Chapter 81: Domestic violence and stroller

When Han Aiguo noticed her dodging gaze, his eyes deepened. Without another word, he stood, pulled out the package Su Yue had just hidden in the closet, and opened it. He took one out, frowning slightly as he turned it in his hand.

“Yue’er, what’s this for? How do I use it?” he asked curiously.

Su Yue immediately covered her face, peeking at him through her fingers with watery eyes. In a whisper, she forced out three words.

“What?” Han Aiguo leaned closer, not catching her voice.

Su Yue had no choice but to lean in, pressing her lips to his ear to whisper again.

The moment he understood, his eyes darkened instantly. Heat filled his gaze, thick and heavy, as if it could melt her where she stood. Su Yue’s body grew hot under his stare, her heart pounding wildly. Panicked, she looked away and snatched the item back from his hand, planning to hide this shameless thing again.

But Han Aiguo stopped her. He reclaimed it with a low voice.

“Don’t put it away. It’s meant for me to use. I’ll try it now and see if it works.”

Before she could argue, he turned off the light, pressed her beneath him, and stripped away their clothes. Rustling filled the darkness until his voice came low and hoarse; “It’s not working… put it on me.”

Su Yue bit her lip, silent for a long moment, and then reluctantly reached out to help him.

Han Aiguo frowned at the strange feeling and whispered in her ear, “Yue’er, this doesn’t feel right… it’s like I can’t really feel you.”

Su Yue, already weak from his closeness, covered his mouth. Her voice trembled as she warned, “Stop talking! You have to use it. If I end up pregnant again, I’ll beat you to death!”

At that, Han Aiguo said no more. He only lowered his head and continued working hard in silence.

That night, he lasted far longer than usual, tormenting Su Yue until she nearly couldn’t get out of bed the next morning.

Su Yue groaned to herself. She had dug her own grave. If not for this thing, Han Aiguo wouldn’t have tormented her for so long. But with it, she at least had a chance of surviving even if it left her poor waist aching miserably.

But despair soon followed regret. Half a month later, all thirty of the condoms she had asked Xu Can to bring were gone and completely used up!

She had thought they would last two months at least. But no, it just lasted half a month.

The thought of going back to Xu Can for more made her scalp tingle. Even Su Yue, thick-skinned as she was, couldn’t bear the shame. She could already imagine the expression Xu Can would give her. Just thinking about it made her want to crawl into a hole.

Furious, she turned on Han Aiguo, kicking and punching him.

“Han Aiguo, you big pervert! This is all your fault, you used everything up in half a month! Can’t you restrain yourself? How can you have this much energy at your age?!”

Han Aiguo, still young and vigorous, merely blinked. Lowering his lashes, he stayed silent, neither fighting back nor scolding her.

This was the first time Dabao and Xiaobao had ever seen their mother committing “domestic violence” against their father. Both little ones froze mid-play, their big black eyes widening in shock as they stared.

Right before them, their mother pounded fists against their father’s chest with loud thumps, pinched his flesh, and even bit him when she was especially angry.

The brothers winced in sympathy, their own bodies aching at the sight. Their father, however, stood motionless, enduring it all with a pitiful air.

Then, as if on cue, the two little ones acted together. Xiaobao quickly crawled forward, grabbing Su Yue’s hand with his pudgy fingers and shaking his head. His soft voice cried, “Huh… no, no, no!”

Mom, don’t hit Dad!

Meanwhile, Dabao crawled to Han Aiguo’s side, tugging hard at his clothes as if to say: Dad, run!

The two brothers had split roles; one trying to stop their mother, the other trying to rescue their father.

Han Aiguo’s eyes curved with laughter. Cooperating, he stepped back under Dabao’s pull, retreating from Su Yue’s reach and letting his sons “rescue mission” succeed.

Su Yue hadn’t expected these two to be so capable at such a young age. She didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh. Crossing her arms, she deliberately glared at them.

“Fine! You two little ungrateful brats; drinking my milk and yet siding with your father to fight me! You’re really bad!”

The two little ones froze, startled by her stern tone. They glanced at each other nervously.

Then, quick as lightning, Xiaobao clung to Su Yue’s neck, planting a wet kiss on her cheek.

“Mom…” he cooed sweetly.

Not to be outdone, Dabao crawled up, kissed her other cheek, and chirped, “Mom!” in his crisp little voice.

Su Yue blinked. Where had these little ones learned such coaxing tricks? Her lips twitched, and before she knew it, she burst out laughing, scooping them both into her arms.

“You two little rascals! Using cuteness against your mother and I really fell for it!”

The brothers, delighted that their mother wasn’t angry anymore, giggled with her. Xiaobao clapped his hands happily, laughing like a little old hen.

Su Yue surrendered completely. She threw a glare at Han Aiguo and announced, “Alright, Mom won’t hit Dad anymore. For your sakes, I’ll spare him this time.”

