Introduction

A couple went to Xinjiang to try to repair their relationship that was about to be broken. When life reveals its fangs inadvertently, the yellow sheep takes graceful steps and dances alone in the moonlight.

The "Charming" Yellow Sheep

- A discussion on the creation of "The Yellow Sheep under the Moonlight"

Text by Fang Wei

Very For a long time, I have always wanted to write stories about Xinjiang.

Seven or eight years ago, I stayed in southern Xinjiang for several months, helping a large state-owned enterprise in Tarim to make a documentary. I went to many places in Xinjiang, saw beautiful scenery that I had never seen before, and learned how to There were few beautiful folk songs and many delicious food. Although a long time has passed, I still often reflect on those beautiful memories. The pendant given by a friend in Xinjiang is still hanging on my wrist. Those beautiful place names still remain in my mind, including Tiemenguan, Kuqa, Hotan, Bosten Lake, Tarim Desert, Yingmaili, Xinhe County in Aksu...

< p> I still remember that in the evening, I took off from Urumqi Airport and left Xinjiang. Kazakh friends came to see us off, and we gave each other gifts, which made our noses sore. The plane took off, and I looked down from the porthole window. Looking at the lush, vast and mysterious Tianshan Mountains, I couldn't help but shed tears. I arrived at Jinan Yaoqiang Airport late at night, and it was already early morning when I got home. However, I typed out a synopsis of a novel next to my computer without hesitation, roughly titled "Guests from Tarim." Unfortunately, due to many delays, I was unable to finish writing this novel, but the Xinjiang complex has been deeply planted in my heart. I was teaching at Shandong Normal University, and it happened that Shandong Normal University and Kashgar University were supporting institutions. I wanted to work as a teacher in Kashgar for two years. Unfortunately, my child was still young at that time. I sang, ate meat, and visited the beautiful scenery in the frontier, while my wife took care of the children at home. She firmly disagreed with this kind of life. Although I couldn't go to teach, I felt particularly cordial when I met friends from Xinjiang. I later became good friends with researcher Liu Daxian from the Institute of Ethnic Literature of the Academy of Social Sciences. We talked all night about our feelings in Xinjiang, and we both felt fascinated.

In 2019, I have been transferred to Soochow University and participated in the Xinjiang style collection activities organized by the Jiangsu Writers Association. I walked from Urumqi and visited Yining, Shihezi, Bayinbuluke Grassland and other places in northern Xinjiang. Once again Feel the infinite charm of beautiful Xinjiang. The honest and kind ethnic minority elders, the enthusiastic tour guide girl, the touching legends and desolate songs of the Xibo people, the Jiangsu middle school teachers who selflessly dedicated themselves to aiding Xinjiang, and the grassroots cadres in Xinjiang who made praises and tears all made me deeply moved again. . We held joint discussions with Xinjiang writers and got to know a large number of outstanding writers who I admire, such as Liu Liangcheng and Li Juan. I was also invited by Professor Wang Min to give an academic lecture at Xinjiang University, where I learned about the intangible cultural heritage research of Xinjiang University. achievements. Professor Wang Min also said to me, if you like Xinjiang so much, don’t just keep talking about it. You can come to Xinjiang University to work for a period of time, not only to find some materials, but also to teach and educate people, and make some contributions to Xinjiang. I also believed that it was true, and I agreed that after my son was admitted to college, he would go to Xinjiang. Unexpectedly, my son was admitted to college last year and I had less worries. However, the severe epidemic has put my plans on hold again.

Before I went to Xinjiang, the idea of ??writing a novel became more and more imminent. My personality is somewhat "wild" and I don't like to be restrained. I was violent and impulsive when I was young, and now I am a greasy middle-aged male teacher, but frankness, straightforwardness, enthusiasm, mystery and romance still have a "fatal attraction" to me. When I was studying in college, I loved singing the song "Night on the Prairie" the most, and had performed on stage many times. In the past few years, I have been teaching in Suzhou and have been infiltrated by Wu Nong’s soft words, but I still have not forgotten the Xinjiang dream. "Yellow Sheep Under the Moonlight" takes Xinjiang as the background of the story, but it explores emotional issues in contemporary society. The young couple from Shanghai came to Xinjiang to travel and relax, and they were also looking for a spiritual home and rediscovering their true hearts. Their emotions were influenced by the social atmosphere, and also formed a certain kind of "intertextuality" with the emotional dilemma of the explorer Lao Wei. It was the appearance of "Yellow Sheep" that unexpectedly solved the knot in their hearts. The yellow sheep is beautiful, it symbolizes the beauty and tolerance in this world, and it also means spiritual self-salvation. The mysterious and romantic Xinjiang has become a reference for me to reflect on current urban life. I do not want to turn it into a "utopia", but I want to use it to explore a certain emotional idealistic state.

