The Beautiful Stepmother from the Eighties: Marrying a Factory Director to Raise Kids

Chapter 395

The compensation amounted to eight hundred and twenty.Earning this much in just two days of sales was incredible.

One could only imagine how terrifying the sales volume was.

However, Si Nian was somewhat surprised by Fang Hui's sentence.

She had thought that paying compensation would lead to a maximum detention of a dozen days or so.

She didn't expect her to be sentenced to three months.

This was quite an unexpected outcome.

Although she didn't want to offend people, Fang Hui had brought this upon herself this time. It served her right, and Si Nian didn't feel sorry for her at all.

After Captain Li finished discussing this matter with her, he chatted with Zhou Yueshen for a while before saying his goodbyes and leaving.

Zhou Zehan and Jiang Jiu ran in laughing and joking. Zhou Yueshen glanced at him and stood up, saying, "Xiaohan, come here."

Si Nian had just come out of the kitchen with tea. She hadn't expected Captain Li to leave so quickly. Seeing Second Child looking bewildered as his father called him over, she finally snapped back to reality. Wasn't Second Child training outside? How did he end up playing with Jiang Jiu after just a brief moment out of sight?

Si Nian observed Zhou Yueshen's expression; his face was as calm as ever.

Since she had known him, Si Nian had never seen Zhou Yueshen lose his temper at them.

He had always been very gentle with the children, but seeing how quickly Second Child and Jiang Jiu behaved themselves, it was clear that Zhou Yueshen had lost his temper before.

They were especially afraid when Zhou Yueshen was expressionless.

They obviously knew he was in a bad mood and didn't dare to fool around.

For instance, right now, she felt that Zhou Yueshen looked no different from usual.

But the two children instantly went to stand facing the wall as a punishment.

Si Nian raised her eyebrows slightly.

Although Jiang Jiu was dragged over by Second Child, he also treated Zhou Yueshen like a master.

It was bad enough that his daily training was less than his second brother's, but seeing his second brother playing around just now, he had also stopped taking it seriously.

This was what made Uncle Zhou angry.

He used to envy his second brother for having such a mighty and strong father.

But now he found him terrifying.

Uncle Zhou's anger was much scarier than his own father's.

Because in front of his father, it was always him getting angry and his father coaxing him.

Second Child also stood against the wall with his hands behind his back, his face full of guilt.

He had thought that he wouldn't be discovered if he sneaked off to play for a while.

Seeing Si Nian, his older brother, and his younger sister looking at him, his small face instantly flushed red.

The guilt of doing something wrong rushed over him in an instant.

"Dad, I know I was wrong. I won't be lazy anymore."

Zhou Yueshen gave him an expressionless side-glance and said calmly, "We'll talk about the future later. Just do what's in front of you well."

Second Child nodded.

Si Nian didn't say anything either. Standing facing the wall wasn't a severe punishment.

Second Child was still immature, so letting him temper himself with Zhou Yueshen for a while was a good thing.

Second Child thought the punishment was over with just standing against the wall, but he didn't expect the training to be different the next day.

Zhou Yueshen tied sandbags to his arms and legs, while Jiang Jiu didn't have any.

Jiang Jiu still couldn't even run five kilometers.

Usually, Second Child would run in the front, acting very smug.

But now his body felt heavy, as if he were carrying a mountain on his back.

It wasn't long before his legs felt incredibly sore.

Second Child felt very wronged, thinking his father was using his public office to avenge private wrongs. When he got home and saw that Si Nian was awake, he immediately ran over to complain.

"Mom, Mom, look at what Dad tied to me. Dad is too petty."

Si Nian looked down and saw that the little guy had sandbags tied to his arms and legs.

She was a bit surprised.

Wasn't it a bit exaggerated to start weight-bearing running at such a young age?

After Second Child finished speaking, he pointed at Zhou Yueshen and said, "Dad is running ahead effortlessly and laughing at me..."

Before he could finish his sentence, several thuds sounded in front of Zhou Yueshen. A few iron blocks fell to the ground, smashing the stones paved on the floor.

Second Child was speechless.

Zhou Yueshen then looked at him and said lightly, "If you don't want to use sandbags, do you want to use these?"

Second Child smiled stiffly, "...Mom, I actually really like running with sandbags tied to me. It's not tiring at all."

Si Nian burst out laughing, "Alright, your dad isn't bullying you on purpose. It's just that you've been running for so long, you need to make some progress. You can't just keep running like that forever."

Second Child nodded hurriedly, "I'll listen to Mom."

Zhou Yueshen proved with his strength that your dad is still your dad. In the following days, Second Child was as tired as a dog every day.

Let alone running with sandbags, Zhou Yueshen found it troublesome and specifically had someone custom-make iron blocks suitable for children for him to wear on his wrists and ankles.

He had to wear them every day while sleeping, eating, and running.

At first, Second Child also felt they were very heavy and sore, finding it extremely strenuous.

But habit is a very terrifying thing.

It wasn't long before he stopped feeling them, and his morning runs became easier and easier.

He was very proud of this and even showed off to his older brother, who looked like a househusband, "Brother, look, I can wear two kilograms now, easy peasy."

