He then firmly supported her arm and helped her slowly walk into the water.
He stood in the shallow water and patiently demonstrated: "Take a deep breath, slowly put your head in the water, don't panic."
Gu Mingyue tried twice, but still couldn't help choking on the water. When she coughed, he gently patted her back to help her catch her breath.
"Are you alright? How about we study again later?"
Lu Lin was extremely worried when he saw tears welling up in her eyes from choking on them.
"That won't do."
Gu Mingyue immediately rejected the idea. She had finally found a good day to go to the sea, and if she waited a while before learning, she might revert to her old lazy state.
If I had known this would happen, I would have learned to swim much earlier.
Let's do it again!
Gu Mingyue rested for a while, then cheered herself up and continued studying.
Lu Lin also adopted a positive attitude and tried his best to help her adjust.
After practicing in the shallow water for only two days, Lu Mingyue quickly figured out the knack of breathing.
I tried swimming about ten meters myself, and it worked well.
"My wife is amazing."
Lu Lin praised him highly, "He's even better trained than our group of new recruits. With this skill, he's definitely a genius."
"Alright, stop flattering me. I know my own limitations."
Gu Mingyue glared at him. This man's praise was never sincere; it was so exaggerated that it was hard to believe.
Just as the two were about to take a break, they noticed that the water beside them had receded by most, and it was time for the tide to go out.
Gu Mingyue put on her coat, picked up the bucket, and called to Lu Lin, "Let's go, let's go pick some seafood to take back."
Working together, the two quickly filled a bucket. As they passed through the crowd, they greeted the women and chatted and laughed all the way home.
Gu Mingyue went to rinse off first, as her body was covered in salt water, which would be bad for her skin if left for too long.
"I'm going to take a shower first, you can steam the seafood."
"Okay, you can rest assured that I'll handle things."
Lu Lin rolled up his sleeves and went into the kitchen, clumsily chopping and stir-frying vegetables while wearing an apron.
Although my skills aren't very good, after practicing for a while, the dishes I cook are barely edible.
When Gu Mingyue came out after taking a shower, Lu Lin had already prepared dinner.
Besides steaming seafood, I also made a plate of hot and sour sauce and garlic sauce, and stir-fried a plate of shredded potatoes.
After swallowing a mouthful of rice and a bite of shredded potatoes, the warm food slid down her throat and into her stomach, and Gu Mingyue slowly recovered.
The energy I had used up learning to swim was gradually returning as I enjoyed the aroma of the food.
She put down her chopsticks, rubbed her lower back, and couldn't help but sigh to Lu Lin, "No wonder I heard people say that swimming can help you lose fat. I've only been swimming for half a day, and I'm already so hungry that I can eat an extra bowl of rice. All my energy has been completely used up."
Upon hearing this, Lu Lin added another spoonful of shredded potatoes to her bowl and said with a smile, "Swimming takes up a lot of energy, so you need to eat more to replenish it. After you train for a while longer, not only will it help you cool off, but it will also make your body stronger."
Gu Mingyue nodded and picked up some shredded potatoes to chew.
Although the shredded potatoes were a little salty, they were made with Lu Lin's heartfelt intentions and tasted better than anything else.
After the meal, Gu Mingyue moved a small bamboo stool and sat in the courtyard.
They specially moved the fan to a shady spot by the door to let it blow air. The loofah vines they planted started to climb, and they also put something on the grape trellis to provide shade, which was enough to get rid of the stickiness.
She casually moved the bundle of dried mugwort to her feet, rubbed it vigorously, and the bitter yet warm fragrance slowly spread, driving away the mosquitoes hovering in the corner of the yard.
Still feeling tired from swimming lessons during the day, she lay on the chair, feeling drowsy.
While I was still in a daze, Lu Lin came out of the house, holding two things in his hands: a neatly folded certificate and a kraft paper envelope.
When he reached Gu Mingyue, he gently handed it over, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity: "The gold you asked me to donate before has been approved as a reward from above."
Gu Mingyue quickly reached out and took it. As soon as her fingertips touched the edge of the certificate, she felt the gold foil pattern and noticed its weight.
She carefully unfolded it, and the eight characters "Patriotic and Dedicated Model Family" were prominently printed on the red paper. The characters were strong and powerful, and there was a bright red seal on the corner, which exuded a sense of solemnity.
She then opened the envelope next to her. The letter was written on rough-textured paper, and the words on it were written carefully, expressing their recognition of their donations and support for the construction.
Finally, it was specifically mentioned that "Comrade Gu Mingyue is a person of great righteousness who took the initiative to donate her family's property, and her patriotism is worthy of praise."
As she watched, Gu Mingyue's eyes quietly welled up with tears.
She stroked the corner of the certificate, her fingertips repeatedly brushing against the gilded lettering, and when she looked up at Lu Lin, her eyes sparkled.
"This is not just my achievement, it's an honor for both of us."
Lu Lin looked at her reddened eyes, reached out and gently wiped away the moisture under her eyes, a gentle smile curving his lips: "It's mainly your kindness that counts, I just ran an errand for you."
He squatted down and stood beside her, looking at the certificate. "We'll frame it and hang it in the main room, so the children will know that our generation has our country and family in our hearts."
Gu Mingyue nodded emphatically and hugged the certificate tightly to her chest.
She leaned on Lu Lin's shoulder, gazing at the vines above her head, and suddenly felt that this small certificate was more precious than any gold or silver.
It is not only a recognition, but also a warm mark on their little family.
Just after five o'clock in the afternoon, a soft sound came from outside the courtyard gate. Gu Mingyue was helping Lu Lin tidy up the military uniform he would wear tomorrow.
The two exchanged a glance, and Lu Lin put down the newspaper in his hand and got up to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, Xing Yi was seen standing in the doorway, carrying two bulging cloth bags in his hands, his toes shuffling along the threshold, his face showing a somewhat unnatural unease.
"Old Lu, did I disturb your rest?" He spoke softly, his eyes darting away, avoiding direct eye contact with the two of them.
Lu Lin stepped aside to let her in, and Gu Mingyue quickly moved a stool over and handed it to her: "Please sit down."
Xing Yi placed the cloth bag on the table, rubbed his hands repeatedly on his knees, and mumbled for a long time before finally saying, "It's not urgent," and then fell silent.
Lu Lin could see his predicament, but she couldn't stand his dawdling any longer, so she simply said directly, "Just say what you have to say. We're all neighbors, and we'll help each other if we can. If you keep dragging this out, you'll keep Mingyue and me from getting some rest."
Xing Yi blushed as he explained his purpose: "Sister-in-law Gu, the military region is holding a social gathering next week, and I'd like to take this opportunity to meet some female comrades, but I don't know what they like or what preparations I should make, so I came here specifically to ask you."
Before coming to the Lu family to find Gu Mingyue, Xing Yi took a detour to Xia Qinghe's house.
In the camp, his closest brothers were Lu Lin and He Binglin, both of whom were now married, while he remained single.
It would be a lie to say Xing Yi wasn't anxious; he had to seize this rare opportunity to socialize.
Those who want to find a partner at this social gathering will naturally seek advice from these two "veterans".
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