    He hadn’t wanted toe to the banquet, but the wicked woman insisted on bringing him out, and just like in a previous life, she had thrown him in to y with the other children.


    But he wasn’t a child anymore; he didn’t want to stay with these kids at all.


    He only felt irritable and disgusted.


    “Who bought it for you?”


    Ziheng didn’t want to answer Zhou Hao’s question, but unexpectedly another child rushed to answer for him, “I know!


    It was Ziheng’s stepmom who bought it for him!”