In the last few days of our fighting, Donna gave me a surprise. I had just finished my last class of the day and found her strangely waving to me from outside the door. I quickly walked over and dragged her into the classroom for fear of being seen by other teachers and spreading the word to our parents.
She handed me a notebook, and I hesitated for a while, guessing what was inside. The first thing that came to my mind was a love letter, and then a dark novel Girl's Heart, circulated underground. After I opened the notebook, I realized that it held a copy of the answers to the previous years' college entrance math exam.
I felt that she was giving me a treasure! I asked her, "Where did you copy it from?"
She said, "I have an aunt who is a math teacher in the regiment. She is the wife of my father's old comrade. I spent a weekend with her and copied this, hoping it will help you a little."
I was very moved and said to her, "I don't know how to thank you! You have kept a far distance from me recently. I thought you were so merciless."
"Do you really think so? Well, I'll come to your house to play with you this evening."
"That won't work," I said hastily. "Let's not get in trouble."
Donna smiled with a bit of bitterness, "Scared? You? Study hard then. You have hope."
I asked her, "Have you ever considered taking the college entrance examination?"
"I only had high school for one year. I know my level, and I will do it in my next life." There was some sadness in her words.
Back in the dormitory, I opened the notebook. After reading it carefully, I found that most of the content could not be used because the super- and subscripts, and some of the other special symbols, had been transcribed incorrectly. I didn't tell Donna this; her heart for me was all in the numbers.
After finishing all the admission exams, I sort of lost confidence. The mathematics exam must be a disaster. There was also a thirty-point question in the history exam that I couldn't figure out - the influence of Persian culture on Central China in the Mid-Age. There was a lot of influence! How was it affected? It was a blur to me.
Disappointed, I took the trade college exams again. It seemed that I would get full marks in mathematics. I knew that I was not a high school graduate but, truly, a junior high school graduate.
***
Now, everyone was waiting quietly. At the same time, the atmosphere of the camp was quietly changing. The head of the regiment was arrested. It was said that he was linked to the Four-Person Gang. My father was about to be transferred to a higher position. The Commissioner was no longer so arrogant. The once underground song, The lyric of Nanjing Educated Youth, could also be sung openly.
***
In January, Zabow, the boy from Tailuo village, came and invited me to another village to watch an outdoor movie. We walked along the mountain road to the village. The sky hadn't entirely darkened, and the movie had already started. Zabow found his friends, about a dozen boys, some of whom were my former students. Their thoughts were not on the movie but on excitedly watching groups of girls gathered together. Tonight was their first date as adults. After several reconnaissances and debates, they selected one of the groups and watched the girls from a distance. The group of girls kept moving in the crowd, talking and laughing, swaggering a bit, and seemed to be attracting more people's attention.
When the movie was about to end, Zabow brought some of his friends to intercept the girls on their way home, and I followed the other boys back to Tailuo village to prepare a dinner party. We didn't go very far when Zabow caught up and told me in disappointment, "Teacher, they don't want to come! There is a Han girl with them, and she has a great influence."
"Then get another group of girls?" I suggested.
"No, it's too late. Teacher, should you try it?" His tone was very urgent, his voice almost pleading.
"I don't have the experience," I told him. I wanted to explain that teachers had their limits and couldn't do everything, but considering that this was their first attempt at girls in their lives and seeing them get frustrated, I collected myself and said with courage, "Come on, show me where they are. "
We quickly caught up with the group of girls, who had been stopped by several waves of boys and were strolling. Under the shaking of the flashlight, I immediately recognized Donna and her cousin Ploy among the girls.
Donna was also surprised to see me and asked me, "Why are you here?"
I replied, "I will explain later. Come with me, don't let so many people down."
Needless to say, the girls came to Tailuo village with us. Zabow admired me very much, saying that he would not fight with me if I liked a girl.
The bonfire on the grain-threshing field illuminated the surroundings, and the smell of meat was wafting from the thatched hut next to it. The girls sat around the bonfire, the silver ornaments gleaming on their bodies and heads, the smiling faces in the firelight full of anticipation. The young musicians were already holding guitars, tambourines, and cucurbits and playing music. The lads couldn't wait to invite the girls to dance. Hand in hand, we were all dancing around the bonfire, dragging the long tune of "suo-la--," our steps moving swiftly from left to right, forward and backward, circling the bonfire. The emotions on the field were completely mobilized. There was the joy of laughter and noise, and the shy girls were no longer timid. Donna grabbed my hand and led the steps. I followed her, tripped her a few times, and quickly caught up with her happy footsteps.
I thought my relationship with Donna had ended, but now I could hold her hand, look at her lovely face, and listen to her giggling as if there was never a gap between us. The drums were so noisy that no one could hear what they were saying. Donna and I simply followed everyone and enjoyed the unrestrained beautiful night without words.
The sumptuous evening meal had been served, and the liquor bowl had been spread out. At this time, the boys invited the girls into the thatched hut and, around a few large round tables, boys and girls sat alternately and sang love songs. A girl finished singing, a boy next to her picked it up, and the song went around the table. The punishment for not picking up the theme quickly enough was drinking and eating meat. Donna was doing a little translation for me. I probably knew that the song was about girls' and boys' mutual admiration and longing. No matter who was winning or losing, I blindly followed along and drank. I hoped the night would be for the blossom of happiness and the full moon of love. The humble hut was filled with joyous songs and laughter as if to be melted by emblazened desire.
Not long after, the songs served their purpose; some boys and girls had already matched eyes. I saw a boy unexpectedly grab a girl's accessory, a headdress or something, then run and hide outside - the girl who was robbed immediately chased him out and disappeared without a trace.
In the end, only Donna and I were left at the table. We looked at each other with bowls in our hands, and we had something in our hearts but didn't know how to express it. I opened the embarrassment first and said, "This game of girl chasing boy is very new. Donna, let's learn it too?"
She smiled slightly and replied, "You don't know what you're talking about! This is not a game. If it is a game, it is a game you can't afford to play."
"Why?"
"Because when the chase is over, after the spring, summer, and autumn, some girls will come back with their babies to find their men."