In our daily lives, we are increasingly constrained by various interest entanglements and emotional dilemmas. We are accustomed to being "people who eat melons", accustomed to watching the "fatal tears" caused by divorce and breakup, and mocking the emotional breakdown of celebrities or ordinary people. The ugliness of human nature is exposed at times, and the free and upright mind, the persistence of beauty, the cherishment and pity of love, the sincerity and honesty of emotions may be the spirit that our current society lacks.

Charming yellow sheep, beautiful Xinjiang, I will write a few more stories about them. I also look forward to going to Xinjiang again soon to relive those beautiful and warm memories.

About the author

Fang Wei, doctor of literature, professor, doctoral supervisor, member of China Writers Association. There are seven academic works including "The Biography of Wang Xiaobo", novels "The Age of Heroes" and "Scarlet Mozart", and a collection of short and medium stories "The Tongue Hunter". He has won the Mao Dun Literary Newcomer Award, the Hundred Flowers Literary Award, the Purple Mountain Literary Award, etc., and now teaches at the School of Liberal Arts of Soochow University.

Yellow Sheep under the Moonlight

(Excerpt)

Fang Wei

That was a few years ago. An Yun and I were connecting flights in Urumqi and encountered air traffic control. After waiting for a long time, we successfully boarded the plane and flew for a few more hours before arriving in Korla. Lao Wei was already leaning on the Beijing off-road jeep, waiting impatiently. Xinjiang is so big that it takes so long to fly. An Yun and I were at the airport gate, taking random photos and posting them on WeChat Moments. Lao Wei raised his beard and said that mainlanders are used to being crowded in high-rise buildings, so they are stupid when they go to a place where they can "have fun".

We are not familiar with Lao Wei. He is a good friend of my classmate, and this was the first time we met. My classmates asked Lao Wei to take care of us. He happens to be fine these days and is accompanying us around southern Xinjiang. Lao Wei is a cadre of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles. His father is Kazakh and his mother is Han. He is a bit fierce, in his early fifties, strong, with a thick short mustache and likes to smoke a boxwood pipe. Lao Wei studied photography, is also a director, and is also an explorer. He just shot a documentary for his unit, and his boss asked him to take a vacation at home.

I feel uncomfortable when I am idle. I must have been a wild ass in my previous life, and I could only survive by running. Lao Wei scratched his short hair and said mockingly.

We laughed. I don’t know why, when I came to Xinjiang, my heart felt relieved, and my voice became louder, louder and more energetic. An Yun dressed casually, wearing a gauze scarf, Louis Vuitton sunglasses and sunscreen. At this moment, she didn't care about the poisonous sun, climbed into Lao Wei's jeep, opened the roof, and urged to get on the road quickly. When she got into the car, she accidentally rubbed the bumper. Lao Wei's Jeep was well maintained and smooth. After many modifications, it was a bit arrogant. Old Wei hurried over, played with it for a long time, gently touched the paint, and said distressedly, the car is my wife's. She relies on it to travel through the desert, go up to the Tianshan Mountains, and spend long nights. An Yun quickly apologized, but Lao Wei didn't get angry. He just stared at An Yun for a while and whispered to me, your girl is really pretty. I rolled my eyes at him, indicating that I was already numb to such compliments.

Before coming to southern Xinjiang, we made a "strategy". Bosten Lake, Luobu Village, and Korla Iron Gate are all must-go places. Aksu’s Yingmaili, Kuqa, and Tarim Township are all recommended by Lao Wei. An Jun wants to go to Xiaohe Cemetery No. 5, where there is the mysterious "Princess Loulan". Lao Wei also participated in the excavation of Xiaohe Cemetery. Lao Wei kowtowed the ashes of his cigarette, put away his pipe, started the jeep, shook his head and said, "That's the desert, it's not a joke." Besides, it is now under the control of the military district. In order to prevent tourists from disturbing it, the creek has been listed as a military controlled area. An Yun pursed her lips unconvinced and said, how could you go? Lao Wei said with a bulging stomach, who am I? I am the most qualified adventure tour guide in China! Does Yu Chunshun know? That's my friend!

