I returned to my hometown adorned with military medals, and the whole city erupted in celebration.

Gong Jian was like an ant roasting on a fire, caught between a rock and a hard place. Beads of sweat rolled down his once resolute but now desperate face, dripping onto the floor and shattering into eight pieces.

On one side is his mother, who has raised him with great hardship and is now glaring at him angrily, even resorting to the nuclear weapon of "severing ties with him."

On one side is Li Erniu, the cook who usually looks honest and simple, but whose face now says, "I am an elder and I am very generous."

All around, nearly a hundred pairs of eyes from the entire company were burning with the fire of gossip.

"hurry up!"

Seeing that her son was still dawdling, Li Guifang got angry and was about to grab the broom next to her again.

"What? Now that you've become an official, you don't even listen to your mother anymore? You don't even acknowledge your ancestors? Fine! You won't call me that, huh? Then I'll leave right now! From now on, I'll pretend I never had such an ungrateful son like you!"

At this critical moment, the man who had been at the center of the storm and enjoying the spotlight—Li Erniu—made his move.

He didn't continue watching the show as everyone expected, but instead walked slowly with his characteristic, slightly steady steps to Gong Jian, who was on the verge of collapse.

Looking at Gong Jian's face, which was almost distorted, Li Erniu was secretly overjoyed, but on the surface he maintained a benevolent and saintly demeanor.

He reached out and, amidst the horrified gazes of the entire company of soldiers, gently, even with a touch of affection, patted Gong Jian's shoulder.

The private patted the captain on the shoulder!

That's a huge taboo in the military! It would get you locked up in solitary confinement!

But at this moment, no one felt anything was wrong; on the contrary, they felt that... this action was full of the elder's love for the younger generation.

"Why……"

Li Erniu sighed deeply and spoke earnestly:

"Little Gong, don't blame your mother. People from the Li family are tough, stubborn, and inflexible. Guifang is just afraid you'll go astray and forget your roots."

Gong Jian's body stiffened, and as he felt the oily, greasy hand on his shoulder, his lips twitched uncontrollably.

You're the one who's gone astray! Your whole family has gone astray!

I'm the instructor!

My ideological awareness is eight hundred times higher than yours!

Regardless of Gong Jian's inner turmoil, Li Erniu continued in that gentle tone that could drive anyone mad:

"However, I'm not an unreasonable person. I know that you're wearing this uniform now, representing our Iron Fist Regiment and the face of our Sharpshooter Fourth Company."

Upon hearing this, Gong Jian's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that this simpleton had a change of heart and was going to help him out of this predicament?

However, Li Erniu's next words extinguished his hopes and stabbed him in the heart.

"Kneeling down and kowtowing... is indeed a bit inappropriate."

Li Erniu smacked his lips, looking quite reasonable, and turned to Li Guifang, who had stopped, and called out:

"Guifang, don't pressure the boy. After all, he's in the army. A man's knees are precious, especially since he's in uniform. If he kneels, he's not just kneeling to himself, but also to his uniform. If word gets out and the regimental commander finds out, will Xiao Gong still be able to keep his position?"

Upon hearing this, Li Guifang was stunned for a moment, then felt a wave of fear: "Ah? It's that serious? Then...then I won't kneel, I won't kneel! We can't ruin the child's future!"

Upon hearing this, Gong Jian almost knelt down to thank Li Erniu on the spot.

Ok!

Thankfully, this simpleton still has some brains!

They know how to use military uniforms as an excuse!

As long as you don't kneel down, you might lose face, but you can at least salvage some of your substance.

"Erniu... no, um... thank you..." Gong Jian gritted his teeth and squeezed out a mosquito-like hum of thanks.

"No need to thank me. We're family, no need for formalities."

Li Erniu waved his hand, his smile suddenly becoming even brighter, even carrying a hint of cunning:

"However, Xiao Gong, while these rules can be adapted, they cannot be disregarded."

"Your mother was really angry just now. Look how worried she is, she's even got a couple more gray hairs. To avoid upsetting your mother, and to prove you're a filial son, you don't have to kowtow, but you still have to call her 'person' at least, right?"

Li Erniu took a step closer, his large, dark face almost touching Gong Jian's nose, and added in a sly voice that only the two of them could hear:

"Instructor, this is the most lenient treatment I've managed to get for you. If you don't call for help now, and Guifang really starts throwing a tantrum in the canteen later, you'll become a notorious figure in the whole regiment."

"you……"

Gong Jian's eyes widened suddenly as he stared intently at Li Erniu.

If looks could kill, Li Erniu would have been executed by Gong Jian a thousand times over by now!

This is hardly persuasion.

This is clearly putting him on the hot seat!

I also sprinkled some cumin on it!

What does "in order not to make your mother sad" mean?

What does "maximum leniency" mean?

What he was implying was: I'm giving you face by not making you kneel. If you don't even utter this one word, then you're being unfilial, and that's like trying to force your own mother to her death!

This moral blackmail is even more sophisticated than what a political instructor who does ideological work can do!

At this moment, Gong Jian really had an impulse to draw the pistol from his waist and shoot this bastard who had gotten the benefits but was still acting innocent!

"What? Don't you want to call out?"

Seeing Gong Jian's constipated expression, Li Erniu deliberately raised his voice and shouted at Li Guifang:

"Guifang! It seems Xiao Gong still thinks I, a cook, am a disgrace to him! He won't even call me Third Uncle! Oh well, I'll leave now, I'll go back to the kitchen! I don't deserve to stand here!"

As he spoke, Li Erniu made a gesture to turn around, his back view looking desolate and forlorn.

"Gong Jian!!!"

Li Guifang instantly lost her temper, and her shout was even louder than before.

"Are you trying to piss me off?! Your third great-uncle has already given you a way out! He won't even make you kneel! Will it kill you to just open your mouth?! Huh?!"

Gong Jian completely broke down.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, as if trying to shield himself from the mocking gazes around him.

His hands were clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his flesh.

It's been 28 years.

From wearing open-crotch pants to wearing this military uniform.

Gong Jian had never felt so small, so helpless, so...desperate as he did today.

The entire room fell silent.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for that historic moment.

at last.

Gong Jian suddenly opened his eyes, staring blankly ahead. His lips trembled, and with all his might, he roared out a name from his chest, a name filled with sobs, despair, and endless humiliation:

"Third...Third Uncle!!!"