The disturbance from the big snake kept Wang Zhuo rooted at this end of the Gourd Pond; he didn't return. Partly, it was to guard against other snakes, as Meng Shengnan had mentioned that this area had many rats, hence frequent snake sightings. The other part was that since everyone had already seen each other in their raw state, what was there left to hide?

It turned out Meng Shengnan had just gone to ask the mischievous children for wild eggs. There was a hot spring further away, with water temperatures reaching seventy or eighty degrees Celsius, so the children often brought things like eggs or corn and placed them in small woven baskets, submerging them in the spring to boil. It was the season for pheasants to lay eggs, and children came daily to boil them. Hearing the eggs were for the guests who donated money to build the village school, the children offered up all the wild eggs they had.

The egg whites of the wild eggs were somewhat transparent, and the yolks were a rich gold. Biting into one released a fragrant burst; the undercooked center flowed out slowly like glue, coating the mouth stickily with a forceful suck.

After eating two, Wang Zhuo recalled something his father had once said: eating these soft-centered eggs, cooked seven or eight-tenths done, was supposed to boost yang energy?

This was preposterous... Wang Zhuo couldn't help but offer a wry smile. He was already feeling uncomfortably constrained; eating something that supposedly increased yang vitality—how was he supposed to survive the night!

There were twelve eggs in the clutch. Wang Zhuo dared not eat more after two. Qi Fei and Guan Yingying, however, had no such reservations. They took the two wild eggs Wang Zhuo had pushed over to them in the wooden basin and split them evenly.

Originally four each, now Wang Zhuo had eaten two, leaving them five each. Though not completely full, it was enough to satisfy.

This made Wang Zhuo secretly wonder: if this thing boosts male yang, perhaps it does nothing to women? What if they launched a nighttime assault? What would he do then?!

Thinking of this, he let out a chuckle. Seeing his smile, the two women immediately knew the boy wasn't thinking of anything proper. They exchanged a glance, grabbed the wooden basin, and initiated a water fight against Wang Zhuo.

...

Lunch, as expected, was snake soup, which Wang Zhuo found utterly satisfying.

However, only after finishing did Meng Mingliang casually mention to Wang Zhuo that the Big Cauliflower was the favorite delicacy among the village men because this thing, too, supposedly boosted yang energy.

Yang energy again! Wang Zhuo gloomily downed his camellia tea, unsure if it was psychological or physiological, but he truly felt his two snakes stirring restlessly.

"Wang Zhuo isn't married yet, is he?" Meng Mingliang asked with a smile.

Wang Zhuo hedged, shaking his head repeatedly. Marriage was something he couldn't even contemplate right now.

"It's perfect that you're not married," Meng Mingliang leaned in and glanced at the women chatting in the courtyard, then lowered his voice: "There’s a Xueqin ceremony tonight. Want to go watch the excitement?"

"Xueqin? What in the world is that?" Seeing Village Head Meng being so mysterious, Wang Zhuo also lowered his voice, as if this matter needed to be kept secret from Qi Fei and Guan Yingying?

"Xueqin is..." Meng Mingliang beckoned, and Wang Zhuo quickly leaned closer, offering his ear. He heard Meng Mingliang say: "Xueqin is the ceremony held three days before a young couple’s wedding, where they learn from an older brother and sister-in-law how to make little babies."

"Ah?" Wang Zhuo's eyes widened. The Party Secretary and the Director hadn't mentioned anything like this when he arrived. What a strange local custom!

"By custom, besides the newlyweds, only unmarried men and women invited by the host family can attend. Outsiders wouldn't know about these things," Meng Mingliang explained with a smile. "But you are an honored guest of our Taoyuan Village, so if I put in a word, they will surely welcome you warmly!"

Wang Zhuo’s heart leaped. He’d watched plenty of adult films, but never a live-action performance! Wait, he had seen many while scanning the Red House with his X-ray vision, but he hadn't been in the mood to pay attention then.

Moreover, secretly watching with X-ray vision involved no interaction; the parties involved never knew they were being spied upon. Tonight's event was instructional, possibly involving some interaction—completely different!

Seeing Wang Zhuo nod, Meng Mingliang chuckled, "Then it's settled. I'll go talk to his family shortly. Oh, you can't go empty-handed; remember to bring a gift."

In the afternoon, they toured Sunshine Primary School, also a structure of stone bricks and tiles. The desks and chairs were made of pure, natural wood, hand-crafted, and coated with a layer of clear lacquer. The glass blackboard had been painstakingly transported, and not a single piece of glass had broken en route, showing the villagers' sweat and dedication.

The school’s only teacher was a man from the Northeast named Sun Jinshan, holding a college diploma. He had been rooted in the village for ten years and already had three children. They didn't enforce family planning here; being remote and categorized as a minority group meant children could be born freely.

Sun Jinshan was the same height as Wang Zhuo, his manner and speech possessing a touch of scholarly refinement. Unlike Meng Mingliang and the others, he maintained a faint sense of detachment toward Wang Zhuo and his group.

But no one paid much mind to his attitude, as Wang Zhuo’s thoughts were already consumed by the Xueqin activity that evening. Qi Fei and Guan Yingying were also occasionally whispering something to each other, seemingly holding their own secrets.