I feel more and more that there are many mysterious places in Lao Wei.

Lao Wei drives a car, just like his people, wild and tough, with terrifying speed. He is versatile and can speak Chinese, Uyghur, Kazakh, Mongolian and other languages. He can sing folk songs well and has many stories in his stomach. He told us stories and sang songs on the way, which was quite lively. An Yun was very curious about him and asked him this and that.

I asked, Lao Wei, what kind of film did you shoot for your company?

Lao Wei said that it didn’t matter, it would be done in a few days, and he mainly took pictures of what he wanted to take.

An Yun said, what were you filming?

Old Wei threw over a stack of photos.

They are all swans, black swans, with fiery red beaks and shiny black feathers. Some sing with their necks crossed, and some forage alone. The background is the spring Tianshan Mountains with melting snow.

Black swans are native to Australia and are not common in Tianshan. I have suffered a lot to fall in love with them. Old Wei murmured to himself.

An Yun exclaimed, it’s so beautiful! Everything is a gift from nature.

An Yun is very pretentious, and has the green tea temperament of a white-collar worker. Somehow, I am really tired of her artificiality and exaggeration. But I have to admit that Lao Wei is a charming old guy.

An Yun seemed to be more interested in Lao Wei and asked a lot of idiot questions. Lao Wei glanced at me and chatted with her. I simply shut up. The more they chatted, the more they became interested. Lao Wei's speech became faster and faster, almost eloquent.

Lao Wei said that he took a lot of photos and a half-hour documentary. He stayed in a tent in Tianshan for more than two months. The wind was biting at night, and it was difficult to fall asleep even while lying in a sleeping bag. The sunshine was fine during the day, but the mountain wind was so strong that my hands and face were chapped. Lao Wei also said that black swans are particularly romantic when courting. They will cross their necks and sing, and they will also touch their beaks and lean their heads together, forming a heart shape when the swans' two beaks touch each other. His eyes filled with tears...

Madam-in-law, you don’t care about me? You don't need to take care of the children? I asked him abruptly.

Lao Wei stopped abruptly, his face turned red from holding back, and after a long while he said, "We have no children. We just divorced last spring."

Lao Wei was like a balloon punctured by a needle. His energy and energy were all gone. He did not speak and just drove alone. An Yun cast a resentful look, complaining that I ruined the atmosphere. I was angry because I was my "real boyfriend", but she was better off. I had known a man for less than two or three hours and had become frighteningly familiar with him. Seeing Lao Wei's deflated appearance, I couldn't kill him any more, so I stopped here.

The roads in Xinjiang are too long and the place is so empty that you can drive for a long time without encountering a single person or car. Lao Wei's car was driving very fast, but it was not driving smoothly. The desert road is beside the Peacock River. On both sides of the desert are Elaeagnus trees, Populus euphratica, the majestic Tianshan Mountains, and the yellow Tarim Desert. They retreat silently and quickly, and they can't even wave goodbye. At nine o'clock in the evening, the sky was still bright, and large fire clouds were lingering on the horizon, making our tired faces red.

Old Wei sang in a low voice, in a minority language, and the tune sounded familiar. His voice is not loud, hoarse and rich, with a hint of crying, and the melody is very beautiful. The singing accompanied us all the way west, towards the planned resting place. I didn't interrupt him and listened quietly. An Yun poked my waist and whispered, "A Rose", a Kazakh folk song.

Lao Wei tilted his head and said thoughtfully, when I was young, I wanted to be "Aken" and be the limelight in concerts, singing, dancing, drinking, eating meat, and Beautiful girl.

He sang again in Chinese:

That day I was hunting and riding a horse in the mountains. Just as you were singing at the foot of the mountain, as graceful as the clouds, your singing made me lose my way. I came from the hillside. Get off, alas, your singing voice is as graceful as clouds...

Two

In the next few days, everyone had a good time, and the little unhappiness disappeared. Lao Wei is a carefree man, but he also takes care of others. He took us on a boat ride on Bosten Lake, ate at a nearby ethnic tavern, and specially bought authentic "five-way black" fish. The clear water in the lake makes the fish soup delicious. The tavern has a small facade, and the smell of beef and mutton wafts from the backyard. Several words are written on the door lintel. The tables and benches are greasy and crooked, like drunken drinkers.

