amaotonovel Chapter 408 Xiaozhi Learns to Swim
Chapter 408 Xiaozhi Learns to Swim
The game's dungeons are still stirring in everyone's hearts.
The summer heat was kept out by the perfect temperature control system of the villa, but the longing for coolness and freedom that belonged to summer vacation was brewing into a concrete plan in Yuan Bao's heart.
Another morning.
"Everyone!" Yuan Bao put down his juice glass at the breakfast table and announced with a bright smile, "Today, we're having a group activity—going out to sea and diving!"
"Wow! Diving!" Xiao Zhi was the first to jump up, his eyes shining like stars. "Mom! Can I see big fish underwater? And glowing corals?"
“Of course!” Yuan Bao rubbed her son’s head. “Besides, we have an important mission today!” She looked at Yuan Baoguo with a sly smile. “Big brother, you’re the perfect swimming coach for Xiao Zhi! Our Space Sea is the safest place, with clear water and white sand, and Xiao 9 will be there to escort him the whole way. It’s the perfect opportunity for our Xiao Zhi to become a ‘little flying fish’ this summer!”
Yuan Baoguo pushed up his glasses, looked at his nephew's expectant little face, and then thought about his own increasingly peaceful state of mind under the influence of the Stardust Core. He nodded happily: "Okay, I'll be the coach. I guarantee that our little observer will become a little swimming champion."
Lin Qing smiled and straightened her son's collar: "With his uncle teaching him, Xiao Zhi will definitely learn quickly. I brought the medicated oil with me, so I won't be afraid if he drinks a little water." She patted her small bag, which contained a specially made medicated oil with a fresh herbal scent.
Aunt Yuan chuckled and said, "Alright, alright, you go play in the water. I'll take care of everything on the boat and prepare some hot ginger tea and snacks for you!"
[Loading: Azure Waters for Diving! Destination in progress...]
After the familiar comfort, everyone found themselves on a spacious and stable white yacht.
What lay before me was no longer the deep trench where I had fished last time, but a shallow sea area that resembled a giant sapphire.
Sunlight penetrates the incredibly clear seawater, illuminating the white sand, colorful coral reefs, and swaying seaweed forests on the seabed in a dreamlike way.
Schools of small fish shimmered with silver light, like a flowing galaxy weaving through the coral.
Not far away, there is a gentle, shallow sandy area that resembles a huge natural swimming pool, making it an ideal place for teaching.
"Destination reached. Environmental parameters in the diving area are stable, safety factor MAX." Xiao 9's voice carried the refreshing sound of the sea breeze. "Wishing everyone endless diving fun!"
Yuan Bao didn't delay, his goal clear: "Big brother, the teaching area is ready! Xiao Zhi, change into your swim trunks!"
Soon, Yuan Baoguo and Xiaozhi were standing in the clear, shallow water that only reached an adult's waist.
The seawater was warm and comfortable, and the sunshine felt wonderful on my skin.
Although Yuan Baoguo is now learning traditional Chinese medicine from Yuan Bao, he is still like a meticulous engineer at heart. Immersed in the cosmic tranquility brought by the core of stardust, he showed extraordinary patience and gentleness when facing his nervous and excited nephew, demanding relative perfection in every action.
"Xiaozhi, don't be afraid, the water is gentle." Yuan Baoguo squatted down, making his eyes level with Xiaozhi's, his voice steady and reassuring, "The first step in learning to swim is to trust the water and trust your uncle. Come on, take a deep breath, put your face in the water, and give it a try."
Looking at his uncle's encouraging eyes, and then at the clownfish swimming curiously in the water, Xiao Zhi nervously swallowed, mustered his courage, pinched his nose, and plunged his face into the water!
"Glug glug..." A string of bubbles rose to the surface.
In just a second, he suddenly raised his head, wiping the water droplets from his face, his little face turning red: "Uncle! Water got in my nose!"
