That night, I stayed at Yinyin Garden. Of course, it was still my old room. To my surprise, the quilt on the bed was just as it had been when I left, all rumpled and tangled in a heap on the bed. I wondered if Xiaoxue had anticipated my return. I slept in luxuriously, waking up at noon the next day to find that Xiaoxue had already prepared lunch. I couldn't help but sigh—if every day could be like this, I would have no other desires in life.
In the afternoon, Xiaoxue dragged me to the seaside swimming area to play. She was about to buy a swimsuit to go into the sea when I promptly stopped her. I said, "Although the weather is still hot now, it's already early autumn. Jumping into the water rashly will surely harm your health."
Xiaoxue stared thoughtfully for a moment and finally nodded, giving up the idea. Inside, I chuckled secretly. The truth was, I didn't want her wearing a swimsuit and exposing most of her body to the leering eyes of the wolves on the beach. But this left me in a bind—after driving a dune buggy with Xiaoxue for a while, she became interested in some sandcastles built by a few kids ahead and ran off without me. Standing there, unsure whether to follow or swim, I decided to sit down instead. Lighting a cigarette, I watched the various buttocks wrapped in colorful swimwear before me, lost in thought as the smoke drifted lazily away...
The river back home is always clearer than this deep yet transparent azure seawater. On both sides of the river, lush green grass grows abundantly. After school, a group of children including myself would release our cattle from the barns, grab a whip to drive them to the riverside. Once all the cows were gathered and eating grass, we'd strip off our clothes completely and jump into the river with a splash. Well, calling it a "jump" might be an exaggeration since the riverbank was so shallow that even someone who was one meter tall would only have water up to their waist. Still, this didn't stop us from enthusiastically holding our breath underwater in competition.
My swimming skills naturally improved through these repeated breath-holding exercises. It was a strange sensation; the day you realize you can freely float and dive in the water, you'll be sleepless for days. From then on, swimming became my sole hobby. Even though I used to hate tending cattle, I began rushing to release the cows immediately after school, sometimes even dragging them out despite their full stomachs. Reflecting on those times now, I feel a bit fearful and guilty because during the years when tuition was difficult to afford, my father sold our diligent water buffalo that had served us for over ten years (this is true, let's observe three minutes of silence...). Perhaps now, that big water buffalo which once painted a beautiful picture with me under the sunset has become someone else's delicacy.
Thinking about this, a pang of sorrow arose within me. All lives are equal, yet fate is so unjust.
Suddenly, Xiaoxue ran over, holding a kite in her hand. She pulled me eagerly, "Quick, quick, help me fly it!"
I took it, looked at the soft sandy ground, stepped on it twice, and laughed helplessly, "Look, there's no wind now, and this sand doesn't allow for a good run. How can we fly it?"
Xiaoxue looked disappointed for a moment, then suddenly clapped her hands, splashing a few grains of sand onto my face. She quickly wiped them off and giggled, "I know where we can fly it! Let's go there. I remember people usually fly kites there."
"Where?" In my memory, the only place I've seen kites being flown was at the square lawn near the Gongbei Port. Looking at my watch, it was almost 3 p.m., the time when there would be many people.
"At the Fish Girl Statue! Isn't there a large park across the road? Let's go there. Come on... why are you looking at your watch? It's still early. Let's go..." Xiaoxue dragged me towards the road and flagged down a taxi. The driver seemed amused by the sight of two young people waving a big kite around and gave us a curious glance via the rearview mirror. I glared back fiercely and barked, "To the Fish Girl Statue!"
The driver drove properly afterward, not daring to look around anymore. I was surprised by how irritable I felt today despite usually being easygoing. Despite pondering over it, I couldn't figure out why...
Soon enough, we arrived at the park Xiaoxue mentioned. This park, built along the mountain and complemented by the Fish Girl statue, formed a scenic area with stunning views. Everywhere we looked, there was lush green grass, dense trees, and the sounds of birds chirping filled the air.
On the outskirts of the park lay vast lawns dotted with drooping willow trees. Usually, tourists with long-lens cameras roamed here, or occasionally, couples getting married would come here for photo shoots, allowing glimpses of their elegant brides dressed in white. Further inside, there was a wide open space filled with flower beds, paths, grassy areas, and ponds, creating a picturesque scene.
It was three in the afternoon, and the sun had softened its blazing rays, hidden behind a thin layer of clouds. The edges of the clouds refracted a golden glow, resembling a piece of jade embedded in gold, making the view breathtaking. We arrived late, and as soon as we got out of the car, Xiaoxue rushed straight into the depths of the park, clearly excited. After paying the fare, I followed closely behind and discovered that quite a number of kite-flyers had already gathered inside. Most were families, with parents and children working together to fly their kites, enjoying each other’s company happily. Watching these happy family scenes made my heart ache inexplicably.
