A Young Woman's Heart

"Ah... I wonder how Xiaoxi is doing in Japan? I heard there are a lot of complicated customs there, I wonder if he's getting used to it?"

Huang Zhengyang was lost in thought when he took another bite of bread and almost bit his finger.

The boys started playing basketball again, but since there were three of them, their game felt a bit like they were playing individually, with little teamwork.

After finishing his bread, Huang Zhengyang finally felt much more energetic: "Hey—are you guys short of players for basketball?"

"One more is needed, uncle, come quick!"

"Don't call me uncle, I'm not even thirty yet! Haha, you guys are high school students, right? I'm not that much older than you!" Huang Zhengyang stretched his body and ran to the basketball court with renewed vigor. "When I was in middle school, I was an exceptionally good basketball player."

"Really? Then why don't you give it a try, sir?"

"Come on, who should I team up with?" Huang Zhengyang's gaze fell on the big boy who had come over to retrieve the ball earlier. "Uh, you're the one. Come on, what's your name? Let's team up!"

"My name is An Ruosu..."

"OK, An Ruosu, what a great name! Come on, let's be a team!"

"But they're both tall, are you sure you want to be on my team?"

“Being tall doesn’t necessarily mean you’re good at playing basketball. It’s all about skill, right?” Huang Zhengyang laughed heartily, earning the approval of the tall, muscular boy opposite him.

"That's right, technology is more important!"

The second day of the new year.

A basketball court where no one else can disturb you.

Huang Zhengyang felt as if he had returned to his teenage years, a time when he was truly carefree.

He would find someone to play basketball with every day after school, and even dreamed of becoming a member of the provincial basketball team, or even making it to the national team.

However, dreams are ultimately just dreams, and very few people can actually realize them.

For example, Huang Zhengyang, in the end, could only do some more realistic things in order to make a living.

In a daze, the faces of the people playing ball with me all turned into the faces of my childhood playmates.

They laughed, made noise, and called out his nickname.

If they score, they cheer sarcastically; if they don't, they offer a few sarcastic remarks tinged with consolation.

However, they will never be able to play ball with themselves again.

In that earthquake, many of his familiar relatives and friends were taken away from him forever.

He survived a great calamity, but that didn't always make him feel fortunate.

"Thump, clang!" Huang Zhengyang, with his wheat-colored skin, leaped high into the air and actually hooked the basketball hoop with one hand. The entire basketball hoop tilted slightly due to the enormous force, but this didn't last long. Immediately afterward, he used his other hand to slam the basketball down.

He jumped down suddenly, then stumbled and almost fell to the ground, ruining his previous impressive performance.

"Hahaha..." The other three couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Wow, that feels great! It's been so long since I've had such a good workout." Huang Zhengyang rubbed his shoulders vigorously, took off his jacket and threw it aside. His clothes underneath were soaked with sweat, and his hair was dripping wet, as if it had been washed but not dried.

"Uncle, are you alright? Are you tired?" the tallest and strongest man teased cheerfully, helping him up with one hand.

"Don't call me 'uncle'—and how can a man say no?" Huang Zhengyang spat into his palm, then wiped it on his pants. "Again!"

The sun was still slow to peek out from behind the clouds, but at this moment, Huang Zhengyang was like a sun, radiating warmth from head to toe, causing the few wildflowers behind him that were still in bud to open a little, as if they had already sensed a hint of spring.

He originally planned to buy bread for tomorrow and the day after, but in the afternoon he treated the four of them to it as a snack. After eating, he continued playing, as if he would never get tired.

The fight went on until evening.

The sun arrived late, and when it reappeared, it was already setting.

"Bye-bye, today was so much fun!"

"Uncle, if you want to play again tomorrow, come here! We'll play here again tomorrow!" The burly boy waved his hand vigorously.

“Let’s go together tomorrow, Uncle!” An Ruosu smiled and waved, putting her other arm on the shoulder of the boy next to her, looking like good buddies.

"Okay, I'll come again tomorrow!" Huang Zhengyang nodded vigorously, feeling that today had been exceptionally fulfilling.

But when he got home, he still felt a little empty—as if something was missing.

After he finished showering and lay in bed, he definitely didn't want to play ball again the next day.

—Because my whole body aches terribly, it feels like I haven't played ball all day, but rather been beaten all day.

Not only are my muscles sore, but my bones are also aching terribly, as if they would break if I moved them even slightly.

"If Xiaoxi were here," Huang Zhengyang muttered to himself as he struggled to turn over. "I could have him give me a back massage, ouch... ouch... my back..."

……

Chapter Forty-Two: Sacrificing to the Gods

"Thump, thump-thump-clang!"

