Born in the 1980s, she was remarried and became a stepmother; a cold, rough man doted on her, pinchi

Chapter 82 Addicted to Being a Stepmother
Jiang Man and Sister Zhang sat in the middle of the courtyard, their bamboo baskets piled high with fresh vegetables. Their fingers moved nimbly as they picked the vegetables and chatted about everyday things.

Aunt Zhang is known in the neighborhood for her warm heart. Her hearty laughter, like a string of clear bells, can always dispel the gloom in life.

At this moment, she was vividly recounting the interesting things that happened at the market a few days ago, and Jiang Man listened intently with a faint smile on her lips.

Her slender fingers deftly removed the vegetable roots and gently plucked off the yellowing leaves, her movements elegant and efficient.

Sunlight shone on her hair, giving it a soft sheen, and she exuded a serene beauty.

Just as the two were immersed in the relaxed atmosphere, a gentle breeze quietly swept by, bringing with it a strong fishy smell.

The smell seemed to rise from the deep water, a mixture of stench and fishiness, instantly filling the entire courtyard.

Jiang Man's originally calm face changed color instantly. Her face first turned ashen, then her brows furrowed, her nostrils flared rapidly, and a strong feeling of nausea surged up as if something was stuck in her throat.

"vomit……"

Jiang Man couldn't help but bend over, covering her mouth tightly with both hands, but she still couldn't suppress the urge to vomit.

Her body trembled violently, her thin shoulders heaving as if she were about to vomit her internal organs.

Upon seeing this, Sister Zhang's smile froze instantly, her eyes filled with worry.

She hurriedly put down the dishes in her hand, quickly stood up, and took a few steps to Jiang Man's side.

"Manmei, what's wrong?"

Aunt Zhang asked anxiously, her voice trembling slightly.

While asking her questions with concern, she gently patted Jiang Man's back to try to ease her discomfort.

Jiang Man raised her head, her eyes filled with pain and helplessness. She said in a weak voice, "Sister-in-law, this fishy smell... it's too strong..."

Before he could finish speaking, he retched again.

Aunt Zhang looked around, trying to find the source of the fishy smell.

Her gaze fell on a water vat in the corner of the yard. There were a few fish in the vat, which was intended for guests visiting from next door, Sister Wang's house.

However, the recent hot weather may have caused the water in the tank to spoil, resulting in an increasingly strong fishy smell.

"Miss Man, is that the smell from this water tank?"

Sister Zhang pointed to the water vat and said. Jiang Man nodded slightly, covering his mouth and nose with his hand to minimize the inhalation of the odor.

Without a word, Sister Zhang quickly walked to the water vat and laboriously lifted the lid. A pungent odor hit her, almost making her vomit.

She frowned, fighting off her nausea, and saw that the water in the tank had become murky, with several fish floating belly up on the surface, clearly having been dead for some time.

"This won't do; we have to deal with it immediately."

Aunt Zhang muttered to herself. She turned and went back into the house, grabbed a bucket and a net, and returned to the water vat. She carefully scooped out the dead fish and placed them in the bucket, her movements swift and decisive. Then, she scooped out the dirty water from the vat and carried it outside to be poured away in the yard.

As Aunt Zhang busied herself, Jiang Man's nausea gradually subsided.

She straightened up, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and a trace of weakness remained on her face.

She looked at Sister Zhang gratefully and said, "Sister-in-law, thanks to you, I really don't know what I would have done otherwise."

Aunt Zhang waved her hand with a smile and said, "What are you talking about? We neighbors should look out for each other. If you're not feeling well, don't worry about it, I'll take care of it."

After cleaning the water tank, Sister Zhang fetched fresh water and carefully washed it several times until the fishy smell was completely gone.

She refilled the water tank and drew some cool well water, sprinkling it in the yard in an attempt to dispel the lingering odor.

Jiang Man felt a warm current welling up in her heart as she watched Zhang's wife busy at work.

She slowly walked to Zhang's side and said softly, "Sister-in-law, you should rest for a while. I'm much better now."

Aunt Zhang straightened up, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and said with a smile, "It's okay, I'm not tired. You should rest more; you still look so pale."

The two returned to the center of the yard and continued picking vegetables. After all that commotion, the nauseating fishy smell was gone, replaced by the fresh aroma of vegetables and a faint fragrance of earth.

Jiang Man's mood gradually calmed down. She looked at Sister Zhang and said, "Sister-in-law, I really owe you a lot today. If it weren't for you, I really don't know how I would have faced this."

Sister Zhang smiled and patted Jiang Man's hand, saying, "Man, don't be so polite. We live close by, so we're practically family. If you ever encounter any problems in the future, just tell me."

Suddenly, seemingly casually, Sister Zhang asked, "Manmei, how long has it been since your period?"

Jiang Man was intently picking through the vegetable leaves when she heard this. She paused, her hands still moving, and looked at Zhang Saozi with a blank expression, asking, "Sister-in-law, what did you say? Which one?"

Aunt Zhang chuckled softly, her eyes filled with concern and teasing. She reached out and gently tapped Jiang Man's arm, saying, "Oh, it's that 'old friend' who comes every month. How come you still don't understand?"

Jiang Man was stunned for a moment, then her cheeks flushed bright red, like a ripe apple. She gave Zhang's sister-in-law a reproachful look and said coquettishly, "Sister-in-law, why did you suddenly ask that? You startled me."

Aunt Zhang covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes full of affection: "I just noticed you haven't looked well lately, and you haven't had much of an appetite. I was wondering if your period was irregular or if something was wrong with you. Don't think I'm being nosy, but women have to take things seriously."

Jiang Man lowered her head, gently tugging at the vegetable roots, her voice barely audible: "Sister-in-law, I haven't really been paying attention either. I've been so busy lately, I'm completely overwhelmed."

Aunt Zhang put down the vegetables she was holding, reached out and took Jiang Man's hand, and said earnestly, "Man, we can't be careless about this. If there's really a problem, we need to go see a doctor as soon as possible, don't delay. Health is the most important thing, we can't take it lightly."

Jiang Man nodded slightly, looking at Sister Zhang gratefully: "I know, Sister Zhang, thank you for reminding me. I'll keep an eye on it when I have time tomorrow."

Aunt Zhang patted Jiang Man's hand before picking up the vegetables again and continuing to pick them.

"But you and Xiao Qin have been married for a while now, why hasn't your belly shown any signs of pregnancy? Your reaction just now, plus your condition these past two days, really does look like you were pregnant with Gangzi."

Gangzi is his son, who is in elementary school.

"You shouldn't take this so seriously. Don't get too addicted to being a stepmother."