There are many customers in the tavern, both Han and ethnic minorities. Lao Wei and I drank a lot of Yili Tequ and vomited violently when we went out. After vomiting, we drank again. The boss, who is in his forties or fifties and is familiar with him, specially brought us large mutton skewers, lamb chops and pilaf. Xinjiang mutton is tender, soft and not sour. It is called "big mutton skewers" because the skewers are simply too big. One skewer can be as big as five or six skewers in Shanghai. It is sizzling with oil and makes people salivate. I ate one bunch after another, my mouth was smooth, and I ordered a big plate of lamb chops. The pilaf is also great, the mutton and rice are mixed with a rich aroma, and the combination of raisins, carrots and onions is refreshing and greasy, making it refreshing and pleasing to the eye. It's just "sheep lung", I'm not used to it. It is said that the sheep lungs are washed, the dough is washed with water to remove the gluten, and the dough is made into a paste with oil and salt, poured into the lungs, the trachea is tied tightly, and boiled in water. I took a bite, and the meaty aroma hit my throat, which was a bit unbearable.

Drink! Young masters from the south need to go to Xinjiang to cultivate themselves and become manly. Lao Wei smiled mischievously.

I’m not scared either. Although I am an IT man and grew up in Suzhou, my parents are both from Shandong and alcoholism is hereditary. I still don’t believe that a young man in his twenties would be afraid of old men. After a few drinks, the problem came. Lao Wei was not drinking, he was simply "pouring wine" into his mouth, urgently and quickly, as if it was just a few cold drinks.

I vomited twice and had no choice but to give up.

I lay down on the table to rest. An Yun and Lao Wei were having a fistfight. She was too drunk, but Lao Wei still had more to say. He pulled the boss over and everyone continued drinking. Lao Wei drank and sang, which aroused the emotion of the boss. The two old men, both Kazakhs, started singing duet. When the proprietress heard the singing, she came running from the kitchen and started singing and dancing to add to the fun. Soon, An Yun and I were attracted by the joyful atmosphere and joined in. The boss simply lit a bonfire in the backyard, and many drinkers came out to drink, dance and sing under the sunset.

The tavern becomes a sea of ??joy. Some of them sang "Mayila" and some sang "Alam Khan". The clerk in the store took out many musical instruments, including Rewafu, Tambula, Nagala drum, and Dutar. I didn't recognize these things, but Lao Wei told me about them. They must have experienced the scene of the guys singing, dancing and having dinner many times. The landlady is quite old. She has a thick waist and has indescribable confidence and vitality.

This is almost unimaginable in Shanghai. Everyone is holding it and pretending to be highly civilized people. An Jun's face was smeared with grease and her clothes were dirty. She held the hand of a little boy and danced vigorously without caring. In Shanghai, she maintains an elegant posture wherever she goes. She wears a mask in crowded places. She also does the same with financial customers. Although she has a cheerful face, if someone is next to her, she politely says in English, "Please stay social." distance.

When they were drunk and blinded, a few sneaky teenagers sneaked away. They must not have paid the bill, and they ran in a panic and stumbled. I told the boss, and the boss smiled and said, if you know these guys, don't say anything that will spoil your fun.

In ancient times, all the sages were lonely, only the drinkers left their names! Lao Wei suddenly recited two lines of poetry.

Don’t turn around, Lao Wei, do you miss Ayixian? The boss belched wine and said with a drunken look, "coward!"

I supported Lao Wei. He took out two objects from his arms, threw them into my hands, and said, brother, good friend! A gift for you and your girlfriend.

I looked carefully in the light of the fire and saw that it was a yellow-brown object, which was really beautiful.

Old Wei shook his head and said, the wild wolf I shot was on the Tianshan Mountains. The wolf meat was eaten by the owner of the tavern. The wolf skin was given to the leader, leaving some scraps. The kneecaps of the wolf's hind legs are called "wolf's shoulder stones". This pair of "wolf's shoulder stones" is given to you.

What is it used for? I asked.

As for warding off evil spirits, Lao Wei couldn't hold it any longer, and murmured, let your legs and feet be strong and you can cross thousands of mountains and rivers...

I quickly thanked you, and my heart felt warm. , this rough man is also a man who values ??friendship.

What’s more, Lao Wei leaned close to my ear and whispered that he can only share it with his beloved. It symbolizes eternal love. A wolf only has two pieces of "wolf" that will never leave. "Bear stone".