"Haha, it's okay, it's okay!" Yuan Baoguo laughed and patted his back. "It's the same the first time. You have to exhale slowly through your nose, like this..." He demonstrated himself, slowly and gracefully immersing his face in the water, exhaling a string of even, fine bubbles, and then calmly lifting his head. "See, you didn't choke on the water. Do it again, slower, exhale."
Lin Qing and Yuan Bao sat on the side of the yacht, their feet dipped in the cool seawater, watching this heartwarming teaching scene.
"Look, the uncle is teaching his nephew with such patience," Lin Qing said softly.
“Yes,” Yuan Bao nodded, “The Stardust Core made him much gentler, more like… well, more like a father who can embrace the entire universe.”
Under Yuan Baoguo's patient, meticulous, and encouraging guidance, Xiaozhi's fear gradually dissipated.
He no longer resisted burying his face in the water and began to breathe slowly like his uncle, feeling the wonderful sensation of the water flowing over his cheeks.
He even tried opening his eyes and, through the clear seawater, saw a group of transparent shrimp jumping on the sand up close!
"Uncle! I saw a shrimp! It's so small and transparent!" Xiao Zhi excitedly raised his head and shouted, completely forgetting his fear.
"Very good! Next, we'll learn to float." Yuan Baoguo supported Xiaozhi's abdomen. "Relax, like a leaf, gently paddle with your hands and kick your legs lightly, don't exert force, feel the water's support..."
With his uncle's steady support, Xiao Zhi tried to relax his body and clumsily moved his hands and feet.
At first, his body was as stiff as a stone, but his uncle's steady and strong hands, belonging to an aerospace engineer, gave him an unparalleled sense of security.
Gradually, he felt his body become lighter, as if he were being embraced by gentle seawater!
"Uncle! I feel like... I'm floating!" Xiao Zhi exclaimed in surprise, his little face beaming with a great sense of accomplishment.
"Yes! That's it!" Yuan Baoguo's eyes were also full of satisfaction. He slowly reduced the pressure on his hands, letting Xiaozhi feel the buoyancy himself. "Hold on! Spread your hands a little wider... Yes! Very good!"
When Xiao Zhi first floated on the water and clumsily paddled forward a few meters with only his uncle's fingertips as a gentle aid, enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted on the yacht!
"Xiao Zhi is awesome!" Yuan Bao and Lin Qing clapped excitedly.
"My dear grandson! You're amazing!" Yuan Ma smiled broadly from the side of the boat.
Xiao Zhi swam back to his uncle like a proud little duck and hugged Yuan Baoguo tightly: "Uncle! I can float now! Thank you!" His smile was brighter than the sunshine above.
Yuan Baoguo was touched by the little guy's enthusiasm. He vigorously rubbed the boy's wet hair, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction welling up inside him.
This achievement seemed to bring him even more pure joy than solving an engineering problem.
The tranquility brought by the Stardust Core transformed into boundless patience in teaching my nephew and overflowing joy when I saw him succeed.
“This is just the first step,” Yuan Baoguo said with a smile, his eyes sparkling with anticipation for Xiaozhi’s potential. “Next, your uncle will teach you how to ‘fly’ in the water like a little fish!”
With a foundation in buoyancy, coupled with Ash's enhanced coordination and concentration through training with the Observer's Glasses, his progress in learning the breaststroke leg kick and paddling motions was surprisingly fast.
Yuan Baoguo breaks down complex movements, explains them in language that children can understand, and patiently corrects every detail.
Xiao Zhi studied extremely hard, and every small improvement made him cheer with joy.
The lesson was over, and Xiao Zhi was already able to swim a short distance in the shallow water in a fairly decent manner.
Yuan Baoguo took him back to the yacht to rest for a while and drink some ginger tea that Yuan's mother had Xiao Xiaobai prepare to replenish his energy.
"Now, it's exploration time!" Yuan Bao stood up and took out several sets of specially designed, lightweight, and breathable diving suits, masks, and snorkels. "Little Warrior has passed the basic training. Now, let's go and see the real underwater world!"
Under Yuan Bao's arrangement, the family went into the water in batches.
