Back To The 80s-Chapter 622: Extra Two: Controllable Range Target Lock Six_1
Zhuang Shuxian was hugging Jiujiu and kept saying, "Why have you lost so much weight? Look at you, your face isnโt even as big as grandmaโs palm. Is the living allowance your mother giving you not enough? Grandma will give you money this year." ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐ธ๐ซ๐ฎ๐.๐๐๐ถ
Jiujiu playfully rested her head on Zhuang Shuxianโs shoulder, "Grandma, I havenโt lost weight. I havenโt lost a single pound. I eat a lot every day too, so thereโs no chance of me ever going hungry."
Li Duo, watching the playful Jiujiu, couldnโt help but smile.
Ou Ruoshui, looking at Li Duo, suddenly her eyes darkened. When she turned her gaze to Chen Gang, a smile finally appeared on her face, "Chen Gang, so you all came back together."
Chen Gang nodded, "Yeah, Li Duoโs division was in city S."
Ou Ruoshui began to feel uneasy, she gave Li Duo a fake smile. Could it really be fate?
Zhuang Shuxian, while hugging Jiujiu, said to Li Duo, "Letโs go home together for dinner. I woke up early and prepared some dumplings. They will be ready as soon as we get back."
Li Duo shook his head, smiling as he refused, "Not necessary, grandma. My father is also in the province, and Iโll go straight there." Nobody noticed Li Duoโs change in how he addressed Zhuang Shuxian.
Zhuang Shuxian nodded, "Alright, feel free to come home for dinner some time. It would be lively with you young folks around. Watching you all makes me happy." Jin Cheng and Qin Li have not returned since they left the country, they only wrote a letter saying that Jin Cheng can now walk with support, but as for when they will return, it still remains uncertain.
Li Duo smiled and said, "Donโt worry, grandma. When I have time, I will definitely visit you." He turned and said to Ou Ruoshui, "Auntie, I should get going if thereโs nothing else." After saying this, he looked at Jiujiu one more time, picked up his bag, and left.
Ou Ruoshui looked surprised as she watched Li Duoโs retreating figure, then turned to look at Jiujiu. Could these two children be... No, that absolutely could not be!
Jiujiu, still unsuspectingly holding onto Zhuang Shuxian, cheerfully talked about her school life. She, too, saw Li Duo leaving, but sighed softly in her heart.
Ou Ruoshuiโs initial joy at seeing her daughter had now become deep worry. She would not let her daughter live the same life as her own. She would rather see Jiujiu marry into an ordinary family, it might not be remarkable, but as long as they were not engaged in a dangerous job, it would be alright.
Ou Ruoshui admitted that she was being selfish, their family didnโt lack heroes and they certainly didnโt need more.
Ou Ruoshui pondered over it for two days, and finally decided to have a conversation with Jiujiu.
That night, as mother and daughter were lying in bed, Ou Ruoshui hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "Jiujiu, do you have a boyfriend at school?"
Jiujiu was taken aback, her bright eyes darkened as she muttered, "No."
Ou Ruoshui turned to face her, gently stroking Jiujiuโs hair and said, "Jiujiu, youโre only eighteen. Itโs still early for you to have a boyfriend. Mom hopes that you can concentrate on your studies, and you can still date after you graduate."
With a stifled response, Jiujiuโs eyes were filled with a sour discomfort.
Seeing the trouble in Jiujiuโs heart, Ou Ruoshui realised that the childrenโs situation hadnโt been clarified yet. She sighed and said, "Jiujiu, have you ever resented your father?"
Jiujiu was taken aback, she asked confusedly, "Mom, why would I blame my dad?"
Ou Ruoshui gave a bitter smile, "Then have you ever missed him?"
Jiujiu fell silent, she did miss him, a lot. She often dreamed about her dad, lifting her high up like uncle did Xiaopang. Sometimes in her dreams she could only see fatherโs back, no matter how much she chased him, she could never catch up. When she woke up, her pillow was always soaked in tears.
