Sweet Nostalgia of the 80s

Chapter 1520: Chapter 1520: Serving with a Washboard

”Shuangshuang... my hand... I can’t hold you!” Tian Niu was completely flustered by Gu Shuangshuang’s abnormal behavior.

”I’ll hold you then.” Gu Shuangshuang said with tears, ”Does it hurt? Are you uncomfortable? Such a serious injury...”

”It’s okay. Don’t be sad, I’m almost better. Don’t worry!” Tian Niu clumsily comforted Gu Shuangshuang, ”As long as you don’t remarry, I’ll be fine no matter what.”

”Fool. Why would I remarry!” Gu Shuangshuang said tearfully.

”From now on, you’re not allowed to scare me like that. My heart isn’t that strong.” Tian Niu said, still shaken.

Duan Aihua watched them and couldn’t hold back her irritation: ”I knew you couldn’t hold it in.”

”Who says I can’t hold it in?” Gu Shuangshuang wiped her tears, ”Mom, don’t provoke me.”

”I’m not provoking you. What did you say initially? Just do as you said then! That way, I might respect you more,” Duan Aihua said with a cold huff.

”Come on! I’ve prepared everything for you.” Li Zhi said as he dragged out a washboard from the restroom and threw it in front of Tian Niu, ”Brother-in-law, here you go! This is as per Shuangshuang’s instructions.”

”What is this for?” Tian Niu was bewildered, ”Shuangshuang, you don’t mean for me to kneel on the washboard, do you?”

”Yes! What did you think?” Duan Aihua pointed at the washboard, ”This is specially prepared for you by Shuangshuang. Do you understand why?”

Duan Aihua had intended to make Tian Niu guess, but seeing his clueless expression, she decided to just tell him.

”I think in your eyes, your buddies are more important than Shuangshuang and the children, right? Your jump didn’t matter to you, but my daughter almost became a widow!”

”Mom! Can you not say it like that?” Gu Shuangshuang spoke up, uneasy about how her mother’s words sounded.

”Isn’t it true? Did he consider your feelings when he jumped to save someone? Did he think about it? His life isn’t just his own anymore. It belongs to you and the children too,” Duan Aihua said, a bit angrily.

”You women! Oh, come on! Our hero has returned, not greeted by flowers and applause, but a washboard! Totally unwarranted!” Li Youjun said with a laugh, ”He’s a soldier; his heart has to accommodate not just his wife, but also the people and his comrades. I think Tian Niu is a real man!”

”Exactly,” Li Zhi also tried to persuade Gu Shuangshuang, ”Who was the one crying her eyes out at home? Who braved the snow and went to her in-laws’ on the first day of the New Year, leaving her own mom behind?”

Tian Niu finally understood; Gu Shuangshuang was harboring resentment toward him, and she just wanted him to learn his lesson and not forget about her.

”Wife, I was wrong! From now on, you’ll always come first in my heart!” Tian Niu said.

”Alright, alright. A hero’s return is something to celebrate. Isn’t this the bridewealth ceremony we missed after your wedding? We all just came to make up for that. Let’s have a family dinner to make up for it,” Li Youjun said.

”Besides. There’s another piece of good news!” Li Zhi leaned in smiling and whispered, ”Brother-in-law, your ’shooting’ skills are really accurate!”

”What?” Tian Niu didn’t catch the implication, ”My shooting skills are far behind our battalion commander’s! He could assemble and shoot five bullets blindfolded, hitting the target every time.”