"Bang—Crack—"

The sounds of gongs, drums, and firecrackers were incessant.

It was even more lively than Lunar New Year's Eve.

Today is the day for worshipping the gods. At Mo Xueyao's maternal grandmother's house, there is actually no fixed date for worshipping the gods.

This decision rests with the Taoist priests in the village.

From the day before Lunar New Year's Eve until the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, it is possible to be selected.

"Huh, why am I the one wearing this?!" Mo Xueyao shook her head in resistance, but her mother pressed her head down.

"This was chosen for you by the old Taoist priest, so of course you have to wear it. Yaoyao, don't spoil this special day for everyone."

"Ugh, how annoying..."

"Isn't this dress quite pretty? Why don't you like wearing it?"

"It looks so complicated, with so many accessories. It must be heavy and uncomfortable to wear! And that crown—it makes my head tilt to one side!"

"Yaoyao." Her mother was a little unhappy and glared at her. Mo Xueyao, who was being a bit sulky, immediately pursed her lips reluctantly.

Every year at the grand sacrificial ceremony, a young woman is chosen to play the role of the goddess.

This means that on this day, she is both the embodiment of God and the bridge and medium for communication between God and man.

Originally, the selection was fixed, but since it is now a new society, some old customs have been changed. In order to make it easier for people to live in the current pace of life, the selection has become a temporary process every year.

All you need to do is submit a list of young girls who are not leaving during the Lunar New Year period and who are related to the villagers by blood. Then, the old Taoist priest, who is over seventy years old, will perform a ritual to select one of them—it's actually a random selection. But if the selected girl can't fit into any of the goddess robes, then the selection process has to start all over again.

There are three sets of clothing in different sizes prepared. They are worn only on this day of worship each year, and then they are washed and placed in a glass cabinet for worship.

Although Mo Xueyao can be willful at times, she ultimately puts the overall situation first.

Even though she was very reluctant, she still cooperated and put on the clothes—in fact, she didn't move at all; it was mostly her mother, aunts, and other relatives who helped her put them on.

It made her feel like a doll that could be manipulated at will.

It's layered on top of each other, and accessories are hung on the outside and in some places in the middle.

If she were to stand on the electronic scale right now, she would definitely be at least 10 pounds heavier.

"Is it better now?" Mo Xueyao rolled her eyes, feeling that she was having some difficulty even making a slightly larger movement.

There was a layer of clothing that was as stiff as cardboard...

"Not yet, I still need to put on makeup."

"Damn, why is this so complicated? My butt is numb from sitting so long!"

The adults couldn't help but laugh.

The mother scolded, "You're a girl, you should be more ladylike, okay? You're going to play a goddess later, so you need to be dignified and graceful, do you understand?"

"I'll fucking try my best..." she muttered, pursing her lips.

When people are under a lot of pressure, they tend to reveal their true inner selves more easily.

This manifests in her unconscious use of profanity.

"Uh, where's Wanyan?" Mo Xueyao asked, muttering as she watched her grandmother smear some random stuff on her face.

"Is she changing clothes next door?"

"what?"

"Stop talking, or you won't be able to do your makeup properly. Yan Yan will be your close bodyguard later."

"Uh?" Mo Xueyao didn't open her mouth this time, but made a slightly convoluted sound from her throat to express her confusion.

“You could have your best friend or your closest brother, but I still chose Yan Yan for you.” Her mother had a knowing look on her face. “If you were choosing, you’d definitely choose the same person, right?”

"Uh……"

Although the skin on the back of my grandmother's hands was as rough as tree bark, her fingertips were still quite delicate. At least when touching her tender face, it didn't feel uncomfortable.

The makeup was done very quickly, in just half an hour.

This was Mo Xueyao's first time wearing eye makeup. She applied a peach-pink hue around her eyes and drew a beautiful lotus flower between her eyebrows.

Her overall makeup made her look much more solemn, but at the same time she still retained a touch of charm and cuteness.

Finally, the heavy headdress was secured to her head, and in that instant, Mo Xueyao felt as if her neck was about to break: "Ouch..."

"Exaggeration, is it really that heavy?" the mother teased with a laugh.

"It's very heavy, you won't believe me, just try it..."

“Your mother tried it when she was young.” The mother spoke with the air of someone who had been there before. “Slowly raise your neck, and then lower your chin a little. Yes, that will make it easier.”

"It's still so heavy..." Mo Xueyao stood up unsteadily, her body tilting to the side, almost falling to the ground.

"How are they? Do they fit?"

"It's okay, but it's a bit too big?"

"Should we get a smaller one?"

"Uh... change it?" Mo Xueyao sat down again.