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

Part 47 Brother was laughed at

Zhou Yuesdong's expression was also complex, but he didn't say anything. Zhou Yueshen put away the lunchbox and walked out, seeing the two kids standing outside. He also understood the situation. Although the kids might be at fault, they were indeed too young to think so badly of people, which gave Aunt Liu the opportunity to take advantage of them. Seeing them blaming themselves like this was heartbreaking. He rubbed the heads of his two sons with his big hands and said in a low voice, "Go inside. She won't blame you." Standing in the hallway of the hospital stairs, Zhou Yueshen lowered his head, lit a cigarette, took a deep breath, and with his other hand, crumpled a letter and tossed it into the trash... Sinian checked everything and found no problems, so she decided to leave the hospital. Zhou Yuedongand Zhou Yuehan sat in the hospital corridor. When they saw Sinian coming out, they quickly stood up, looking awkward. Sinian saw the two kids and smiled happily, "Let's go. It's rare to come to the city. I'll take you for a stroll." Actually, this incident wasn't completely without gain. At least it let the two kids know that she wasn't the unreasonable stepmother they thought she was. Zhou Yuehan stood behind Zhou Yuesdong, clutching the corner of his clothes with his small hands. Zhou Yuedonglooked at Sinian in silence, not saying anything. At this moment, Zhou Yueshen also came back. There was a faint smell of tobacco on him, but it wasn't unpleasant.

Zhou Yueshen glanced at the two kids, then shifted his gaze back and took little Yao Yao from Sinian's hand. "Let's go." Only then did the two children move. Sinian sighed softly as she observed their reaction. "The revolution has not yet succeeded; comrades still need to strive." The family left the hospital and headed towards the city center. They went to the same commercial area Sinian had visited before. Although the city's development in the 1980s wasn't complete, the basic necessities of life were readily available there. It was one of the favorite places for city dwellers to visit, with a large square in front of the mall featuring a fountain and a carousel. Zhou Yuedongand Zhou Yuehan had grown up in the countryside and it was their first time in such a bustling place. They were both mesmerized by the sight.

Zhou Yuehan, who had been feeling a bit down earlier, was completely distracted now, his eyes glued to the carousel. There were many adults accompanying children on the carousel, and the laughter of the kids filled the air. This was how life for city kids looked like. Both of them harbored a subtle longing in their hearts, but they didn't dare to voice it out. In their eyes, Zhou Yueshen, although kind to them, was always stern and seemed like a strict father. And the stepmother, despite appearing different from the previous one, they were still unsure if she was genuine, and thus didn't dare to ask for much. However, Sinian proposed to Zhou Yueshen, "Yao Yao hasn't tried this before. We can give it a go when we come back." Giving a glance, Zhou Yueshen's chiseled features appeared even more profound in the sunlight. Hearing this, he nodded slightly, his voice gentle, "Hmm." Sinian felt that he actually seemed cold on the surface but was easy to get along with. As long as one asked openly, he would agree to any request. So, the portrayal of him in novels as silent and uncommunicative, leading the children to grow up without understanding him, was not without reason. Today was Saturday, and the city kids were also on vacation, so the mall was particularly crowded. The two children followed along, feeling a bit out of place. Everything here was so luxurious, even the floor was spotless. They walked cautiously, afraid of dirtying anything with their steps. They stuck close behind like two small tails.

Sinian led them up to the second floor, where all the children's clothing was displayed. Although relatively expensive, there were still quite a few people who could afford to buy clothes nowadays. The two children immediately spotted the same style worn by the wealthiest classmate in their class, hanging on the wall among the mostly gray cloth. The blue leather jacket with patterns stood out, and they heard it cost ten bucks. They couldn't even imagine that much money. Ten bucks could buy a lot of food. Even though others often said their family was well-off, both of them knew how hard their dad worked to earn that money. He came home late every day, left early in the morning, and worked tirelessly, year-round without rest. They dared not be extravagant. They usually wore old clothes handed down from before. After all, they didn't have any particular requirements for what to wear. It wasn't unusual for children in the village to dress like this. It was only at school, seeing well-off classmates, that everyone couldn't help but glance a few more times. However, the clothes that they usually didn't dare to even look at were now being considered by the stepmother. Sinian's eyes were like lasers; she noticed wherever the two children looked. After all, children's thoughts were just too obvious. Glancing at the sign next to them advertising a buy-one-get-one-free deal, Sinian raised her eyebrows in a good mood. "Looks like I'm lucky. What do you think about this?" Zhou Yueshen had never bought clothes for the children outside before. Mainly because he was too busy and had no time to come to places like this, let alone buy clothes.

Unexpectedly, while the children's clothing styles had evolved significantly, his memories remained rooted in the older generation. Nodding slightly, his voice gentle, he said, "You pick."

When the boys were about to try on the clothes, Zhou Yuehan's eyes brightened. However, the saleswoman swiftly snatched the clothes back, asking with a hint of disapproval, "Are you sure you're going to buy?"

Surprised by the woman's dissatisfaction, Sini raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"We can only allow trying if you're going to buy. Otherwise, if they get dirty, we won't be able to sell them later."

The saleswoman, accustomed to city life, rarely encountered people dressed like this in their large department store. Moreover, seeing patches on the children's clothes in this day and age was astonishing. Clearly, they were from a remote rural area.

Her words were spoken loudly, and with many people around, those carrying kids and shopping turned to glance at the boys, some with curiosity, others with disdain...

Zhou Yueshan's face flushed red. Though young, he understood the implications of the woman's disdain, realizing she thought him too dirty to try on clothes. In that moment, the sharp gazes made it impossible for him to lift his head. While they had faced scorn in the countryside, the judgment of city folks was even more intimidating.

Zhou Yuedong remained silent, but his expression was grim. In that instant, a malicious thought crossed his mind: Was their stepmother deliberately bringing them here to avenge herself for them causing her to be pushed by Aunt Liu, resulting in ridicule for his brother?