Chapter 123: Machine Spirit, Cleaver

Deep within every person’s heart lies a sense of innocence, a sanctuary where our childhood memories are kept. Back then, we were pure, carefree, and full of wonder. No matter how time erodes our days, childhood always leaves its mark, forever etched in the depths of our memories. Perhaps, when a familiar nursery rhyme begins to play, we can dream our way back to those days once more.

Longshan Temple was a sea of people. Every stall was crowded, and not far away, lion dancers and acrobats were performing. The snack stalls, offering a variety of flavors, were bustling with an endless stream of customers. Many were out with their entire families, and every face was lit with a happy smile. Visiting temple fairs during the New Year had already become an essential tradition.

"Yuqing, look, isn't this straw hat cute?" Xu Qing placed a woven straw hat on her head and struck a playful pose.

"Yes, it’s very nice, but you don't really have a use for a hat like that," Wang Yuqing replied with a nod, acknowledging the hat’s charm.

"Pfft, what’s so good about it? It’s so tacky," Shangguan Xueer interjected, her mouth glistening with grease from the two skewers of lamb she was eating. She glanced at the hat on Xu Qing's head and added with a look of disdain.

Hearing this, Xu Qing pouted and put the hat back where it belonged.

"How about we go over there and watch the lion dance?" Xu Qing was not one to sit still; she always gravitated toward the liveliest spots.

Seeing the crowd surging toward the lion dance, Wang Yuqing and Shangguan Xueer exchanged a look and said in unison, "No."

"Then where should we go?"

Wang Yuqing and her friends had already circled the temple fair, first sampling the snacks and then, with their lingering sense of childlike wonder, joining a group of children for a game. Now, they were weaving through stalls of handicrafts, each having purchased a few small trinkets.

"Why don't we go for a stroll by the beach?" Wang Yuqing recalled the shore where she and Xiao Lin had picked out heart-shaped shells, and she suddenly felt a desire to see the ocean.

"No way. Why go to a deserted beach when there’s so much excitement here?" Xu Qing immediately cast her vote against it.

"The beach? Oh, that sounds lovely. Let's go take a look," Shangguan Xueer mused, tilting her head. When she had last met Xiao Lin, she mentioned that she had come to Donghai City specifically to see the ocean, which she heard was different from the one in Mingzhu City. Yet, until today, she still hadn't gone. Now that Wang Yuqing suggested it, Shangguan Xueer had no reason to refuse.

Two to one. Even though Xu Qing was a hundred percent dissatisfied, she had no choice; she couldn't stay at the temple fair all by herself. Grumbling under her breath, she had no option but to follow them.

Coincidentally, Xiao Lin and his friends were at that very beach, the same spot he had visited with Wang Yuqing before. At that moment, Xiao Lin was the only one on the shore, standing before a high pile of clothes. Zhang Zhenghao and the others were winter swimming in the sea. A group of big guys, each wearing only a pair of trunks, were splashing and rolling around in the water. Xiao Lin currently loathed Liu Yidao; if it weren't for their fight, his hand wouldn't have been injured, and if his hand weren't injured, he wouldn't be stuck here bored, guarding their clothes.

Just as Xiao Lin was cursing Liu Yidao under his breath, a red Porsche sped toward him and came to a stop nearby. Recognizing the car, Xiao Lin stood up in confusion. The car door opened, and three familiar figures came into his view.

"Yuqing, Shangguan Xueer, Xu Qing? How did you all get here?" Xiao Lin called out in surprise.

Wang Yuqing and the others saw Xiao Lin nearby, and they were equally stunned. They hadn't expected to run into him here.

"Hi, Handsome Xiao, Happy New Year!" Shangguan Xueer greeted him as she approached.

"How did you end up here?" Xiao Lin and Wang Yuqing asked each other simultaneously.

"Just wandering around," they replied in unison again. Then, both their faces turned red, and they fell into a silent awkwardness.

"Tsk, tsk, you two really are in sync. If you weren't a couple, no one would believe it," Shangguan Xueer teased, watching their mutual chemistry.

Upon hearing the word "couple," the expressions of both dimmed slightly.

"Oh! Whose pile of clothes is this?" Xu Qing noticed the heap of clothing nearby and, as if she had discovered a new continent, circled it a few times.

In response to Xu Qing’s question, Xiao Lin said nothing but pointed his finger toward the sea.

Wang Yuqing, Shangguan Xueer, and Xu Qing looked in the direction he was pointing. After just a single glance, all three burst into uncontrollable laughter. In the sea not far away, the six guys had only their heads visible above the water, their bodies completely submerged. The six of them were staring wide-eyed at the three girls on the shore, their faces showing expressions of utter embarrassment.

"Haha, Zhang Zhenghao, Haozi, Jin Hai... are you guys practicing holding your breath?" Xu Qing clutched her stomach, laughing until tears nearly welled in her eyes.

Shangguan Xueer acted more decisively, pulling out her phone to snap several photos in rapid succession. She waved her phone at the group in the sea, saying, "See you on Weibo tomorrow! You’re definitely going to be internet sensations."

Wang Yuqing giggled as well, asking, "Xiao Lin, what are they doing?"