Ou Ruoshui saw the pained expression on Jiujiuโs face. She gently said, "Jiujiu, whatever mom does, itโs for your own good. Mom doesnโt want you to live a life like mine."
Jiujiu kept silent for a while, the expression on her face was very serious. After a while she quietly asked, "Mom, have you ever regretted it?"
Ou Ruoshui was confused, "Regret what?"
Jiujiu looked at the ceiling, her voice barely audible as she said, "Do you regret following my dad? Do you regret having me?"
Ou Ruoshui was taken aback. How could she have forgotten that this was her child who, in the matters of her heart, was probably as persistent as her?
"Jiujiu, do you like Li Duo?" Ou Ruoshui directly asked.
Jiujiu turned to look at Ou Ruoshui, with a questioning look that didnโt match her age, "Donโt you like him, mom?"
"No, Li Duo is a good person." Ou Ruoshui was somewhat nervous under Jiujiuโs gaze.
Jiujiu turned her face back, sighed softly and said, "Mom, if I were you, I wouldnโt regret it either. Itโs just a pity..." She sighed again, gently closed her eyes. She wasnโt afraid to give, what she feared was not having the chance to give in the first place.
Listening to Jiujiu sighing, Ou Ruoshui could feel the bitterness contained in it. Where was the innocence of an eighteen-year-old child? She lovingly hugged her daughter and said, "Jiujiu, can you talk to mom if you have any problems?"
Jiujiu shook her head without opening her eyes, "No mom, donโt worry, I wonโt date prematurely." Nevertheless, tears started to flow from her eyes.
Ou Ruoshui was a bit frantic now, "Whatโs wrong, child? Can you tell mom?"
Shaking her head and crying, Jiujiu said, "I miss dad..."
Ou Ruoshui felt a lump in her throat and the corners of her eyes turned red. She doesnโt entirely believe what Jiujiu said, but she was unsure of where to start asking. She tightly held Jiujiu in her arms, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Iโm sorry, Jiujiu, I shouldnโt have brought this up."
Jiujiu sniffled, then said to Ou Ruoshui, "Mom, I donโt blame you, Iโll be good."
She didnโt dare to express her inner thoughts to Ou Ruoshui, out of fear that her mom would be heartbroken and feel guilty.
Ou Ruoshui never thought that Jiujiuโs wounds would have such an impact. In the eyes of a parent, no matter what their child is like, they are always perfect.
Before the Chinese New Year, Chen Gang planned to return to Chen Family Peak to pay tribute at his motherโs grave. Zhuang Shuxian, thinking the snow was too heavy and the road to Chen Family Peak was too dangerous, didnโt allow Jiujiu to go along. Instead, she asked Chen Gang to burn lots of paper money on behalf of Jiujiu, as a tribute to his mother.
Before leaving for Chen Family Peak, Chen Gang took Jiujiu shopping.
"Sixth brother, do we need to buy anything else?" Jiujiu was puzzled because Chen Gang usually disliked shopping the most.
Chen Gang, laughing, said," Why donโt we just go and see?"
Chen Gang knew that this would be his last Spring Festival in the province. After moving to the Tibetan Area, he doesnโt know when his next return would be. Three years, five years, such gaps were usual. He was afraid that by the time he would return, Jiujiu would have already graduated and be married. Therefore, he decided to buy Jiujiu a new outfit and a nice watch from his saved up salary.
Jiujiu jubilantly put on her down jacket, and Zhuang Shuxian stealthily stuffed three hundred yuan into Jiujiuโs pocket, telling her to buy whatever she liked.
Chen Gang led Jiujiu to the newly opened shopping mall in the city. The shopping mall had five floors selling all sorts of goods: clothing, groceries, spring festival couplets, and New Year goods.
"Sixth brother? Jiujiu?" Suddenly, a woman exclaimed in surprise, her voice filled with hesitation.
