The weather cooled down a bit for a few days after the typhoon, but before Gu Mingyue could enjoy those few good days, the high temperatures returned.
The sun on the island grows stronger every day. The midday sun makes the ground scorching hot, and even the sea breeze carries a dry, humid air that feels like a thin veil on your face, making you feel stuffy and anxious.
Although the cement floor inside was cooler than outside, it felt damp after a while, and my whole body felt sticky, making it hard to even take a proper nap.
She stayed home all day, and it was too hot to cook in the kitchen, so she simply waited for Lu Lin to come back with the food.
Lu Lin had previously told his wife to rest and wait for him to bring her dinner, as he felt sorry for her.
At the time, Gu Mingyue felt a little uneasy about being a lazy bum and was quite embarrassed.
However, now, under the onslaught of high temperatures, she is practically lying flat.
The bed sheets at home are made of cotton, which are somewhat cool to lie on, but not as cool as a bamboo mat.
When Lu Lin returned that evening, he was carrying a cushion that was about half the width of a person.
"I'm back." Lu Lin came in carrying some things.
Hearing the sound, Gu Mingyue quickly got up and asked him with delight, "Is the mat ready?"
"It's done. Let's put it on the bed and see if it fits."
With a light brown base and finely woven reed patterns, it feels light and airy in your hand, yet exudes a dry and crisp feel.
"The island is damp, so laying it on the ground can insulate against the moisture and keep it cool."
As he spoke, he squatted in the corner of the main room and fiddled with something.
First, lay the reed mat flat, aligning the edges with the corner of the wall, and then carefully place the bamboo mat on top.
I pressed it with my hand, and the bamboo mat and reed pad were firmly attached. When I touched it, I first felt the roughness of the reeds, and then the coolness of the bamboo mat. It was much more comfortable than just laying the bamboo mat directly on the ground.
Gu Mingyue leaned over and tried it out. Stepping barefoot on it, the heat instantly dissipated by more than half, and even the stickiness on the soles of her feet disappeared.
"This is so practical!" she exclaimed with delight. "I can sit here during the day to pick vegetables and mend clothes without worrying about my pants getting damp on the floor."
From then on, this corner became the family's "summer retreat".
At the hottest time of day, Gu Mingyue would move a small stool to sit on, fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan, either flipping through old books or preparing freshly picked vegetables.
When Lu Lin returned in the evening, the two sat together on the cushion. He leaned against the wall to rest, and she handed him a glass of cool water. They chatted and watched the sunset in the yard.
Occasionally, Xia Qinghe would bring Yangyang over to play. Yangyang would roll around on the mat. The reed mat had just the right amount of elasticity, so it wouldn't hurt him when he fell or hurt him, which made the child giggle.
Even the neighbors who were passing by peeked out and praised, "Your mat is great! My floor is always damp, and my child keeps complaining of itchiness. I'll ask about it later."
That afternoon, Xia Qinghe came to visit as usual. As soon as she entered the yard, her eyes were drawn to a pot of orchids in the corner.
The last time Gu Mingyue took this orchid away, its leaves were yellow and wilted, and even the outermost pseudobulb was shriveled. She lamented that it might not survive.
Unexpectedly, several tender green buds have sprouted from the heart of the leaf, wrapped in pale purple sheaths, exuding a vibrant energy.
"This orchid actually survived? It's even sprouting new buds."
Xia Qinghe walked over quickly, squatted down by the flowerpot, gently touched the tender bud with her fingers, and her tone was full of surprise.
"I almost gave up when I gave you the baby. I tried watering and fertilizing, but nothing worked. How did you manage to raise it? It's amazing."
Gu Mingyue was watering the vegetable when she heard this and walked over with a smile: "I didn't do anything special. I just cut off the rotten roots, replaced the soil with well-draining leaf mold, put it in a place with indirect light, and watered it thoroughly with warm water every few days. I didn't expect it to be so resilient and slowly recover."
“This is not ‘unintentional’.”
Xia Qinghe straightened up and gave Gu Mingyue a thumbs up.
"Growing flowers requires meticulous skill. Too little water will cause problems, too much water will cause root rot, and too much or too little sunlight will also cause problems. You were able to save a dying orchid and even grow new shoots. Your skills are far superior to mine. If my pots have any problems in the future, I'll have to come and ask you for advice."
Gu Mingyue was a little embarrassed by the praise and reached out to brush the dust off the orchid leaves: "It's also because it has a good foundation, plus the weather has been comfortable lately. After the buds grow a bit bigger, it might even bloom."
Xia Qinghe looked at the few buds with anticipation in her eyes: "If they bloom, you have to call me to come and see them. This is a treasure that we both saved together."
As Gu Mingyue listened to Xia Qinghe's praise, her fingertips secretly caressed the orchid leaves, harboring a secret known only to herself.
The orchid was able to survive thanks to the magic spring water.
Not only this orchid, but all the flowers and plants in the yard have benefited from the spiritual spring water.
The small vegetable garden, which had been destroyed by the typhoon, is now lush and green, with tall vegetables and tomatoes bearing fruit, growing much more vigorously than other people's crops.
Xia Qinghe walked around the courtyard for a while before remembering her important business.
She brought her own flower pattern to find Gu Mingyue, and the two of them sat on the reed mat in the main room, spreading out the fabric pattern to study it.
“It’s too hot to wear pants, a loose nightgown would be perfect,” Xia Qinghe said, pointing to the floral pattern on the dress.
"Look at these little daisies, they would look beautiful embroidered on the hem of a skirt."
Gu Mingyue nodded in agreement and was measuring the dimensions with a soft measuring tape.
Suddenly, the sound of a car engine came from outside the courtyard gate.
The two looked up and saw Lu Lin jump off the car, holding an object wrapped in coarse cloth.
"What is this?" Gu Mingyue asked curiously as she went to greet it.
Lu Lin handed over the item, smiling as he said, "I bought this fan for you; it's not good for you to keep getting rashes in this heat."
Xia Qinghe leaned closer to take a look, and her eyes lit up: "This is an electric fan! It's so precious these days, expensive and limited edition. Ordinary people can't buy it at all."
She nudged Gu Mingyue's arm and teased, "Comrade Gu really dotes on his wife; he even managed to get her this rare item."
Lu Lin scratched his head and said naturally, "I felt bad when I saw her with a rash on her back a few days ago. But you don't need to be envious. Old He also asked someone to buy one for you. It will be delivered in a couple of days."
Upon hearing this, Xia Qinghe's face lit up with a smile: "Really? I'll be waiting."
Lu Lin quickly assembled the fan, plugged it in, and as soon as the fan blades turned, a cool breeze instantly dissipated the heat in the room.
Gu Mingyue and Xia Qinghe subconsciously moved closer to the source of the wind, and even Yangyang ran over with his little fan in hand, looking up at them and laughing non-stop.
"This breeze is so comfortable, much better than fanning myself with a palm leaf fan," Xia Qinghe sighed, squinting her eyes as she lingered in front of the fan for a while.
Only after the sticky feeling on her body had mostly dissipated did she pull Yangyang up, saying, "Come on, let's go home and find your dad."
She turned to Lu Lin and Gu Mingyue and waved, "I need to ask Lao He when the fan will arrive. I can't fall behind you. I also want to enjoy the coolness as soon as possible."
Yangyang was still staring longingly at the fan when Xia Qinghe pulled him out the door. He turned back and called out, "Auntie, I'll come back to enjoy the fan tomorrow."
Gu Mingyue smiled and agreed.
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