Eating melons

Chapter 793 We Will Definitely Come Back

On New Year's Eve, the island is filled with a strong festive atmosphere.

Every household puts up Spring Festival couplets and hangs lanterns, and bursts of fragrance waft from the military canteen.

In the morning, Xiao Yang took Xiao Xuemu and the children to the beach to fish, saying that he wanted to add a dish to the New Year's Eve dinner.

Although Wei Wei and her friends bought a lot of food, fishing was also a pleasure.

Besides, the little ones also want to go to the beach to play, but there has to be an adult watching over them anyway.

The tide has not receded yet during the day, so it is difficult to go fishing, but you can still go fishing.

Wei Wei, Jiang Qi and Ning Xuan stayed at home to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.

Ning Xuan is a gentle and capable woman. She skillfully handled the ingredients while chatting with the two of them.

"We have lived on the island for five years. At first, we were not used to it, but now we love the tranquility here. The only problem is that it is not convenient for the children to go to school because they have to go to the other side of the island."

Jiang Qi asked curiously, "Will life on the island be monotonous?"

“At first, there were some, but later I found that there were so many activities on the island.”

Ning Xuan smiled and said, "The army often organizes movie screenings, basketball games, and dances on weekends. It's even more lively in the summer, and everyone often barbecues together on the beach."

Wei Wei helped wash the vegetables and sighed, "This kind of neighborhood relationship is really good."

At noon, the few people who went out returned with a full load.

Xiao Xuemu was holding two buckets of shellfish, and Xiao Yang was holding two large fish. He said proudly, "Look, this is the grouper we caught. We can add it to the dish tonight!"

Little Tuanzi and Little Yuanzi were sunburned red, but they were extremely excited and rushed to describe their fishing experience.

"Uncle caught a really big fish! My brother caught one too!"

In the afternoon, everyone made dumplings together. The methods of making dumplings are different in the north and south. Ning Xuan, a native of Hainan, taught everyone how to make a local dumpling that is shaped like a gold ingot, symbolizing wealth.

"People in Hainan don't eat dumplings during the Chinese New Year, but after I got together with Brother Yang, I started to adapt to the local customs."

Ning Xuan smiled and said, "Now our family has both northern and southern customs."

There's nothing to argue about. Our family has the conditions, so we can just live together.

In the evening, the New Year’s Eve dinner table was set up in the army canteen, and the military and civilians were one family, making it very lively.

The long dining table was filled with a variety of dishes, a blend of northern and southern flavors.

The seafood brought by Xiao Yang's family was very popular, especially the steamed grouper, which was tender and delicious and was quickly sold out.

During the banquet, the military leaders delivered enthusiastic New Year greetings, followed by a simple cultural performance.

The soldiers performed military boxing and their families sang New Year songs.

Little Dumpling and Little Yuanzi watched intently, clapping and cheering from time to time.

After dinner, the most anticipated bonfire party began. A blazing bonfire was lit on the beach, and everyone sat around it, singing, playing games, and telling stories.

When it was the children's turn to perform, Xiao Ming sang a song with his younger brothers and sisters, Xiao Tuanzi and Xiao Yuanzi.

Xiaotuanzi and Xiaoyuanzi sang particularly hard, because Wei Wei and Jiang Qi liked to hum a few songs whenever they had time, of course, the songs they had now.

So Xiaotuanzi and Xiaoyuanzi also learned this habit and loved singing very much. The tunes they sang were so high that they made everyone laugh.

At the climax of the party, Xiao Yang stood up and introduced his relatives from Beijing to everyone and expressed his welcome.

Under the urging of the crowd, Xiao Xuemu, Wei Wei and Jiang Qi had to stand up and sing "On the Golden Mountain in Beijing".

Although it was a little off-tune, it still won warm applause.

As the bonfire gradually died down, fireworks were set off. Since it was a military island, the fireworks were small in scale, but the children were still very excited.

It was the first time for Xiaotuanzi and Xiaoyuanzi to watch the fireworks at such a close distance. They opened their eyes wide, afraid of missing any light.

After returning home, everyone continued to stay up all night to celebrate the New Year.

The three older children were already staggering with sleepiness, and little Tuanzi and little Yuanzi had fallen asleep on the way back.

After settling the children down, the five adults sat in the living room, eating snacks and watching the Spring Festival Gala.

The Spring Festival Gala at this time is a spiritual feast for people across the country on New Year's Eve. Even if you are on a remote island, you cannot miss it.

Wei Wei and Jiang Qi also like it, because the Spring Festival Gala of this era is still very exciting and bold, and they dare to say anything.

Unlike later generations, it’s just those few things.

Jiang Qi took out his camera and said, "Come on, let's take a picture. This is my first time to celebrate the New Year in Hainan, and on an island."