Zhou Zedong was engrossed in cooking and studying every day and hadn't paid attention to how his younger brother was training.

Only then did he notice the iron blocks on his wrists. "What's the use of that?"

Second Child instantly lost his voice.

He didn't know what the use was either; anyway, his dad told him to wear them, so he wore them.

If he had to say what the use was, he couldn't explain the reason behind it.

Seeing his older brother withdraw his gaze with a look of disinterest, he suddenly felt very defeated.

He had been training with his dad for over half a month, and his older brother had already learned how to cook a dozen or twenty dishes, but he hadn't learned a single martial arts move.

He had originally hoped that once he learned some moves, he could show off how awesome he was in front of his older brother.

But he found himself just spinning his wheels in the same place.

Second Child became anxious again and went to find Zhou Yueshen, saying, "Dad, I'm used to these now. Can I learn some moves now?"

Zhou Yueshen was standing at the door. A chubby man handed him something, which he took before sending the man away.

Hearing this, he nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "It is time for the next step. I had a new set made for you."

After saying that, he took out larger iron blocks from the bag and put them on his wrists.

Second Child was speechless.

Next door, Fang Bowen leaned against the window, resting his chin on his hands, and curiously asked Xiao Yi beside him, "Dad, what do you think Second Child and Jiang Jiu are doing every day? Why do they have to do horse stances in the yard every day? Do they do something wrong every day?"

In Fang Bowen's memory, one would only be punished with a horse stance for doing something wrong.

During this period while he was recovering at home, Xiao Yi had canceled the nanny and all his classes.

He didn't have to go to school, and his mom wasn't home. His dad said that from now on, he would live with him.

His mom had done something wrong and couldn't come back for the time being.

Although Fang Bowen was a bit reluctant to part, he preferred the feeling of being with his dad.

His dad would never force him to learn things he didn't like, and he would buy him lots of delicious food and treat him well.

He even let him play with Second Child and the others.

Now that he didn't have to study every day, he had free time and deliberately ran to the balcony where Second Child and the others could see him, hoping they would see him and call him over to play Gomoku.

The last game of chess he played with Zhou Zedong hadn't been decided yet, and he was still thinking about it.

But it had been so long, and not only did Second Child and the others not invite him to play, but he also had no idea what they were busy with every day. Fang Bowen felt a bit disappointed.

Xiao Yi glanced over at the yard next door and saw Zhou Yueshen putting iron weights on the child's hands. He was slightly surprised.

Actually, he had noticed lately that Zhou Yueshen would take the two children out for a jog early in the morning.

However, this wasn't really strange; many families in the city placed a strong emphasis on their children's physical exercise.

But using weights was what surprised him.

Wasn't this child only seven years old?

Furthermore, these were usually only used in professional training.

Wasn't this a bit too early?

But seeing Zhou Yueshen in a tank top, showing off his muscular physique, Xiao Yi seemed to understand something.

He smiled faintly and rubbed his son's head. "He is exercising. Physical exercise is an indispensable part of life; it can improve your immunity. Once you fully recover, Daddy will also take you out to exercise, so you won't get sick in the future."

Fang Bowen immediately cheered up.

Second Child looked so healthy, and he wanted to be just as healthy as Second Child.

Second Child was very likable, and he would definitely be likable too.

Second Child, currently holding a horse stance, was still suspecting that his dad was just brushing him off: "Dad, is this kind of exercise really useful?"

Zhou Yueshen was watering the flowers Si Nian had planted. Hearing this, he paused.

He casually picked up a brick from the ground and punched it.

Smash. The brick shattered all over the ground.

Second Child's mouth dropped open in astonishment: "..."

Having silently stabilized his son's emotions, Zhou Yueshen turned around, only to see Si Nian standing at the doorway, staring at him with the same look of astonishment.

Looking at her shattered brick on the ground, Si Nian opened her mouth: "Zhou Yueshen, that was a patterned brick I specially custom-ordered to decorate the yard."

Zhou Yueshen stiffened. "I... didn't do it on purpose."

After saying that, he was about to step forward, but with that movement, the water hose yanked a flowerpot down, resulting in another loud crash.

Si Nian: "Ah! That was the rose I've been growing for over half a year."

Zhou Yueshen: "..."

The series of crashes in the yard drew the attention of both neighboring families, who looked over.

"What's going on at the Zhou house today? What broke?"

"Dad, did you hear the sound of something breaking?"

Xiao Yi glanced down from upstairs at Zhou Yueshen's slightly frantic back and chuckled softly: "I heard it. It was the sound of your Uncle Zhou's heart breaking."

At this moment, as if things weren't chaotic enough, the phone rang.

Looking at the angered Si Nian, Zhou Yueshen stood still for a moment before choosing to go and end the noisy ringing.

But he heard Yu Dong's tearful voice on the other end: "the Boss, I'm heartbroken."

Zhou Yueshen: ?

Yu Dong: "I saw it. Qianqian came to our restaurant to eat with another man."

Zhou Yueshen: "..."

Zhou Yueshen frowned. "What does her eating with a man have to do with you being heartbroken?"

