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

Chapter 421

In her daze, Si Nian could still hear him murmuring in her ear, seemingly asking if she knew how to dance.When Si Nian answered that she did, he paused for a moment.

When Zhou Yueshen woke up in the morning to call her, she was still a bit sulky and turned her back to him.

"Niannian, if you don't get up now, you'll be late for class." Zhou Yueshen coughed into his fist and reminded her in a low voice.

His voice was deliberately kept low.

It clearly carried a hint of guilt and caution.

Covered by the blanket, Si Nian stiffened, only then remembering that she was still a student.

What a sin, what a sin.

She climbed out of bed, feeling quite disgraced, and even bumped into Zhou Yueshen as she walked past.

"Ouch!" Zhou Yueshen didn't budge, but she was bounced back and almost fell flat on her bottom.

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What a disaster.

Zhou Yueshen didn't know exactly how angry Si Nian was to actually use her slender little body to ram into him. This was something he hadn't expected.

Seeing her cry out in pain, he quickly reached out to pull her up.

To keep her from falling.

Si Nian, flushed red with anger, glared at him fiercely before heading downstairs.

During breakfast, the children all sensed the off-kilter atmosphere.

"Mom, did you and Dad have a fight?"

Second Child asked, looking at the two of them curiously while biting into an egg.

Si Nian's expression stiffened. "Nothing of the sort."

"Then why are you sitting so far away from Dad? Mom, you're usually not like this."

Second Child's face was written all over with confusion.

Usually, Mom and Dad sat together.

But today, Mom sat very far from Dad, and she didn't say a single word.

"If I'm not usually like this, then what am I like?"

Second Child said, "Usually, you sit right up against Dad, and you lean on him, holding hands while you eat, and sometimes you even let Dad feed you."

Si Nian was speechless. Was she usually that clingy?

Zhou Yueshen looked at his son, his eyes filled with a smile.

He received another glare from Si Nian.

She coughed, "Alright, eat your food." Why was he observing so carefully?

She had thought their usual interactions were subtle enough that the kids wouldn't notice at all.

How utterly embarrassing.

Si Nian went to school. She didn't plan on handing in the translated documents to the English teacher so quickly. Since the teacher had given them two days, she could just submit them at the last minute.

If she handed in the assignment too quickly, the teacher might think she had it easy, and it wouldn't be good if she was piled with a bunch of work in the future.

Thinking like this, Si Nian went to class with peace of mind.

Unexpectedly, she bumped right into Lu Yao, who had just gone to hand in her documents.

Lu Yao's complexion was not looking good; she had dark bruises under her eyes and two big dark circles.

It seemed she had stayed up late working overtime last night.

She was really giving it her all for this opportunity.

As she walked into the classroom, Liu Nana called out to her, "Sister Si Nian, over here."

Liu Nana had saved a seat for her.

This time, at least, it wasn't in the first row.

Si Nian couldn't bring herself to refuse, so she walked over and sat down.

Only then did she notice Zhang Xue sitting on the other side. Her face looked even worse than Lu Yao's, and her eyes were very red and swollen.

She looked as if she had been crying.

A bit puzzled, she asked, "What's wrong with Zhang Xue?"

Liu Nana's expression turned awkward. For a moment, she found it hard to say that Zhang Xue had been miserable all night because Chen Haoran had come looking for Si Nian.

This ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‍matter really couldn't be blamed on Si Nian. It wasn't her fault that she was pretty, and if Chen Haoran really liked her, what could be done about it?

Before Liu Nana could speak, Zhang Xue slammed her book onto the desk with a smack, staring coldly at Si Nian.

Si Nian looked baffled.

She didn't have any grudge against Zhang Xue, right?

"Xiaoxue, don't be like this."

Liu Nana hurriedly pulled at her.

But Zhang Xue swatted her hand away.

"Nana, are you my friend or her friend? You know perfectly well that I'm upset because of her, yet you still save a seat for her. Why are you being so kind? Do you also want to see me make a fool of myself?"

Zhang Xue said angrily.

She was already unhappy about the situation between Si Nian and Chen Haoran.

Yet here Nana was, talking to Si Nian.

What was the meaning of this?

Could it be that she also wanted to suck up to Si Nian because she had money?

The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed, and Zhang Xue's gaze toward Liu Nana consequently turned unfriendly.

After her initial shock, Liu Nana felt a chill in her heart. "Is that really what you think of me?"

She had been thinking all along that things between Si Nian and Chen Haoran might not be what Zhang Xue imagined.

Seeing her in such distress, Nana only wanted to ask Si Nian what the real reason was.

Yet Zhang Xue actually thought of her this way.

Liu Nana was furious.

A fire sparked in her heart as well.

