Chen Lan saw Chunfang’s nervous expression and grasped her hand, patting it to comfort her. Chen Lan thought carefully and vaguely recalled a type of extreme sport she had seen introduced in videos in her previous life – the space ball. It should be usable for this competition event. However, if they truly used a space ball as a prop for the competition, the difficulty of this particular event would be quite high.
Because when the space ball was spinning, the person inside was restricted and found it difficult to maintain balance, requiring constant effort to overcome the effects of gravity and weightlessness, as well as close coordination with their partner. If the two partners were not in sync, it would be easy for them to be pushed over by opponents. Once pushed to the ground, it would be difficult for the person inside the space ball to get up easily. They would just bounce around on the ground, and the scene would undoubtedly be full of fun and highly comical.
With this in mind, Chen Lan had a general idea. She let out a soft hum and then spoke to comfort her, “Chunfang, don’t worry. Fretting won’t help. Mother has almost thought of a solution. As for whether it will work or not, we’ll just have to try and see then. However, your idea is truly very good. I think there’s still plenty of time! This ball issue shouldn’t be a major problem, so don’t rush, we’ll figure it out slowly.”
Chunfang, who had been looking anxious, was immediately overjoyed upon hearing Chen Lan’s words and repeatedly thanked her, “Mother, can it really be solved? Thank you so much. I’ll have to trouble you to think hard about the ball matter.”
Chen Lan smiled and patted Chunfang’s hand again, saying, “You’re so sweet-mouthed. Of course, I’ll have to put in a lot of thought! I can’t help it, who made me your mother! It’s just my old bones that have to do the hard work!”
Jiahui immediately stepped forward obsequiously, starting to massage Chen Lan’s shoulders and pound her back, while speaking sweetly, “Mother, you’re not old at all! You’re still so youthful! The aunties and ladies in the valley all say that we mothers and daughters look like sisters.”
Chen Lan laughed and chided, “You flattering flatterer, you have such a sweet tongue. Sisters, indeed! That can only happen in the next life. Your mother is already forty-two this year, I am truly old!”
When Jiahui got tired of massaging, Chunni immediately took over, followed by Chunhua, and then Chunfang.
Chen Lan was so comfortably attended to by her four daughters, taking turns, that she felt drowsy. Chen Lan felt that her past efforts were truly worthwhile, although she had never thought of them repaying her when they grew up. She had always treated them as her own, the same as her biological children, without any distinction. However, it was a happy thing to receive a response to her hard work.
Chen Lan, in a pleasant mood, suggested, “Alright, daughters, stop pounding now, take a break. By the way, don’t you think it’s a bit perfunctory and careless for us, the ones setting the questions, to have an odd number of competition items on such a day meant for pairs?”
The four daughters thought for a moment and nodded, replying, “It does seem a little bit like that.”
Chen Lan immediately responded, “More than a little, it’s downright careless. Don’t you know? For this fun sports meet, your mother has really spent a lot of money! We must pay attention to these details. Let’s aim for auspiciousness in pairs. How about we add another competition item? That will make it six competition items in total. Six is a lucky number and very fitting!”
Jiahui asked fawningly, “It’s good, Mother. Can you help us come up with a competition item?”
Chen Lan clapped her hands and readily agreed, “Yes, why not? Do you think this little matter can stump your mother? That’s impossible. How about we add a “toe-pressure board jump rope”? What do you think of this item? Imagine the feeling of two partners, barefoot, jumping rope on a toe-pressure board. Won’t it feel incredibly stimulating and exhilarating?”
The four daughters grinned mischievously upon hearing this, giving Chen Lan thumbs up and exclaiming dramatically, “We admire you! We admire you! Mother, your idea is truly brilliant and ingenious! It’s just a little bit wicked.”
Chen Lan pointed at the four of them and laughed, scolding, “What do you know? This is called true love in adversity. Hurry up and get out of here, you bunch of flatterers.”
After the competition items were finalized, it was time to determine the program list for the harvest festival. Since Song Wan and Chen Shumin and their school would present six programs, the many old and young, men and women of the valley should present at least six programs. This would bring the total to twelve programs, enough to hold a harvest festival concert.
Chen Lan racked her brains to think of a few programs that the valley folks could perform.
The first program would be the opening percussion – Harvest Drums, performed by the men and boys of the valley. Using Harvest Drums as the opening program was festive. After a majestic and clear prelude, instruments would depict a scene of joyous labor and vigorous competition. The melody would be lively and the rhythm brisk, easily rousing everyone’s emotions. The bustling scene of autumn harvest would be vividly portrayed.
The second program would be a chorus by the young women and brides of the valley, singing “Sing a Folk Song to the Party”; published on Sudan Novel Network.
The third program would be a solo Guzheng performance by Jia Yu, the youngest sister from the Shi family – Celebrating the Bountiful Year. Amidst the sound of the Guzheng, we could almost see the gentle autumn breeze, autumn rain, and autumn sun, washing and adorning the verdant mountains and clear waters, nourishing the fruitful land. The land would be golden. The valley would be full of grain, and the pigs and sheep would be plump. Filled with the joy of harvest and hope for the coming year, we would savor the fruits of our labor and celebrate this bountiful year.
For the fourth program, the elderly mother, Mama Liu, and Uncle Fu, three elders, would perform a flute ensemble – “Whip the Horse to Transport Grain”;
The fourth program would be a crosstalk performance by the brothers Jiahui and Jiajun – “Harvest Season in the Valley”; The fifth program would be a chorus by all the retired soldiers in the valley – “Song of the Guerrillas”;
The sixth and final program would be a chorus by everyone in the valley – “Song of the Harvest.” The song’s content would be simple, unpretentious, and uplifting:
Waves of wheat roll, shining golden light, ten miles of singing, ten miles of fragrance;
News of the good harvest spreads everywhere, every household is joyous;
Waves of rice roll, shining golden light, machines rumble, busy threshing;
Hearts are joyful, production increases, the harvested grain fills the granary.
…