Chapter Sixty-Five: The Country Lass and the Barefoot Lad

The rehearsal began. The venue was the school’s athletic field. Feng Shunya played music from a tape recorder as everyone gathered. The first program to rehearse was a dance—“Country Girl and Muddy-legged Boy.”

There had once been a popular song in this region, also called “Country Girl.” It started with a male voice:

A country girl comes to the city,
A country girl wears no shoes.
Why not come with me to the city,
Silk on top and shoes below.

Then, a female voice:

City boy, don’t laugh at me,
Barefoot feels much better.
Why not come with me to the countryside,
Climb the mountain, cross the river.

Those voices had faded into the distance, as if wind swept across the fields—leaving no trace. The program Feng Shunya arranged did not use this song as its theme, but the flavor was somewhat similar. The choreography was highly exaggerated, focusing on the rural labor of mountain girls—carrying loads, picking crops… Their movements expressed the boldness and clear loves and hates of country girls.

Feng Shunya herself demonstrated. Though she wasn’t a rural woman, her movements were graceful and vivid. As soon as she finished, she was greeted by enthusiastic applause.

She couldn’t demonstrate the “muddy-legged boy” movements herself, but she had a DVD—especially procured from the county theater troupe. She played it on her computer, letting the six boys imitate the motions.

Sha Le’er was adept at gathering firewood on the mountain and fishing in the river, but dancing was a first for him. Still, his movements were more coordinated than most, and his physique was better than the other students. His imitation was the most convincing.

From the field below, bursts of laughter drifted up to the second floor, making the six boys restless.

“What’s so funny? Their giggling is making it impossible for us to focus,” grumbled Tao Huan.

“Huan, don’t talk nonsense… If you’re feeling itchy inside, that’s your own fault, thinking about girls, aren’t you?” Tao Youneng teased. “Look at you, your eggs are about to rip your trousers.”

This young man, Tao Youneng, was decent-looking except for the clusters of pimples on his face. Here, “talking nonsense” meant speaking crudely.

“Neng, you shouldn’t mock me—look at your own face, covered in pimples. Would you grow so many if you weren’t itching yourself?”

The boys burst out laughing.

“You lot haven’t even finished growing your hair, and already you’re saying such things.” Sha Le’er, who knew them all well, smiled. “Hurry up and practice. If Feng Teacher hears your nonsense, you’ll get a knock on the head.”

Tao Huan stuck out his tongue.

“Le’er, have you finished growing your hair?” Tao Youneng whispered to him.

“Neng, you’re clever for your age… Want to see if I’ve finished growing?” Le’er grinned, practicing as he laughed.

“You’re just a few months older than me, and pretending to be clever.” Tao Youneng scoffed. “Remember in elementary school, we used to scare Tao Haiying and the girls with dead snakes together?”

“Well, I’m still older than you.” Le’er spoke with an air of authority. Memories of their school days together made him smile. “You’re just student kids—now I’m the village assistant, so of course I’m the adult.”

“Le’er, take your trousers off, let’s see how grown you are.” The boys jeered. “So you say you’re grown, have you ever been with a woman?”

“Definitely. Anyone who’s been to Guangzhou has—right?”

“When we graduate, we’ll go work in Guangzhou too, and play around with some women,” Tao Huan said boldly, sidling up to Le’er and whispering. Le’er was amused and exasperated; he had to put on a stern face and gesture downstairs, where Teacher Feng was energetically teaching the dance. No one dared speak so freely now, but their faces brimmed with smiles, and their practice gained enthusiasm. Le’er danced better than them, so everyone followed his lead.

They were all over sixteen, and Le’er only a year or a few months older; they’d been classmates, so there were no real barriers among them.

As they practiced, Tao Huan sidled up to Le’er again.

“Le’er, Haiying has such a big chest—don’t you want to be her boyfriend?”

“If we weren’t related, I’d have done so already. With a chest that big, it must feel great to touch,” Tao Youneng, the boldest and most mischievous, declared. “No worries, write her a love letter and I’ll deliver it for you.”

“You’re the village assistant now, so you won’t have trouble pursuing her.” Tao Huasong laughed. “Xianghe’s isn’t small either—her chest has a flavor, twists and turns, you can see her underwear pressing against her, so tempting.”

“If she won’t agree, scare her with a snake and she’ll surrender,” someone joked.

“Hey—are you here to dance or not?” Le’er was exasperated. “Don’t you want chicken for dinner? If you don’t practice properly, you’ll only get soup, no meat.”

“Quick, dance—Huan, you’re the one itching most, aren’t you?”

Everyone started dancing again. After a while, Tian Sihua called out, and Le’er hurried downstairs. Not only had Tian Sihua bought the chicken and meat, she’d also slaughtered and cleaned the chicken.

“Sister-in-law, thank you,” Le’er said.

“No need to thank me—I get an eight-yuan subsidy every day, how could I just sit around?” she replied.

“Then join us for dinner.”

“No, I have little ones at home to watch,” Tian Sihua laughed. “Wow, you’re really putting your heart into the dance—who do you think is the best?”

“Of course it’s Luo Yinxing… Didn’t expect her to be so good,” replied Tao Chunhua, always quick to speak. “Sister-in-law, look, her movements are so precise, almost matching Teacher Feng.”

“Yes, yes… Didn’t expect Luo Yinxing to be so skilled, she must have danced before.”

At that moment, Feng Shunya approached. Her fair face glistened with fragrant sweat. She wore little for dancing, and though her chest wasn’t large, it stood firm and proud. Le’er glanced at her but dared not linger.

“Feng, let’s stop. You look exhausted, and it’s getting late. If you come to my place for dinner, it’ll be dark by the time we finish.”

Tian Sihua noticed how sweetly Le’er addressed Feng and looked at him with surprise. Feng Shunya answered crisply, as if she really was his sister.

“All right, but I need to shower first—I’m covered in sweat.”

“Come to my place, I have a proper bathroom, much nicer than at home.”

“Really?” Feng Shunya was surprised, but spoke naturally. “Everything here is good, except bathing is inconvenient. Then I’ll go to your place. Sisters, let’s go.”

Hearing they could leave, the boys upstairs dashed down. Tao Haiying, however, hesitated as she approached Teacher Feng.

“Teacher Feng, I… I won’t go.”

She glanced at Sha Le’er, then at Luo Yinxing.

“Tao Haiying, that won’t do. We’re a team—how can anyone miss a group event?” Le’er understood her reluctance—she had issues with him and Luo Yinxing. As the organizer, he had to resolve these tensions.

Tao Haiying looked at him, her gaze flickering.

“Yes, Haiying, you must join in group activities—and there’s chicken, too. Don’t worry about eating Le’er out of house and home, even if you do, you should still come,” Feng Shunya joked, already aware of the discord between Tao Haiying and Sha Le’er. Tao Haiying, recognizing Feng Shunya’s status, couldn’t refuse.

The group sang and laughed as they walked to Le’er’s home. The cold wind of late autumn and early winter rustled the trees and bamboo along the path. The countryside under the slanting sun was especially beautiful.