?Chapter 19: Chapter 19: After Hearing Instigations, The Eldest Sister-inw Comes to Seek Justice   Chapter 19: Chapter 19: After Hearing Instigations, The Eldest Sister-inw Comes to Seek Justice                                   Shen Ban’s face stiffened, but she quickly recovered her smile, “Wrong, two times two is four.


    Didn’t you memorize it all yesterday?


    How did you forget?


    Come on, recite with me …”


    After a full half hour of teaching, the stepson finally managed to recite the multiplication table from one times one to three times three.


    After seeing to everyone’s baths and sending them off to sleep, Shen Ban, with a sore waist and aching back, returned to her room to rest.


    No sooner had shein down than Zhou Shuhuan moved in for some affection, only to be pushed away by a p from Shen Ban.


    After working all day, returning home to cook and tend to a whole family, and teaching her stepson, she was so exhausted she wanted nothing more than to sleep.


    Watching his wife sleep like a dead pig, Zhou Shuhuan put on his clothes in irritation and went out to drink with his brothers.


    The next day, at the Zhou family’s dinner table, Ma Sufen started berating Shen Mingzhu again, talking about how she had bought arge iron chest for fifty yuan without any clear purpose.


    Even Zhou Quanxiong, who was normally a man of few words, clicked his tongue and joked that the Pei Family had married a gold-digging beast.


    On one hand, Shen Ban secretly rejoiced, while on the other, she was also curious about what Shen Mingzhu needed such an expensive iron chest for.


    Fifty yuan was no small sum; she only earned fifty-two yuan a month working as a cook in the cotton mill.


    Shen Mingzhu had spent an entire month of her sry in one go, so being scolded for being wasteful was not a bit wronged.


    Shen Mingzhu was unaware of the Zhou family’s idle gossip about her oven purchase, and even if she had been, she wouldn’t have cared.


    With the experience of two lifetimes, Pei Ziheng naturally recognized what therge iron chest Shen Mingzhu had bought was for.


    Having finally cleared a space on the balcony where the oven could be ced, Shen Mingzhu was so exhausted she almost fainted.


    She straightened her back andmanded her stepson, who was circling the oven in the living room.


    “Bring me a clean towel.”


    Don’t you have arms and legs?


    Pei Ziheng muttered under his breath, but had no choice but to go fetch a towel from the bathroom.


    After all, if he didn’t, Shen Mingzhu would threaten not to take him to find Pei Yang, and in the end, he would still have to get it.


    Damn it.


    “Help me wipe my sweat.”


    “Can’t you wipe it yourself?”


    “My hands are dirty.”


    “Can’t you wash your hands?”


    “They’ll just get dirty again in a moment, so that would be like washing them for nothing and a waste of water.


    Your father works hard to support the three of us, it’s tough for him, so we should save where we can, right?”


    “Howe you didn’t think of how hard it is for my dad to earn money when you bought this metal lump?”


    “I did think about it, oh I thought for several days, thinking about how hard your dad works to give me money to spend, I feel so sorry for him.”


    “If you feel sorry, then why did you still buy it?”


    “What else could I do, I couldn’t exactly ask another man to buy it for me, could I?”


    “…”


    Knowing he could not win the argument with words, Pei Ziheng could only sulkily use the towel to help her wipe her sweat.


    After wiping off her sweat, Shen Mingzhu said she was thirsty, so Pei Ziheng went and brought her some water.


    Once she had drunk the water, Shen Mingzhu fretted over therge oven in the living room.


    The pure iron oven was big and heavy; not only could she not lift it by herself, but even three of her couldn’t.


    Should she ask a neighbor for help?


    Just then, Shen Ban arrived uninvited to snoop around.


    “Oh, Mingzhu, what are you busy with?”


    Without waiting for Shen Mingzhu’s invitation, Shen Ban entered the Pei Family home as if it were her own, and spotting the oven in the living room, she thought to herself that this was the big iron chest Shen Mingzhu had spent fifty yuan on—a true spendthrift.


    “Mingzhu, what do you need this thing for?”


    Shen Mingzhu’s eyes darted around as she smiled, “If you help me move it to the balcony, I’ll tell you.”


    Shen Ban curled her lips, “You wish.


    I’m not helping you move that.


    If you want it moved, do it yourself.”


    “Then forget it, I’ll find someone else to help.


    And you don’t need to concern yourself with why I need it.”


    Shen Ban had specially run upstairs just to find out why Shen Mingzhu had spent so much money on a big iron chest, and she wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully without getting a clear answer.


    “You say it first, and then I’ll help you move it.”


