Chapter 154 Celebration

Lu Mingyue accepted the certificate and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Great job, these new shoes and all your practice have paid off."

Huo Zheng lifted Lei Lei up and spun him around: "My son is amazing. I'll make you braised pork tonight as a reward."

Yao Yao leaned closer and touched Lei Lei's new shoes: "Brother, will the new shoes make you run faster?"

Leilei nodded and handed the certificate to Yaoyao: "Here you go. When you participate in the sports meet in the future, Mom will buy you new shoes, and we'll win first place together."

As soon as the game ended, Xiaoman ran over, clutching her old shoes, her face covered in sweat, but her eyes shining brightly.

He first bowed to Lu Mingyue and Huo Zheng, his voice clear and earnest: "Uncle Huo, Aunt Lu, thank you for letting Brother Lei Lei lend me his shoes, so I can participate in the competition today."

Lu Mingyue smiled and waved her hand: "No need to be so polite. We're all just kids, it's only right that we help each other out."

Huo Zheng nodded, "You ran very hard today, that was great!"

Xiaoman then turned to Leilei, handed him the old shoes in her hand, and took out a piece of fruit candy wrapped in a handkerchief from her pocket and stuffed it into Leilei's hand.

"Brother Leilei, I've cleaned your shoes. Here's a piece of candy for you. My mom bought it yesterday. It's so sweet. If you hadn't lent me your shoes, I would have just been watching from the sidelines all day. I wouldn't have been able to run at all."

Leilei looked at the candy in his hand, then at the shoes Xiaoman handed him. The shoes were clean and had clearly been carefully preserved.

He pushed the candy back: "You can have the candy yourself, I have some at home. These shoes don't fit me anymore, but if you don't mind, you can keep them and use them for running in the future."

"Really?" Xiaoman's eyes lit up, but she was also a little incredulous. "Won't it be inconvenient for you to wear these shoes?"

"No, I have new shoes." Leilei lifted his foot and wiggled his sneakers. "Look, these new shoes are so comfortable to run in."

Yao Yao, who was standing next to Xiao Man, came over and took Xiao Man's hand: "Brother Xiao Man, you can come to my house to play often in the future, and I can jump rope with you."

Xiaoman nodded vigorously, hugged the shoes, and stuffed the candy into Yaoyao's hand: "Here, have this candy, thank you."

Xiaoman, clutching her shoes, bowed again to Lu Mingyue's family before skipping and hopping back to her class. Even after running a distance, she turned back and called out, "Leilei, I'll run with you again next time!"

Lu Mingyue looked at Xiaoman's back and then at Leilei, who was smiling beside her, feeling gratified.

A pair of old shoes not only helped Xiaoman fulfill her wish to participate in the competition, but also taught the children about sharing and gratitude. This simple sincerity is more precious than any certificate.

As evening fell, two enticing aromas wafted through the courtyard. On one side, Lu Mingyue was baking egg tarts, the golden crusts puffing up in the oven, and a sweet, milky fragrance wafting out from between them.

On the other side, Huo Zheng was stewing braised pork. The chunks of pork, with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, were bubbling in the pot. The sauce made from soy sauce and rock sugar coated the meat, filling it with a rich aroma.

"Mom, are the egg tarts ready yet?" Lei Lei's attention was entirely focused on the oven.

Yao Yao also came over, sniffing the air with her little nose: "It smells so good, even better than the cake last time."

Lu Mingyue smiled and opened the oven, using tongs to take out a plate of egg tarts: "Okay, let them cool for a while before eating, be careful not to burn your mouth."

Huo Zheng also came out of the kitchen carrying braised pork. The plate was full of glistening pieces of meat, and there was also a plate of stir-fried green vegetables and a pot of winter melon soup next to it. The table was full of dishes.

"Dinner's ready! Let's celebrate our little champion." Huo Zheng placed the braised pork in the middle of the table and gave Lei Lei the biggest piece. "Eat more to replenish your energy so you can win first place again next time."

Leilei took a bite of the braised pork. The soft, tender skin had a sweet taste, and the lean meat wasn't dry. His eyes lit up as he ate: "Dad, your braised pork is the best!"

Lu Mingyue also distributed egg tarts to the children. The flaky crust crumbled when you bit into it, and the egg custard inside was tender, smooth, and sweet.

Yao Yao ate until her lips were smeared with cream, but she still handed one to Lu Mingyue: "Mom, you have some too, this is so sweet."

During the meal, Huo Zheng specifically mentioned the scene from the sports meet, "Your mother and I were in the stands, and when we saw you sprinting in the final moments, our hearts were in our throats. But you crossed the finish line in no time, which made your father so proud."

Lu Mingyue added, "Whether it's running or going to school, as long as you do your best, Mom and Dad will be happy for you."

Leilei listened with a heart full of joy, and didn't forget to thank his parents: "Thank you, I'll bring the certificate back next time."

-

Since becoming pregnant, Huo Zheng has been in charge of taking Lei Lei to school. Lu Mingyue was sitting on a bamboo chair to cool off when she looked up and saw Yan Huajing standing at the door with a bamboo basket in her hand.

The basket was filled to the brim with green plums, the emerald green fruit glistening with morning dew, a delightful sight to behold.

"Sister Mingyue, are you busy?" Yan Huajing walked in with a smile and handed the bamboo basket to Lu Mingyue. "These are green plums I picked from the hill behind my house. They're just ripe, sour and crisp. I thought I'd bring some to you since you're pregnant. Maybe you'll like the sour taste."

Lu Mingyue took the bamboo basket, her fingertips touching the cool green plums, and felt a warmth in her heart: "So many! It's so kind of you to make this special trip."

Yan Huajing waved her hand, her eyes full of sincerity: "I should be the one thanking you. I was feeling wronged and flustered at the time, and it was thanks to you that I was able to get out of that predicament."

When the past was brought up, Lu Mingyue vaguely remembered it. She hadn't paid much attention to it, but she didn't expect Yan Huajing to remember it all this time.

"It's just a small matter between neighbors, not worth mentioning," Lu Mingyue said with a smile, then turned around and went inside to get a bag of freshly pickled cucumbers. "I pickled these a few days ago. Take them home and try them; they're perfect with porridge."

Yan Huajing quickly accepted it, her face full of joy: "Then I won't be polite. If you want to eat green plums in the future, just tell me and I'll go to the back mountain to pick some for you."

After the start of the dog days of summer, the weather gets hotter and hotter, with the afternoon sun making the ground scorching hot.

Looking at Leilei and Yaoyao, who were chasing and playing in the yard, covered in sweat, Huo Zheng made a decision: "Starting today, Dad will teach you to swim during your lunch break every day. We'll learn to swim this year."

These words instantly excited the two children. Last year, they only splashed around in the shallow water a few times and hadn't even learned how to breathe properly. This year, they were so excited to learn from their dad.

The next day during lunch break, Huo Zheng, carrying swimsuits and towels, took Lei Lei and Yao Yao to the beach.

Lu Mingyue followed behind, carrying a thermos filled with chilled plum juice.

Lu Mingyue found a shady spot to sit down and watched as Huo Zheng first taught Leilei how to hold his breath: "Take a deep breath, put your head in the water, don't be afraid, Dad is watching."

Leilei followed along, but at first he would choke on water and cough, frowning. Huo Zheng patiently patted his back and taught him the technique again and again.