The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 425 - 424: To Hong City

The social circles of wealthy ladies are incredibly extensive, and they frequently engage in social activities.

One day a tea party, the next a gathering.

When married women gather, besides discussing their husbands and children, they often talk about the trivialities of dressing and dining.

Whenever there’s something good, they would recommend it to their close friends.

And just like that, by word of mouth among these wealthy ladies, more from the surrounding cities came to order mooncakes.

In just half a month, Shen Mingzhu had sold over three thousand boxes of mooncakes through these ladies.

Moreover, she received phone calls every day to place orders for mooncakes. For this reason, Shen Mingzhu specifically assigned a veteran employee to attend to the phone and register orders all day.

Sun Feifei couldn’t sit still.

"Mrs. Yan, I’m sorry to bother you today, but there’s something I want to tell you." fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

"What is it?"

"It’s about something between Shen Mingzhu and your husband. It happened many years ago, but I really can’t bear to see you being deceived..."

Zhong Qing stirred her coffee indifferently, "I’m very curious, how did you come to know about the unspeakable between Shen Mingzhu and my husband?"

"I’m sorry, I can’t say."

"Then why should I believe you? Who knows if someone sent you deliberately to stir up trouble between me and my husband? There are plenty of people who can’t stand to see the Zhong Yan families getting along."

"If Mrs. Yan doesn’t believe me, then let’s pretend I never came and said nothing. Sorry to have disturbed you."

As she got into her car, Sun Feifei glanced at Zhong Qing, who was sitting by the window sipping coffee, and a cold smile surfaced in her eyes.

Sometimes hinting at something is more likely to pique someone’s curiosity.

She didn’t believe that Zhong Qing would remain indifferent after knowing about Yan Yi’s affair with Shen Mingzhu.

...

"Qingqing, you called me here in such a hurry, what’s the matter?"

"Mingzhu, why didn’t you tell me? Do you still consider me a friend?"

Shen Mingzhu recalled everything she had done recently as she looked at Zhong Qing’s serious expression.

"Which matter?"

"What, you have many things hidden from me?"

Shen Mingzhu uncertainly said, "Not really... I guess?"

"I’ll order first. Take your time to think, and tell me when you’re ready."

After ordering the dishes, Zhong Qing looked up, "Have you thought it through?"

Shen Mingzhu put on an ingratiating smile, "There’s been too much going on lately, give me a hint?"

Zhong Qing rested one elbow on the table and held a teacup with the other hand, "Sun Feifei."

"She went to see you?"

"Yes, she spoke quite ill of you."

Shen Mingzhu snorted, "Don’t believe a word she says."

Zhong Qing gently smiled, "I didn’t, which is why I came to you first. Tell me, how did you offend her that she’s going out of her way to steal your customers and spread rumors in front of me?"

Shen Mingzhu sighed, "It’s a long story, but I’ll cut it short..."

It took Shen Mingzhu nearly half an hour to explain the grudges between her and Sun Feifei.

Zhong Qing recalled something, "The person who was arguing with you in front of the Adult Education Center when I first met you, that was her, right?"

"Yes, it was her."

"Give me your hand."

Shen Mingzhu felt a thrill of excitement, thinking Zhong Qing was going to give her another gift, but when she extended her hand, it was met with a slap.

Zhong Qing was amused by her slightly glaring look, "You should be spanked for not telling me when you’re bullied."

Shen Mingzhu rubbed her numb palm and coquettishly said, "She’s just a jumping clown; I can handle her."

"Really?"

"Mhm, don’t worry."

Seeing the confidence brimming in her eyes, Zhong Qing didn’t say more.

After dinner, Zhong Qing took out a document from her bag and handed it to her.

Shen Mingzhu looked at it and saw it was a procurement contract for mooncakes, totalling ten thousand boxes.

"Qingqing..."

Meeting Shen Mingzhu’s deer-like, sparkling apricot eyes, Zhong Qing said with amusement, "I should have given this to you a few days ago, but I’ve been tied up with the pharmaceutical factory. It’s not too late, is it?"

Shen Mingzhu shook her head in haste, "Not at all, not at all. It’s just the right time, like sending charcoal in snowy weather."

"That’s good."

Zhong Qing stretched out her hand, grasped hers, and said seriously, "Mingzhu, you’re someone I care a lot about. If you have any difficulties, you must tell me. Don’t be afraid of troubling me, I’m not afraid of trouble."

Shen Mingzhu’s eyes welled up with tears of gratitude, "I understand!"

As they exited the restaurant’s main entrance, Shen Mingzhu’s sharp eyes spotted a silver Xiali parked diagonally opposite.

"Qingqing."

"What’s wrong?"

Shen Mingzhu blinked, "Hit me. Slap my face, quickly."

Zhong Qing: "..."

From the Xiali across the street, seeing Shen Mingzhu slapped and forcefully pushed to the ground by Zhong Qing, Sun Feifei thought she had successfully sown discord and her face bloomed with satisfaction and pleasure.

...

After parting with Zhong Qing, Shen Mingzhu returned to the factory. Before she could even warm her seat, she received a call from Yan Su.

"Long story short, there’s a charity gala next Saturday in Hong City that needs a pastry chef. Are you interested?"

Couldn’t be more interested, okay?

Hong City, that place of glitz and glamour, the kind of charity dinner that brings together numerous celebrities and tycoons; these were all potential clients she could tap into.

Getting one would be a profit, and not getting any wouldn’t be a loss. After all, it was a learning experience.

"I haven’t applied for a pass; the paperwork might not be done in time."

"Just tell me if you want to go or not."

"I do!"

"Leave the paperwork to me. Prepare your documents and photos; I’ll come to collect them soon."

Yan Su was quick to act. Three days later, Shen Mingzhu received her Hong Kong and Macao pass, which still carried the scent of fresh ink.

In those days, navigating the processes for entry and exit documents was quite complicated and difficult, particularly the political review, which had a pass rate of probably less than fifty percent.

...

As the Mid-Autumn Festival drew closer day by day, the food factory’s production of mooncakes had already far exceeded the sales volume by several times. Yet Shen Mingzhu showed no sign of stopping production, which made Sun Feifei suspicious.

But Shen Mingzhu was cautious; she kept all the orders tightly in her hands, and even Pei Yang didn’t know how many mooncakes had been sold. Sun Feifei was also unable to obtain useful information from inside sources and was at a loss for what to do for the time being.

Just then, her financial backer Qiang Tai arrived in Fengcheng.

Qiang Tai was from Sui City and spent most of his time traveling all over the place, staying in Fengcheng for no more than two months in total each year.

"Tai, why have you come so suddenly? You didn’t even call ahead. How many days are you planning to stay this time?"

Sun Feifei coiled around Qiang Tai like a boneless snake, provocative and seductive.

Qiang Tai usually fell for her antics, but today he seemed uninterested.

"Change into something proper and come with me to a meal. Dress conservatively."

Sun Feifei didn’t think much of it, assuming it was just an ordinary meal.

Having followed Qiang Tai for two years, he often took her along for socializing. Her role was that of a decorative vase, simply required to be quiet, pretty, and tactful.

When the two arrived at their destination, the guests were already there.

As she saw who was sitting inside the private room, Sun Feifei’s face suddenly turned pale.