Seeing his son stubbornly refusing to apologize, Pei Yang had no choice but to apologize to Shen Mingzhu himself.
"Mingzhu, I'm sorry. I've been away for years, and Xiaohuan has been living with my parents, spoiled by the elders. Please be more patient with him. When I get back, I'll definitely discipline him properly."
"Oh, how exactly do you plan to discipline him?"
As she asked, Shen Mingzhu glared at her stepson, who glared back fiercely, looking like a little wolf cub ready to pounce at any moment.
"It's up to you, as long as it helps you cool off."
That's what Pei Yang said on the other end of the phone, his deep voice filtered through the electromagnetic waves, somehow sounding a bit indulgent.
Shen Mingzhu was satisfied.
"Pei Yang, although I'm not Xiaohuan's biological mother, I wouldn't treat him unfairly."
"Uh-huh, I trust you. Is everything okay at home?"
"Things are good. I was about to tell you that I'm planning to replace some of the old furniture in the room and get a dressing table..."
Before she could finish, Pei Yang interrupted her, "You can decide on these little things yourself."
The man's trust made Shen Mingzhu feel quite appreciated, and she couldn't help but smile, taunting, "Aren't you afraid I'll squander all your savings?"
"It's not mine; it's ours. If it really gets spent, you'll just have to live a hard life with me."
The two of them chatted on the phone this way, back and forth, while Pei Ziheng on the sofa looked like a piece of scenery without any presence.
Before hanging up, Pei Yang finally remembered his son.
"Mingzhu, hand the phone to Xiaohuan. I want to speak with him."
"Your dad wants to talk to you."
After saying this, Shen Mingzhu put down the receiver and turned to go to the kitchen.
When Shen Mingzhu came out of the kitchen carrying dishes, she saw her stepson slumped on the sofa, looking downcast like a frostbitten eggplant.
She guessed that Pei Yang must have scolded him. Serves him right!
Shen Mingzhu couldn't help but laugh cheerfully, "Dinner's ready."
Contrasting with Shen Mingzhu's joy, Pei Ziheng was filled with gloom.
He had warned his dad about the danger he might face, but his dad didn't believe him and instead told him to listen to that bad woman.
What to do?
Was he just supposed to watch his dad die young and be buried at sea like in his previous life?
Despite his resentment towards Shen Mingzhu, Pei Ziheng didn't sulk and refuse to eat.
He needed to be full to have the energy to fight against that bad woman.
But he didn't let his guard down either; he would only eat a dish after Shen Mingzhu had taken some herself.
Somehow, the bad woman's cooking had suddenly gotten so good? Every dish was so delicious that he accidentally stuffed himself full.
So stuffed, so uncomfortable.
The bad woman must have intentionally cooked the food this well, trying to stuff him to death!
If Shen Mingzhu knew what her stepson was thinking, she would sadly touch his forehead: Delusions are a sickness that needs to be cured.
After cleaning the kitchen, Shen Mingzhu went back to her room, applied some Byakuren cream on her hands, and then went to knock on her stepson's door.
After several knocks with no response, Shen Mingzhu called out directly, "I'm going to count to three, and if you don't open the door, I'm going to call someone to pry it open."
Just as she reached three, the door clicked open.
Facing her stepson's pitch-black eyes, Shen Mingzhu suddenly realized that his feelings toward her seemed not just rejection and dislike, but more like hostility and hatred.
But she had only arrived at the Pei Family just a few days ago and had been conscientiously assuming the role of a stepmother; he had no reason to hate her, did he?
Could it be that due to the plot, they were natural enemies?
If that were truly the case, her only way to save herself would probably be to divorce Pei Yang and step out of the stepmother's role.
Yet, when she thought of the man's perfect physique, Shen Mingzhu found herself quite reluctant to let it go.
Furthermore, Pei Yang's personality was quite good; at least for now, she had a favorable impression of him.
"Come here, let's talk."
Pei Ziheng's little face was cold and tense, doubtful of Shen Mingzhu's motives, but still followed her to the living room.
Shen Mingzhu got straight to the point, "You don't like me, and I won't force you. As for your reasons, I won't ask further, but of course, if you wish to tell me, I'm willing to listen."
Pei Ziheng looked down, sneering inside: A woman just pretending.
Seeing that her stepson had no intention of revealing his thoughts, Shen Mingzhu continued, "I'm already married to your dad, and legally I'm your guardian. I have the responsibility and duty to take care of you. Of course, if you really hate me and don't want to live under the same roof, the only option is for me to send you away."
His dad wasn't even dead yet, and she was already thinking of kicking her out of the house!
Pei Ziheng looked up, his eyes fierce, "Don't dream. I'm not going anywhere! This is my home, and if anyone should leave, it's you, the wicked woman!"
Shen Mingzhu huffed lightly, "Your father and I are legally married, so my presence in this house is justified. If you're unwilling to live with me, then you'll have to leave on your own. Of course, if you're willing to humble yourself and live with me, the 'wicked woman,' then I will fulfill my role as a stepmother. So, whether you stay or leave, it's your choice.
"However, if you decide to stay, then you're acknowledging me as your stepmother. As your elder, I have the responsibility to take care of you and the right to educate you. You may not obey me, but you must respect me; otherwise, I won't hesitate to discipline you in the way other birth mothers educate their children."
Pei Ziheng was furious but had no other option.
He was too weak right now to stand up to the wicked woman, and moreover, his current priority was to find a way to prevent his father from a maritime disaster.
---
On Pei Yang's side, although he had managed to soothe the mother and daughter duo over the phone, he still couldn't rest easy. He called his elder sister, Pei Wenping, asking her to visit home often when she had the time.
After finishing the call and returning to his dorm, he cleaned up his room after washing up, and as the sky turned dark, Pei Yang changed clothes, grabbed some items, and went to his master Lin Guofu's house.
"Xiaopei is here, come on in!"
Seeing Pei Yang outside the door, Wang Huizhen smiled broadly, her mouth almost failing to close.
As Pei Yang stepped into the Lin Family's house, he saw a tall, young lady standing in the living room. He nodded politely towards her, then handed the gifts he was carrying to Wang Huizhen.
"Teacher's wife, these are some local specialties I've brought for you and Teacher from my hometown."
Wang Huizhen playfully chided with a laugh, "Bringing things when you're here to eat, isn't that treating us like outsiders?"
"Just a couple bottles of wine, some apples, and fruit candy. They're special to our area, not worth much."
"Alright then, I won't be polite with you."
Wang Huizhen laughed as she accepted the items, then turned to introduce him to her niece, Wang Xiuzhu.
Wang Xiuzhu's face had already turned red when Pei Yang walked in, and it reddened even further as Wang Huizhen made the introductions, ending up even more flushed than the apples Pei Yang had brought.
Watching Wang Xiuzhu's shy demeanor, Pei Yang couldn't help but think of his newlywed wife, with her almond-shaped eyes and rosy cheeks, looking like a soft, juicy peach, so tempting to take a bite of.
After the introductions, Wang Huizhen excused herself to the kitchen, leaving space for the two.
Seeing that Pei Yang had no intention of making conversation, Wang Xiuzhu bit her lip and took the initiative to speak, "I'm 20 this year, a junior in the International Economics and Trade program at Maritime University. How about you?"
Pei Yang just smiled, "Coincidentally, you're the same age as my partner."
Wang Xiuzhu paused, then giggled covering her mouth, "I haven't agreed to be your girlfriend yet."