Fox Song

Chapter 21 Orchid in the Empty Valley
Because her spiritual power was severely damaged, Yin Yue was unable to set up a communication array to notify Xiao Jing and Lan Lan to come for the meeting, and her movements were somewhat inconvenient, so she decided to stay here for a few days.

As Yin Yue and Lu Wei talked, their relationship gradually became closer.

Yin Yue learned that Lu Wei's family was from a big city in northern China and that he was a prestigious university student who had volunteered to teach in the western region.

Lu Wei's father was a soldier and his mother was a military medic. In the war years, they lived and fought side by side in Shuzhou for their ideals. Once, when they were betrayed by a traitor in their organization, they fled to the mountains and were protected by the local people at the risk of their lives, and finally survived.

After the war, my elderly parents missed their fellow villagers, but because of physical reasons, they could not travel long distances, so they could only send some money and materials to support some poor children to show their love.

Lu Wei grew up surrounded by stories of iron and blood. Under the influence of his father, Shuzhou became a place he yearned for. So after graduation, Lu Wei took the initiative to come to Shuzhou and teach in this most remote place for three years.

He thought that his father had gained so much from this poor yet rich place, and as a son, he should do something as well.

Born in a big city, he came with high spirits and luggage. But the journey was bumpy and the backward local economy was heartbreaking. But it also made him secretly determined to persevere.

As a spoiled city dweller, living alone in a foreign place, you can imagine how difficult it was for him.

At first, he lived in a school in the mountains, but the so-called school was a converted cowshed, which had fallen into disrepair and was too simple. The house was drafty on all sides, and there was no place to stand when it rained. It was extremely inconvenient for both living and studying.

Fortunately, not long after, the son of a family named Wang in the village became prosperous in business and moved his family away. So, under the arrangement of the village chief, his original three adobe houses temporarily became a school and Lu Wei's residence. After Lu Wei's teaching ended and he voluntarily left the village, the right to use the house was returned to the village.

Before leaving, the middle-aged man with a weathered face held Lu Wei's hand and said affectionately: "Little brother, you are a good teacher. My child is reluctant to leave you. This place is poor. In fact, I hope you stay here, but I don't want you to - ah! I will just say this, my house is your house, you can stay as long as you want, until the day you want to leave..."

When he learned that Lu Wei had stayed here for two whole years and never mentioned leaving, he admired Lu Wei from the bottom of his heart for his honesty and straightforwardness - perhaps, only those who have experienced the bright lights and wine of the outside world can understand how difficult it is to stick to one's own heart.

This place is surrounded by mountains and water, but the mountains are mostly rocks. Therefore, for safety reasons, the villagers built their houses more scattered.

However, the villagers interacted with each other much more closely than the city people. After learning of Yin Yue's arrival, they all came to greet her.

The villagers were extremely enthusiastic and some even brought walnuts, homemade pickled mustard tubers, and sugar-coated fruits. You know, these things are considered rare delicacies in this not-so-rich village.

There was also a woman who brought two fresh cabbages from her own field. This made Lu Wei very embarrassed, because he remembered that the vegetables he grew were indeed not presentable.

Of course, there were also some villagers who came to see during the busy farming season. However, after seeing these scenes, they were actually a little annoyed.

So, when the children came to class the next day, some of them brought not only books but also fermented tofu, peanuts, aged fermented eggs, etc.

The children usually had to walk a long way, and they often did not come together. As a result, Lu Wei had to temporarily stop the course he was doing and put away the things in time to prevent these little kids from glancing at the food on the ground while reciting the book, and not even noticing that their saliva had wet the pages of the book.

Although it is called a school, the principal and teacher of the entire school is only Lu Wei. There are only 16 students, all of whom are between three and ten years old. Because when the children grow up to be over ten years old, most parents in the village can rest assured that they can go to the town center school more than 20 miles away to study.

If it rains, a dozen children squeeze into two rooms to study. One room is for the small class for children under six years old, and the other is for the large class for children over six years old. Lu Wei walks back and forth between the two rooms. When teaching in this room, they study and practice in the other room. When studying and practicing in this room, he naturally teaches in the other room.

If the weather is good, it will be lively - the square in front of the house is a large open-air classroom. A dozen or so children will swarm together to move the tables and benches in the room to the small dirt square in front of the house. The process is naturally chaotic and lively.

