The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 60 - One Quilt Doesn’t Cover Two People
Chapter 60: Chapter 60: One Quilt Doesn’t Cover Two People
Chapter 60 -60: One Quilt Doesn’t Cover Two People
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Wang Xiuzhu, though she was not methodical in her actions, had genuine feelings for Pei Yang.
Despite Shen Mingzhu not accepting her conditions, Wang Xiuzhu still immediately called her uncle, who works at the Maritime Bureau, after returning and informed him of Pei Yang’s situation.
Even though Wang Xiuzhu’s uncle was not from Fengcheng, they were from the same province, and getting a replacement seafarer’s certificate was just a matter of making a call and working some overtime.
By noon, Lin Guofu brought Pei Yang good news.
The Fengcheng Maritime Bureau had agreed to help expedite the issuance of Pei Yang’s replacement seafarer’s certificate and to send it via express post, which was expected to arrive in about three days.
That same day was also the departure date for the voyage.
To be on the safe side should the mail be delayed on the way, Lin Guofu applied for a one-day departure delay from the parent company, citing the need for a ship inspection.
“…The parent company has approved it, and the departure originally scheduled for the afternoon of the third day of the New Year has been changed to the afternoon of the fourth day.
Now you can truly rest easy,” he said.
Pei Yang’s face was brimming with joy, “Master, I owe you one this time.
I’ve caused you trouble again.”
Lin Guofu patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction, “And Xiuzhu, too.
She also made a big effort.
If her uncle hadn’t stepped in to negotiate with Fengcheng, the certificate wouldn’t have been reissued so quickly.”
Pei Yang nodded, “When I return from this voyage, I’ll bring Mingzhu to the Wang Family’s home to express our thanks in person.”
“We’ll talk about that later.
Today is New Year’s Eve; how do you plan to spend it?
Why don’t you come back home with me?”
“No thanks, Master.
Quite a few brothers are not going home, so I plan to liven things up with them in the canteen,” Pei Yang replied.
“All right then.”
After seeing Lin Guofu off, Pei Yang and Shen Mingzhu exchanged smiles.
Shen Mingzhu was happy that Pei Yang’s career was secure, but in Pei Yang’s happiness, there was also a bit more of a personal joy.
Delaying the departure by a day meant he could spend an extra day with his wife, turning misfortune into a blessing.
In the afternoon, Pei Yang took his wife and child to visit the ship.
As a modern person from forty years in the future, Shen Mingzhu was naturally familiar with ships and had even been on cruises more luxurious and advanced than this one.
Yet she still listened with great interest as Pei Yang explained the ship’s structure, facilities, and architecture of each cabin.
On board the ship, Pei Yang was a completely different person than when he was ashore.
Ashore, he was relaxed, open-minded, humorous, with a touch of macho assertiveness; on board, he was focused, serious, composed.
A man who works diligently is the most charming.
This saying was fully embodied in Pei Yang.
She and Pei Ziheng, one a layperson and the other a four-year-old child, listened as Pei Yang patiently and meticulously explained the purpose and significance of even the very first rivet without the slightest confusion.
Wang Xiuzhu was right about Pei Yang’s love for the ocean and his passion for the profession of seafaring.
After the tour of the cargo ship, Pei Yang led his wife and child to buy a variety of fresh catches from the fishermen by the sea, then went on to buy vegetables, pork, and flour, planning to make dumplings that evening.
Back at the staff dormitory, crew members who hadn’t gone home were busily hanging lanterns and pasting up Spring Festival couplets.
Pei Yang joined in the activities while Shen Mingzhu and a few other women family members went to the canteen to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner.
Pei Ziheng, with several children of similar age, was playing marbles in the courtyard of the dormitory building.
After a while, someone suggested going outside to buy firecrackers to play with.
So they each ran to their parents to ask for spending money, and Pei Ziheng also ran to find Pei Yang.
Pei Yang gave him a yuan and warned him not to go far.
“Okay, off to buy firecrackers!”
A group of kids ran out of the dormitory compound, as lively as little monkeys.
There was a small store selling firecrackers diagonally opposite the dormitory building.
The children gathered around the store’s stall, making a constant clamor.
Pei Ziheng, unnoticed by the rest, turned and ran into the nearby telephone exchange.
——
Night fell, and the streets and alleys were adorned with festive lights.