Xiao Lin explained the winter swimming bet. Originally, it was just Haozi who had gone in, but after he won 1,000 yuan from Zhang Zhenghao and started bragging about it, Ye Hao and the others couldn't stand it. They decided to teach him a lesson, stripped off their clothes, jumped in, and gave him a thrashing. However, they found the experience of winter swimming quite refreshing, so they kept playing until the three girls arrived.

Once they saw the girls, they couldn't get out; they couldn't very well walk onto the shore in their wet trunks. So, they had to keep their bodies submerged, leaving only their heads visible to observe the situation.

"Winter swimming? Haha, that looks fun. I want to go try it too," Xu Qing said, thinking it seemed interesting.

Before she could finish her sentence, Wang Yuqing quickly grabbed her. Xu Qing really had the most unconventional ideas.

"Hey, don't hide in the sea anymore. Come on up! We'll turn around, we won't look at your bare bottoms," Shangguan Xueer called out mischievously.

"Come on, let's turn around and let them up," Shangguan Xueer said, grabbing Wang Yuqing and Xu Qing’s hands and turning their backs to the sea.

Xiao Lin moved the pile of clothes forward and then walked over to Zhang Zhenghao’s car. He opened the trunk and pulled out a few new pairs of trunks that Zhang had left there, which now proved very useful.

"Come on up! That's what you get for being so smug earlier," Xiao Lin shouted to the group in the sea.

Zhang Zhenghao and the others scrambled out of the water, covering themselves, and grabbed the clothes on the beach to put them on. None of them had ever dressed as quickly as they did then. Within minutes, they were clothed, but as soon as they reached the shore, their lips were slightly purple from the cold.

"They're ready, you can turn around now," Xiao Lin called to the three girls.

"Let's build a fire," Zhang Zhenghao said, his teeth chattering from the cold wind.

"Yes, a fire," Ye Hao and the others agreed.

They scattered to search for dry branches. Ten minutes later, everyone returned to the beach with bundles of wood. They stacked the branches in a triangular pile and lit them with a lighter. Everyone sat in a circle around the crackling fire.

"I never imagined our New Year would be this interesting. This is almost like a bonfire party."

"With such a great atmosphere, let's dance," Shangguan Xueer suggested.

"Sounds good!" The guys were very enthusiastic.

Shangguan Xueer played a dance track on her phone, and everyone began to sway around the fire. The guys danced around the girls. Although Ye Hao was a bit heavy, he did his best to move his hips. Shangguan Xueer, who was a skilled dancer, followed the rhythm, twisting her waist, turning, and dancing with grace... like a butterfly in flight, expressing her beauty through movement.

After a few songs, everyone wanted to try a new game, but they struggled to think of a good one.

"Hey, I remember a song by Zhang Wei that was really interesting. I think the title is named after a childhood game. What was it called again?" Xu Qing tapped her head, trying to recall.

"Are you talking about 'Machine Spirit, Chopping Knife'?" Wang Yuqing asked.

"Yes! That’s it! Why don't we play the game we all played as kids?" Xu Qing looked at everyone with anticipation.

"I agree. I haven't played that in ages," Zhang Zhenghao said.

"Reliving our childhood? Great idea. I’m in, too. But what about my hand?" Xiao Lin looked at his injured hand with a sigh.

"Oh, it's fine! You just have to be the one to charge; we don't need you to hold hands," Xu Qing said dismissively.

In the end, everyone decided to revisit the game from their youth.

"Machine Spirit, Chopping Knife" went by different names in different regions, but the rules were the same. The game was simple: two teams would hold hands and stand in lines facing each other. One team would sing, "Machine Spirit, Chopping Knife, we pick from your side, who shall it be..." The chosen person would then charge at the opposing human wall. If they broke through, they could take someone back to their side; if they failed, they would have to join the other team.

After dividing into two teams of five, the groups were set: Xiao Lin, Wang Yuqing, Ye Hao, Jin Hai, and Xu Qing on one side; Shangguan Xueer, Haozi, Zhang Zhenghao, and two other boys on the other.

Since Xiao Lin couldn't hold hands, Wang Yuqing, Ye Hao, and the others held hands, while Xiao Lin would be responsible for charging the wall.

"Who goes first?" Shangguan Xueer asked once both walls were formed.

"Obviously us. You choose," Xu Qing replied.

"Alright. Machine Spirit, Chopping Knife, we pick from your side, who shall it be? Let’s pick... Xiao Lin!" Shangguan Xueer’s team chose Xiao Lin first.

Hearing he was the first choice, Xiao Lin rubbed his nose and charged straight at the opposing wall.

Amidst the cheers of Wang Yuqing and Ye Hao, Xiao Lin successfully broke through the wall and brought Shangguan Xueer back to his side.

The second round began.

"Machine Spirit, Chopping Knife, we pick from your side, who shall it be? Let’s pick... Haozi!" In the second round, they picked Haozi. He charged forward, cleverly aiming for where the girls were holding hands, successfully broke through the wall, and triumphantly brought Shangguan Xueer back to his team.

The third round began... As the childhood nursery rhyme echoed, everyone was fully immersed in the joy of the game.

*P.S.: The song "Machine Spirit, Chopping Knife" by Zhang Wei is quite flavorful; interested readers might want to give it a listen.*