"Of course," Aunt Wang said with a smile. "After dinner, I'll take you for a walk along the ridges of the fields. It's the time when fireflies come out."
After lunch, Aunt Wang handed each person a flashlight and led them along the paddy field ridges deeper into the rice paddies. It was completely dark, and the stars overhead twinkled like diamonds scattered on black velvet. A few barks echoed from the distant village, while frogs croaked and unknown insects chirped in the nearby rice paddies.
"Look!" Lin Xiaoman suddenly pointed ahead, her voice filled with surprise. In the darkness, several faint green lights flickered and flew up, like tiny lanterns, weaving among the rice stalks.
"It's a firefly!" Xiao Zhang exclaimed excitedly, unable to resist trying to catch it, but Aunt Wang stopped him.
"Don't scare them," Aunt Wang said softly. "Fireflies like quiet, so just stand there and watch."
Ah Yu stood on the edge of the paddy field, watching the tiny green lights dance in the darkness, as if she were in a dreamlike world. She remembered summer nights like this when she was a child at her grandmother's house in the countryside, chasing fireflies in the rice paddies with her cousin, and putting them into glass bottles to make little lanterns.
“I haven’t seen so many fireflies in a long time,” Chen Mo’s voice rang out from the side. “In the city, you can hardly even see stars.”
Ah Yu nodded, looking at the flickering green lights, feeling a long-lost sense of peace. In this rice paddy far from the hustle and bustle, there were no PPTs or KPIs, no subways or overpasses, only the sound of the wind, the chirping of insects, and the flickering fireflies, as if the whole world had slowed down.
When we returned to the guesthouse, Aunt Wang had already set up a white screen in the courtyard. "Tonight we're showing 'Tunnel Warfare'," she said with a smile. "It's an old movie; you young people probably haven't seen it."
Everyone sat on bamboo stools in front of the screen, holding slices of watermelon that Aunt Wang had cut. The cool watermelon juice dripped from their lips, carrying a sweet taste. The film's light and shadow were projected onto the white screen, accompanied by the chirping of insects in the rice paddies and the distant croaking of frogs, creating a unique scene.
Ah Yu leaned back on the bamboo stool, watching the familiar black and white images on the screen, listening to the laughter and chatter of her colleagues around her, feeling an unprecedented sense of relaxation and satisfaction. She knew that this trip to Qingyang Town was not only a journey to escape the city, but also a journey to rediscover inner peace.
Night fell, the movie ended, and everyone gradually went back to their rooms to rest. Ah Yu didn't go to sleep immediately, but went out onto the terrace. The night breeze carried the fragrance of rice paddies, fireflies were still twinkling in the distance, and the stars in the sky seemed even brighter than before.
She leaned against the railing, gazing at the rice paddies sleeping in the night, her heart filled with gratitude. She was grateful for the trip, which allowed her to rediscover the beauty of nature; grateful for her colleagues who made the trip even more enjoyable; and even more grateful for herself for bravely offering suggestions in the meeting room, which gave her the opportunity to experience such a peaceful and beautiful night.
Ah Yu closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with the fragrance of rice blossoms. She knew that tomorrow would be another new day, and there were many more surprises waiting for them to discover in Qingyang Town.
Chapter Four: The Stone Mill of the Old Mill and the Crabs in the Stream
Ah Yu was awakened by a clear birdsong as the first rays of morning sunlight streamed through the window. She rubbed her eyes, opened the window, and a breath of fresh air, carrying the scent of dew and grass, rushed in. The rice paddies outside shimmered with a pale gold in the morning light, and several egrets took flight from the distant paddies, soaring across the azure sky.
Aunt Wang's busy voices could already be heard in the courtyard. Ah Yu finished washing up and came out of the room. She saw Lin Xiaoman sitting on a stone bench painting the lotus pond, Chen Mo running under the eaves wearing headphones, and Xiao Zhang squatting by the pond teasing the big white geese.
"Good morning," Aunt Wang said as she came out of the kitchen carrying a basket of steaming hot buns. "These are freshly steamed chive and egg fillings. Try them and see if you like them."
The buns had soft skin, savory filling, and a subtle hint of farm-fresh eggs. Ah Yu took a bite and couldn't help but exclaim, "Aunt Wang, your buns are much better than those from the breakfast stalls in the city!"
"The chives are grown by ourselves, and the eggs are laid by our own chickens," Aunt Wang said with a smile. "It's all about the freshness."
After lunch, Aunt Wang led everyone to visit the old mill. After walking along a cobblestone path for about ten minutes, they saw a rustic thatched cottage nestled by the stream. In front of the cottage was a huge stone mill, and next to it, a robust water buffalo was leisurely swishing its tail.
"This is the old mill in our Qingyang Town," Aunt Wang introduced. "It has been there since the late Qing Dynasty and is still in use today."
Curious, Xiao Zhang walked over to the stone mill and touched the rough millstone: "Aunt Wang, is this stone mill really pulled by a water buffalo?"
“Yes,” Aunt Wang patted the water buffalo’s neck, “this is our family’s old partner, named Ah Huang. He pulls the stone mill to grind two baskets of beans every day.”
As she spoke, Aunt Wang untied the rope from the water buffalo and patted its rump: "Ah Huang, time to get to work."
The water buffalo seemed to understand Aunt Wang's words. It flicked its tail and slowly started turning the millstone. The millstone made a "creaking" sound as it turned, accompanied by the soft rustling of beans being crushed, creating an ancient melody on the tranquil stream bank.
"Would you like to give it a try?" Aunt Wang asked with a smile.
Lin Xiaoman was the first to raise her hand: "I want to try!"
Aunt Wang taught her to hold the wooden handle next to the millstone and slowly walk forward following the steps of the water buffalo. Lin Xiaoman followed cautiously, a smile of excitement on her face. Ah Yu and Chen Mo also took turns trying it. Although it was just simple pushing and pulling, they felt a long-lost joy of labor.
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