Yuan Baoguo and Lin Qing were in one group, Yuan Bao and Xiao Zhi were in another group, while Yuan's mother stayed on the ship. Through the high-definition holographic screen projected by Xiao 9 onto the deck, she could enjoy the immersive underwater scenery of her family in real time and chat with everyone through the communicator.
After donning their gear, they dived into this dreamlike shallow sea, and everyone was awestruck by the sight before them.
Sunlight, refracted by the seawater, forms shimmering beams that illuminate the colorful coral garden.
Corals of various shapes and vibrant colors resemble underwater forests and castles.
The fish were not afraid of people at all, and curiously swam around them. Xiao Zhi was even able to reach out and gently touch a gentle little fish that shimmered with blue-purple light.
Huge anemones, resembling the skirts of dancers, sway with the current, hiding shy clownfish within.
On the sand, starfish lazily stretched out their tentacles, while hermit crabs hurriedly crawled by, carrying colorful snail shells on their backs.
"Mom! Look! Doesn't that coral look like Uncle's star stone? It's glowing too!" Ash excitedly pointed to a coral reef in the distance that was emitting a soft glow, his eyes wide open through his mask.
"Wow! That big seashell! Is it breathing?" He had discovered something new.
Yuan Bao held Xiao Zhi's hand and swam slowly with him, patiently answering each of his amazing questions.
On the other side, Yuan Baoguo and Lin Qing were also immersed in the tranquility and magnificence of the seabed.
Looking at the vibrant scene before him and feeling the seawater enveloping him, Yuan Baoguo felt as if the miniature universe within his stardust core was experiencing a wondrous resonance with the real ocean.
Lin Qing was attracted by the various forms of seaweed and marine plants. She couldn't help but reach out and gently feel the life rhythm of a soft seaweed, which made her even more excited about the wonderful use of the "Life Needle" to enhance plant perception.
Guided by his mother, Xiaozhi began to explore the microscopic world using his Observer Glasses (waterproof mode).
He saw coral polyps stretching out tiny tentacles to capture plankton under the light, saw almost transparent microorganisms moving among the sand grains, and saw the subtle energy vortices that were imperceptible to the naked eye when the water flowed over corals of different shapes... These discoveries excited him so much that he couldn't wait to return to the shore and fill his observation notebook with drawings.
As the afterglow of the setting sun painted the sea a golden-red hue, everyone reluctantly returned to the yacht.
Everyone carried the salty smell of the sea and a heart full of joy and tranquility.
Although Xiao Zhi's face was flushed from exhaustion, he was incredibly excited.
He clung tightly to Yuan Baoguo's arm, chattering incessantly, "Uncle! I learned to swim today! I even saw glowing coral! And transparent shrimp! I even touched a little fish! Uncle, you're the best teacher!"
Looking at his nephew's excited little face, feeling his complete trust and reliance, Yuan Baoguo felt a wave of tenderness wash over him.
He took out a towel and carefully dried Xiaozhi's hair, saying gently, "Xiaozhi learns very quickly and is very brave. This summer, you are definitely the little explorer who has gained the most."
Xiao Zhi nodded vigorously, his face beaming with unparalleled happiness.
He learned to swim, explored the magical underwater world, had the most patient uncle as his coach, the most protective mother to take him on adventures, and the gentle aunt and kind grandmother to support him on the shore... This summer vacation spent in the space villa was like opening a new, surprising "mystery blind box" every day, and inside were priceless treasures called "home".
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the yacht, laden with laughter and contentment, sailed back towards the villa.
Xiao Zhi nestled in his mother's arms, gazing at the gradually brightening stars in the sky, and then at the relaxed and laughing figures of his family in the cabin. He whispered to Yuan Bao, "Mom, today there is light in the sea, there is light on the ship, my uncle has the light that teaches me, and you have the light that protects me... All the light together is 'Home Light,' right?"
Yuan Bao lowered her head and kissed her son's forehead, which smelled of sea salt. Her voice was as gentle as the sea breeze at that moment: "Yes, baby, you are absolutely right. This is our 'home and light'."
This light, during this wonderful summer vacation, shines even brighter and warmer between the stars and the ocean.