Shen Mingzhu had no patience for the uninvited mother-daughter duo who engaged in a cacophony of chatter.
"So, according to what you're saying, since it was me who let you choose first, and thus helped you get together with Zhou Shuhuan, should you not also give me a thank-you gift?"
Shen Baolan chuckled dryly, "It was just a joke, don't take it seriously."
"Oh, if you were joking, then I was joking too."
Shen Baolan wasn't concerned about Shen Mingzhu's attitude; after all, their relationship had always been like needle and straw, always at odds with each other.
"Where is Pei Yang?"
Shen Mingzhu was somewhat displeased.
It wasn't because the original owner had a bad relationship with Shen Baolan, but because Shen Baolan's way of referring to Pei Yang was too casual and familiar, as if Pei Yang were her man.
"My man has gone to work, he's not home. If you have anything to say, you can tell me, I'm in charge now."
After finishing her words, Shen Mingzhu saw Shen Baolan and Liu Cuihua exchange a glance, their expressions revealing an oddity she couldn't decipher.
Before she could ponder deeply, she heard Liu Cuihua ask, "When did your Pei Yang leave?"
"The afternoon before yesterday."
"Oh, that's just great!!!"
Shen Mingzhu: ???
However, no one answered her confusion, and Shen Baolan made herself right at home by heading to the balcony.
"Mom, come look at how well they've grown these camellias."
Liu Cuihua immediately ran over joyously, and when she saw the pot of lush pink camellias on the balcony, she could not stop smiling.
"Indeed, these camellias are blooming beautifully!"
The mother and daughter arrived abruptly and left just as quickly, leaving Shen Mingzhu with the impression that they had come specifically to inquire about Pei Yang's schedule, as well as to see that pot of camellias on the balcony.
Even though the Pei Family's camellias were indeed well-kept, Shen Baolan and Liu Cuihua were not connoisseurs of elegance; it was unlikely they would make a special trip into the city just to look at a camellia.
Shen Mingzhu could not fathom the reason, and absentmindedly picked up a watering can to water the camellia on the balcony.
—
"Mom, how was it? I wasn't wrong, was I?"
"Mmm, not wrong at all! The layout of Pei Yang's house is just like you said, and the number of flowers on that pink camellia on the balcony matches exactly!"
Liu Cuihua was as overjoyed as if she had found a tremendous treasure.
Wasn't it like finding a gold treasure? If her daughter's dream came true, Zhou Shuhuan would become a multimillionaire in a few years, making her daughter a wealthy lady!
This was indeed a huge cause for jubilation as if their ancestral tomb was emitting green smoke!
She felt like buying a few strings of firecrackers to set off at home.
After watering the plants, Shen Mingzhu grabbed her keys and wallet and went out to buy groceries.
No sooner had Shen Mingzhu stepped out the door, that Pei Ziheng emerged from his room.
Following the trajectory of his previous life, Pei Yang would call home today.
Xicheng Port, the oceanic staff dormitory building.
Pei Yang, carrying his luggage, had just entered the dormitory's main gate when an almost fifty-year-old middle-aged man approached him, "Xiaopei, you're back. Have you taken care of everything at home?"
Pei Yang nodded, "Everything's been taken care of, thank you for your concern, master."
Lin Guofu patted his shoulder, sighing, "Of course I'm concerned about you. Among my disciples, you're the only one who isn't married yet, and with your parents having passed away one after the other, you've ended up all alone at such a young age."
Pei Yang just smiled.
After a brief chat, Lin Guofu brought up Pei Yang's marital prospects again, "Remember the niece of your master's wife I mentioned to you a while back? She just came to visit here the other day. Come eat dinner at my place tonight, meet her; if the two of you hit it off, you can start seeing each other."
"There's no need, master..."
"That's settled then. Be there at seven sharp tonight! If you dare not show up, watch out, I'll take a strip off you!"
Lin Guofu left with a stride after dropping his words, not giving Pei Yang a chance to explain.
Pei Yang smiled helplessly and could only return to his dormitory to settle down first.
As he walked through the gate of the dormitory and passed the duty room, he caught a glimpse of the landline on the office window and paused.
"Ding-ling-ling."
Just as Pei Ziheng was about to doze off while waiting, the phone on the corner table finally rang.
"Daddy!"
Shen Mingzhu, who was cooking in the kitchen, heard Pei Ziheng calling for daddy and put down the vegetables she was holding, washed her hands, and went to the living room.
Over the phone, Pei Yang asked Pei Ziheng as usual if he had been obedient and well-behaved. Pei Ziheng had always honestly answered before, but today he was unusually crying nonstop.
"Daddy, come back soon, I miss you!"
"Daddy will be back after a little while, be a good boy and listen to Auntie Mingzhu..."
"I don't want to, she's a bad woman, she hit me, didn't give me food, and even locked me in the house..."
Shen Mingzhu, who just stepped out of the kitchen: ???
Little brat, do you want to listen to what you're saying?
She approached and covered the mouthpiece, "When did I hit you? When did I not feed you?"
Pei Ziheng glared at her with tearful eyes, pouting without saying a word, but in his heart, he thought, not only did you hit me and not feed me, but you also burned me with red-hot chopsticks, locked me in the wardrobe, and drove me out into the snow wanting to freeze me to death!
Although these things haven't happened in this lifetime, they're bound to happen in the future!
"Bad woman! You're a bad woman; I don't want you to be my mom!"
Knowing that Pei Yang could hear him over the phone, Pei Ziheng deliberately cried and made a scene, trying to bring Pei Yang back this way.
Pei Yang on the other end of the line had a headache. Although he had no expectations for a mother's kindness and filial piety from the child, he didn't expect things to get to the point where water and fire were incompatible.
Shen Mingzhu was furious.
She believed that she had been good to her stepson these past few days, and while she did not expect him to respect her as an elder, she also did not foresee that he would dislike her to the extent of falsely accusing her to her face.
Emotions suddenly swept over her, and tears started streaming down.
"Pei Yang, let me tell you, I haven't touched your son with a finger, and I haven't starved him out of his three meals a day either!"
Hearing her voice choked with sobs, Pei Yang felt an even worse headache on the other end of the phone.
He hadn't said anything; why was she crying now?
"Alright, stop crying, I believe you didn't do those things. Xiaohuan might still be unable to accept my dad's passing. He has been sick during this period, and I'm not by his side, so it's inevitable that he has some resistance towards you. I'm sorry; it's my fault for not handling things well."
Shen Mingzhu was already extremely angry, but hearing the man's gentle words of comfort and apology over the phone, she suddenly felt wronged. She inexplicably became a married woman and even a stepmother, and now she started crying harder, while also whimpering like a child.
Pretend crying? She was familiar with that trick.
Pei Ziheng was dumbfounded.
"Okay Mingzhu, stop crying, shall I scold Xiaopei, will that do?" He was so distressed by her crying.
"Mm, scold him; I'll pass him the phone."
Shen Mingzhu wiped away her tears but didn't hand the receiver to Pei Ziheng. Instead, she pressed the speakerphone button.
From the phone, Pei Yang's stern voice came through, "Xiaohuan, have you forgotten how I usually teach you? You must respect your elders, be polite. Have you forgotten all that?"
Pei Ziheng sulked and pursed his lips.
"Speak up!"
Even through the phone line, Pei Yang's authority was in no way diminished.
Pei Ziheng muttered reluctantly, "I didn't forget."
"Now, immediately apologize to Auntie Mingzhu."
Apologize to the bad woman? Never!