Chapter 74 Learning to Swim

On the way home, the two children chattered like little birds, excitedly talking about their promise to Niu Niu that afternoon.

"Mom, when the weather gets nice, we're going to the beach to learn to swim!" Leilei raised his hands high, as if he was already splashing around in the water.

Yao Yao wasn't going to be outdone: "I want to learn too! I want to swim faster than my brother!"

Seeing how happy they were, Lu Mingyue suddenly had an idea and turned to Huo Zheng: "Why don't I learn too?"

Huo Zheng paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Okay, I'll teach you."

"Really?" Lu Mingyue was a little surprised, but also a little expectant.

"Of course." Huo Zheng's eyes were firm. "But we have to take it slowly, safety first. Don't worry, I'm here."

Leilei immediately chimed in, "Then I'll protect Mommy!"

Yao Yao wasn't going to be left behind: "I'll protect them too!"

The two little ones weren't even as tall as her legs. Hearing such a bold statement, Lu Mingyue was deeply moved.

Looking at their innocent little faces, Lu Mingyue gently hugged the two children: "Okay, Mommy will be waiting for you to protect me."

Huo Zheng stood aside, watching this scene, and couldn't help but smile.

He walked over and ruffled Leilei's hair: "Then you'll have to learn to swim first."

"We will definitely study hard!" the two children answered in unison, their voices ringing out loudly in the sea breeze.

Lu Mingyue heard from Sister-in-law Wang that she needed to prepare a swimsuit for swimming, but she didn't have one.

The supply and marketing cooperative had a few swimsuits, but the styles weren't quite right, so she wanted to make one herself.

When she got home, she took out her sewing machine and thought to herself that the fabric she made was sturdy and fit well, so she could also make a set for her two children.

So she picked out a few pieces of light and breathable blue cotton fabric and found some old elastic bands.

First, the children's measurements were taken, and the clothes were cut into vests and shorts. The stitches were fine, and the children's own designs were embroidered on the chest.

When it was her turn, she chose a conservative one-piece style with a perfectly fitted waist, which was both convenient for swimming and dignified.

In the evening, Huo Zheng came home from get off work carrying a paper bag and said with a smile, "I passed by the supply and marketing cooperative and saw a swimsuit, so I bought one for you."

Lu Mingyue was stunned for a moment, then took the bag. Inside was a gray swimsuit, just like the one she had seen at the supply and marketing cooperative.

"Thank you, but I also made a few sets for you." She smiled and took out the swimsuits she had sewn.

Huo Zheng's eyes lit up when he saw the three swimsuits he had made on the table: "This one is even better! Yours must fit perfectly and be comfortable."

The two children ran over, excitedly changed into their new swimsuits, and twirled around the room, asking, "Mommy, do we look good?"

Lu Mingyue and Huo Zheng exchanged a smile, "Beautiful!"

The house was instantly filled with warm laughter.

The next day, Huo Zheng took a break and brought Lu Mingyue and the two children to the beach, where Niu Niu's family was already waiting for them.

A short while later, Qin Lie and Zhu Xiaofang arrived with Mingming.

"Aunt Zhu, you're here to learn to swim too?" Niu Niu asked in surprise.

Zhu Xiaofang smiled a little shyly: "Yes, I also want to learn, otherwise how can I feel at ease letting you play in the sea in the future?"

Before enlisting, all the men were landlubbers, but if they came to this island and said they couldn't swim, their brothers would laugh their heads off.

Even if you don't know how, force yourself to learn.

So several men acted as tutors, leading the children and women in warm-up exercises in the shallow water, teaching them how to hold their breath and float.

With the help of adults, Leilei and Mingming learned very well, while Niuniu darted around in the water like a little fish.

Having some basic knowledge always makes learning easier, and the children had a great time playing.

Yao Yao and Lei Lei played in the water for a while until they were exhausted, so they climbed onto the beach to build sandcastles. They had brought their own toys with them. They didn't need to worry about that now.

Huo Zheng can free up time to teach Lu Mingyue how to swim.

Lu Mingyue nervously grabbed Huo Zheng's arm: "I'm afraid I won't be able to learn it."

She always kept her distance from the sea whenever she saw it, feeling that the boundless coastline could swallow up many things, making her feel intimidated just looking at it.

Huo Zheng patiently said, "Don't worry, I'll stay by your side. First, lift your feet off the ground and feel the buoyancy of the water."

Under his guidance, Lu Mingyue slowly relaxed her body and actually floated! She shouted excitedly, "I did it!"

Huo Zheng smiled and encouraged, "Great job! Next, we'll learn how to breathe."

The children cheered her on from the sidelines, and Niu Niu even mischievously said, "Aunt Lu, you learn much faster than my mom!"

The waves gently lapped against the shore. Lu Mingyue stood in the shallow water, took a deep breath, and said to Huo Zheng, "I want to try it myself."

Huo Zheng nodded and stepped aside, but his eyes never left her: "Okay, take your time, I'm here."

Lu Mingyue pushed off with both feet and slid forward.

Following Huo Zheng's instructions, she used her arms to paddle and her legs to kick and squeeze, gradually stabilizing her rhythm.

She panicked a little when she took her first breath and swallowed some seawater, but she didn't give up. She adjusted her breathing and continued forward.

"Yes, that's it!" Huo Zheng encouraged from behind.

The two children excitedly shouted, "Go, Mom! Mom's the best!"

Lu Mingyue gritted her teeth and took one, two, three breaths.

To her surprise, she found that she was actually swimming forward!

Although the distance wasn't far, she felt an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.

When she finally stopped, Huo Zheng had already swum to her side, his face full of pride: "Mingyue, you did it!"

Lu Mingyue wiped the seawater off her face and smiled as brightly as the sun: "I can swim now!"

Just as she was enjoying swimming, Lu Mingyue suddenly felt a sharp pain in her calf—she had a cramp!

She panicked, lost her balance, and choked on several mouthfuls of seawater.

"Mom!" Lei Lei and Yao Yao were eager to go into the water.

"Stand still!"

Huo Zheng picked her up and let her rest her head on his shoulder, gently patting her back to help her spit out the water.

Lu Mingyue caught her breath and smiled weakly, "It's alright, it's alright."

Huo Zheng didn't let up. He put his arm around her shoulder, supported her with one hand, and swam towards the shore with the other.

Hearing the commotion, Zhu Xiaofang and the others quickly stopped to lend a hand.

"Did you get a leg cramp just now?" Zheng Xiuhua asked with concern.

Lu Mingyue nodded. It must be a cramp. The numbness from earlier traveled up her ankle and down her spine, making her body stiffen and tremble uncontrollably.

Huo Zheng: "From now on, you must warm up properly before going into the water, understand?"

Lu Mingyue nodded, looking at the two children's worried eyes, feeling both touched and guilty: "I'm sorry to have worried you."

This little incident did not dampen Lu Mingyue's enthusiasm for learning to swim. On the contrary, she became more determined and took advantage of the suitable temperature to practice a few more laps in the water.