    “Shen Ban, do you think I’m stupid?


    If I told you first, you’d just walk away and who would I find then?”


    Seeing that Shen Mingzhu wouldn’t fall for it, Shen Ban couldn’t help butin, “Howe you’ve be so cunning after getting married?”


    Shen Mingzhu crossed her arms and red at her, “Never mind that, just answer me, will you move it or not?”


    Shen Ban looked at the oven and thought for a while, “Fine, I’ll help you move it, but don’t try to fool me.


    If you don’t tell me after it’s moved, I’ll move it right back!”


    You first manage to move it.


    “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely tell you once it’s done.”


    When she saw Shen Ban turn red-faced actually lifting the oven, Shen Mingzhu was shocked.


    This was a good fifty pounds or more.


    Who would have thought this woman was so strong?


    “It’s…


    it’s time you told me what you…


    you bought this for?”


    Watching Shen Ban pant heavily, her neck and face both swollen red, Shen Mingzhu didn’t know what to say.


    Is her curiosity really that strong?


    And when Shen Ban found out the purpose of this huge, heavy metal box, she almost dropped her jaw in shock.


    “You spent so much money on such a big thing just to bake cakes?


    Shen Mingzhu, you really know how to spend, you’re going to regret it once you burn through all of Pei Yang’s family savings.”


    That day.


    The usual cook, Sister Liu, was ill, and seeing that Shen Ban was young and somewhat educated, the manager called her over to help serve meals at window number 2 temporarily.


    Soon after, two young women approached Shen Ban’s serving window.


    They were not only well-dressed with good temperament, evidently city people, which made Shen Ban quite envious, so she couldn’t help but take a few extra nces.


    The more she looked, the more familiar the woman in the yellow dress seemed.


    She was trying to remember where she had seen this person when she overheard the woman beside the yellow dress ask, “Wenping, when is Pei Yang returning?


    My younger aunt’s previous engagement just broke off, and I was thinking of introducing her to your brother Pei Yang…”


    Shen Ban suddenly remembered, the woman in the yellow dress was none other than Pei Yang’s sister!


    She’d seen her in her dreams!


    “What are you continuously staring at me for?


    Serve the food, I want a bowl of porridge, an egg, and a spoon of pickles.”


    At Pei Wenping’s urging, Shen Ban came to her senses and hurriedly served the food for Pei Wenping.


    Afterward, while serving other meals, Shen Ban kept an eye on Pei Wenping and when she saw Pei Wenping getting up to leave after finishing, Shen Ban excused herself to the person at the next window and then ran after Pei Wenping with her ricedle in hand.


    Outside the canteen, Pei Wenping was puzzled when Shen Ban called out to her, “Do you need something?”


    Shen Ban quickly introduced herself.


    “Hello, I didn’t expect to see you working here.”


    Pei Wenping gave perfunctory greetings to Shen Ban while her eyes subconsciously swept over her.


    She looked okay, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a tall and nimble figure – clearly a capable woman.


    Butpared to her, Pei Wenping preferred Shen Mingzhu a bit more, although she was a bit more delicate.


    She seemed genuinely kind, while this Shen Ban in front of her seemed too shrewd and calcting.


    ——


    After washing her hands, Shen Mingzhu was thinking about sitting on the sofa to rest when there was a knock at the door.


    When she opened the door, it was her eldest cousin sister Pei Wenping.


    “I was passing by on some errands and thought I’d drop in to see how you were doing.”


    Pei Wenping was holding half a of apples, smiling, though she didn’t look particrly happy.


    Once inside, Pei Wenping nced around the room, which was spotlessly clean, and then she sat down on the sofa.


    Shen Mingzhu poured a cup of homemade rose tea for Pei Wenping, who took a sip and casuallyplimented its taste, and then started asking about Shen Mingzhu’s recent activities.


    Shen Mingzhu thought to herself, as a housewife, what else could she be busy with apart from caring for the child, but she picked a few daily activities to chat about with Pei Wenping.


    After listening, Pei Wenping looked at Shen Mingzhu’s clothes, “Your outfit looks quite new, did you make it recently?”


    Meeting the ostensibly smiling eyes of Pei Wenping, Shen Mingzhu suddenly understood, “Sister, did you hear something from someone?”


    Pei Wenping ced her cup down, and her smile faded.


    “Sister-inw, I won’t beat around the bush.


    I’ve indeed heard a lot of gossip, but I only consider it entertainment.


    I came here to listen to what you have to say.”


    “Sister, please ask away, I have nothing to hide.”


    “Good, I’ll ask you, how much money did Pei Yang leave with you, and how much do you have left now?”