[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-beautiful-stepmother-from-the-eighties-marry":3,"chapter-the-beautiful-stepmother-from-the-eighties-marry-the-beautiful-stepmother-from-the-eighties-marry-chapter-142":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Beautiful Stepmother from the Eighties: Marrying a Factory Director to Raise Kids",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1663580,2130,"Chapter 142","the-beautiful-stepmother-from-the-eighties-marry-chapter-142",142,"\u003Cp>\"Thank goodness you’ve got a conscience and came to help today, otherwise we might not have made it in time,\" Yu Dong sighed, taking a drag from his cigarette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yueshen worked at an astonishing speed, handling the workload of several people without showing any sign of exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had to be said—those who had served in the military had endurance and strength far beyond ordinary people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even before enlisting, he had always been efficient and meticulous in his work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he was practically inhuman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As everyone put it, he was a monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yueshen wiped his hands and took the cigarette, clamping it between his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dong tossed him a lighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was about to light it, Zhou Yueshen paused, then removed the cigarette and tucked it away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grabbing his portion of soup dumplings, he strode into the office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dong’s eyes gleamed with mischief. Others might not have noticed, but his sharp eyes caught it all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boss was planning to hog the goods for himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly stubbed out his own cigarette and followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Boss, what’s that delicious thing you’ve got there? Let me have a taste,\" Yu Dong called out as he stepped into the office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yueshen had his back turned, just peeling off his sweat-drenched undershirt when Yu Dong’s voice and footsteps reached him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Yu Dong’s fingers brushed the food container, he was met with a frosty glare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yueshen snatched the box away and set it aside, his voice low and cold. \"None for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dong’s mouth watered. In the brief two seconds he’d been near it, he’d caught a whiff of rich, savory meat—fragrant like the steamed buns from the shop he’d passed that morning, only better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No doubt about it—this was something special.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the fact that the boss was hiding it only made it more tempting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swallowed hard. \"Just one bite?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yueshen ignored him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dong refused to give up. \"Fine, then at least let me look at it. Just a peek?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yueshen finally glanced up, his expression indifferent but his silent aura unmistakably telling him to scram.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dong: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grumbling under his breath, he thought to himself—how did such a generous woman like his sister-in-law end up with such a stingy man? If he’d known she was cooking something good today, he would’ve dropped by earlier!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe he could’ve gotten some while it was still hot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, it all came down to him being too polite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next time, he’d have to be thicker-skinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a reluctant sigh, Yu Dong was shooed out of the office. Not far away, he spotted Lin Xiao with his back turned, eating something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aroma wafted over from a distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dong perked up, eyes lighting with realization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right! The miserly boss had brought a portion for his brother-in-law too!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‍he remembered his in-laws but completely forgot about his own sworn brother?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of cruel betrayal was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Weren’t they supposed to share both fortune and hardship?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xiao hadn’t been around for long, and since he was quiet and kept to his work, most of the crew didn’t interact much with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, sitting alone and eating, no one bothered to chat with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dong trotted over with a fox-like grin. \"Brother Lin, what’s that tasty thing you’re eating? Smells amazing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xiao was actually younger than him, but what could he do? He was the elder brother of Zhou Yueshen’s wife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the boss had to address him respectfully—Yu Dong certainly wasn’t about to act presumptuous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Might as well follow suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xiao tilted his head, recognizing Yu Dong—the guy who was close with Zhou Yueshen, childhood friends, or so he’d heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the question, he quickly closed his food box and straightened up, answering earnestly, \"I’m eating buns.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dong gritted his teeth. Obviously, he could see that from a mile away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing his frustration, he put on a shameless smile. \"What kind of buns? They smell incredible. Let me try one—I haven’t had breakfast yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He figured Lin Xiao, being such an honest and seemingly easygoing guy, wouldn’t be as tightfisted as the boss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t greedy—just one bite would do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been working since early morning and was practically starving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To his surprise, Lin Xiao hesitated, looking conflicted. After a long pause, under Yu Dong’s expectant gaze, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a dry, plain pancake, handing it over. \"If you’re hungry, you can have this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, cradling his precious soup dumplings like a treasure, he hurried off to his car.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d only eaten two earlier—just meant to sample them, but they were so delicious he couldn’t resist having another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest, he couldn’t bear to finish. He wanted to take them home for his wife, parents, and younger brother to try.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, these were made by his little sister. Of course he wouldn’t share them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dong, now holding a sad, dry pancake: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Zhou Yueshen left, Si Nian spent some time teaching Yaoyao to speak. Bored, she grabbed a hoe and headed outside to dig up the yard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yaoyao, mimicking her, clutched a tiny hoe and happily dug along, sweat beading on her forehead as she giggled nonstop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soil in the yard had been trampled down for so long that it was packed tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little girl barely managed to uproot a few weeds, and even Si Nian, after much effort, had only made a small dent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her palms were sore and tingling from the impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing in the yard, she rubbed her reddened hands, sighing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This dream of a lush vegetable garden wasn’t as simple as she’d imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this rate, just clearing the land would take days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of steady footsteps approached from outside the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Si Nian turned instinctively—sure enough, it was Zhou Yueshen, back already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his hand dangled a fresh slab of pork belly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since the incident with Li Mingjun, he’d insisted on making the trip himself rather than having deliveries sent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, seeing Si Nian standing there, sleeves and pant legs rolled up, face glistening with sweat, he walked over and studied the uneven patches of dug-up earth in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s this?\" he finally asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Si Nian’s voice softened automatically in his presence. \"I bought some vegetable seeds yesterday. I thought it’d be nice to grow our own instead of going out to buy them all the time. Our yard is big enough, so I figured I’d start clearing it, but...\" She held out her hands, palms flushed red. \"Look, my hands hurt from digging.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yueshen’s gaze dropped to her hands. He took them in his larger ones, gently kneading the sore spots, his brow furrowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Foolish. If it’s too hard, you should’ve stopped.\" He massaged her palms for a moment before taking the hoe from her, his voice low. \"I’ll handle it. Go rest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Si Nian nodded obediently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she started to pull her hands back, Zhou Yueshen suddenly lifted one and pressed a fleeting kiss to the back of it—so quick she almost missed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lashes fluttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a few steps away, she glanced back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man gripped the hoe, his expression indifferent as he worked, muscles flexing with each powerful swing, turning over large clumps of earth. His profile was sharp, unwavering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Si Nian watched him for a few seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>",1234,"2026-06-06T12:38:58.697Z",1,"novelbin.me","ab9944f3b0436b23e472bf10e6f80e7feca5493bede6b9b6f9b80b037b436927","the-beautiful-stepmother-from-the-eighties-marry-chapter-349","the-beautiful-stepmother-from-the-eighties-marry-chapter-348",482,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-beautiful-stepmother-from-the-eighties-marry-cover.jpg"]