Just for a man, how many people was she willing to offend before she was satisfied?

Was it really worth it?

"Then what else did you mean by it?" Zhang Xue actually regretted her words as soon as she said them.

But unable to swallow her pride at this moment, she still braced herself and spoke.

"Forget it!" Liu Nana gave her a glance and withdrew her gaze with a disappointed face.

She didn't want to talk to her anymore.

Looking at the two of them, Si Nian felt a massive headache coming on.

Girls' friendships were just so fragile, falling apart at the drop of a hat.

She didn't even know what had happened.

But she sensitively detected that it probably had something to do with her.

She was just about to ask what was going on when she was interrupted by the teacher's voice.

Class had started.

After class, Zhang Xue ran off first.

Liu Nana stiffened for a moment and remained silent.

Only then did Si Nian get the chance to ask what exactly the situation was.

"Does it have something to do with me? What happened to Zhang Xue?"

Liu Nana reluctantly said, "It's because of Chen Haoran. Yesterday afternoon, Chen Haoran came looking for us, saying he wanted to walk you home. It made Zhang Xue misunderstand that Chen Haoran likes you, and she cried all night."

She sighed. She and Zhang Xue had fantasized during high school about working hard together once they got into college, yet their friendship had deteriorated to this state over a man. It truly disappointed her beyond words.

Si Nian was greatly astonished. "What? I'm already married, and she could still misunderstand?"

"Because from our perspective, Chen Haoran really is quite enthusiastic towards you."

Si Nian understood now.

Because of his relationship with Chen Nan, Chen Haoran treated her like a relative.

But the others didn't know about this yet and had always thought that they weren't actually familiar with each other.

Chen Haoran taking the initiative to seek her out like that was what caused the misunderstanding.

Si Nian rubbed her temples, feeling that college relationships were truly complicated and bumpy.

However, to avoid trouble, she still said, "This matter is a misunderstanding."

She briefly explained the relationship between the Chen family and her own. Although it was a bit of a coincidence, Si Nian truly wasn't lying.

After hearing this, Liu Nana was also very surprised. "So that's how it is. I felt something wasn't right and that it wasn't like what Zhang Xue thought. Good thing I didn't misunderstand you."

Si Nian nodded and said, "My husband and I have a very good relationship. He loves me very much, and, um... I also like him a lot. So it's impossible for me to have anything going on with Chen Haoran. In terms of seniority, he should even be calling me Aunt."

Liu Nana smiled awkwardly. "So that's how it is."

Si Nian nodded. "Zhang Xue probably misunderstood. I'll have to trouble you to help explain it to her. If I speak to her right now, she probably won't listen. Her emotions are being controlled by love. You two shouldn't fall out over this little thing. After all, there are still four years of college left, and you'll be seeing each other all the time. It will be awkward in the future."

Liu Nana said gratefully, "Thank you, you're such a good person."

This whole thing was a misunderstanding to begin with. With Zhang Xue treating her like that, anyone else would have been angry.

But Si Nian wasn't angry; instead, she kindly advised her.

Liu Nana had a very good impression of her.

Si Nian shook her head. She just didn't want to cause trouble for herself. Otherwise, whether other people got along well or not was none of her business.

However, after this incident, she also became clear about the good and bad personality traits of her three roommates.

Liu Nana asked her again, "Have you finished the work the English teacher gave you? Last night, I saw Lu Yao working all night. She didn't sleep this morning and went to hand it in bright and early."

She said this, feeling a bit worried about Si Nian.

"Don't worry, I have my own plans for this."

Si Nian said unhurriedly.

Seeing her expression, Liu Nana didn't ask any more questions.

At the agreed time, Si Nian handed in her work to the English teacher.

In the blink of an eye, it was Saturday, and she finally had a day off.

Si Nian was just thinking about taking Da Huang out for a walk when she encountered a woman screaming, "Catch the thief! Catch the thief!"

She looked up and saw a thief rushing toward her, carrying a bag.

Si Nian was startled. Before she could step aside, Da Huang let out a dangerous, low growl.

The man was still looking back smugly. By the time he reacted, a huge dog had suddenly pounced on him.

Terrified, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.

Half an hour later, the thief was taken away by the police.

The wealthy lady, having gotten her bag back, walked up to Si Nian and thanked her profusely.

"Sister, thank you so much! If you hadn't helped me catch the thief, I really wouldn't have known what to do. Losing money is a small matter, but losing my ID documents would be a huge hassle."

Si Nian withdrew her gaze from the bag the woman was carrying.

Hermes. Authentic at a glance.

Oh my, she had actually run into a rich woman.

The other party was dressed very luxuriously, though her outfit made her look a bit older.

