After winter sets in, the sea breeze carries a chill into the yard.
Gu Mingyue was concerned about the flowers and plants in the yard, and had already asked Lu Lin to move several rose bushes and spider plants under the gate.
This place offers shelter from the wind and sunshine.
She even found a few old flowerpots, filled them with soil, and planted some chili peppers and scallion sprouts for seasoning.
I just pick a few leaves and a couple of small chilies when I'm cooking. It's fresh and convenient, and much more fragrant than the dried seasonings I buy from the supply and marketing cooperative.
The only thing Gu Mingyue dared not leave outside was the orchid that Xia Qinghe had given her before.
She moved the orchid to a spot near the window in the main room, opening the curtains every morning to let it bask in the sun, and then moving it to a corner in the evening to avoid the cold.
I was very meticulous when watering it, only daring to use warm water to slowly and thoroughly water it.
Unexpectedly, after a few days, several small, tender green flower buds began to emerge from the orchid's leaves, looking exceptionally vibrant.
Xia Qinghe came to visit that day. As soon as she entered, she saw the orchid on the windowsill and her eyes lit up instantly. "Oh, this orchid is about to bloom!"
She leaned closer to take a closer look, then turned to Gu Mingyue with delight and said, "I've been trying to grow this plant for over half a year and it hasn't even started to bloom. I almost killed it. I didn't expect it to sprout so quickly with you. You're really a master at growing plants."
Gu Mingyue smiled and waved her hand, "I'm just taking care of it casually. Maybe it's because the sun is just right here in winter. I'll call you to come see it as soon as it blooms."
This wasn't her doing; it was actually the magic spring water that made it so. All the flowers, plants, and trees in the house were irrigated with the magic spring water, and they grew beautifully and lushly.
Xia Qinghe nodded and then added, "Don't water it too much before it blooms, and don't expose it to the sun for too long, otherwise the buds will easily fall off."
After hearing this, Gu Mingyue was worried that if the flowers were placed on the windowsill, the sunlight would be uneven and they would grow crooked. She asked Lu Lin to see if there was a way to adjust them.
Lu Lin carefully examined the height of the window for a while, then nodded. "That's easy. I'll find some unused wooden planks this afternoon and nail together a small frame for you."
That afternoon, he found some useless scraps from the army warehouse and started tinkering under the gate.
In no time, a small wooden frame was formed, the height of which was just right. When placed by the window, the orchids could enjoy the morning sun while avoiding the strong afternoon light.
Gu Mingyue carefully moved the orchid to the new shelf, then found a blank piece of paper and wrote down the date of watering the flowers—a simplified version of her flower-growing diary.
In the last few days before the Lunar New Year, a notice came over the loudspeaker in the residential compound, inviting families to make dumplings together in the canteen to celebrate the New Year in a lively atmosphere.
Gu Mingyue took her apron and pulled Lu Wan to the cafeteria early in the morning.
We encountered many familiar faces on the way, chatting and laughing, our steps light and quick.
The canteen was already bustling with activity, with several long tables pushed together, and white flour and cornmeal laid out on them.
Since it's the New Year, we naturally have to give the soldiers and their families something good to eat; the usual coarse grain noodles are fine.
Each family member brought some things from their own home. Just as Gu Mingyue found a place to stand, Xia Qinghe came over, holding an enamel basin in her hand.
“I specially mixed in some fennel filling, you should try this to whet your appetite while you’re pregnant.”
Everyone took on different tasks: some rolled out the dough, others filled the dumplings, and even the soldiers who had finished their training joined in the dumpling-making battle.
Today is a day for everyone to rest and celebrate the New Year early.
Gu Mingyue sat at the table, picked up a dumpling wrapper, scooped a spoonful of filling into the center, pinched the edges with her fingers and gently squeezed, and a fancy dumpling was formed.
The dumplings, arranged on the bamboo mat, looked like little gold ingots. Lu Wanwan watched intently, but the dumplings she made either had filling leaking out or were crooked and twisted.
Lu Wanwan sighed helplessly, "Why do you still wrap them so strangely? I've been learning for so long and they still look terrible."
Gu Mingyue put down the dough in her hand and taught her step by step, "When you pinch it, push it from the middle to both sides with even force so that it won't break."
Lu Wan followed along and gradually learned to make decent dumplings. Although they were still not as exquisite as Gu Mingyue's, they were still quite presentable.
The water in the large pot in the canteen was already boiling, steaming, and the chefs were responsible for putting the wrapped dumplings into the pot.
Before long, the first batch of dumplings was cooked, served in ceramic bowls, and drizzled with vinegar and chili oil.
Everyone sat around the table, each taking a bite, enjoying their warm meal.
The children ran and played among the tables, happily eating dumplings.
Lu Lin was eating dumplings when someone poked their head in from the cafeteria entrance and called out, "Is Comrade Lu here? There's a phone call."
Gu Mingyue paused with her chopsticks, exchanged a glance with Lu Lin, and saw confusion in each other's eyes.
Gu Mingyue: "Who would make a phone call at this time?"
"I'll go check on it, you guys eat first."
Lu Lin got up and followed the young soldier to the call center. On the other end of the line was Lu Qinming's voice, which had some static from long-distance calls and sounded more urgent than usual.
"Xiao Lin, you're in the family compound, right? I have something to tell you. Your mom, grandpa, and grandma have already boarded the ferry to the island and should arrive at the dock this afternoon."
Lu Lin was stunned for a moment, wondering if he had misheard. "Grandpa and Grandma are here. Aren't they in Beijing? Didn't they say they would spend the New Year at home?"
"We can't stop them."
Lu Qinming sighed on the other end of the line, "Your mother said she wanted to give you a surprise and insisted on doing it first and telling you later. I thought I should tell you in advance. You can go to the dock to pick them up this afternoon. It's windy on the boat, and they are old and have brought a lot of luggage. Don't let them wait around at the dock."
"I understand, Dad. Don't worry." Lu Lin quickly replied, feeling both surprised and touched.
"I'll tell Mingyue and Wanwan right away that I'll definitely pick them up this afternoon. Please be careful at home. I'll call you back when they arrive."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Lin walked towards the cafeteria, a smile on his face.
When Gu Mingyue saw him return, she asked, "Whose call was that? What happened?"
Lu Lin walked over and sat down. "Nothing happened. It's just that Grandpa, Grandma, and Mom have arrived. They'll be at the dock this afternoon, and we need to go pick them up."
The moment those words were spoken, the table erupted in excitement. Lu Wanwan dropped the dumplings she was holding into her bowl and exclaimed in surprise, "Really? Grandpa and Grandma are here?"
Lu Lin nodded, "That's right. If our dad hadn't called, we probably wouldn't have known until the elders arrived."
Lu Lin sighed inwardly, never expecting his elders to be so bold.
After the meal, the family members took their portions of dumplings home.
As soon as she entered the house, Gu Mingyue prepared to tidy up the room. The guest room was clean and hygienic and didn't need much tidying up. There was also a small storage room with some unused items, which looked a bit messy.
If my grandparents and mother all come, it might be more convenient for them to stay separately.
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