Chapter 31.2

Lu Nong and Pei Zheng walked toward the school. Along the way, Pei Zheng kept sneaking glances at her, making Lu Nong almost think he had fallen in love with her.

When Pei Zheng looked at her again, Lu Nong seized the moment and caught his gaze. She said seriously, “Go on, why are you staring at me? Is it because you think you don’t have enough homework? Should I assign you some more?”

Pei Zheng was shocked. “?? Are you talking about actual homework?”

“What else could it be?” Lu Nong chuckled. She was just using this as an excuse to get Pei Zheng to work harder.

Pei Zheng immediately objected, “Even if I’m temporarily your bodyguard, you have no right to assign me homework! Besides, I’m a university student—do you even understand my major well enough to assign me homework?”

Lu Nong replied, “That’s true. As your temporary superior, it wouldn’t make sense for me to give you homework.”

Pei Zheng breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s right.”

“…But as your stepmother, I think I’m more than justified in giving you homework, don’t you think?” Lu Nong added quickly. “And don’t worry about me not understanding your major. You’re underestimating me again, aren’t you? Do you remember what I told you last time?”

Pei Zheng: “…”

“Never underestimate anyone,” Pei Zheng said in despair, repeating the words he knew so well. He felt that talking to Lu Nong was exhausting. You never knew which word you’d say that would lead you right into one of her traps.

If Lu Nong knew what he was thinking, she would surely say: Young man, I’ll make sure you understand that from now on, the trickiest road you’ll ever walk is the path set by your stepmother.

“Ah, that’s better. See, you immediately forgot that lesson as soon as there was no more trouble. Clearly, you haven’t suffered enough yet,” Lu Nong shook her head.

Pei Zheng gritted his teeth, responding word by word, “I really… thank! you!” What a maddening stepmother!

Lu Nong smiled, “No need to thank me. Oh, by the way, meet me at the cafeteria for lunch later, and bring your class schedule. I need to see how I can assign you some homework.”

Since she was determined to push Pei Zheng along with her, Lu Nong figured it was necessary to understand his class schedule. This way, she could stop him from skipping classes and increase his study time.

“Oh,” Pei Zheng answered weakly, his face completely downcast.

“By the way, why were you staring at me earlier?” Lu Nong finally remembered Pei Zheng sneaking glances at her.

“It’s nothing… It’s my fault,” Pei Zheng almost burst into tears. He just wanted to ask Lu Nong if it was exhausting to be around his cold dad, who was an ice block on the Tianshan Mountains?

Lu Nong narrowed her eyes. “Comrade Xiao Pei, if you don’t tell me the truth, I’m going to be a bit upset. And when I’m upset, I tend to assign extra homework.”

“…”

Pei Zheng sighed. “Alright, alright. I shouldn’t have been so curious about your relationship with my dad. I was wrong. I won’t ask again, okay? Please let me off.”

So that’s what it was about. Lu Nong thought to herself, My relationship with your father? It’s not a big deal. Of course, there was no need to explain that to Pei Zheng. She just smiled mysteriously, leaving him even more puzzled.

Pei Zheng was about to say something when he suddenly caught sight of something and tensed up. His expression turned serious, and his body stiffened.

Puzzled, Lu Nong followed his gaze and saw a well-dressed woman with a scholarly air walking toward them.

Lu Nong wondered about the woman’s relationship with Pei Zheng.

When the woman finally stopped in front of them, Pei Zheng pursed his lips and spoke first. “Why are you here?”

The woman frowned and lightly scolded, “You silly boy. I’m your mother. Isn’t it normal for me to be here on your first day of school?”

It turned out that the woman was Pei Zheng’s biological mother, Shen Yimei. Lu Nong had heard her name mentioned more than once before. Shen had been brought up by Father Lu in conversation, while Pei Mingxia had once sarcastically warned Lu Nong about her. Pei Mingxia implied that Shen Yimei was Pei Ji’an’s one true love, advising her not to get too comfortable, as Shen Yimei would eventually come back into the picture.

Honestly, Lu Nong had no plans to deepen her relationship with Pei Ji’an. She was perfectly content with their current, distant married life. So, whether or not Pei Ji’an had someone he cherished didn’t really matter to her.