She had big wavy hair, looking incredibly trendy.

However, she looked to be only in her thirties.

Actually, she hadn't thought about helping at all; it was Da Huang who had pounced on his own.

Who would have thought that their Da Huang also had a heart of justice?

It was rare to go out for a stroll, yet she still managed to run into a thief.

"You're too polite, sis."

"Sis... oh wow, you sure know how to talk. Seeing as you're about the same age as my son, you should really be calling me Auntie."

Si Nian looked surprised. "You look like you're in your twenties. I thought you weren't much older than me."

The woman's smile grew even sweeter, unable to contain the grin at the corners of her mouth.

"Sister, you're really interesting. What's your name? Let's get to know each other."

As she spoke, she looked Si Nian up and down, exclaiming in surprise, "You have a beautiful figure. Would you consider coming to my company to be a model?"

Seeing her outfit and aura, Si Nian knew she was very likely a modern career woman.

Hearing this now, it was indeed the case.

She said shyly, "I'm still in school."

"What a pity. Your looks have a very classic domestic charm. You would definitely look beautiful in a qipao."

"Oh my, I've been talking to you for so long, I almost forgot my main business. Sister, do you know where the Zhou family lives?"

Si Nian blinked. "The Zhou family? Zhou Yueshen's family?"

The truth was, there were so few families living in this alley, and hers was the only one with the surname Zhou.

Si Nian was surprised. She was looking for Zhou Yueshen?

Did Zhou Yueshen have such a wealthy relative?

"Ah, yes, that's the name. Recently, I've been hearing my Lao Chen talking about him. He even said his wife is young, beautiful, and elegant, telling me to learn from her. I wanted to come over and see just how beautiful she is."

Lao Chen?

Could it be Chen Nan?

Come to think of it, looking closely, this woman really did look a bit like Chen Haoran.

Si Nian: "..." Goodness, the gossip she was enjoying turned out to be about herself.

Seeing her suddenly fall silent, the woman paused. Suddenly, she realized something and stammered, "I-it couldn't be you, could it..."

Si Nian: "..." You hit the nail on the head.

...

Meanwhile, at the Jing City railway station.

Lin Sisi arrived in Jing City carrying her luggage.

This time, she had taken a special leave of absence to come here.

In her hands, she also carried the five thousand yuan that Zhang Cuimei had given her.

Lin Sisi was here to do business.

It took her a long time to convince Zhang Cuimei to give her pension savings to start a clothing business.

She had finally gotten out of prison and even gotten into university.

Lin Sisi's next plan was to be just like Si Nian in her previous life—to build a booming business.

Si Nian was now busy studying in Jing City, so she definitely wouldn't drop out of school to do business like she did in her last life.

By the time she finished university, the most she would have was a diploma from a prestigious school.

But as for herself, not only would she have a diploma, she would also become a powerful career woman and a big boss.

For this dream, Lin Sisi had traveled thousands of miles alone to Jing City.

Of course, she didn't come all the way to Jing City just to inspect goods.

It was because she remembered that around this time in her previous life, Fu Yang had been transferred to Jing City for a mission.

Because Si Nian wanted to do business, she had tagged along for the trip.

She heard that during her time in Jing City, Si Nian had met a female boss in the clothing industry.

Not only did she collaborate with the other party and secure a co-branding deal, but she also started a major brand business.

That female boss was an investor.

It was said that her husband was an equally wealthy businessman.

In his early years, he had invested in a friend and bought over a dozen courtyard houses. As a result of the friend running away, the dozen or so houses were stuck in his hands, unable to be sold.

Later, he gave these dozen or so houses to his wife.

His wife discovered that the reason the houses couldn't be sold was because a murder had occurred in the alley. Rumors were flying everywhere, scaring the surrounding residents into moving away.

Si Nian accidentally met the female boss, noticed something amiss, and later asked Fu Yang for help. The two worked together to catch the real murderer.

To thank Si Nian for her help, the female boss generously gave her a courtyard house, saying she could come to Jing City to play anytime.

Who would have known that the housing prices for such a courtyard house would skyrocket in the next ten to twenty years.

It would be worth hundreds of millions!

Of course, Lin Sisi knew this because Si Nian had become famous at the time, and many reporters interviewed her about her entrepreneurial experience.

It was reported in the newspapers.

After she found out that Si Nian was a fake heiress, she kept looking up everything about Si Nian.

Therefore, she knew everything that had happened to her like the back of her hand.

That was why she thought of making a special trip to Jing City.

If the person helping out this time was replaced by herself...

Wouldn't she be able to get a house for free?

The more Lin Sisi thought about it, the more excited she became.

That was a courtyard house worth a hundred million!

She suddenly felt full of confidence in the future.