Chapter 164 : The Trio of Sabotaging Each Other

Shen Haiping felt a little sad. “Brother, do you think she’ll still be able to come to school?”  

Shen Haifeng wasn’t sure either.  

Relying solely on themselves, there was no way to help Liu Niandi now.  

“Let’s go home and ask Mom. She’ll definitely know what to do.”  

—

Fang Xiaoluo spent her day in Jiangcheng visiting three shops but wasn’t satisfied with any of them.  

Two of the locations were unsuitable, and the one that was acceptable was too small and run-down.  

She knew finding the perfect spot for the noodle shop couldn’t be rushed, it might take days or even weeks.  

After the visits, she wandered around and bought a set of autumn clothes for her three children and Zheng Lanhua.  

She also spotted some pretty, colorful yarn and purchased a large quantity, planning to knit sweaters for everyone in the family.  

It was almost five o’clock when she got home.  

Zheng Lanhua was busy in the kitchen.  

“Mom, what are you up to?” Fang Xiaoluo called out.  

Hurriedly, Zheng Lanhua wrapped up the particularly hard pancakes leftover from lunch.  

When Fang Xiaoluo entered the kitchen holding a pair of trousers and a coat, she saw her mother-in-law tossing something into a basket nearby.  

“Mom, I got you a leather jacket. Try it on and see if it fits,” she said.  

Zheng Lanhua washed her hands and came over, reaching out to touch the jacket. “Why’d you get something so nice? I won’t wear it. You’re young, it’ll look good on you.”  

Ignoring her protests, Fang Xiaoluo draped the jacket over her shoulders. “You’re not old, and it’ll look great on you.”  

Though not yet fifty, as soon as she put on the jacket, her whole demeanor changed. She looked energetic and fashionable.  

“Not bad! Later, I’ll take you to get your hair permed. Everyone will think you’re in your thirties,” Fang Xiaoluo praised.  

The soft, high-quality leather had impressed even Zheng Lanhua. “Perm my hair? No way. What’s the point of having a head full of curls?”  

Fang Xiaoluo grinned. “I’ll make you look younger. You’re already pretty. Who knows? You might not even want an old man in the future. Maybe you’ll catch the eye of a handsome twenty-something!”  

Taking off the jacket, Zheng Lanhua glared. “Stop talking nonsense. Even if I were looking, I wouldn’t go for a twenty-year-old. And if I did, would you dare to call him ‘Dad’?”  

Fang Xiaoluo burst into laughter. “Why not? Go ahead and find one! Mom, don’t worry about us. You deserve to live your life, we’ll always support you!”  

Zheng Lanhua: …  

At that moment, Shen Zheng returned home carrying a lunchbox.  

“What are you looking for?” he asked.  

“Mom’s looking for a young and handsome guy to be your—” Fang Xiaoluo teased, only for Zheng Lanhua to quickly cover her mouth.  

“What I mean is,” she interrupted, “if you don’t treat my daughter-in-law well, I’ll help her find a young and handsome guy to replace you!”  

Shen Zheng: … “You truly are my biological mother.”  

Fang Xiaoluo turned her attention to the lunchboxes Shen Zheng placed on the dining table. “Why are you back so early today? And why did you bring food from the cafeteria?”  

He coughed awkwardly. “I was worried that the pancakes Mom made for lunch might’ve knocked your teeth out.”  

Zheng Lanhua: … “You’re the only one with a mouth that works overtime, aren’t you?”  

“Cakes?” The mention jogged Fang Xiaoluo’s memory of what she’d seen earlier.  

She went to the basket, unwrapped the cotton cloth, and tapped the leftover pancakes on the edge of the pot. Clang! Clang!  

“Mom, why were you hiding these?”

Zheng Lanhua stretched her neck to look outside. “Why haven’t Haifeng and the others come back yet?”  

Meanwhile, Fang Xiaoluo tried to bend the pancake but couldn’t budge it.  

The pancake had turned rock-hard as it cooled.  

“Mom, did you mix cement into these pancakes?” Fang Xiaoluo teased, shaking the pancake in front of Zheng Lanhua.  

Zheng Lanhua glared at her. “Well, you’ll never master my craft in your lifetime!”  

Fang Xiaoluo laughed. “Of course, I need to officially take you as my teacher! Come on, besides the leather jacket I just gave you, here’s a pair of pants as a master gift. Go to your room and try them on to see if they fit.”  

Zheng Lanhua knew that the items Fang Xiaoluo bought must have cost a pretty penny.  

Shen Zheng came over and asked, “Did you get anything for me?”  

Fang Xiaoluo replied with a straight face, “Nope, I forgot.”  

Shen Zheng touched his nose. “Is there something wrong with my ranking in your heart lately?”  

Fang Xiaoluo crossed her arms. “That depends on your performance.”  

Shen Zheng leaned closer and whispered, “Don’t worry, I’ll perform well tonight and make sure I don’t get kicked out.”  

Fang Xiaoluo snorted. “That’s more like it.”  

—

“Mom, I’m back!”  

Shen Jinxia’s cheerful voice rang out from the doorway, and both Fang Xiaoluo and Shen Zheng went out to greet her.  

As soon as Shen Jinxia saw Fang Xiaoluo, she rushed over and hugged her tightly. “Mom, I missed you so much!”  

Fang Xiaoluo was used to this. Shen Jinxia had a habit of sticking to her every day after school soft and sweet, enough to melt anyone’s heart.  

Not long after, Shen Haifeng and Shen Haiping arrived home as well.  

“Go wash your hands, it’s time for dinner,” Zheng Lanhua instructed.  

Once everyone was seated, Fang Xiaoluo noticed that Shen Haiping seemed distracted and worried.  

“Haiping, what’s on your mind? Did something happen today?” she asked.  

Shen Haiping hesitated before saying, “Mom, my deskmate is called Liu Niandi, and she…”  

“Liu Niandi?” Fang Xiaoluo interrupted. “Does her family favor boys over girls? Does she have younger siblings?”  

Shen Haiping was surprised. He thought his mom was amazing just from the name, she seemed to know the entire situation.  

“Yes,” he nodded. “She has two younger brothers, and her father treats her poorly. After school today, we saw her father beating her with a stick because he didn’t want to pay her tuition.”  

His voice softened as he added, “Mom, do you think she’ll still be able to come to school?”  

To Fang Xiaoluo, the fact that her parents named her “Niandi” (literally meaning ‘not wanted’) was a clear sign they didn’t value her.  

“I doubt it,” she said after a moment. “If her family was willing to let her study, they wouldn’t treat her that way. They’d probably rather have her stay home to care for her younger brothers.”  

Shen Haiping’s face fell, and he grew quiet. He wasn’t particularly close to Liu Niandi, but he understood how precious the opportunity to go to school was.  

After letting out a small “Oh,” he focused on his food.  

Normally, Shen Haiping loved to eat, especially delicious meals. Even though the cafeteria food wasn’t as tasty as his mom’s cooking, it was decent.  

But today, no matter how much he chewed, the food tasted like nothing.  

Noticing his mood, Fang Xiaoluo and Shen Zheng exchanged glances.  

She asked gently, “Haiping, do you want to help her?”