Two years flew by in the blink of an eye, and it was June 2000.
The summer was scorching hot, and the shadow of the Big locust tree in front of Ge Village was reflected in the pond that had just been dug last year.
Several lotus plants with plump stems and leaves bore oil-green leaves, with pink and white buds half-open and half-closed. Occasionally, a breeze would sweep past, brushing against the buds and releasing a few strands of fragrance.
The cicadas on the trees chirped tirelessly, and the rice in the paddy fields at the entrance of the village was growing well. Villagers on the field ridge wore bamboo hats, and the eyes of the villagers under the hats crinkled with smiles; it was going to be another bountiful year.
