Chapter 1192: Chapter 1193: Teaching Swimming
Song Xiaodong hesitated for a moment and said, "Yao Bing, this time I brought everyone along. If I keep looking after you, Iâll definitely ignore other students, and theyâll think Iâm a teacher who only has eyes for my apprentice."
Lu Yaobing was momentarily stunned, then immediately understood what Song Xiaodong meant, stuck out her tongue, and said, "Youâre right, Master has spent too much time teaching me. I canât always cling to you, or itâll make other students unhappy. Iâm too selfish. Master, Iâll go play with others now."
After speaking, Lu Yaobing ran off, chasing after her roommate Wang Xiaoling into the sea.
"Hey, Yao Bing, how could you bear to leave your master?" Wang Xiaoling leaned in and asked teasingly in Lu Yaobingâs ear.
Lu Yaobing chuckled lightly and said, "Iâm giving my master to everyone else, showing my noble character."
Wang Xiaoling blinked and said, "Hehe, so noble indeed. Youâre right, you monopolize Teacher Song at night, so giving up a bit of time during the day is only fair."
"What nonsense are you talking about? I stay in the same room as Teacher Song because he needs to teach me things, and besides, there really werenât any other rooms last night."
"Yeah, so just one room, huh? Then last night, Teacher Song must have taught you a lot, hehe... on the bed too, right?"
"Quit it, stop talking nonsense. My relationship with Master is purely a teacher-student one."
"Really? Donât tell me you two stayed in one room and nothing happened at all?"
"Truly, nothing happened!" Lu Yaobing replied confidently, "You guys and your thoughts... Master treats me like a daughter, and I respect him likewise. You all just love thinking about romantic stuff."
"Yao Bing, but the way youâre always clinging to Teacher Song, itâs really close. You almost hang on to him all day, so of course, it makes us suspicious."
Lu Yaobing was startled, saying, "I didnât realize it would make you think that. I really should be more careful; if it affects Master negatively, that would be my fault."
Seeing Lu Yaobing looking so upset, Wang Xiaoling exclaimed in surprise, "Yao Bing, are you serious thereâs nothing going on with you and Teacher Song?"
"Of course, Master truly treats me like a daughter," Lu Yaobing said earnestly. She could feel it sincerely, so she spoke naturally. However, she didnât voice her own feelings, aware that her feelings towards Song Xiaodong had changed in flavor.
Wang Xiaoling gave a thumbs-up, saying, "Then I truly admire Teacher Song to no end, being able to resist with a beauty like you around."
"Yeah, my master is the best man in the world," Lu Yaobing said proudly.
"Okay then, I have to admit that, too," Wang Xiaoling nodded.
"Enough about this, weâre here to have fun, and I canât swim yet."
"I can only paddle a bit, but the water isnât deep here, letâs just enjoy."
Not many of these students could actually swim. Nowadays, students are loaded with tight curricula from primary school, and leisure time is filled with extra classes. Even if they take classes of interest, itâs usually art or music, rarely swimming.
The experience of swimming in ponds and creeks, common among our parentsâ generation, is practically unheard of in this one.
But whether or not they can swim doesnât really matter; everyone splashing around in the sea is just as fun.
Song Xiaodong also went into the sea; as a teacher, he was responsible for looking after the studentsâ safety.
Watching Song Xiaodong swim around in the sea, someone quickly approached to ask him to teach them swimming.
Song Xiaodong then gathered those who couldnât swim and taught them on the spot.
Of course, Lu Yaobing joined in too, but Song Xiaodong didnât give her any special attention, teaching her the same as everyone else. Lu Yaobing didnât mind; instead, she felt somewhat proud as if she was helping to lighten the burden for Song Xiaodong.
Learning to swim is taxing. After a while, many people couldnât take it and ran to the beach to sunbathe and play in the sand.
Lu Yaobing had True Qi, so her stamina was much better than the others. She wasnât tired and wanted to wait until fewer people were around so she could have a one-on-one lesson from Song Xiaodong.
Finally, when there werenât many people left, Lu Yaobing blinked at Song Xiaodong and said, "Master, can you teach me now?"
Song Xiaodong smiled and said, "Alright then, youâve waited long enough. We shared with others; we canât neglect our own, right?"
The phrase "our own" made Lu Yaobing delighted, and she said, "Great, thatâs perfect."
"Iâve taught you some basics earlier. Youâre different from others, having True Qi in your body, so you can hold your breath longer underwater. Overcoming your fear is your main task now, so just follow my instructions."
Lu Yaobing immediately said, "So True Qi has such benefits too, huh? Iâll give it a try."
Song Xiaodong said, "Come, Iâll hold your waist, stretch out your arms and legs, let your head sink below the water, and let yourself float."
Lu Yaobing promptly did as instructed, immersing her head in the water, and Song Xiaodong supported her waist, making her float on the waterâs surface.
Song Xiaodong said, "Good, now start moving your arms and legs as I taught you."
Lu Yaobing could hear Song Xiaodong even underwater, and she began moving her arms and legs.
But for a beginner, it wasnât easy; once she moved, she felt herself sinking.
Her arm and leg movements quickly became uncoordinated, causing her to panic and... she ended up swallowing a mouthful of seawater, accidentally inhaling it into her windpipe.
Once someone chokes on water, they panic even more, and Lu Yaobing, despite having True Qi, was no exception. Instinctively, she tried to grab onto something.
Song Xiaodong was right beside her, so she immediately hugged his waist, wrapping her legs around his.
Song Xiaodong quickly pulled her head out of the water, and Lu Yaobing began coughing intensely, clinging to Song Xiaodong even tighter.
Song Xiaodong, both amused and exasperated, quickly said loudly, "Donât be afraid, donât be afraid, youâre fine, youâre fine."
Lu Yaobing coughed a few more times, finally regaining her composure, but still holding onto Song Xiaodong, she said, "Master, the seawater feels so weird and bitter."
Yet, Song Xiaodong didnât respond to her, and his expression looked quite peculiar.