Chapter 227 Souvenirs
Day four in the Maldives.
Xu Songning wanted to visit the inhabited island and buy some souvenirs to bring to Xiang Yun's family and colleagues. She would give Ms. Xu her share when she returned to China.
The Maldives has a wide variety of fish products, with many stalls set up everywhere. Fresh fish and snails are neatly displayed. These seafood products can be processed and eaten locally, but they probably won't taste as good if brought back home.
Xu Songning wanted to see if the fish caught on land tasted different from the fish they caught themselves. The two ate a meal of freshly processed fish at a small restaurant, and the taste was indeed much better than what they had eaten at sea.
"It seems that those fish that are too brightly colored don't taste good," Xu Songning concluded.
"Want to take some back?" Xiang Yun squatted in front of the stall, studying what method would be best to cook the fish.
"I won't bring it, it's too much trouble, and it smells fishy." Xu Songning rejected his suggestion. Seeing a post office by the roadside, she remembered a postcard she had once received from Xiang Yun, one of the reasons the two became acquainted.
"Let's go check out the post office."
Xiang Yun had the same idea. Since he had come to the Maldives, he naturally wanted to bring back some local postcards. Postcards from many places were quite well made.
The walls were covered with postcards from the Maldives, the most eye-catching of which were fish-shaped postcards.
The brown and pink goldfish-shaped postcards look small and exquisite.
It's a great souvenir to affix a stamp featuring the Maldives' unique characteristics.
When the two came out of the post office, they had an extra shopping bag in their hands.
Along the way, whenever Xu Songning saw a suitable souvenir, he would stop and play with it. When he came across a stall selling reed mats, Xu Songning found it very novel.
These reed mats are red, and the patterns on them are all hand-woven, with no two patterns being the same; each one is unique.
"These are really pretty, perfect for giving as gifts." Xu Songning bought seven in one go, including the three kittens.
Coconut shell boats, wooden fishing rods, hand-painted decorations, exquisite seashells...
The variety of souvenirs was dazzling. Xu Songning took whatever she liked, while Xiang Yun planned gifts for everyone who wanted to give a present.
It doesn't matter if Xu Songning buys a lot; any leftovers can be displayed at home. These gifts are all exquisite and not cumbersome at all.
As dusk fell, Xiang Yun carried several gift bags, while Xu Songning, wearing a newly bought straw hat, walked happily ahead. She suddenly remembered that she hadn't gone swimming yet, and her new bikini hadn't been used.
"Brother Yun, let's go swimming."
Xiang Yun glanced at the sea and said, "Let's move to a water room with a pool. It's too windy now, and it's not safe to swim in the sea."
“Okay, I’ll bring you your swim trunks too. If you can’t swim, Sister Xu can teach you.” Xu Songning smiled slyly.
Xiang Yun remained silent and hurried back with his things.
The housekeeper changed their water room to a different one, which was closer to the sea than the previous one.
Seawater naturally flowed into the pool, and the pool walls were below the water surface, making it appear as if there were no boundaries, merging seamlessly with the sea.
Xu Songning changed into a bikini and sat on the shore to get used to the water temperature. Once she was comfortable, she leaped into the water like a fish.
The pool was large, and she could swim freely. There was no one else around, so she didn't feel uncomfortable.
She surfaced and wiped the water droplets from her face.
Xiang Yun stood on the shore, wearing the pink swim trunks she had bought, with a white cloud printed on them, and sighed helplessly.
Xu Songning swam to the shore, rested one hand on the edge, and showed off her pink bikini. "It's a couple's set. Is there anything you're not satisfied with, Mr. Xiang?"
"Satisfied." Xiang Yun nodded and sat down.
Xu Songning scooped up some water and splashed it on his shoulders and back, slowly spreading it evenly, saying, "I'm helping you get used to the water temperature."
Xiang Yun grabbed Xu Songning's hand and pulled him in front of him.
"What are you doing?" Xu Songning was being pulled by one hand, while the other hand was braced on Xiang Yun's thigh for support.
Xiang Yun lowered his head slightly, grabbed her chin, and kissed her, tasting the salty seawater.
Behind them was the afterglow of the setting sun, an incredibly romantic scene.
After the kiss ended, Xiang Yun's restraint loosened, and Xu Songning swam backward with ease. "Hurry up and get in the water, or I'll pull you down."
"Wait a minute, I forgot to take something." Xiang Yun stepped into the room through the wet footprints and took out the wooden tray that the butler had brought.
Drinks and fruit are placed on a wooden tray the size of a giant water lily leaf. If you put it in the swimming pool, it will float with the seawater, but its weight will prevent it from being washed away.
Xiang Yun got into the water and swam around in the pool using the standard butterfly stroke.
A natural swimming pool feels different – a private space, a beautiful sea view, and your sweetheart right in front of you.
Everything was just too wonderful.
Xu Songning really liked the wooden plate. He picked at the plate, ate some fruit for a while, and drank fruit wine. The alcohol content was low, and it had a fruity aroma and bubbles, making it very flavorful.
When Xiang Yun swam over, Xu Songning fed him a grape, then lay on top of the swimming Xiang Yun and simply let him carry her around.
After swimming two laps, Xiang Yun leaned against the poolside to rest and fiddled with his camera.
He rented the camera for four days and took a lot of photos. When the camera ended up in Xu Songning's hands, she would use it to shoot videos, all kinds of videos.
The roadside stalls, the waves on the beach, the sun on the horizon, the sunset at the hotel, and Xiang Yun's daily life.
As he carried the two of them in his slippers, as he packed his clothes, and as he shopped for gifts, Xu Songning would stand behind him with his camera, taking pictures like a reporter, and asking him whatever questions he wanted.
Occasionally, Xiang Yun would bring the camera over and point it at her. Without him asking any questions, Xu Songning would smile, hold the lens, and confess her feelings to the camera, or tell the camera about what happened that day, as if she were writing in a diary to reminisce about someday.
"Sister Xu, look at me." Xiang Yun raised his camera.
Xu Songning leaned against the edge of the pool, holding a wooden tray in his hand and a grape in his mouth.
She stared at him with her beautiful eyes, "Did you deliberately take an unflattering picture of me?"
Xiang Yun looked down at the photos. Xu Songning in the photos was very vivid and full of energy.
A vacation is indeed the best way to nourish the body.
“It looks great,” Xiang Yun said.
Xu Songning sighed, picked up her wine glass, and said, "Fine, I won't hold it against you. I'll forgive you if you take a few more beautiful photos of Sister Xu."
Xiang Yun adjusted the parameters, "Sister Xu, closer."
"How close?" Xu Songning paddled over and stretched out her hand. Xiang Yun immediately put his hand out to her so she could hold it firmly.
Xu Songning smiled at the camera, tilting her head to one side, "How about it, is it close enough?"
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