Translator: Fan Translation Studio

  She did not agree right way, however, but rather asked him, “But didn’t you say you weren’t interested in it?”


  Xiao Baoshan did not reply but fetched a lantern from inside of the room. The lantern’s light was illuminating his handsome face. He said simply, “Let’s go.”
……

  The night after Liqiu was a little chilly. Clouds were gathering together with the moon playing hide-and-seek between them. The moonlight was dim and they had only got one lantern so Ye Xiaoxian had to lean into him while walking.

  She rejoiced at the fact that she had already wiped her body and changed without the smell of sweat or she would not dare to stay so close to him.

  It takes time for men and women to go from being unfamiliar to getting familiar with one another. When they are unfamiliar they have to show the best of themselves to each other; they cannot be their true selves until they become intimate.

  For example, she may not wash her hair for days, fart in front of him or ask him to pass the toilet roll to her when she forgets to take any.

  At present, Ye Xiaoxian was still in the unfamiliar stage with him.

  Xiao Baoshan walked beside Ye Xiaoxian and had no idea that there were so many mental activities going on with Ye Xiaoxian. What he focused on was if there were any bumps or hollows on the ground which may cause Ye Xiaoxian to trip.

  The night was quiet with some nameless beetles chirping and rustling as they walked along.

  For Ye Xiaoxian, what she saw was only the faintly luminous ring lit by the lantern, as if that was her whole world and in this world existed only him and her……

  They reached the county in on time. The opera was already on.

  As Ye Xiaoxian anticipated, the tiny stage was surrounded by people who made up nearly half of the county. Those in the front were sitting on the ground and some sitting on the stools they had brought while some climbed into the trees nearby.

  Judging from the way it was, a fly might not have been able to get through.

  Since the opera had already begun the audience also stopped talking loudly and Ye Xiaoxian could only hear the singing of the performers.

  Ye Xiaoxian looked at Xiao Baoshan with disappointment. “I knew it. We can only listen to it now and can’t really see anything.”


  Xiao Baoshan had sized up the surroundings and then asked Ye Xiaoxian, “Do you really want to watch it?’


  “I do but……” Ye Xiaoxian looked at those in the trees and exclaimed, “Those guys are really good at climbing trees.”


  “Actually there’s another place you can watch the opera from,” said Xiao Baoshan.

  “Where?” asked Ye Xiaoxian with jubilation.

  Xiao Baoshan pointed to the roof at the side of the stage. “We can see it clearly from up there on the roof.”


  “Ah? We can’t go up there, can we? I’m afraid we couldn’t make it even with a ladder.”


  Xiao Baoshan blew out the lantern and said to Ye Xiaoxian, “Follow me.”


  Ye Xiaoxian caught up with him immediately.

  They did not have electric lights at this time so torches were lit up around the stage brightening it up, but the range of torches’ light was limited, so nobody noticed the two figures who had jumped up onto the roof.

  Ye Xiaoxian was still in a daze as she was already lying on her stomach on the roof.

  Is it the so-called Qinggong (flying skill)?

  Xiao Baoshan flew up with his hands on her waist.

  She just felt her waist being held tightly and before she realized, she was already lying on her stomach on the roof.

  Xiao Baoshan stayed close to Ye Xiaoxian and whispered in her ear, “Don’t speak too loudly. It may cause a fuss if anyone finds us here.”


  That made sense as seldom does one stay on the roof like that to watch an opera.

  Ye Xiaoxian’s mood was still restless. Although she was staring at the stage down there she could not hear anything at all.

  She turned around, glancing at Xiao Baoshan who was watching the show intently, and she wondered if he was really watching.