Five people gathered together, smiled at the camera, and with a click, this moment of the 1988 Spring Festival was frozen forever.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, according to the customs of the island, everyone goes to the beach early in the morning to watch the sunrise and greet the first ray of sunshine of the new year.

At five o'clock in the morning, a group of people came to the beach in the dark. The sky where the sea and the sky met was already turning pale, and gradually, the orange-red halo dyed the sea level red.

"Happy New Year!" Everyone wished each other well and the children ran excitedly on the beach.

Ning Xuan took out a basket containing rice cakes and candies she had prepared early in the morning. "Eat a piece of rice cake, and you will rise every year."

The whole day on the first day of the new year, everyone played, swam and built sand castles on the beach.

Xiao Ming, along with his younger siblings, Xiaotuanzi and Xiaoyuanzi, built a huge sand castle with walls, a moat, and even a roof decorated with small shells.

Wei Wei, Jiang Qi and Ning Xuan had already run away carrying buckets and wearing gloves.

The two brothers Xiao Yang and Xiao Xuemu sat under the beach umbrella, chatting about their current situation and past events.

"Time flies. I remember when you were little you loved going fishing with me in the river."

Xiao Yang recalled.

Xiao Xuemu nodded, "Yes, I didn't expect that after so many years, we would be fishing together on the island again."

In fact, at that time Xiao Yang really liked to take Xiao Xuemu and Li Zhibin around, because Xiao Xuemu was the toughest and knew how to play. He would not complain or cry even if he got bumped into things, so his three brothers all liked to take them out to play.

But Xiao Xuemu likes to follow Li Shiyuan because Li Shiyuan has the most clever ideas.

Li Zhibin likes to follow Xiao Yang and Xiao Bing because Li Shiyuan always cheats him.

……

The tide hadn't receded, so there were only so many things they could pick up nearby. The three of them searched the rocks for a few rounds before returning to the beach.

Ning Xuan introduced the names and characteristics of various shells to everyone.

"The white one is called an angel wing clam, and the spiral one is a phoenix conch..."

Ning Xuan introduced them like a treasure, "The children on the island like to collect shells and then string them into necklaces with thread."

Jiang Qi picked up a perfect conch and put it to his ear and listened. "There really is the sound of the sea!"

Wei Wei looked at her and smiled. "That's the sound of blood flowing, but it does sound like the sound of waves."

Hearing the sound of waves coming from the conch, Xiaotuanzi and Xiaoyuanzi stopped running around.

After feeling the magical sound of the waves, they immediately went looking for conchs, determined to bring one back for all their good friends.

In the following days, Ning Xuan and Xiao Yang returned to their working life.

It would take some time before the three children could go back to school. Knowing that Xiao Xuemu and the others would still play for a while, Xiao Yang kept them.

Several people really think that this small island is quite fun. Because there are fewer people on the island, the resources here are richer than outside. Several people really like to go to the beach here.

So Wei Wei, Jiang Qi and Xiao Xuemu took the five children to tour the entire island.

During the period, Xiao Yang also took everyone to visit the army's vegetable greenhouse.

When Wei Wei and Xiao Xuemu saw the greenhouse, they looked at each other and saw the smiles in each other's eyes.

Wei Wei and Xiao Xuemu recognized Dapeng's technology at a glance. It was one of the technologies derived by Wei Wei. They didn't expect that it would be used in the south so soon.

However, it was originally exported for the development of the country, so it is indeed very appropriate to use it here.

Jiang Qi sighed in her heart. She didn't expect that there would be such advanced greenhouse cultivation technology at this time. She still underestimated the country.

In order to be self-sufficient, the troops opened up vegetable fields on the island.

We also went to the lighthouse on the island and looked down from a high place, giving us a panoramic view of the entire island and the surrounding sea.

Once, Xiao Yang even arranged a small boat to take everyone to a nearby uninhabited island for a picnic.

The island has fine white sand and the sea water is so clear that you can see the corals and fish swimming underwater.

“It’s like a fairyland.”

Wei Wei sighed that ocean protection is still very good at this time.

The fishing industry is not that developed, and there is less white garbage and industrial wastewater.

Wei Wei and Jiang Qi used two more rolls of film here.

Seeing Wei Wei and Jiang Qi spending so much money, Xiao Yang and Ning Xuan felt a little distressed.

No matter how wealthy the family is, they cannot afford to do this. However, they were not spending their money, so Xiao Xuemu smiled and said nothing, so they naturally wouldn't say anything either.

During this period, Xiaotuanzi and Xiaoyuanzi established a deep friendship with the three children of the Xiao family.

Xiao Ming took care of the two little ones like an older brother, Xiao Liang taught them how to weave small boats with palm leaves, and Xiao Yu shared the most beautiful shells in his collection with them.

