After having their fill of food and drink, some people were fishing by the lake, while others were trying to find a beautiful pebble along the riverbank.
There were also people chasing after cows and sheep, causing them to scatter chaotically... including Jiajia, a little child.
Mr. Yamamoto was quietly cleaning up the food remnants, separating them meticulously... he cared a lot about waste sorting.
Earlier, when they were grilling the meat, Xiao Qi mainly did the work. Now she didn't participate in the cleanup because Mr. Yamamoto was too serious about it, and Xiao Qi couldn't figure out how to properly sort and clean up, so she would only make a mess.
She picked up her own sketchbook and leaned against a small slope, wanting to draw a picture.
Her drawing skills were still at a beginner level. She felt that drawing was different from practicing calligraphy. Calligraphy only required a calm and composed mind, and one could quickly enter a state of tranquility. However, drawing seemed to require an excited state, a desire to draw.
An excitement triggered by the sight of something beautiful.
The scene before her was beautiful, and Xiao Qi could feel it. The brush in her hand brushed against the paper, sketching out a landscape painting.
At first, she was just casually doodling, but gradually, she became immersed in it.
Being able to immerse oneself in learning is extremely important, and this was Xiao Qi's greatest takeaway from today.
She drew the mountain scenery, the lake, the herds of sheep and cows before her eyes, but in her mind, she envisioned the scenery of Gumula Village, a place she had heard of.
To be honest, Gumula Village was located on a plateau, and Xiao Qi even felt it would be more beautiful.
But she had never felt that way before. Her most common feeling was that Gumula Village was backward, ignorant, and poor.
She even felt inferior and self-pitying.
She didn't want to be born in such a backward and impoverished place. She envied her classmates, not just those in the city but even Xia Zhen, who lived in the suburbs, seemed so impressive.
However, at this moment, deep down, she felt that the scenery here was beautiful.
Unconsciously, she had become a part of the people she used to dislike and envy.
But at this moment, she missed Gumula Village very much.
That secluded and backward place had become like a paradise in her heart after being away for so long.
Xiao Qi loved to use colors in her paintings.
Her coloring was extremely vibrant.
Her deeply insecure nature longed for growth and blossoming, and her paintings always had a lively and uplifting spirit.
The sunlight shifted.
The wind grew stronger.
Everyone started packing up and getting ready to leave.
Although they had donated money to Cliff Village and with their help, the construction of the elementary school had begun, they didn't intend to trouble the villagers in any way. They just wanted to silently observe.
They were all environmentally conscious. After packing up, they even took away the garbage, leaving no trace of unnatural waste except for the stone stove they had built.
They poured water from a pot to make sure the fire was completely extinguished before they left.
The herds of cows and sheep were still grazing nearby, watching their figures as they departed.
A man wearing a straw hat, who was tending to cattle, stayed in a corner without any intention of approaching. When he noticed someone looking at him, he simply lifted his head and gave a simple smile.
He resembled the people from Xiao Qi's hometown, Gumula Village, with their dark and thin figures. They appeared honest and simple, yet also possessed a touch of slyness.
A group of people descended from the mountain, but it wasn't an easy journey. As the saying goes, going up the mountain is easy, but coming down is difficult. And it was indeed the case. Descending the mountain, they found the path to be steep, making their legs tremble and increasing the risk of tripping. Fortunately, everyone had their "hiking sticks," and Xiao Qi understood why she had sharpened the ends of the sticks — to better insert them into the muddy ground and stabilize herself.
On the way down, at a roadside, Xiao Qi noticed some lacquer trees and pointed them out to everyone.
It could be considered a rewarding trip.
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, a tour bus awaited them. Once they boarded the bus, they realized how exhausted they were, and each person exclaimed how tired they felt.
During the bus ride, they spent some time removing thorns from their clothes and scattered them along the road.
Mr. Yamamoto's cold smile seemed to soften a bit, just a little.
Overall, today was a very enjoyable day of fun.
It was rare for Xiao Qi to have such carefree playtime. She didn't bring any books or study materials, just indulged in food, hiking, and enjoying the scenery, completely emptying her mind.
Her body was a bit weary, but her heart felt incredibly relaxed.
Xiao Qi deeply felt that people need a balance between work and leisure. By the time they arrived at school, the sun had already set, and the streetlights had come on, yet she felt a different kind of contentment.
It was like having truly spent a day on vacation.
Xiao Qi realized that during her high school and junior high years, she was always busy and exhausted, but it was a senseless busyness.
In college, although she didn't feel tired from studying, it seemed too intense. She hadn't noticed this until she went out for a day of fun and discovered the difference.
People must learn to strive for progress and live a proactive life, but they must also learn to pause, look at the surrounding scenery, and take a moment to regroup before moving forward again.
In doing so, they might find that, almost imperceptibly, they have shed a burden and created a space in their minds to fill with more things.
As Xiao Qi got off the bus and stepped onto the school's concrete ground, she suddenly felt a strong desire to study.
She really wanted to study diligently and felt that she could start a new journey.
Little Jiajia, being young, had run around all day and fell asleep on the bus. Xiao Qi was the one who had to help her off the bus, carrying her bag on her own.
Mr. Yamamoto also got off at the old residential area.
Mr. Yamamoto carefully took the trash back to the school's garbage bins. However, the school only had two bins—one for recyclable items and one for non-recyclable items.
Mr. Yamamoto neatly sorted the trash he had collected, even dividing it further inside the bags.
For someone who is meticulous, you might think they are overly fussy, but deep down, you feel a unique sense of admiration.
You can't help but think that someone who can persistently and earnestly do something, no matter what it is, is truly remarkable.
Xiao Qi bid farewell to Mr. Yamamoto, who leaned on his "hiking stick" and revealed his cold smile, indicating that he had a great day.
He also received half a bottle of pickled radish from Jin Zaiyan, which Xiao Qi had made before. Jin Zaiyan took it with him, but unexpectedly, it paired surprisingly well with the grilled meat, with a tangy and sweet taste.
Among those present, Jin Zaiyan and Mr. Yamamoto enjoyed it the most, as their appetites were quite similar.
In the end, there was still half a jar left, which Jin Zaiyan gave to Mr. Yamamoto.
Mr. Yamamoto was eager to go back and have the pickled radish, plain water, and white rice for his dinner.
As for Xiao Qi, she took Jiajia to the cafeteria and had a proper meal of rice. Eating things like grilled meat outside didn't sit well with her stomach.
Xiao Qi was also worried that Jiajia might have an upset stomach, after all, she was still young.
After finishing their meal, they walked back to the dormitory slowly, soothing their digestion as they walked.
Once they returned to the dormitory, Jiajia went to take a shower first, while Xiao Qi tidied up their things and also organized the dormitory.
Then Xiao Qi took a shower.
After a busy day, standing under the hot water was truly refreshing.
If you were to ask her, Xiao Qi's favorite thing when outside was the shower tools because it was inconvenient to take a shower in her hometown. She had to carry a bucket of hot water and wipe herself bit by bit. It just didn't compare to a showerhead.
The thing she most wanted to buy when she returned home was probably a water heater. Thinking about this, she realized she was quite practical.
After Jiajia finished her shower, she lay on the bed and played with her phone. She was so tired today that she didn't have the energy to use her computer to edit photos.
However, she did trim the video she took of Teacher Xiao Qi painting on the mountain today and posted it on her TikTok account. Then she scrolled through TikTok, too impatient to wait for likes and comments, and fell asleep with her phone in her hands.
Seeing this, Xiao Qi closed TikTok for her and put the phone aside.
