In one morning, Bonnie and her friends brought back about ten baskets of small seaweed seedlings. It was really not easy; those tiny little ones took a lot of effort to collect.
The ship docked, and the shore was bustling with activity.
Sister Zhang and several other women from the family compound came to help, and Grandpa was there with his old friends.
Some aunties and grandmas who had just finished work also came to join in the fun, finding it novel, as seaweed grows freely in the sea and they had never heard of it being able to be cultivated.
It's in the Chinese people's nature to love joining in the fun. Even a simple argument can attract a crowd, let alone something new and unheard of. People will go hungry to see what's going on.
"Han Weidong, take a basket of seaweed seedlings and some rope, and work with Xiaolu and a few others in a group. Follow my instructions and start clipping the seedlings. Be quick so they can be put into the water as soon as you're done."
"Okay, Bonnie."
Bonnie quickly divided the group into teams, and the personnel were arranged in an orderly manner. Everyone obeyed her absolutely.
“Bonnie is different now. I don’t really know how to say it, but she’s just not the same as before. People are afraid to look at her.”
"That's right. Before, no one could beat her in a fight, because they were afraid of her. But now, look at these kids, they're all mischievous, but now they listen to Bonnie so much. They all respect her, yes, they respect her."
The aunties and grandmas watching the commotion chattered excitedly. They had all watched Bonnie grow up, and at this moment, they felt like they didn't recognize her anymore. Bonnie was no longer the Bonnie they knew. Her appearance hadn't changed, but the feeling had.
Most of the aunties and older women on the island are illiterate and have never been to school. They don't know how to describe Bonnie's changes in words, but they can intuitively feel that she is different.
Bonnie didn't have time for idle chatter; she was busy checking the seedlings. They couldn't be too tight or too loose, and the spacing had to be just right—it wasn't easy.
"Qian Shan, take two people back to cook. Everyone's been working all morning and they're all hungry. The afternoon's work won't be easy either, so they need to have a good meal."
"Okay, Bonnie."
Qian Shan led the two boys who knew how to cook back to the base. What should they eat for lunch?
Bonnie's speed picked up; it's all about practice makes perfect. And then there's Grandpa and the others—they're seasoned veterans; this is a piece of cake for them, and they're much faster than these kids. Bonnie had Zhang Yuanchao keep records; everyone who contributed needed to be documented.
By the time Qian Shan and the others finished cooking, Bao Ni and the others had already picked up all the seaweed seedlings and loaded them onto the boat.
"Alright, let's go eat. We still have to plant seedlings after we eat."
Bonnie invited everyone to eat. Aunt Zhang and the others had already gone home, and the grandfathers had also left. Everyone knew they were facing difficulties, and no one would be thinking of freeloading a meal at a time like this.
Lunch consisted of flatbread and stewed mixed fish. Everyone quickly finished eating, washed their lunchboxes, and hurriedly headed to the beach.
Row the boat to the designated location, lower the bamboo raft, and Bonnie will first demonstrate how to use the rope with the seedlings attached to secure the bamboo raft.
After Bonnie's demonstration, everyone got to work. Working in small groups, they cooperated seamlessly, a habit they had developed recently. They complemented each other's strengths and weaknesses and did a good job.
"Okay, this one's tight enough, let's move on to the other one."
"Brother Weidong, can you help me pull this up? I don't have the strength."
When Lin Hai was tying the rope to the bamboo raft, he felt it wasn't secure enough and quickly asked for help. On the surface of the sea, they could talk, but underwater, they would have to use gestures.
Bonnie looked at the neatly arranged bamboo rafts. Although there weren't many, they represented hope, and she had a feeling that this time it would be a success.
Before sunset, all the seedling ropes were tied up, securing the bamboo raft. Bonnie dived into the water, watching the seedling ropes sway in the clear seawater, their nurturing cradle.
"Sister Bonnie..."
"What's wrong?"
Bonnie looked at Lin Hai, who seemed hesitant to speak, wondering why he was being so evasive.
Will these seaweed seedlings grow big?
Seeing the expectant eyes of the students, Bonnie smiled knowingly.
"I'm worried that all our efforts will be in vain."
"No, how should I put it, it just feels different, I can't quite put my finger on it."
"Lin Hai was trying to say that we built all of these things ourselves, bit by bit, like raising a child. If the child dies young, the emotional damage is different."
"Yes, that's exactly what Brother Weidong meant."
Lin Hai patted his head again, saying that he should seriously learn from Brother Wei Dong and the others from now on. Without knowledge, he couldn't even speak, which was too frustrating.
"I can't say for sure that it will grow up, and nothing is guaranteed to succeed. But we've worked so hard, and Mazu has seen it all and will bless us."
May Goddess Mazu protect us!
Lin Hai and the others prayed to Mazu without prior arrangement, earnestly asking for her blessings.
"Sister Bonnie, the people here really worship Mazu, why is that?"
"Legend has it that Mazu is the goddess who controls maritime shipping. People who make a living by the sea sincerely pray for the safe return of their family members who go out to sea."
Bonnie felt that this was a kind of psychological support, especially in ancient times when there were no advanced scientific methods. What else could they expect besides praying to the Goddess Mazu for protection?
"Alright, stop thinking about it so much. Although hard work doesn't always guarantee a 100% return, our efforts are so great that they're bound to move the heavens and earth and give us some hope. Besides, you've also learned something."
What did you learn?
"Learning to swim like a white streak in the waves doesn't make you an islander!"
"Sister Bonnie!"
Lin Hai panicked. Why was it a matter of whether to let it go or not? Was Sister Bao Ni planning to hold onto this weakness for the rest of her life?
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