As the sun began to dip west, cooking smoke rose across the village. Meng Mingliang’s wife went out to cut some pork, and Qi Fei and Guan Yingying playfully tagged along.

Moments later, a young boy brought back word: the aunties and madams had been invited to a relative's house for a meal, so Uncle Mingliang didn't need to prepare dinner.

The boy had barely left when Meng Mingliang’s eldest son-in-law arrived, inviting his father-in-law and Wang Zhuo over for drinks—a setup Meng Mingliang had arranged during the day to help Wang Zhuo sneak out.

After eating dinner at the son-in-law's house, it was already getting dark. Taoyuan Village had no nightlife; at this hour, people should be heading home to sleep.

But the Xueqin hadn't started yet.

After a while, the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking gradually subsided, signaling the right time. Meng Mingliang took Wang Zhuo, and the two slipped out onto the street without a word.

As if meeting a contact for an underground organization, they wound through several turns to a hutong entrance. Meng Mingliang left Wang Zhuo there to wait while he quietly disappeared.

Before long, three youths, aged between teenagers and young men, seventeen or eighteen, came strolling happily down the street near the hutong entrance. Wang Zhuo, with his good eyesight, spotted their white teeth flashing as they grinned from a distance.

Upon meeting Wang Zhuo, the leading youth, named Meng Zhongmi, explained that the Xueqin tonight involved his second brother, with his elder brother and sister-in-law giving the demonstration. The other two youths were He Yuan and Meng Fengting; Sun Jinshan had named all three when they were seven or eight.

The three were close relatives. Though Wang Zhuo was an outsider, he was a distinguished guest, so the four quickly bonded, laughing and joking their way toward Meng Zhongmi’s house.

Tonight belonged to the younger generation; Old Man Meng and Granny Meng had already gone to visit relatives. After the four entered the courtyard, Meng Zhongmi settled Wang Zhuo and the other two in the east side room before going to the west side room to report.

He returned quickly, chuckling: "Might have to wait a bit longer. The women are arriving soon."

Wang Zhuo had learned the procedure on the way: the observing men arrive first; once they are all present, the women enter. After the instruction is over, the women leave first—a bit like the 'King not meeting King' rule in chess.

The young men speculated about which female guests might arrive. After waiting about twenty minutes, the late-arriving women finally showed up. Meng Zhongmi and the others strained their ears to listen but heard nothing.

Finally, Meng Zhongmi held up his fingers and whispered: "Three."

"One is definitely your eldest sister. Who are the other two?" Meng Fengting blinked rapidly.

Meng Zhongmi shook his head, about to go out, when more voices sounded in the courtyard.

"Another three." The young men exchanged looks; tonight’s audience seemed rather large.

Finally, the female guests were seated. A knocking sound came from the west side room, instantly invigorating Wang Zhuo and the others. They exchanged glances, cleared their throats, adjusted their clothes, and headed toward the west side room.

Good heavens, the room was decorated with red candles, gauze curtains, and flickering lamplight, resembling an ancient bridal chamber. Sitting farthest back on the kang (heated platform) were the couple getting married in a few days—Meng Zhongmi's second brother and his future sister-in-law. In the middle of the kang lay a large quilt, where today's instructor was seated.

The other spots on the kang were reserved for the female guests. By convention, these should be young maidens and married sisters-in-law accompanying them. Wooden partitions were already set up for them, allowing them to see the outside through pre-cut slits and circular holes, though those outside couldn't discern their identities.

Wanzheng and the others, however, did not receive this treatment; they had to sit on stools set up in front of the kang!

As soon as he entered, Wang Zhuo felt ten gazes—one, two, three... eight, nine, ten—fall upon him, including those of six female guests and the two couples who had entered early. Everyone already in the room was staring at him.

Of course they were. As an outsider and a village VIP, he was bound to attract attention everywhere, let alone appearing at this secret Xueqin gathering.

For a moment, Wang Zhuo felt an urge to flee. He had expected to be a quiet observer, but instead, he became the focal point the moment he stepped in. How was he supposed to watch the show like this!

Fortunately, the instructor elder brother quickly noticed his embarrassment. To spare the honored guest any awkwardness, the considerate man immediately launched into the main topic.

But just then, something happened that made everyone want to laugh and cry. The elder brother was already somewhat shy, and with twelve pairs of eyes staring intently at him, when he stammered through the knowledge he needed to impart, he found he couldn't get erect...

The thick gauze curtain obstructed the view. The women behind the wooden partition couldn't see clearly. Seeing Elder Brother Meng delayed in his attempt, some began whispering. Second Brother Meng had attended someone else's Xueqin the previous year, and seeing that his brother's demonstration differed from what he remembered, the diligent student whispered to his brother to inquire about the new techniques.

Wang Zhuo fought back a laugh, his stomach nearly cramping with suppressed mirth. An idea struck him, and he used his ability to see through the wooden board. Sure enough, he spotted Qi Fei and Guan Yingying, now wearing village clothes, both peering intently through the cracks in the board while suppressing their giggles!