Old Wei muttered, fell heavily to the ground, and started snoring. I held on, and the boss and I moved him into the tavern, where we had a feast of singing and dancing, and then slowly dispersed. I asked the boss, who is Ayixian?

The boss was very tongue-tied and just said, Lao Wei is a crazy person! Women love him, but they can't stand him.

If I were a woman, I wouldn’t be able to bear it if my husband hid in Tianshan for several months, photographing swans, drinking, sleeping in tents, and not coming home.

Who is Ayixian? I didn’t give up and continued to ask.

The boss spit out a series of white wine bubbles, closed his eyelids heavily, and stopped talking to me.

I gave the other "Langbi Stone" to An Yun, and then I discovered that a small hole was drilled in the center of the bone, and a thin red rope was tied around it, which hung just right around the neck. "Langbi Stone" is yellow-brown. I think it is often played with, and it has a smooth feeling of "patina".

An Yun took the "Langbi Stone" and didn't hang it up. She just held it in her hand and turned it around slowly. She said drunkenly, "You can't regret giving it to me. If you have a new love in the future, you can be with me again." If you want, that's not possible. Once it's in my account, it's my property. Whether it's investment, collection, or financial management, I have the final say.

I smiled bitterly and said, whatever you want, it all depends on your decision.

Three

We are going to Aksu. Spring is almost over and summer is coming. Xinjiang is the most beautiful at this time. I was tired from driving, so I stopped to rest for a while. A line of urine leaked from the side of the road, watering the surface of the shallow turf. We screamed, cursed, and became friends with the twisting and tenacious Populus euphratica. Occasionally, the red fox passing by in the distance looked at us blankly, as if we were weird beasts.

Blue sky, white clouds, green grass, a lonely and vast world, no need to think about those troublesome things.

After graduating from Xi'an Jiaotong University, I went to a mobile game company in Shanghai and worked hard for six years. Staying up late and working overtime was the norm. My salary increased by several digits, but the housing prices soared at an even more alarming rate, and my body fat followed. "Multiple and prosperous", gaining more than twenty kilograms. An Yun works in a financial institution, engages in venture capital, and makes about the same amount of money as me. She has a pretty face and a slender figure. She is a girlfriend who is very respectable when going out to eat. She dieted deliberately, went to the gym every week, and learned Pilates and modern dance. A private lesson costs more than 400 yuan, which is 40,000 to 50,000 yuan a year. I didn't let her go, but I couldn't bear her acting coquettishly. She doesn't eat in the canteen at work and always orders high-end takeout. For high-end cosmetics and brand-name bags, if you don’t have the money to buy more, you have to have a few to decorate your appearance. Clothes also need brand-name products, and A-grade products are impossible. Those female colleagues were all very sharp-eyed, and they laughed at them for not being well-dressed.

Miscellaneous, she has no money left from her salary and wants me to repay a lot. I simply gave her most of my savings and asked her to save them. As a result, she bought more than before. Especially during "hand-cutting festivals" such as "Double Eleven", it gave me nightmares.

We were wandering like this, and in the blink of an eye, we reached thirty, and then we realized that we had not bought a house earlier because we were so cool, but now we were getting married, and we regretted it. An Yun didn't want to get married. She said that the current situation was very good and neither of them was tired. She leaned against me, patted my growing belly, and said, I don’t want you to work too hard.

She refused to see my parents. My mother was a little worried and said, "What's the difference between you and getting married?" Spend all your money on her, and there is no marriage constraint, so be careful to use her as a "spare tire." A sexy girl like An Yun, with a slim waist, big breasts and long legs, attracts attention wherever she goes. She had a supervisor who said he was taking her to invest, and her ambiguous tone on the phone could sour lemon juice. She often gets into trouble at the gym. She is often approached by handsome or wealthy men, talking about "fitness memes" such as body shaping vest lines and mermaid lines, or other lofty matters such as investment and financial management, financing and listing. Some men also gave her gifts, and she even had dinner with them, but she almost "suffered a loss". It’s not that I’m stingy, no one can stand seeing his girlfriend having an affair with another man. I say, don't "smile" at men and let others misunderstand you. An Yun said aggrievedly that there was no "discharge", they just coveted my beauty.

We have had such quarrels too many times. We are very tired and have thought about breaking up. However, after five or six years of love, we have to break up as soon as we can, and we are a little reluctant to let go. This trip to Xinjiang may also be each other's final test.