The continuous crackling of firecrackers echoed nonstop, and the night sky lit up with colorful fireworks from time to time.
In the staff canteen, more than twenty people came together to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
The men sat at a large table while the women and children sat at another.
The men drank heartily, while the women and children chatted and laughed as they ate.
Soon, steaming hot dumplings were brought to the table.
Before everyone started eating, someone stood up and announced, “Old rules apply, whoever finds the coin must perform a show.
Of course, if you don’t want to perform, you can just take three drinks and that’s that.”
“Sure!”
Everyone shouted and laughed in agreement.
Shen Mingzhu didn’t want to perform a show, nor did she want to drink alcohol, so she simply chose not to eat dumplings and only ate the vegetables.
Some fresh produce bought from the fishing boat in the afternoon was so sweet and fresh simply steamed or blanched.
Shen Mingzhu was savoring a crab leg when suddenly a warm body pressed against her back.
She turned her head in surprise and found it was Pei Yang.
His arms were propped on the table on either side of her, encircling her in a half-hug, as his smile-filled eyes landed on the pile of shrimp shells, crab shells, and seashells by her bowl.
“You like seafood that much?”
His head rested on her shoulder, and his warm breath on her earlobe carried a strong scent of alcohol.
Seeing the others at the table looking at them with teasing smiles, Shen Mingzhu’s face grew hot.
She reached out to push the man back, but instead of pushing him away, he caught her hand.
When he finally released her hand, she found a copper coin in her palm.
What a sly dog!
“I can’t drink any more, and I don’t have any acts to perform, can you help me?”
She glared at the man.
“If you can’t perform any acts, then you shouldn’t be so greedy!”
Pei Yang lowered his gaze to look at her, his eyes as tender as a galaxy of stars.
“I want to eat the dumplings you made.
I’ve never had them before.”
After saying this, he leaned in close to her ear and added, “They’re really tasty.”
Shen Mingzhu’s face burned, and the anger in her heart vanished in an instant.
Noticing Pei Ziheng curiously looking at them, Shen Mingzhu hatched a plan.
She took Pei Ziheng’s hand and slipped the copper coin into it.
“Wow, Ziheng, you got the copper coin?
Go on, show uncle and auntie your special talent.”
Pei Ziheng looked up with an expression of disbelief: ???
“Go on, be a brave man.
If you dare to eat, you should dare to perform,” Shen Mingzhu encouraged with a smile.
Pei Ziheng looked towards Pei Yang, who appeared helplessly and started clapping first.
It’s said that the same quilt doesn’t produce two different kinds of people, and that’s exactly what you two are.
Pei Ziheng reluctantly recited a Tang dynasty poem in front of everyone, a small child bearing a responsibility he should not have had to.
Reciting a Tang poem was nothing unusual, but Pei Yang was surprised and pleased.
In his memory, his son was still a naked toddler clutching a milk bottle, and suddenly he had grown into a young boy who could recite poetry fluently.
Feelings of relief, satisfaction, and pride filled his chest; at the same time, he grew more grateful and fond of Shen Mingzhu, his daughter-in-law.
“Did you teach Ziheng that poem?”
The scoundrel — whether intentionally or not, he spoke close to her ear, his breath tickling her to no end.
“Go back to your seat.”
His gaze fell on her earlobe, red as if it were about to bleed.
Pei Yang, in a rather good mood, stepped back following the push she had given him and returned to the men’s table.
Shen Mingzhu let out a hidden sigh of relief.
The New Year’s Eve dinner didn’t end until after ten o’clock.
Tired from a long day, Shen Mingzhu lay in bed back at the dorm, not wanting to move, while Pei Yang handed out red envelopes with lucky money to Pei Ziheng.
“Thank you, Dad!”
Following the voice, Shen Mingzhu looked over and saw Pei Yang waving at her.
Shen Mingzhu sat up lazily but didn’t go over.
“What’s up?”
Pei Yang walked over with long strides and extended a red envelope to her with a smiling face.
Shen Mingzhu blinked, “I get one too?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Thank you!”
Looking down at her from his taller stance, his voice was seductive, “Who are you thanking?”
Shen Mingzhu had a momentary lapse, “Daddy?”
Pei Yang: “…”
Pei Ziheng: “…”
Shen Mingzhu just wished there was a crack in the ground she could crawl into.
