B5SB -Chapter 263 Quite a Stepmother

Noon

On the way back to the office after lunch,

Hu Shan linked her arm with Gu Yihan’s, kicking at the stones along the path while glancing at her.

“Xiaohan, I didn’t know Cousin Jiang did something so outrageous to you,” she said apologetically. “You can’t take it out on me or grow distant just because of him.”

“That won’t happen,” Gu Yihan said, turning her head to look at Hu Shan, smiling and waving her hand. “One thing is one thing. We’ve known each other for so long, and you’ve never done anything to hurt me—how could I possibly resent you?”

Hu Shan smiled in relief.

“Oh, by the way, Sister Shan, I remember you said your neighbor is Gu Meng, right?”

“Yes!” Hu Shan nodded repeatedly.

Gu Yihan asked, “Sister Shan, can you do me a favor?”

Hu Shan looked at her curiously. “What favor?”

“My grandma is taking care of her at Gu Meng’s house during her childbirth. Could you keep an eye on her for me?”

Hu Shan’s brows lifted slightly. Hu Shan understood that Gu Yihan was still worried about her grandmother being bullied by Gu Meng. With Hu Shan watching in the large courtyard, she would get news about her grandmother in time.

“Ah! That old lady is your grandma? But Gu Meng tells everyone that the old lady is just someone she hired from a nearby brigade!”

Hu Shan looked at Gu Yihan in surprise, unable to believe it.

Gu Yihan paused mid-step, a flash of displeasure crossing her eyes—Gu Meng’s behavior was clearly asking for trouble.

“Sister Shan, when you go back, help me spread the word that the person taking care of Gu Meng is her own grandmother.”

“No problem, leave it to me!” Hu Shan said, patting her chest confidently.

Seeing the worry on Gu Yihan’s face, she smiled. “Xiaohan, don’t worry—your grandma isn’t someone to be messed with. Except for the first day, she must have been bullied badly by Gu Meng. They had a quarrel, but the next two days were quiet.”

In a big shared courtyard, there were no secrets—news traveled fast. Because of Qin Shou, Gu Meng wasn’t popular among the other residents. Suddenly, an elderly woman showed up to help her give birth—rumored to be hired from a nearby village. Behind the scenes, many whispered that she was putting on airs.

Gu Yihan breathed a sigh of relief knowing her grandmother hadn’t been wronged.

Without meddlesome Sister Min or scheming Secretary Jiang constantly around, time flew by.

Before long, it was July 1973.

As soon as the off-duty bell rang, Gu Yihan quickly packed her bag and walked out of the accounting office.

Hu Shan followed closely behind. Noticing Gu Yihan walking especially fast, she asked curiously, “Xiaohan, why are you in such a hurry?”

Gu Yihan turned to her and smiled. “Today is my son’s second birthday. I need to go home and make him something delicious.”

“Oh.”

Hu Shan fell silent, lowering her head. Ever since her miscarriage, she had been taking traditional Chinese medicine almost like meals every day, yet still couldn’t get pregnant. She and Cheng Bo had started discussing adopting a child, hoping it might bring some luck.

Seeing Hu Shan distracted, Gu Yihan waved and ran toward the bicycle parking area.

At the entrance of the residential compound, Lan Cao tugged at Vice Battalion Commander Wang’s sleeve, crying with snot and tears streaming down her face. “Why didn’t you give me money this month?”

Vice Battalion Commander Wang looked troubled. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to give it, he was just powerless. His wife was pregnant with their second child, and her health was poor. The doctor said she hadn’t fully recovered from the first pregnancy, and this one required extra nutrition—otherwise, it would affect the child.

“Say something! Have you gone mute?” Lan Cao was furious. When had he ever zoned out like this?

Wang snapped back to reality and quietly explained, “Zhang Xia is pregnant again. All household expenses have to be prioritized for her.”

Jealousy flashed in Lan Cao’s eyes. Why was it that Zhang Xia, married to Wang, could have two children in three years, while she couldn’t get pregnant for years?

Seeing Lan Cao silent, he assumed she was angry and tried to soothe her. “Once she gives birth and things are easier, I’ll make it up to you.”

“No.”

“Do you mean I’m less important to you than your unborn child?” Lan Cao shouted, looking up at him.

Wang covered her mouth with one hand and pulled her arm forward for a few dozen meters, making sure the guards at the gate couldn’t hear. “Lower your voice, little ancestor.”

“Afraid people will know we’re still attached even after divorce?”

Lan Cao tore his hand away, eyes red, glaring at him. Full of grievance, she accused, “You said after divorce, you’d continue supporting me!”

“And you promised your family that as long as I wasn’t married off, they’d get a day’s living expenses each day.”

“This month you’re twenty days late! If they don’t get the money, they’ll marry me off to a widower as a stepmother!”

Thinking of her family already scheming to marry her off once Wang cut off the money completely, Lan Cao’s tears fell again.

Seeing this, Wang held her close, whispering reassurance: “Don’t worry. I won’t let your family just marry you off. I’ll find another way for the money. Don’t be anxious.”

Sniffling, Lan Cao cried, “I don’t want to marry someone else… everyone becomes someone else’s stepmother. Why can’t I be the stepmother for your child?”

Hearing this, Wang froze. Slowly pushing her away, he looked seriously into her eyes. “Lan Cao, I won’t divorce Zhang Xia.”

Although he didn’t like Zhang Xia, the child was his own.

Lan Cao instinctively stepped back, utterly devastated that Wang wouldn’t divorce Zhang Xia.

Bent over, she screamed hysterically, “Why?! You don’t like her, why can’t you divorce her?!”

“She divorces and marries someone else, she can have more children. I can’t give birth, but I could treat your children as my own!”

“Why can’t you think about me?”

Wang was about to explain that he knew Zhang Xia too well—she would never genuinely treat someone else’s child as her own—when he noticed Gu Yihan watching them in surprise.

Quickly distancing himself from Lan Cao, he explained, “Sister-in-law, don’t misunderstand. Zhang Xia is less than three months pregnant—she can’t be stressed.”

Gu Yihan, hearing his unintentional confession, tugged at the corner of her mouth and said, “Take your time! I have something to do, so I’ll go first.”

Without waiting for Lan Cao’s glares and Wang’s stunned look, she hopped on her bicycle and headed straight for the residential compound.