Aksu was called "Shimo Kingdom" in the Western Han Dynasty, also known as "Water White City", and is now the headquarters of the Corps. Close to the city, there were many small vendors on both sides of the road. Lao Wei stopped the car and bought small white apricots, fragrant pears and cantaloupe. Xinjiang has long sunshine hours and the fruits are particularly sweet. We ate a lot during this time. Entering Aksu, the clean streets and green plants make people feel comfortable. After taking a short rest, we rushed to Xinhe County and Kuqa County in Aksu Region. The streets of Xinhe County were very lively. I bought a dark red blanket woven from wool for my mother, and An Yun bought a Uyghur women's satchel. Some of the vendors, some of whom were not proficient in Chinese, talked to us while gesticulating. The items were so cheap that I was embarrassed to bargain.

We bought it with "enthusiasm", but soon we couldn't carry it anymore, so we threw it in the jeep and went back to Korla to find a way to check it in.

Near noon, after eating some rice sausage and grilled naan, we started heading towards Kuqa. The grilled naan is salty and fragrant, and smells like milk. We set out on the road, only to realize that we didn’t bring much water. Since Lao Wei had been hungover that day, he had become tired and in a low mood. I guessed that something sad might have been touched upon again, and it was hard to ask.

Everyone returned to silence. After walking for a while, I got really bored and started talking about "Kucha". I am not an expert in literature and history. All my knowledge in this area comes from Baidu. But when I knew that Kuqa was the legendary ancient country of "Qiuci", I felt refreshed. Kuqa is the birthplace of ancient music and dance in the Western Regions. It also has the famous Kuqa Mosque. According to legend, Xuanzang of Tang Dynasty also passed by this place during his journey to the west. After running for a long time, I was a little tired, telling stories and taking a nap. An Yun was still in high spirits.

Kuqa’s Western style is even stronger. An Jun bought a dozen "Tuhaqi Sufu", which means "round soap" in Uyghur. This is a bulging piece of soap, about the size of a fist, and exudes a bit of a foul smell. Lao Wei told me that it is made of sheep tail oil, which does not hurt my hands when washing clothes and is good for nourishing the skin. But this thing takes up too much space, and Lao Wei's car can't fit in it. I can't help but advise An Yun to buy less. She said, it has to be checked in anyway. I want to give it to my best friend, and the fitness coach can't forget it. I still wanted to persuade him, but An Yun was a little unhappy, so I could only swallow my words back.

That's what An Yun is like. What she wants to do cannot be done even by horses and cows.

We walked around the Kuqa Bazaar, and a few hours passed in the blink of an eye. An Jun focused on Yingji Shadao again. The knife is beautifully made, delicate and cute. It will definitely be very comfortable to use it to cut beef and mutton when eating. But this thing can't be put on the plane, and it's very troublesome to handle the mailing business. An Yun wanted to buy ten more, saying she would give one to each of her male girlfriends and colleagues in her company, as well as her perverted boss. The old man selling things was very happy and took the initiative to lower the price when he saw big business coming to his door.

I thought about it and said, don’t buy it, it’s not easy to take with you.

An Yun stopped and looked at me angrily, her eyebrows trembling. This is the prelude to her anger. She said that she had already negotiated the price with the old man, so how could she not buy it? If you think of a way, you can always transport it back.

I said, what does a girl do with so many knives? Don't look for trouble.

An Yun's face turned from green to white, and she said angrily, "I'll buy it with my own money!" Don’t you just dislike my love for shopping? Say what you have to say, don't speak with a knife.

The quarrel came out of the blue. These days, our pleasant trip to Xinjiang has made us seem to have forgotten our differences and become a loving couple again. However, life is so insidious, and it always shows its fangs inadvertently. We argued all the way, but we still bought the knives. Later, it was proved that I was right. The knives were indeed difficult to mail, so in the end they had to be given to Lao Wei.

Lao Wei did not dissuade us and looked at us with interest. After we finished arguing, he took us back silently.

An Yun got nervous again and insisted on going to Kizil Thousand Buddha Cave. We originally planned to go there the next day and take a trip to Wensu Tianshan Tomur Peak. An Yun's whim made me even more dissatisfied. I said, it's almost afternoon and it's already dark when we arrive. Are we sleeping outside? An Yun showed no sign of weakness and said that the sky is like a dome and the earth is home, only then can one experience the mystery and romance of nature. I said, I'm very tired, and it's dangerous to say anything else. An Yun snorted coldly and said, you urban IT men are all home-bound animals, and the fat on your belly has caught up with that of pregnant women. Look at Lao Wei, he is a strong and pure man!

