Colorful years

Houhou watched from the sidelines, occasionally joining in, but he mostly played with the slingshot.

The game of "hitting the bat" requires two wooden sticks, one long and one short. First, raise the short stick, with one end on the ground and the other end pointing upwards. Then, the long stick hits the short stick, making it fly up. Next, swing the long stick to forcefully knock the short stick out of the air. The farther the short stick flies, the better the score.

Houhou was a strong boy. He gripped the long stick tightly and stared intently at the short stick, as if he wanted to gather all his strength into this moment.

When he struck the short stick hard, it flew out like an arrow, soaring high into the air.

Whenever this happened, he would burst into triumphant laughter, a laugh as bright as the summer sun.

He waved the wooden stick in his hand and said excitedly, "Haha, look, I hit it high and far!" His face was full of confidence and satisfaction, as if the whole world was cheering for him.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Gui Gui and San San exclaimed, their eyes filled with envy and admiration.

"Hmph, what's so great about that? I can do it too!" Congcong said defiantly. He snatched the long stick from Houhou's hand and gripped it tightly. He took a deep breath, swung it forcefully, and the short stick flew high into the air.

"Haha, see that?" Congcong looked at Houhou smugly, a proud smile playing on his lips. However, although he was quite strong, he was still a bit weaker than Houhou.

Because he wasn't strong enough, the short stick he knocked away didn't fly as far as Houhou's, and the smile on his face immediately disappeared.

"Sigh, why won't this short stick obey my commands?"

A hint of disappointment flashed in Congcong's eyes, but he quickly adjusted his emotions, knowing that he still had room for improvement.

"Hehe, you'll have to watch me!" Houhou laughed as he took the long stick from Congcong's hand, ready to continue showing off his skills. But Congcong didn't give him the chance to show off, saying, "I'll definitely beat you next time!" and then switched to other games.

……

On this beautiful, sunny day with clear skies, four innocent, lively, and adorable children, like four wild horses let loose, ran freely across the vast fields, playing and frolicking without a care in the world.

Their laughter was as bright and dazzling as flowers blooming in spring, and like a string of clear and melodious silver bells, swaying gently in the breeze, echoing continuously in the peaceful and serene village.

The laughter was like heavenly music, bringing boundless vitality to the entire village.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the children's joyful laughter. As the seconds passed, the sun, like a passionate and unrestrained dancer, gradually rose higher and finally hung steadily in the center of the azure sky.

The sun began to blaze, mercilessly showering its light and heat upon the earth, relentlessly baking this fertile land.

However, the children were not affected by the sweltering heat at all and remained immersed in the endless joy brought by the game.

They were seen chasing and playing with each other, sometimes stopping to observe the butterflies fluttering in the fields; sometimes searching for well-hidden insects in the grass, and sometimes lying on the soft grass gazing up at the white clouds in the sky...

At this moment, San San, who was a little younger, suddenly smiled and suggested to Cong Cong beside him with great joy and anticipation: "Brother Cong Cong, it's so hot, why don't we go to the river to play in the water? Maybe we can catch a few small fish!"

Upon hearing this, Congcong was slightly taken aback, then nodded excitedly and replied, "Great idea! Let's go together!" As he spoke, his eyes sparkled with joy, as if he could already see the cool river water and the little fish swimming in it.

And so, the four friends, hand in hand, chatted and laughed, and walked happily toward the shimmering river not far away.

Along the way, the path beneath their feet was lined with colorful wildflowers, and a gentle breeze carried their fragrance, making them feel refreshed and relaxed.

Before long, the children arrived at the riverbank. The river water was so clear and transparent that it resembled a giant mirror, and they could clearly see the colorful sand and stones on the riverbed, as well as the small fish swimming leisurely.

The river flows gently, making a pleasant sound, as if whispering ancient and mysterious stories.

The children couldn't wait to take off their shoes, roll up their trousers, and step into the cool river water.

The coolness of the river water made them feel incredibly comfortable, as if all their fatigue had been washed away.

They enjoyed catching small fish in the river, carefully touching river mussels, and even had a fun water fight.

The water splashed everywhere, sparkling and clear, reflecting their innocent smiles.

"Brother Congcong, look! I caught a little fish!" San San shouted excitedly.

"Haha, I caught one too!" Congcong said, not to be outdone.

Gui Gui and Hou Hou, however, were drawn to the river mussels hidden at the bottom of the water. They were bending over and groping around in the water, their bottoms sticking out.

Every time their fingers touched the hard shell, they would squeal with excitement.

"Look, I caught a really big clam!" Houhou excitedly showed everyone his catch.

"Hmph, what's so great about that? I can do it too!" Gui Gui was a little unconvinced. She immediately bent down again and continued to search for those mysterious river clams.

As time went by, the children were immersed in this happy time, as if they had forgotten all their troubles and worries.

Before we knew it, the sun had begun to set, and the evening glow in the sky was like a burning flame, dyeing the entire horizon a crimson red.

Finally, the four friends reluctantly bid farewell to the beautiful river and went home.

As soon as Congcong arrived home, he smelled an enticing aroma of food wafting from the kitchen.

His stomach immediately rumbled, reminding him that it was time to eat.

So Congcong rushed into the kitchen, quickly grabbed a bowl and chopsticks, and began to wolf down his food.

At this moment, Mom asked with concern, "Congcong, did you have fun today?"