Time flies, and the winter vacation is about to end. The five people begin to prepare to return to Beijing.

"How can I carry so many things?"

Jiang Qi looked at the mountains of local specialties in the room and said worriedly.

These days, they bought and received too many Hainan specialties.

Coconut candy, coffee, pepper, various dried seafood, preserved fruits, as well as souvenirs such as pearl necklaces and shell crafts given by Ning Xuan.

Xiao Xuemu said without thinking, "Send the package. Send back the things that are difficult to carry first. We will only take the necessary things with us."

This proposal was unanimously agreed upon by everyone, and Xiao Yang volunteered.

"There's a post office on the island. I'll go with you to send it."

At the post office, the staff looked at the pile of dried seafood and joked:

"You're trying to move Hainan back to Beijing!"

Xiao Yang patted his cousin's shoulder and said, "Let them taste more of our Hainan delicacies!"

The night before leaving, Ning Xuan prepared a sumptuous farewell banquet.

The table is filled with everyone's favorite dishes these days: steamed grouper, coconut chicken, salt and pepper shrimp, pineapple rice...

"Be sure to keep in touch after you return."

Ning Xuan said reluctantly, "Come next summer vacation and stay longer."

Wei Wei nodded and said, "Come when you have time. Thank you so much for your hospitality this time."

Little Tuanzi and Little Yuanzi said goodbye to the three older children and gave each other small gifts.

Little Dumpling received a shell necklace, while Little Yuanzi received a beautifully woven palm leaf boat.

"We will miss you." Twelve-year-old Xiao Ming said like an adult.

Nine-year-old Xiao Yu even shed tears, "You must come again!"

Xiaotuanzi and Xiaoyuanzi patted their chests and assured, "Don't worry, we will definitely come back."

Wei Wei and Jiang Qi couldn't help laughing when they heard this, as this line was a memory of their childhood.

The next morning, Xiao Yang and his family sent them to the dock. The passenger ship slowly sailed away. The five people stood on the deck and waved continuously until the figures on the island turned into small black dots and finally disappeared.

After returning to Haikou, the five of them stayed for another night and went out to buy a lot of things. They sent the things before leaving for the airport the next morning.

On the return flight, Xiaotuanzi and Xiaoyuanzi were tired from playing and fell asleep soundly on their seats.

Wei Wei and Jiang Qi looked at the sea of ​​clouds outside the window and smiled at each other. This trip was very good, and it made them more determined to go out and play whenever they had time in the future.

Try to travel around the beautiful land of our motherland as much as possible within a limited time.

Wei Wei didn’t know whether it was convenient for her to go abroad with her current identity.

Otherwise, she would really like to see what Europe is like in this century.

After getting off the plane and picking up the luggage, Jiang Qi was surprised and delighted to see Li Zhibin. "Why are you here? Don't you have to go to work?"

Li Zhibin took the luggage from her hand and said, "I wanted to come pick you up, so I asked for leave. By the way..."

He smiled mysteriously and said, "I have some good news to tell you in person."

On the plane, everyone asked what the good news was, but Li Zhibin remained tight-lipped, saying, "I'll tell you when I get home, I'll tell you when I get home."

When Xiaotuanzi and Xiaoyuanzi saw Li Zhibin, they were extremely excited. They surrounded him and chattered non-stop, telling him about their experiences on the island.

“Uncle Li, let me tell you, we went to an uninhabited island and the water was so clear, you could see the fish down there!”

The little dumpling gestured exaggeratedly.

Xiao Yuanzi also tried to express herself, "My brother also gave me shells and a necklace..."

Li Zhibin listened patiently, exclaiming in surprise from time to time.

After leaving the airport, everyone was a little uncomfortable with the temperature.

"Hainan is still warmer." Xiao Xuemu sighed.

Jiang Qi rubbed her arms and nodded, she agreed with this very much.

After returning home and settling down, Li Zhibin finally announced his good news.

He was transferred to a new department, his salary increased significantly, and he would have fewer opportunities to travel.

"It means we can spend more time together."

Li Zhibin held Jiang Qi's hand and said.

Jiang Qi raised his eyebrows and immediately congratulated him. Although Xiao Yuanzi didn't understand what was going on, he also clapped his hands.

Half a month later, the packages they sent arrived one after another, and everyone gathered at Wei Wei and Xiao Xuemu's house to open the packages together.

The salty aroma of seafood and the sweet fragrance of dried fruits filled the entire room.

Xiaotuanzi and Xiaoyuanzi were particularly interested in the pearl necklaces and held them up to the sun to look at them.

"These useful things can be shared among relatives and friends." Wei Wei arranged a pile of things.

They don't lack these things, but only a limited number of people know about them, so they need an excuse to show them to those who don't know.

And it seems unreasonable not to bring some local specialties to your friends and family when you go out.