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“My Years with Sports: Enjoying Winter” Location: A certain place in a certain county, city, province on the East China Plain. These days are indeed cold; the temperatures during the day are below zero, and the ice on the river is getting thicker. Rome wasn’t built in a day; one doesn’t dare to have any ambitions when it comes to this ice surface. Looking at it, I think of many, many things. Winter is cold, extremely cold, and one can also sweat profusely. Back then, the snow fell heavily and frequently; on many days it snowed, and upon opening the door in the morning, everything was covered in white snow, with ditches and rivers all leveled off. What to do about going to school? What should I do? I guess I won’t go to school after all. Hehe, what are you thinking? How is it possible not to go to school? Small cotton jackets, large cotton jackets, small cotton pants, large cotton pants – wearing layers upon layers to stay warm. To prevent falling into ditches or wells. The father led the way, and I followed in his footsteps, stepping toward the school one step at a time. This is truly stepping onto a broad path. Of course you end up sweating all over by the time you get to school. Having a snowball fight is a must. Ding ding ding ding ding, class is over, haha. Class is over – time to fight! Clang clang clang clang, snowballs flying around unexpectedly. Chasing, counterattacking, laughing, shouting – one’s clothes, head, and neck are all inevitably hit by the \"snowballs\". It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, or right or wrong; what matters is that experience of pure enjoyment. Ding ding ding ding ding! Class has started; everyone rushed into the classroom in a hurry. Snowflakes and water droplets covered everything – people’s bodies, the floor, and the books. They were breathing heavily and covered in sweat. Those ten minutes of break time back then seemed so long, allowing us to have a lot of fun. Could it be that one didn’t feel cold back then? Now, just picking up a handful of snow, I feel very cold before even being able to form a snowball. Making a snowman is also very good. Use a shovel to scoop up the snow, then beat it hard and again to create a solid base. I always try to make the snowman’s head and belly round; if I add too much, they bulge out, and if I press down hard, they sink in again. The snowman that’s made ends up being uneven and not attractive at all; no matter how much effort is put into smoothing it out, it still doesn’t become even. That’ll do; insert a few broom branches to serve as the snowman’s hands, nose, and eyes. Dusk has fallen; I’ve gone back inside, leaving the snowman in disarray in the wind. The sun came out, and in a few days the snowman will melt. Areas with more soil melt faster, as do those in sunny locations. There’s a pool of water beneath the snowman; he’s extremely dirty and ugly. Found in both Dawan and Xiaowan villages, this is a true winter paradise – the thick ice serves as a natural ice rink. Sizzle, sizzle – it’s so much fun to slide. Of course, there are also those cases of loud thuds and bruises all over the face. The worst part is slipping while lying down, with the back of the head hitting the ice surface; it causes a pounding pain in the head. We didn’t know at that moment whether we had a concussion or not, so we got up and continued playing and sliding. The timid ones play on the side, while the bold ones play in the middle of the bay. It was thrilling to hear the cracking sound of the ice breaking; I took a few cautious steps – everything was fine, so I continued playing. Tie a red scarf around a small stick to make a little whip for hitting the rubber monkey; that rubber monkey is actually just a steel ball placed under a bearing in a vehicle – it has nothing to do with a monkey, and it would be more accurate to call it a top. It’s time to eat; someone at home called out, and hearing the call I hurried home to have dinner. As the New Year approaches, firecrackers become available for sale. Get a chain gun; it looks great when worn around the waist. Add some explosive powder to it, and it will make a noise with each blast. A hole is drilled in the ice and a bomb is placed there; with a crackling sound, ice shards and water splashes everywhere. People think they can fry fish with this, haha, but of course the fish can’t be fried in that way – it only results in the person getting covered in water. Those ideas, those concepts, that vast playground – it’s the natural joy of heaven and earth.