A howl all the way (China's first campus alternative novel)

Author: Xiao Rui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-04-01
Features: Two challenging, rebellious, and resentful underachievers who cannot tolerate the teacher's clichés and the lifeless atmosphere on campus. On a hot noon, they escape school and head to Yan Zhuang at the urban-rural junction to find a group of renowned wandering artists. Upon arrival, everything is exciting and fresh. This group of artists, who claim to live for rock music, come in ragged clothes and eccentric outfits. Some are gloomy and quiet, while others are optimistic and boisterous. When they have money, they live recklessly and sing together when they drink. When they don’t, they beg for food and refuse to pay rent, waiting for the landlord to evict them so they can save on the long-overdue payments. The boy feels that this place is his dreamlike paradise, filled with friendship, equality, passion, and sunshine. The two boys try their best to integrate into their midst, asking them respectfully for advice and treating them to meals. However, they show clear disdain and rejection toward the two boys. The boy then realizes that behind the so-called art also lies hypocrisy and ugliness, as well as an unspoken hierarchy. At a tavern, some of them advocate rape as the best way to have sex, and the boy’s casual rebuttal angers them, leading to a beating that leaves him covered in blood. Later, they return to school. It seems that everything has returned to the way it was. In reality, this strange experience has given him a deeper understanding of the complexities of life. This is far from the first time, and it will not be the last. For them in their youth, the exciting life is always somewhere else.