Han Aiguo’s lips curved into a smile, surprised and pleased that his sons could defuse the situation so perfectly.

But Su Yue wasn’t finished. She snorted and added, “However, your father still can’t escape punishment. Mom won’t hit him, but he’s going to be vegetarian for the next half month because he used everything up!”

Han Aiguo’s smile froze instantly. He stared at her, dumbstruck.

The two little ones, of course, didn’t understand a word. They only laughed harder, especially Xiaobao, who bounced happily on his father’s lap. It was his favorite game, jumping around like that but his mother was too weak to play it. Only his strong father could endure it, so whenever he wanted to play, he climbed straight onto Han Aiguo.

Looking at his silly, chubby son bouncing endlessly, Han Aiguo pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply for the days ahead.

—–

October soon arrived. After celebrating their first birthday, the two little ones suddenly seemed to grow overnight, especially when it came to walking.

Before, they could only stumble along with adult support or scoot on benches. Now, they could walk on their own. Though their steps were still wobbly, it didn’t slow them down in the least. They loved running everywhere, eager to explore.

Every new sight fascinated them. Even quiet Dabao grew fond of the outside world. Whenever Su Yue prepared to go out, he would chase after her on stubby legs, calling vaguely, “Mom, together, together…”

If Su Yue refused, the brothers would cling to her legs, gazing up pitifully while chanting “Mom” in soft, pleading voices. If that failed, they ran to Old Lady Han, switching to “Grandma” in their baby tones.

Who could resist such sweetness? Old Lady Han always gave in after two calls, scooping them up and taking them outside.

But she couldn’t carry both alone. Su Yue inevitably ended up holding one and going with them.

Once outside, though, the two were like fish released into the sea; ecstatic, touching and chasing after everything they saw. If they spotted other children playing, it was impossible to hold them back. They ran to join, and once they started playing, they absolutely refused to leave.

Every time, Su Yue and Old Lady Han had to struggle with all their strength to drag the reluctant little rascals home, both of them so tired they could barely straighten their backs afterward.

Su Yue wanted to sigh every time the twins woke up from their naps. Raising children was hard enough, but raising two at the same time was a disaster within a disaster. Their family life was like a disaster movie on repeat.

Su Yue was still young and could endure it, but Old Lady Han was elderly. She couldn’t withstand the constant strain of the two children. By the end of each day her back ached badly, and Su Yue felt distressed just watching her. She knew she had to find a solution.

After much thought, she decided to make a stroller for the twins. That way, they wouldn’t need to be carried everywhere, which would save a lot of energy. One adult could push both children out to play while the other rested or tended to other things. It was the perfect balance.

With this in mind, Su Yue took out pen and paper and sketched a design based on strollers from the 21st century. Since she had two babies, she drew two seats side by side, connected together, with a handle at the back so an adult could push it easily.

Though her drawing skills weren’t very refined, the general design was clear enough. Old Lady Han’s eyes lit up as soon as she saw it, praising Su Yue for such a clever idea.

Su Yue then brought the sketch to the old carpenter in Xiaowang Village. She explained the design in detail until he fully understood.

It was the first time the carpenter had ever seen such a stroller. He couldn’t help but admire her creativity. “My dear girl, you have a very clever mind. This is wonderful. With something like this, adults won’t need to carry their children around all the time. It’ll save so much effort. And this cover you added by this children won’t be bothered by the sun or wind when sitting inside and will be very comfortable.”

“Carpenter Wang, can you make it?” Su Yue asked.

Although Carpenter Wang had never built anything like it before, the design was simple enough. He already had a rough idea in mind and felt confident. “Of course. Leave it to me. I’ll make it for you.”

“Thank you so much, Carpenter Wang.”

He waved off her gratitude. “No need to thank me. In fact, I should be thanking you. Many people saw that shoe cabinet you designed last time and came to me asking for one. Your sofa too, some families liked it and asked me to copy it. I’ve actually benefited from your ideas. And now you’ve brought me this stroller. Once I make it, other families with babies will probably want one too. You’ve helped me enough, so I won’t charge you this time. If you have more ideas in the future, come find me again.”

Su Yue figured he must have already profited plenty from her earlier ideas. Since it was a win-win situation for both sides, she accepted his offer without being overly polite. If she thought of anything else in the future, she would certainly go to him again.

Carpenter Wang even set aside his other work and focused on making the stroller for her. With the help of his apprentices, he finished within three days. Instead of asking Su Yue to pick it up, he had one of his apprentices deliver it on a mule cart to the army compound, asking the gate guard to notify her.

Su Yue hadn’t expected him to be so quick and efficient. She hurried out to receive it.

The moment Dabao and Xiaobao saw their mother preparing to leave, their little eyes lit up. With wobbly, chubby legs, they toddled toward her, shouting in unison, “Mom, go! Go!”

Su Yue pressed her forehead, feeling helpless before her two little rascals.