Based on her experience as a “sea king^[1]In Chinese slang, “Sea King” (海王) means a player—someone who dates or flirts with many people at the same time without being serious or committed to any of them. It’s like … Continue reading” she knew what a “white moonlight^[2]In Chinese slang, “White Moonlight” (白月光) refers to someone’s first love or unattainable love—a person who holds a special, idealized place in someone’s heart. The … Continue reading” was—something unattainable, something out of reach. A white moonlight is only considered such if you can’t have them.

Were there any obstacles between Shen Yimei and Pei Ji’an that prevented them from being together and loving each other?

No, there weren’t. If there had been, they wouldn’t have gotten married in the first place. Without any obstacles, it’s impossible for someone to suppress their feelings for over ten years. Unless, of course, there were no feelings at all.

What confirmed this for Lu Nong was Pei Ji’an’s reaction whenever Shen Yimei’s name was brought up. Even someone like her, who didn’t fully understand his moods, could see his impatience and annoyance. There was not a trace of tenderness or nostalgia. She couldn’t fathom how anyone could think Pei Ji’an still had feelings for Shen Yimei.

Maybe she just didn’t understand love from this era. From the dramas she’d seen, the love stories of this time were full of misunderstandings, unspoken feelings, and missed opportunities.

But even if that were the case, it had nothing to do with her. All she needed to focus on was staying alive and surviving her transmigration.

After analyzing everything, Lu Nong realized she had no conflict of interest with Shen Yimei. So, she was completely calm in front of her.

However, Shen Yimei was clearly here for Pei Zheng, so maybe it was best for her to step aside.

Just as Lu Nong was thinking about saying goodbye, Pei Zheng’s tone remained icy. “You’ve seen me now, so what next?”

“Xiao Zheng!” Shen Yimei’s face darkened as she glanced at Lu Nong, scolding him for being disrespectful to his mother in front of an outsider. “Is this how you talk to your mother? Where are your manners?”

Pei Zheng took a deep breath. “Mom, thank you for coming. I have to attend the opening ceremony now. I’ll visit you in a few days, okay?”

“Alright.” Shen Yimei hesitated for a moment, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as if casually. Then she asked, “I heard your father was injured. Is he seriously hurt? How is the care at home? His new wife…”

Pei Zheng’s face became expressionless, his voice robotic. “Dad is fine. He got married, and with a stepmother to care for him, everything’s good. You don’t need to worry.”

Shen Yimei’s face twisted for a brief moment, but seeing the stunning woman beside Pei Zheng, she quickly composed herself. The previous topic was clearly no longer suitable to discuss.

“Xiao Zheng, is this your classmate? Why don’t you introduce her to your mother?” Shen Yimei tried to act friendly but came across as condescending.

Pei Zheng wanted to hide his face. “…” If I tell you, I’m afraid it might shock you. This is the very person you were just trying to get information about.

Lu Nong pondered. Should she reveal her identity, or should she hold back?

After considering everything, she decided it wasn’t necessary to hide. After all, she wasn’t someone to be kept out of sight. Smiling, she looked at Shen Yimei and said, “Hello, Ms. Shen. My name is Lu Nong, and I am Pei Ji’an’s wife.”

Shen Yimei: “…”

Pei Zheng: “…” Wow, that calmness… Stepmothers truly are something else.

An awkward silence fell over them.

“W-Who are you?” After a long pause, Shen Yimei nearly lost her composure, staring at Lu Nong as if she had seen a ghost.

Lu Nong patiently repeated herself. “I’m Lu Nong, Pei Ji’an’s current wife.”

“You… you…” Shen Yimei stuttered for a while, unable to form a coherent sentence. The thought of her actions just moments earlier made her head spin. She had always been so graceful, but never had she felt so embarrassed as she did now. She was furious, both at herself and at Pei Zheng and Lu Nong.

She suspected Lu Nong had kept quiet on purpose, waiting to watch her embarrass herself. Shen Yimei swallowed her frustration, maintaining the last shred of her composure. “Sorry, I have something else to attend to. We’ll chat another time.”

“Pei Zheng, Mom is leaving first. You have to study hard, okay?” After saying that, she left in a hurry without waiting for Pei Zheng to reply.

Lu Nong looked at Pei Zheng, and Pei Zheng spread his hands. His mother was just that kind of person. She always thought she was very powerful, but in fact she would be easily defeated with just one poke. However, judging from her expression, there would be some trouble when she returned.

As for who will make trouble, it is naturally those who dote on her.