When Yin Yue had nothing to do, she would sometimes stand beside him in front of the square and watch him teach. It was especially interesting to see him teaching a small class.

Geese, geese, geese, singing with their necks bent toward the sky, their white feathers floating on the green water, their red feet paddling the clear waves...

This is Chinese class, which is the children’s favorite class.

Rows of little heads shook back and forth, their dirty fingers subconsciously clapped rhythmically on the table, and the uneven sound of their childish voices made Yin Yue, who was watching, couldn't help laughing.

Of course, children also learn mathematics.

In order to be close to life and improve their interest in learning, Lu Wei has put a lot of effort into teaching.

"I would like to ask: A frog fell into a well. The bottom of the well is 8 meters above the well mouth. The frog climbs up 3 meters and falls down 2 meters every day. How long will it take for it to climb out?"

2 and a half days! 3 days! I said 4 days! …

The children faced Lu Wei and raised their hands one after another, but they kept chattering like sparrows.

"Teacher, I saw a little frog over there in the field!"

As they were talking, a boy who was looking around in class with sharp eyes ran out. As a result, when he came back, he was holding a frog that was jumping with its legs stretched out. So, countless pairs of eyes instantly focused on the frog on the ground. The anxious voices in the square were getting louder and louder.

Jump... jump... jump quickly... jump...

Teacher, it can't jump that far! Is there something wrong with the question?

The children couldn’t find the answer from the frog, and one of the studious children asked Lu Wei sincerely.

Looking at Yin Yue laughing beside him, Lu Wei was speechless for a moment and could only smile bitterly.

Such lively and interesting comedies are often performed inside and outside the classroom.

Of course, if the villagers are not busy with farming, some of them will come and stand by to watch.

At this time, the children sat straighter than each other, raised their hands higher than each other, and answered the questions louder than each other.

That day, in the activity class, Lu Wei taught them a classic nursery rhyme.

He led the children to dance, sing and jump in the square.

There is a group of ducks swimming under the bridge in front of the door. Come and count them. Two, four, six, seven, eight. Quack, quack, quack. There are so many of them...

Perhaps, they felt that Lu Wei's dance was too graceful and they couldn't bear to watch it.

Aunt He at the east end of the village said to Yin Yue beside her, "Miss Xiao Yue, would you like to dance with us?"

Aunt He has a loud voice, and when she said this, some children heard it. A little girl with a ponytail came over to invite Yin Yue, "Aunt Xiao Yue, will you dance with us?"

"This--" She hesitated. Dancing was not her strong point.

But then, more children joined in and pulled her...

Finally, everyone stopped.

"Children, let's applaud together and ask Auntie Xiaoyue to dance for us, okay?"

Lu Wei's voice echoed in the square. Instantly, many small hands clapped. At the same time, several familiar faces in the village also came over.

It was hard to refuse such a kind invitation, so Yin Yue glanced at Lu Wei unhappily and had to agree.

She said to Lu Wei, "You come and play a piece of music to accompany the performance."

Lu Wei nodded, and then took out the harmonica from the classroom. He brought it from the city, a polyphonic harmonica that could play 24 notes.

"Auntie doesn't dance well, please don't mind me!" Yin Yue was secretly cheering in her heart, and said as she stood in the middle of the square, "I'm sorry for showing off my ugliness!"

……

Lu Wei's piano skills were taught by his father, and he played the theme song "Forever Young" from the classic movie "Waterloo Bridge". He had played this song thousands of times and knew it by heart.

Amid everyone's anticipation, the melodious sound of the piano rose up, and Yin Yue danced to the rhythm of the piano.

Lu Wei skillfully controlled the harmonica in his hand and stared at the dancing woman in front of him...

She was as light as a swallow, her arms were soft as if they had no bones, and her every move was as graceful as the wind blowing over willows. In the cool music, she moved her slender feet and lotus steps lightly, and her graceful dance was like a butterfly flying among flowers, or like the bright moon in the mountains, so beautiful that it was beyond description.

Gradually, he forgot his heartbeat and his breathing... The graceful figures in the field flowed, their clothes fluttered, and when he looked back, there seemed to be infinite charm in the eyes, which intoxicated his eyes and heart...

How could this be an ordinary woman? She is a fairy with lotus flowers blooming with every step she takes, an orchid in the valley who is detached from the mundane world, and a flying goddess who came out of a dream.

……

(End of this chapter)