First Love · Godly Whoring

Author: Mo Yan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-09-01
Features: Represents a character that cannot be typed, with a wood radical on the left and a tail radical on the right. Since Zhang Ruolan came, the dark and dull school life suddenly became lush with green grass and blooming flowers. Before Zhang Ruolan arrived, I hated school, feared it, and despised it. I repeatedly begged my parents: "Don't let me go to school; let me stay home to herd sheep and goats." Since Zhang Ruolan came, I dreaded Saturdays. On Saturday afternoons, the sun in my heart—Zhang Ruolan—would carry her leather schoolbag, wear her plaid clothes, and wear her butterfly hairpin, bouncing and jumping across the small stone bridge over the river to her home in the government compound, making it impossible for me to see her. Every Sunday, I felt as if I had lost my soul, not wanting to eat or drink. Even though my family wouldn't let me herd sheep, I still went. I led the sheep across the river and paced back and forth in front of the government compound. The patch of withered wild grass in the open space in front of the government building had long been eaten bare by the two sheep. The sheep bawled "thee-thee" from hunger, but I was not satisfied with their desire to graze in the lush wilderness. I tied them to the trees in front of the government building, letting them gnaw on the bark. As for me? I sat on the empty ground under the tree, staring blankly at the main gate of the government building, watching the people coming and going, hoping Zhang Ruolan would suddenly appear before me. I encouraged myself again and again: "Wait a moment, wait a moment, wait a moment."