Before today, I had never even seen a real kite, let alone flown one. As a child, my friends and I would fold newspapers into triangular hats, attach two long tails, and use sewing thread stolen from home to make "kites." Surprisingly, they flew pretty high, but due to their unstable structure, they would often tear apart after a short flight and fall to the ground. Once they fell, they were useless, so we would just take another newspaper and start again, endlessly entertained. However, while others were flying kites, I was always stuck helping my parents in the fields, sometimes gazing enviously from afar, never having the chance to try it myself.
Being a girl, despite her best efforts, Xiaoxue couldn’t run fast, and unfortunately, the weather wasn't cooperating either. We could only feel occasional breezes from the swaying tree shadows nearby. I smiled slightly, watching Xiaoxue running around panting heavily. Just as I found it amusing, my ear was pinched suddenly, "You think it's funny, huh? Help me! If it doesn't fly, you're in trouble! Hmph!" Apparently, without realizing, she had already run behind me and handed over this arduous task to me, turning my smile into a grimace.
Fortunately, I had learned from previous experiences and wore sneakers whenever I accompanied her. After a few steps, I gradually adapted to controlling the kite's movements, quickly finding the wind direction and the technique to make it ascend. I sprinted a little faster, constantly checking behind me as the kite slowly climbed higher and the string gradually loosened. When it reached a certain height, the wind became stronger, lifting the kite steadily into the sky. In the distance, Xiaoxue's delighted shout rang out, and her figure grew larger in my vision.
"Hehe... You're so talented! It went up so easily. Why couldn't I do it? Give it to me, I want to fly it that high too." Xiaoxue smiled radiantly, taking the reel from my hand and gazed up at the kite floating freely in the sky, her angelic expression leaving me entranced...
I also looked up, staring at the kite intently and thinking: It stands so high, does it see far? Its string is in our hands. If we let go, will it fall, or soar higher and lose direction? If I were a kite, I once thought my string was held by Yu Yanfang, but now it seems I was wrong. Through twists and turns, today's string handler has changed to Xiaoxue—the girl who loves me deeply. A poem came to mind:
Chen Sheng's "Kite"
I am a playful and free kite, making you worry every day
If one day I get lost in the wind, how will I return to you?
A playful and free kite, playing in the sky every day
If one day the line breaks, will you come looking for me?
If one day I get lost in the wind, bring me back to your embrace
I continued to stare at the kite, unaware that it had already disappeared from my sight, nor did I notice when Xiaoxue had walked away. Regaining my senses, I looked around but still couldn't see her graceful figure. I started to panic and headed toward the road. Climbing a small slope, I saw Xiaoxue standing not far away, staring blankly at something. Across the way, a group of people moved methodically, and upon looking further, I realized it was a newlywed couple shooting wedding photos here. Looking up, Xiaoxue's kite was nowhere to be seen, but the string was still tightly gripped in her hand. I was momentarily speechless...
I quietly approached Xiaoxue from behind, wrapping my arms around her waist. She twitched slightly, not turning around, probably knowing it was me, and leaned back against my chest.
"What are you looking at?" I asked knowingly.
"Hmm..." Xiaoxue mumbled vaguely and pointed across the way, "Look, the bride is so beautiful."
I focused my gaze and indeed, the bride was extraordinary. Even without makeup, she was an exceptional beauty: her skin smooth, her figure proportionate, her cheeks like fresh lychees, her nose delicate like goose fat, her eyes sparkling with vitality, her charm like spring flowers, her grace like autumn moonlight... My heart stirred, and I bent down, whispering softly in her ear while breathing gently on her neck, "Do you envy her? You will have your day too."
"Really?" Xiaoxue responded half-heartedly, turning around and giving me a peck on the cheek.
I became a bit embarrassed, laughing nervously, "Of course, really. If you want, once my new job gets on track, we can get married, alright?"
Hearing this, Xiaoxue turned around fully in my arms, hugging my neck and swinging like a swing, laughing joyfully, "Good, good, He Shi, this is my favorite thing you've ever said to me."
"Huh? Is there something you don't like? Three words..."
"What is it?" Xiaoxue perked up, her eyes narrowing like crescent moons, asking curiously.
I chuckled mischievously, remaining silent. Xiaoxue thought for a moment, seemingly understanding, and shook me teasingly, "What is it? Tell me!"
"Haha, nope, you tell me first."
"Tell me, tell me fast..."
"Nope, you tell me first..."
"Will you tell me? Fast, or I'll..."
We laughed and chased each other around. Soon, the dark curtain of night descended, and I reluctantly stopped, pulling Xiaoxue closer and asked seriously, "Xiaoxue, did your dad really invite us over tonight?"
"Hmm? What's wrong? Don't you want to go? It's fine, I'm going too. Mom hasn't seen you in ages and wants to meet you. Besides, your work is important."
Should I be afraid? Am I really afraid? Should I be scared? What should I be afraid of?
I asked myself these questions, took Xiaoxue's hand, and walked towards the roadside... Related theme articles: Pilot mobile number portability program nearly stalled: Only 10,000 new users added in over half a year