Yu Dong was extremely depressed: "How does it not? I only went back home to inherit the family fortune so I could pursue her, and now she's with another guy. How could I not be sad!"

A rare flash of surprise crossed Zhou Yueshen's face: "You like Fu Qianqian?"

Yu Dong: "? You didn't know?"

Zhou Yueshen: "?"

Yu Dong was exasperated: "Wasn't I obvious enough? Any good brother could tell, but you didn't see it!"

Zhou Yueshen: "...I didn't see it."

However, he finally understood, and a bit of sympathy for Yu Dong crept into his tone.

Hearing this, Yu Dong almost burst into tears. "the Boss, I called you looking for comfort, not for you to stab me in the heart."

"But don't tell Eldest Sister-in-law about this. I'm afraid she'll laugh at me. However, could you help me ask Eldest Sister-in-law to find out how far along Qianqian and that man have progressed?"

Zhou Yueshen fell silent.

He subconsciously tilted his head to look at the slender figure on the sofa.

His brows furrowed slightly.

He realized his current situation was even more miserable than Yu Dong's.

But thinking of the relationship between Fu Qianqian and Si Nian, he coughed and called out softly: "Niannian, Yu Dong is looking for you."

Si Nian was still a little angry. Her precious rose had already formed buds, and just like that, it was gone.

But hearing that Yu Dong was looking for her, she couldn't just ignore it, so she stood up, walked over to Zhou Yueshen, and asked with a frown: "What does he want with me!"

Her tone was not good at all.

Zhou Yueshen's eyelids twitched, and he subconsciously said: "He's heartbroken and wants you to help him reconcile with Fu Qianqian."

Yu Dong: "?"

What kind of wild rumor was this?

Hearing this, Si Nian was instantly surprised.

Forgetting her anger at Zhou Yueshen, she stepped forward and asked gossipy: "When did those two start dating?"

Zhou Yueshen shook his head, indicating he didn't know.

Seeing her get closer, he subconsciously wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Seeing that she didn't push him away, his brows gradually relaxed, and he handed the receiver to her ear.

Si Nian spoke to Yu Dong while holding onto his hand, "Yu Dong, what's going on between you and Qianqian?"

Yu Dong wanted to cry but had no tears: "Eldest Sister-in-law, there's no such thing. the Boss doesn't know the situation and is talking nonsense, don't believe him."

Si Nian cast a suspicious glance at Zhou Yueshen.

Zhou Yueshen's dark eyes flickered, actually looking a bit guilty.

Si Nian shot him a look that said 'I'll settle this with you later', and only then did she take the time to understand Yu Dong's situation.

It turned out that this morning, Yu Dong was happily going to the restaurant, only to see Fu Qianqian and a pretentious man in a suit going to his family's restaurant to eat.

That wasn't even the worst part.

The worst part was that the man was treating her to a meal, and Fu Qianqian enthusiastically said that since she was friends with him, they could get a 40% discount on the meal!

Who could understand his pain?

After listening, Si Nian also felt that he was quite a miserable guy.

She coughed and said she would help him ask about the situation, but she couldn't help much beyond that.

After all, it wasn't appropriate for Si Nian to interfere in other people's romantic affairs.

She also didn't want to play matchmaker and force the two together.

It was best to let these things take their natural course.

However, Yu Dong's feelings were indeed too inconspicuous. If he hadn't asked her privately, Si Nian wouldn't have even known he had his eyes on Fu Qianqian.

After promising the utterly distraught Yu Dong, Si Nian hung up the phone.

Zhou Yueshen immediately let go of her.

Before Si Nian could find fault with him, he said: "I'll go see how Xiao Dong is doing with the cooking."

Then he went into the kitchen.

Si Nian sighed. This man seemed honest on the surface, but in reality, he was quite sly.

She went out to see Second Child still exercising there, covered in sweat, and called him inside to wash his hands and eat.

Just as she was about to enter the kitchen to help, she saw blood on Zhou Yueshen's hand.

Si Nian was startled. "What happened to you? Did you cut your hand?"

Zhou Yueshen gave an "Mhm."

He added: "I was just thinking about going to buy a new flowerpot. If there are any patterns you like, I'll go look for them for you."

Hearing this, Si Nian frowned. She knew a man who had professionally cut meat for thirty years without ever injuring himself wouldn't be this careless. Was it really because she had given him attitude earlier that made him overthink? Was that why he was so anxious to go buy a flowerpot?

Was I being a little too harsh? Si Nian thought with a twinge of guilt as she looked for some gauze to bandage his wound. Alright, I don't really blame you. That rose can survive if it is planted in the dirt. Since the vase is broken, let's just plant it alongside the vegetables.

Zhou Yueshen murmured his agreement.

The atmosphere between the two had just softened as they walked out together.

Then they saw Second Child, who had just washed his hands and sat at the table, stirring the pot without a care in the world. Mom, Mom! Dad didn't break your brick on purpose. He was just showing me how tough he is. He also ruined the flower you spent half a year growing. Dad is really so careless, not meticulous like me. I am very careful when I water Mom's roses every day.

Zhou Yueshen: ...

President Zhou: His fists clenched.