The boys clung to her legs and looked up with round faces. Xiaobao even grinned sweetly, lisping, “Mom… Mom, take me…”

Su Yue squeezed his chubby cheek in mock anger. “How do you always catch me whenever I try to sneak out? How are you so good at it?”

Old Lady Han only laughed. “These two just can’t stay home anymore. They wait for any chance to run out with us. Come on, I’ll carry one, you take the other, and we’ll all go see the little cart together.”

So Old Lady Han picked up Dabao, while Su Yue carried Xiaobao, and together they went to the gate to receive the stroller.

After thanking the apprentice, Su Yue carefully examined the cart. She couldn’t help but feel satisfied with the craftsmanship. Aside from the wooden material, it was no different from the strollers of her previous life. The top even had a waterproof tarpaulin cover, shielding the children from sun or rain. The design was sturdy and safe, large enough for the children to nap in, and could be used until they turned three.

Old Lady Han was full of praise. “This is wonderful. Come; let’s put Dabao and Xiaobao in to try it.”

Su Yue placed Xiaobao in the left seat, while Old Lady Han settled Dabao in the right. The boys sat inside, their eyes bright with curiosity as they touched everything around them, clearly fascinated.

Old Lady Han took hold of the handle and gave the stroller a push. With hardly any effort, it rolled forward smoothly. She was pleasantly surprised. “This saves so much strength. In the future, I won’t have to carry both children when I take them out by myself. And Yue’er, this will give you more time to make cakes.”

The boys themselves thought it was great fun. Xiaobao, in particular, bounced excitedly, waving to his mother and giggling, “Feifei, feifei!”

“Yes, yes, you’re flying,” Su Yue said quickly with a smile. “That’s amazing.”

Xiaobao’s laughter rang out across the courtyard like a little imp’s cackle.

The unusual stroller immediately drew attention. Neighbors gathered around, asking questions and admiring it. Even the children who had been playing nearby ran over, their eyes full of envy as they circled the cart. Some clearly wished they could sit in it too.

Xiaobao puffed up proudly at being the center of attention. He slapped his little belly with his chubby hands, repeating, “Che, che, che…” as though declaring it was his car.

Su Yue almost wanted to cover her face; this child was far too smug. Fortunately, Dabao was calmer, watching quietly without getting carried away.

Two women about Su Yue’s age were especially enthusiastic. They inspected the stroller from every angle, asked countless questions, and even took turns pushing it. Finding it light and easy to handle, they decided they wanted one too. After learning Carpenter Wang had made it, they both planned to visit him soon to order their own.

By the time the stroller reached the building entrance, the crowd finally dispersed. Only a few children stubbornly lingered, wanting to follow them home, until their parents dragged them away.

Since the stroller couldn’t go upstairs, Su Yue’s foresight came in handy. She had designed handles on both sides for easy lifting. Together, she and Old Lady Han carried the boys up to the third floor without trouble.

At the stairwell, Feng Zitao from next door was squatting and playing. The moment he spotted the stroller, his eyes lit up. Forgetting his mother’s warnings to ignore the neighbors, he dropped his toy and ran over. The more he looked, the more he wanted it. Finally, he blocked their path and demanded, “Put it down! Let me play with it for a while!”

Su Yue, already familiar with the boy’s troublesome ways, avoided him whenever possible. She knew dealing with him always ended in arguments with his unreasonable mother. She wasn’t about to waste her breath.

Exchanging a glance with Old Lady Han, they ignored him, slipped past, and quickly closed the door behind them.

Furious, Feng Zitao began kicking the door with all his might.

If Su Yue weren’t an adult, she would have gone out and given him a spanking. But beating a child wouldn’t make him obedient; it would only stir up more trouble. So she pretended not to hear and waited for him to tire himself out.

Instead, the boy escalated, shouting angrily, “Come out, you little turtle! Come out! Are you scared of me? If you’ve got guts, come out!”

His arrogant tone was exactly like his mother’s. Clearly, he had learned this behavior at home.

Old Lady Han was so enraged she wanted to storm out and scold him. “How can a child be like this? I need to teach him a lesson!”

Su Yue stopped her. “Mother, what’s the point of reasoning with a child? He won’t listen. And you can’t hit him as what’s reasonable will just turn unreasonable. If adults don’t bother with him, we certainly shouldn’t. He’s too young to understand. When Aiguo comes back, I’ll ask him to talk to Battalion Commander Feng. If this brat dares to act up again, let his father discipline him.”

Old Lady Han thought it over. She had to admit Su Yue was right; no sense lowering herself to argue with a child. She reluctantly held back.

Soon, Old Madam Feng heard her grandson shouting outside and dragged him home. Finally, the building grew quiet again.

Inside, Xiaobao pointed at the door and grunted, “Huh, huh.”

Su Yue understood and bent down to kiss him. “Yes, baby, the bad guy’s gone.”

But just as she finished speaking, a sudden knock sounded at the door.