The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 863 - 862: Husband and Wife Quarrel

"I’ve already recovered a lot, and I came over today especially to thank you. Thanks to you, the factory can finally start operating."

Du Juan took over the conversation, looking at Shen Mingzhu with gratitude. She handed over an invitation card, "We’re holding the opening ceremony for Plant No. 3 and would like you to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony."

"I’ll pass on the ribbon-cutting, but I will personally be there on the 3rd to congratulate you."

Shen Mingzhu declined Du Juan’s invitation and added, "Actually, I didn’t do much, just talked a bit. The major work was done by my elder brother. Besides, we are family, and wherever I can help, I must do so without hesitation."

Hearing this, Du Juan was visibly moved. "Thank you for still considering me your sister-in-law."

"The development of the food factory to this point isn’t just my own achievement. You and elder brother have played the greatest roles, and that’s not something that can be denied by your departure. What others think, I don’t care, but personally, I wholeheartedly support and bless your decision to strike out on your own, and I hope you succeed."

"Thank you."

Shen Mingzhu had intended to invite the couple for dinner, but they politely declined.

When leaving, Du Juan asked Shen Chaobei to get in the car first, then she spoke privately with Shen Mingzhu for a moment:

"Little sister, I have a question to ask, and you can choose not to answer if it’s inconvenient."

"Go ahead."

"I want to know how you managed it, how you got the Environmental Protection Bureau to ease up."

If the issue with the permits could have been solved with gifts alone, she wouldn’t have struggled for so long, to the point of getting gastritis from stress drinking.

There had to be some unknown reasons behind it.

Three minutes later, Du Juan got back into the car.

Seeing her troubled expression, Shen Chaobei asked with concern, "What’s wrong? What did Little sister tell you? Why the unhappy look?"

Du Juan shook her head, "I’m not unhappy."

"So, what’s the matter?"

"Do you know why the Environmental Protection Bureau agreed to let us start operating?"

Shen Chaobei was puzzled: "It’s because I gave them gifts. According to Little sister, we stuffed a 30-gram gold bar in each box of tea leaves."

Du Juan’s self-derisive shake of the head, "If the higher-ups didn’t give the nod, they wouldn’t dare to take our things."

"Are you saying that Little sister quietly helped us smooth things over with the leaders there?"

"Deputy Director Yao’s son is graduating from college next year, majoring in computer science. Little sister called Mrs. Yao, offering to help recommend him for an internship at Lihua."

Shen Chaobei was incredulous. "Just like that? A single phone call made Deputy Director Yao willing to help us?"

Du Juan looked at him, "Of course not. What they value is Little sister’s influence and connections; they want to use this opportunity to get on good terms with her."

"Are you upset about this, or do you regret leaving Little sister?"

"Both, and neither."

She never thought of competing with Shen Mingzhu, aware of how challenging it would be to surpass Shen Mingzhu’s achievements.

What she had always wanted was a business entirely her own, where she could fully engage without any restrictions or constraints.

Yet, the hurdles that had exhausted her efforts and remained insurmountable seemed as simple as eating and drinking for Shen Mingzhu, inevitably making her feel defeated and disheartened.

Never before had she been so acutely aware that she and Shen Mingzhu were no longer on the same level.

...

That evening, as Shen Xiangnan returned home from work and saw Jia Yuemei knitting on the sofa, he spontaneously asked her to heat some water for him to soak his feet.

As the year-end approached, the Shenji branches were packed daily, and he was exhausted from running around every day.

Jia Yuemei sat without moving, and glanced at him sideways, "Big brother’s factory is starting up again, thanks to little sister who helped clear the connections."

"That’s great news. Big brother’s factory should have started long ago; it was unnecessarily delayed for two months by the environmental bureau."

Jia Yuemei couldn’t hold back her complaints, "Your little sister is just biased."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiangnan’s face darkened, "What nonsense are you talking?!"

"Hmph, did I say anything wrong? Your big brother and sister-in-law are ingratitude itself. Little sister has supported them for so many years. Have they ever appreciated that? Little sister is also foolish, despite how they treat her, she still eagerly plays the stepping stone for them..."

"Shut your mouth!"

Shen Xiangnan’s outburst didn’t intimidate Jia Yuemei.

Ever since she gave birth to their son, she had become more assertive and felt she had the standing to argue with Shen Xiangnan.

"Why should I shut up? You’re foolish too, always working like a dumb ox. If you were half as cunning as your big brother and sister-in-law, sought performance in front of little sister, Shenji would have been ours long ago... Ah!"

Shen Xiangnan slapped her across the face, "Talk nonsense again and see if I don’t tear your mouth apart! Little sister has already been good enough to us, don’t be ungrateful!"

The reason why his sister-in-law and little sister had a falling out was precisely because his sister-in-law gossiped about little sister at home, and it was brought to little sister’s attention by her nephew.

He certainly didn’t want to follow in his sister-in-law’s footsteps.

He didn’t have such big ambitions; he just wanted to peacefully make money and support the family following his little sister.

Jia Yuemei wasn’t the previously silent type anymore; after being hit, she, like an enraged lioness, pounced and started fighting with Shen Xiangnan.

The couple turned the house upside down, smashing the living room to shambles.

After the fight, Jia Yuemei tearfully packed her bags and took her son back to her mother’s house.

Shen Xiangnan didn’t chase after her; instead, he cleaned up the living room with his daughter Erya and then took her out for kebabs.

...

"I’m sorry, Miss Mai, your name isn’t on the hiring list. You might want to try at another company."

Upon hearing this from the HR officer, Mai Qiu’s heart sank like it was at the bottom of the sea.

She had lost count of how many times she had failed to get a job.

After being turned down at Shen Mingzhu’s place, she had been actively and diligently searching for work, continuously lowering her expectations for position and salary.

From department supervisor to assistant, secretary, to HR personnel officer, and even to a mere clerk.

Three months had passed in the blink of an eye, and she still couldn’t find a job.

Though the compensation as Du Juan’s assistant was generous, she had no savings because she had to support her younger siblings through school. She was barely getting by on the severance pay.

If she couldn’t find a job soon, she would sooner or later run out of resources.

"Wen Ling, happy birthday."

"Thank you."

Zhang Wen Ling opened the jewelry box, and seeing that it only contained a pair of ordinary silver studs, her smile somewhat faded.

Mai Qiu quickly explained, "I haven’t found a job yet, and don’t have much money to buy expensive gifts; I hope you won’t mind."

Hearing this, Zhang Wen Ling’s smile brightened again.

She and Mai Qiu were classmates from vocational school.

Over the years, with her decent job and high income, Mai Qiu had often been haughty in front of her.

Who would have thought that fortunes would change, and Mai Qiu, who had once been doing the best, was now an unemployed youth.