"Add some fuel to the fire? How?" Lu Qing raised his eyebrows, his eyes flashing with eagerness.
Shen Qiqi smiled mysteriously: "I want to make the whole village boil!"
Shen Qiqi decided to hold a large-scale cultural exchange event.
She began preparations in a vigorous and decisive manner, and chose the village cultural square as the venue.
At this moment, the square was bustling with activity, like a boiling pot.
Shen Qiqi stood in the center directing the arrangements, like a general planning a strategy, exuding the charm of "doing business".
She was directing everyone to set up the stage, then arranging the sound equipment. She was busy like a top, but full of energy.
The sunlight shone on her face, highlighting her bright smile, which was so contagious that it seemed to ignite everything around her.
The villagers were also very enthusiastic and came forward to help.
Some were moving tables and chairs, some were hanging colorful flags and banners, and some were sweeping the place with brooms. The square was crowded with people, laughter and joy were heard one after another, and the lively atmosphere spread like ripples.
"Qiqi is such a talented girl!" an elderly woman sighed while wiping her sweat. "There's singing and dancing going on, it's even more lively than Chinese New Year!"
"That's right! Since she came, our village has become more and more lively!" another aunt also echoed.
However, just when everyone was enthusiastic, some discordant voices emerged.
"What the hell is this? Singing and dancing. I think our traditional lion dance and yangko are better!" An old man looked at the modern decoration on the stage with a look of disapproval.
"That's right! What's the use of these fancy things? It's better to work in the fields more!" Another old man also echoed.
Seeing this, Shen Qiqi hurried over and patiently explained: "Uncle, these are all new cultures. They can help us learn more knowledge and broaden our horizons..."
However, no matter how Shen Qiqi explained, some villagers still insisted on their own opinions and believed that traditional ones were better.
Looking at the expressions of confusion on their faces, a hint of anxiety gradually emerged on Shen Qiqi's originally energetic face.
A tense atmosphere began to permeate the square, and the originally lively scene gradually quieted down. Everyone looked at Shen Qiqi with some worry, not knowing what to do.
“Qiqi, this…” Lu Qing walked to Shen Qiqi, with a hint of worry in his tone.
Shen Qiqi took a deep breath, suppressed the uneasiness in her heart, and forced a smile: "It's okay, I will find a way..."
The atmosphere in the square was like water that had just been boiled. It was about to boil, but then someone suddenly poured a basin of cold water on it, and it instantly wilted.
Some villagers, who were originally enthusiastic about helping, now walked out in twos and threes with their heads hung down, like eggplants hit by frost.
As they walked, they murmured, "Forget it, forget it. We old-fashioned people can't accept this foreign stuff. Let's just go home."
Shen Qiqi looked at the departing figures, and her heart felt like it was pricked by a needle, and she frowned in pain.
Everyone was so excited before, how come it turned out like this in the blink of an eye?
She felt a tightness in her chest, as if a huge rock was blocking it, and she was so uncomfortable that she couldn't breathe.
Everyone around her felt her low mood. The originally noisy square suddenly became quiet, and the depressing atmosphere made people feel suffocated.
Lu Qing looked at Shen Qiqi's lost look, walked to her distressedly, and patted her shoulder gently: "Qiqi, don't be sad, I'll accompany you."
Shen Qiqi took a deep breath and tried to force a smile, but her eyes were determined: "I can't give up so easily! This little setback is nothing!" She wiped her hands, made a "calm down" gesture to Lu Qing next to her, then walked to the center of the square and cleared her throat.
"My fellow villagers, I know that you still don't quite understand the new culture. It doesn't matter. I'll let you open your eyes today!" Her tone was cheerful, as if she had pressed a switch, and the originally low morale began to rise instantly.
She waved her hand and motioned everyone to look at the booth at the edge of the square.
There are some exquisite handicrafts on display, each of which combines traditional and modern elements.
There are brightly colored tie-dyed cloths printed with modern geometric patterns; there are bamboo baskets whose shapes draw on the lines of Western sculptures; and there are clay pots painted with exotic totems.
As soon as these things appeared, they instantly attracted everyone's attention, and they were all amazed by these novel things.
"Wow! The colors of this tie-dye are so beautiful, better than any cloth I've seen before!" An auntie touched the tie-dye cloth with a gleam in her eyes.
"This bamboo basket has such a unique shape. It will definitely give you face as a gift!" An old man held the bamboo basket and turned around in circles, unable to let it go.
"The patterns on this pottery jar are so beautiful! I have never seen such beautiful patterns!" A young man stared at the pottery jar and marveled at it.
Exclamations and shouts of surprise rang out one after another, and people's enthusiasm was ignited again, just like a long drought finally being met with a downpour, bringing new vitality to the place.
The square was filled with laughter again, and the previous depressing atmosphere was swept away, replaced by excitement and curiosity.
Shen Qiqi looked at the surprised and joyful expressions on the villagers' faces, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
Her plan has just begun!
She walked up to Lu Qing, winked at him, and said mysteriously, "Well, I told you, we're going to make the whole village excited, right?" She paused, then said meaningfully, "The best is yet to come..."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
