Lazy Stepmother of the 70s Island

Chapter 15 Red Dates

"Before, I didn't know, but now I know," grumbled Dawa.

Ning Tang thought for a moment, "How about this: you help me wash the dishes today, and I'll give you one red date. Tomorrow, if you help me wash the dishes again, I'll give you two. Deal?"

Erniu looked at Dawa Brother, waiting for his opinion. He hesitated, unable to make up his mind.

Seeing this, Ning Tang added, "Think about it. There are three of you. Today, I have to give out three red dates. Tomorrow, I'll have to give out six. I'm the one who's losing out here, right?"

Dawa thought about the prospect of having six red dates to eat tomorrow and agreed, "Okay."

Ning Tang smiled, "Alright, then go and clear the table."

Dawa pouted and pulled Erniu to start clearing the dishes. With three children working together, it took less than half an hour to wash all the dishes.

True to her word, Ning Tang took the red dates down from the top of the cupboard and gave one to each child.

Dawa immediately stuffed the red date into his mouth, savoring the familiar sweet taste with blissful eyes.

Erniu held the red date in her hand, reluctant to eat it all at once. She nibbled on the flesh of the date in small bites, not swallowing until it was completely soft.

Sanwa stuffed the red date into his mouth, drooling all over.

As the red dates were earned through their labor, the children all felt that these red dates tasted even sweeter than the ones Ning Tang had given them before. They were all reluctant to eat them, even Dawa took his time savoring each bite.

Ning Tang lazily stretched and yawned before retiring to her rocking chair for her usual nap.

Whether it was because someone helped with the housework today, or for some other reason, Ning Tang slept especially soundly during her afternoon nap.

That evening, after the family finished dinner, Shen Lie was about to wash the dishes as usual when Dawa, Erniu, and Sanwa approached him nervously.

Shen Lie stopped in his tracks, "What's up?"

Dawa glanced at the dishes in Shen Lie's hands, then widened his eyes and looked at him eagerly, "Dad, can I help you wash the dishes?"

Erniu raised her hands, "I also want to help Dad wash the dishes."

Sanwa hugged Shen Lie's leg and said, "I want to help too."

Shen Lie: ...

"No, did the sun rise from the west today?"

Suddenly, Shen Lie became interested and asked, "Why do you want to help me wash the dishes?"

Dawa looked at the red dates on the living room cabinet with bright eyes and said, "We will help you wash the dishes if you give us red dates to eat."

Sanwa couldn't wait until tomorrow, the sweet and fragrant taste of the red dates lingered in their mouths, and they were very tempted. So after dinner, Dawa immediately came over.

Shen Lie followed the Dawa's gaze to the red dates on the cabinet. He remembered that his mother-in-law Sun Aiju had given them to Ning Tang to take away before she left, "You can help me wash the dishes, but the red dates belong to your stepmother. If you want to eat them, you have to ask her yourself."

"Ah..." Hearing this, Dawa lowered her head in disappointment.

"I will give each of you a red date if you help your dad wash the dishes." Ning Tang spoke up.

"Really?" Erniu asked excitedly.

"Really." Ning Tang said, "Have I ever lied to you three? Didn't I give you the red dates at noon today?"

Dawa thought about it, and that was true. He quickly took the dishes and said, "Dad, I will help you wash the dishes. Stepmom, don't forget to give us the red dates."

Shen Lie hadn't reacted yet, and his hands were already empty.

He asked Ning Tang, "Did you let them wash the dishes at noon today?"

Ning Tang didn't plan to hide it from him and said, "Yes, I made a deal with them. If they help me wash the dishes once, I will give each of them a red date. Are you angry with me?"

Shen Lie smiled, "Why would I be angry with you?"

Ning Tang said, "I thought you might be angry that I'm using child labor."

Shen Lie sneered, "Just washing dishes, it's not like I'm making them do heavy work. Poor children have to grow up quickly. When I was the same age as Dawa, I would sit on a small stool by the stove and cook. Besides, you saved me the trouble of washing dishes. I have to thank you for that."

Ning Tang also laughed and patted Shen Lie's shoulder, "I appreciate your enlightenment."

Shen Lie still couldn't understand, "I asked them to help me before, but they all refused. They weren't as enthusiastic as they are now. Did you drug them or something?"

After Shen Lie's wife passed away, he was left to take care of his three children by himself. Dawa and Erniu were grown up and able to help with household chores and errands. Sometimes, Shen Lie would ask them to help, but they would always try to dodge the work.

Ning Tang asked him, "How did you get them to help you before?"

Shen Lie thought for a moment and said, "It's simple. I reward them for doing things. For example, I would give Dawa a dollar to buy soy sauce from the co-op, and then buy him some candy with the leftover change." He asked Ning Tang, "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing's wrong," Ning Tang said, "If Dawa didn't help you buy soy sauce, would you still give him money to buy candy?"

"Yes," Shen Lie said, "I don't want to treat my children unfairly in that regard."

"Well, that makes sense," Ning Tang said, "They know that even if they don't help you, you'll still give them money to buy candy. But it's different with me. The way they act all spoiled and refuse to help me won't work. I only give them a reward if they actually help me."

Shen Lie looked at Ning Tang seriously, "It seems like only you can handle them."

Ning Tang waved her hand, not paying attention to what Shen Lie was saying.

Shen Lie breathed a sigh of relief, "Now I can leave for the sea with peace of mind."

"Wait a minute." Ning Tang was confused, "What do you mean by going to the sea?"

Shen Lie was also confused, "Didn't I tell you?"

Ning Tang didn't say anything, just looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Shen Lie recalled that he had not actually told Ning Tang about this. He nervously rubbed his nose, "Let me tell you now. I am going to the sea with the troops."

The troops stationed by the seaside usually go on a sea training exercise every six months, but it wasn't time for training yet. However, the situation in the South China Sea was unstable lately, and there were orders from above, hence the sea training exercise.

"How long will you be gone?" Ning Tang asked.

"Probably a month, depending on the situation, at most two months," Shen Lie replied.

"So I will have to cook lunch and dinner and do all the household chores for one or two months?" Ning Tang thought for a moment and almost fainted.