Reborn in the 1980s: I became a stepmother in the 1980s

Part 20 Entering the city

"It's alright, just the same as before."

"Good, study hard."

Zhou Yueshen was somewhat unfamiliar with these two children as well. Neither of them was particularly talkative, and throughout the week, they could count the times they spoke on one hand. It was only when Sinian came out that the stiffness between father and sons was broken.

"Um, Mr. Zhou, I've cooked some noodles. Would you like to have some?" Sinian asked as she walked out.

Zhou Yueshen nodded slightly and got up to walk over.

Upon seeing Sinian, YaoYao immediately reached out, babbling and gesturing to be held.

Zhou Yueshen raised an eyebrow, glancing at Sinian.

Sinian wore a soft smile on her face as she approached. "Give the child to me," she said, extending her hand—long, slender fingers, delicate and fair even after cooking. Her nails were polished with a hint of pink.

Zhou Yueshen handed the child to her, and as soon as the little one was in Sinian's arms, she giggled happily.

Sinian sat down with the child in her arms while Zhou Yueshen began eating his noodles with chopsticks. He ate quickly but not crudely, and his voice remained soft. He finished his bowl of noodles, even slurping up all the soup.

No one dislikes seeing their own cooking being devoured, and Sinian was no exception. She stared at Zhou Yueshen and offered, "There's more in the kitchen. Would you like me to cook some more for you?"

"No need, thank you," Zhou Yueshen replied, setting down his chopsticks, his expression calm. "Your cooking is delicious," he added, complimenting her with precision.

Sinian blushed under the man's gaze and said, "I enjoy experimenting with food when I have nothing else to do at home."

"Thank you for taking care of the three children," Zhou Yueshen said.

"You're welcome. Since I've chosen to come here, it shows my determination. The children are well-behaved and easy to take care of. The two boys are mostly self-sufficient and even help with chores, while YaoYao, though young, is quiet, obedient, and clever. It's not difficult at all."

Sinian found cooking for the children much more comfortable than working in the fields. However, as she reminisced, she remembered that the original host had dropped out of high school and become a broadcaster in the city.

In this era, being a broadcaster was a technical job that required rigorous selection. Fortunately, the original host had a beautiful voice and appearance, as well as good temperament and qualities, which quickly got her selected.

Beauty, no matter the era, always had its advantages. And when combined with technical qualifications, it became even more powerful. Sinian even managed to outshine those with higher education qualifications, securing her job solely based on her own merits.

Becoming a broadcaster meant stable employment and a decent income, especially with the added subsidies. In an era where one could sustain a family with thirty yuan a month, earning around fifty yuan was considered a generous salary. However, after the true heiress returned home, the original host became indifferent and often found someone else to cover her shifts at work.

Sinian realized that she needed to make a trip to the city. Broadcasting wasn't a job she could continue with, especially considering the limited future prospects in the industry. With the rapid development of television and the decline of the era of tape recorders, the demand for broadcasters would soon diminish. Her ambitions lay elsewhere.

Selling this iron rice bowl would fetch her a considerable sum, providing the funds she needed for her education. With this in mind, she spoke up, "I think I'll go back to the city tomorrow."

Zhou Yueshen paused for a moment before nodding slightly. "Alright."

"I'll ask Aunt Liu to come and take care of the children," Sinian suggested.

"No need," Sinian shook her head. "I'll take YaoYao with me." Her gaze betrayed a hint of caution. Aunt Liu was not a good person at all; leaving YaoYao with her could lead to unimaginable suffering. It would be best if they never interacted again. However, Sinian had just arrived, and she didn't want to come off as critical or judgmental of Aunt Liu, who had a longstanding relationship with the family.

"Would it be inconvenient?" Zhou Yueshen thought she wanted to go home and check on things, and he worried that people might gossip about her bringing the child along. After all, this young and pretty girl, at such a young age, had married a middle-aged man with children from a previous marriage, and now she was helping him take care of those children. Even though they were in the countryside, rumors could still spread.

"It won't be. Don't worry, I'm just going to take care of some things," Sinian shook her head.

Zhou Yueshen didn't say anything more.

The next day dawned with a faint light, and Sinian woke up. In an era without nightlife, even a night owl like her couldn't withstand it and went to bed early. She got up, pulled open the curtains, and could hear the chirping of birds outside. The breeze brushed her face, dissipating the last remnants of sleepiness.

Stretching lazily, Sinian walked downstairs and saw that the kitchen light was on. The two children must have gotten up and made breakfast themselves. While she had agreed to take care of the children, she couldn't do everything like a nanny. The children were not so young anymore; rural children matured early. Sinian also needed to learn how to cook. In an era where boys were favored over girls, even in poverty-stricken rural areas, men wouldn't step into the kitchen, while girls had to learn various sewing and cooking skills from a young age, fearing that if they couldn't cook when they got married, they would be ridiculed by their in-laws.

However, thirty years later, cooking skills had become a man's best asset. Who wouldn't appreciate a man who could cook and do household chores?

Sinian thought to herself that she needed to change Zhou Yueshen's dislike of girls. While there were indeed bad women, there were also plenty of good ones.

Sinian couldn't deny everyone just because of this. Seeing her coming downstairs, Zhou Yuehan felt a bit uncomfortable and lowered his head to look at his toes. Sinian didn't mind and walked into the kitchen, where she saw Zhou Yuandong standing in front of a pot, cooking two sweet potatoes.

She frowned slightly. "Is this all you've made?"

As children in their growth phase, they didn't usually come home for lunch, especially since rural schools in those days didn't have cafeterias. Eating just these dry sweet potatoes would have to tide them over until the afternoon. No wonder they were as skinny as monkeys. At ten years old, Zhou Yuandong was still shorter than most seven or eight-year-olds.

She remembered the description of Zhou Yuandong in the story: "Zhou Yuandong admired his father Zhou Yueshen's strength and height, but he himself was weak and frail due to his young age. He could never grow tall, and his body was weak. Eventually, he could only engage in scientific research, drifting further away from his true aspirations."

As the eldest brother, he always gave the best to his younger siblings while going hungry himself. He was young but already burdened with illness, both physically and mentally twisted.

The younger brother, Zhou Yue Dong, stands tall at 1.8 meters, embodying the ideal physique he aspired to. However, during his rebellious years, he believed that their current state was a result of their stepfather's neglect due to his busy work schedule, ultimately leading them down an irredeemable path.