Lao Wei quickly waved his hand and said, if the young couple is quarreling, don’t take me along.

Don’t be ridiculous, who is his wife? An Yun was so angry that she patted the car and asked Lao Wei to stop, saying that he wanted to pee.

When Lao Wei stopped the car, An Yun climbed out angrily, hid in the grass behind the car, and peed. Lao Wei and I went to a place farther away. He gave me a pipe, but I couldn't smoke it, and stuffed me with a snow lotus cigarette. I usually don't smoke, but for some reason, at that moment, the circles under my eyes were a little red. I grabbed the cigarette without hesitation, lit it, and took a big puff.

Men cannot live without women, Old Wei said leisurely, but when they are together, they will get bored with each other.

Lao Wei took out a small silver-rimmed flask from his arms and took a sip. I wanted to remind him that you should not drink while driving, and you should not drive after drinking, but I still refrained from saying anything. Lao Wei slowly told the story between him and "Ayixian".

Lao Wei and his wife have been married for many years. At first, they both went crazy and did not want children. When they were in their thirties, they wanted to have children, but found that they could not get them. Lao Wei's wife is an ethnic minority dancer, five years younger than him, and she maintains a pretty good figure. Lao Wei has a wild ass temperament and likes adventure. He spends most of the year away from home, or he sleeps in his workplace, drinking and singing with a group of friends.

My wife is having an affair with a man in his thirties from his workplace. Lao Wei had feelings for his wife. He felt aggrieved and wanted to kill the man with a knife. Later, he thought that he was not right either, but he was not sure about divorce until he met Ayixian.

Ayixian is a primary school music teacher in Bazhou. They met at a party. Lao Wei is a good singer. He said that if he hadn't gone to college, he would have become "Aken". Ayixian is also good at singing and dancing. The two sang duets one after another, from "Kashgar Girl" to "Grassland Night", from "Mayila" to "The Girl from Dabancheng", and the entire set was The atmosphere of the party reached its climax, and even a fool could see the "100,000-volt high-voltage electricity" bursting out from the eyes of these two people.

My heart was melted by her singing. Lao Wei squinted his eyes and murmured that she was a fairy.

Did you sleep together? I asked.

Old Wei blushed for a rare moment. That's "what happens when conditions are ripe." Ayixian is married and has a four-year-old boy. After she returned, she divorced without hesitation and even pursued Lao Wei at his workplace. Lao Wei admitted that he had had romantic encounters over the years, but this time he was really attracted to her. Just as his wife was getting divorced, he really considered getting married to Ayixian.

Why don’t you act? I asked next.

My wife and I have been together for twenty years after all. In twenty years, even two stones leaning against each other have become extremely smooth. Lao Wei sighed.

Are there no other reasons? I don't quite believe it.

Of course, I don’t want to be controlled anymore. Lao Wei simply said, I am getting old soon. I don’t want to be trapped at home with my wife and children. I just want to die in the beautiful Tianshan Mountains. I want to take the most beautiful photos. , pictures of Tianshan, let the world remember Tianshan and me.

This is a bit cruel to Ayixian. She gave up everything for love. I guessed that the pair of "Wolf-Beard Stones" must have been given to Ayixian, but for some unknown reason, they were given to me and An Yun. Lao Wei also said that he accompanied us to travel to southern Xinjiang to hide from Ayixian. She is going crazy now and wants to find him. He was very conflicted about the issue of remarriage.

After An Yun finished peeing, she saw that we were chatting happily and took a nap in the car. Lao Wei sang:

People call me Mayila/poet Mayila/white teeth and good voice/singer Mayila/sing a song when you are happy/play Tambula, Tambula / People come and go crowding under my roof.

In the distance, several yellow-brown figures quickly ran and disappeared in the grass, revealing a few lightning-like traces.

I stood up suddenly and wanted to hit me with a stone, but Lao Wei stopped me. Lao Wei said that it was a Tarim hare, which is called "flame" in Kazakh language. When people see it in the wild, they will get rid of bad luck and usher in new life.

What a good thing? We broke up after returning from Xinjiang. I was a little depressed. I also told Lao Wei about An Yun and me.

There is still room for redemption, "Langbi Stone", she didn't return it to you. Old Wei blinked and said.

…

For the full text, please see "Contemporary" Issue 1, 2022