The sun was high in the sky, and the children were still not up. They must be really tired from the journey!
"Mom, my brothers aren't awake yet. I'm going out for a walk. I'll be right back." Liu Jiu couldn't stay still after finishing her meal.
"Go ahead, but be careful not to play in the sun. If you stay out in the sun any longer, you'll really become a little dark-skinned kid."
Liu Jiu has disappeared without a trace; I wonder if she even heard what Bonnie said.
Sanqi didn't go out. He placed the deck chair in the shade of the yard, lay down, and swayed comfortably. He really didn't understand why his sister would go out in such hot weather and get so tanned.
Sanqi, who will soon be four years old, is like a little gentleman. His clothes are always clean and he never has a runny nose. When it gets cold, he even asks his mother to apply face cream. Standing next to Liujiu, Sanqi stands out clearly in black and white.
"Good morning, Auntie!" The children woke up and stretched.
"Get up, go wash up, we'll eat in a bit." Bonnie got her breakfast from the cafeteria this morning; she's really not good at cooking, especially for so many people.
"Okay, Auntie!"
After they finished washing up and sat down at the table, they tasted the familiar flavors of the cafeteria's large pot of food.
"Which of you can cook?"
Bonnie hopes someone can cook; otherwise, they'll have to trouble her mother.
“I can cook simple meals.” Bonnie was surprised to see ten-year-old Zheng Jun raise his hand.
"Okay, as long as someone can cook, that's fine. I'll take care of the meals, you just need to take care of the side dishes. I'm not very good at seasoning." Bonnie made it clear upfront that they would have to take care of themselves.
"I want to make it clear beforehand that there is no running water here. You will have to fetch your own water, and we will take turns doing so. You will have to wash your own clothes and take care of yourselves. I will only be responsible for showing you around and getting you familiar with the island." She couldn't possibly manage so many children.
"We can do it!" Four loud voices rang out, but Gu Xuanyi's voice was not among them.
"Gu Xuanyi, can you do it?" Bonnie knew that Brother Gu had sent Xuanyi here to train him.
"I understand, Auntie." The voice was weak and listless, as if she had lost all will to live.
He finally realized who Liu Jiu resembled.
"Zheng Jun, let me introduce you to my friends, Tie Dan and Gang Dan." Liu Jiu ran back, covered in sweat, his hair plastered to his scalp. He must have sweated a lot.
"Liu Jiu, have some water. Why aren't you playing in the shade? You've gotten even darker from the sun."
"Mom, it's okay, being dark-skinned is fine, it's good for your health!"
Liu Jiu gulped down a whole vat of water and dragged Zheng Jun, Tie Dan, and Gang Dan over there to spar.
"Auntie, Liu Jiu and San Qi's personalities are a bit reversed." Xuan Yu looked at San Qi, who was lying in the rocking chair, dressed neatly and cleanly, and then looked at Liu Jiu, whose personality was really...
"Aunt Gu, where are we going today?" Han Bei and the others came over to ask about their upcoming plans after finishing washing the dishes.
"I'll take you to the beach later, take a boat to a small island, pick some corn on the cob, boil it, and have a taste of something new."
"Wow, this is great! I haven't had this in ages."
The children were all happy. Food is so important now; there's never a time when we have to eat corn.
As soon as Bonnie and her friends stepped outside, a large group of them ran forward noisily.
Liu Jiu led the way, with Zheng Jun following closely behind. Han Bei and the others looked at the seaweed houses with great curiosity.
"Sister Baoni, you're here. What are you all planning to do? Everyone's out here." Han Weiguo looked at the large group, wondering what they were up to.
"Take them to the island to have a look, and while you're at it, pick some green corn and boil some corn to eat."
"Then let's all go together, there are so many children." Han Weidong called Li Gang and a few others out to watch the children.
"Ah, the sea, here I come!" Han Bei was a lively and energetic person. Looking at the surging sea from afar, with its rolling waves and boundless expanse, he felt happy just looking at it.
Bao Ni and Li Gang led a few younger ones, while Han Weidong, Zhou Chen, and Zhang Yuanchao led Han Bei and the other three.
Tie Dan and Gang Dan often help their mother with chores on the island, so they are used to taking the boat. Once on the boat, they know what to do. Liu Jiu and San Qi have also been there before. Gu Xuan Yi, on the other hand, is at a loss. He can't think of a place and is afraid of getting seasick.
"Second brother, sit next to me, I'll protect you, the little boat won't make you seasick." Liu Jiu called to Xuan Yi and arranged for him to sit next to him.
Once everyone was seated, Bonnie started rowing. This was a fishing boat, not the small boats found in the park's artificial lake. It was several meters long and could seat about ten adults.
The island was very close; after paddling for a short while, I could vaguely see its outline.
Gazing at the distant island, the surrounding sea, and the seabirds in the sky, Gu Xuanyu recalled a song he had heard in his father's study; it fit the mood perfectly. He began to sing:
Naval soldiers are devoted to the Party
Ready for battle, gripping the steel gun tightly
I guard the coastal defense line
Defending the supreme glory of the motherland
I love this blue ocean.
The motherland's maritime borders are rich in treasures.
I love the clear, vast sea and sky.
The hero's war eagle is soaring.
"What song is this? It's so good. How come I've never heard it before?" Han Bei and Zheng Tao both looked puzzled.
"I don't know either. I heard it in my dad's study, and I only remember this short part." Gu Xuanyu didn't hear the whole thing, but he remembered this part.
Bonnie knew what song it was; it was very famous. She thought it was the theme song or an interlude for some military-themed TV series, but she couldn't remember exactly. However, the song was very well-known.
The boat docked, and the children all got off.
Bonnie and the others went to check out the wasteland of the seaweed farm; the corn was growing well.
“Let’s go to my field and pick some. I specially got some sticky corn seeds this year and planted some, thinking I’d keep them to eat as green corn and grind them into bread and sticky bean buns in the winter.”
Bonnie took the lead and led them to their own land to pick corn.
Wow, so many apples!
It was the first time the children had ever seen so many fruit trees, especially fruit trees that were bearing fruit.
"This is the first year we planted these trees, fifty in total, and more than forty have survived. The fruit is quite good this year. It will take a while to ripen, but you should be able to eat some before you go back."
Many apple trees have been planted on this small island, and even a lot of them have been planted on the land of their seaweed farm. They have blossomed this year, but not many fruits have been produced, and the children have not noticed.
Bonnie and the others broke off more than thirty green corn cobs and put them in a basket on their backs, which Han Weidong and the others carried on their backs.
Now that they were on the island, Bonnie led them on a tour of the island, avoiding the pond.
"Auntie, this island is nice, with beautiful mountains and clear water. It would be perfect if there was a waterfall!" Gu Xuanyu quite liked it. He had never seen a real mountain forest in Beijing.
"Aunt Gu, are those pigs raised by the army? When are they going to be slaughtered?" Han Bei looked at those pigs and thought they were just plates of braised pork!
"Kid, don't even think about it. Those pigs were only slaughtered around the Lunar New Year." Han Weidong patted Han Bei on the head from behind. He's quite the thinker.
"Uncle, if you beat me so badly I'm mentally impaired, will you take responsibility for raising me?"
"Dream on!"
It was getting late, and Bonnie called everyone to go home; it was already noon.
On the way back, everyone begged Gu Xuanyu to teach them that song, saying it was beautiful.
On the sea, the songs are loud and clear; the young people love this sea with all their hearts!
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