88 The Fun Journey to the Grassland

Fine, Huang Jiajia. You wait and see. Smiling shyly at her mother, Qin Guan left.

After several threats by Sister Xue, she and Qin Guan followed the magazine operation car in Sister Xue’s car, headed for the Bashang Grassland.

The Bashang Grassland was located in the Manchu Autonomous County of Fengning, north of the capital. It was the natural grassland closest to the capital, also known as the First Grassland North of Beijing.

The rich, beautiful grassland had plenty of water and lush grass. The seasons there were distinct, and the scenery was different by daylight and by night. It was a photographer's paradise.

The golden autumn had changed the scenery. After several months of frost, the pines, spruces and white birches were ready begin the most splendid period of their lives.

The "Models" magazine had chosen the Willow Valley as its destination. The group got there in the evening. The country home inn they had contacted in advance was ready to receive them.

The villager and his wife had cleaned all the rooms, and their small farmyard was soon filled with lodgers.

Qin Guan found his room.

The guestroom was clean and simple. A small beige table was on the tidy adobe kang [1], which was a unique delight in the wild.

Qin Guan put his luggage on the table and went to check the small bathroom. There was only a personal washbasin and a chamber pot in it. Qin Guan unpacked his luggage and changed into a comfortable pullover before going out. He had to do something about his hungry stomach.

When they sat down around the big table, the couple served them hot traditional dishes.

The accommodation there cost only 50 yuan per day, including a room and three meals. If the guests ordered any more food, they would be charged extra.

Qin Guan was so hungry that, at the director's cue, he immediately buried his face in a large bowl of rice.

The potatoes and ribs were soft and tasty, and the fried egg with spring onion was delicious. The best dish was the fried beef with vegetables though. That dish made them unable to control their chopsticks.

While Qin Guan was busy filling his mouth with food, Ouyang Fen couldn’t bear the sight of it. He had been in a bad mood the whole day. I'm a careful man who looks after himself. I shouldn't have come here with so many tough guys. The shabby, large minibus had jolted so hard on the way there that his bottom was still hurting. He wasn't in the mood to eat.

Before he could complain though, his arch enemy had begun to eat as if there was no one else present.

What bad manners! There's a grain of rice on his face. Why has everyone gone crazy over such simple food? Ouyang Fen was lost in his thoughts amid the sound of chopsticks and plates clanging.

Well, they had to eat, or else Qin Guan would eat everything on the table. His speed had awakened everyone's appetite.

Is it that delicious? Ouyang Fen poked at the fried eggs with his chopsticks, because that was the dish that looked the most attractive to him. Another pair of chopsticks got there before him though and picked up the last piece of fried eggs.

Looking around him blankly, Ouyang Fen realized that the owner of the chopsticks was Qin Guan. It's not about the food, it's about dignity! Ouyang Fen cheered up and started grabbing food like everyone else.

Looking at him happily, his cousin told Sister Xue, "Young men always have a big appetite." Everyone looked serious. If we didn't, we’d starve tonight.

Sister Xue wouldn't have that though. She kicked Qin Guan under the table, warning him, "Slow down. There's a whole roasted lamb coming. Save room in your stomach."

Qin Guan stopped, but regained speed again soon enough. He answered ambiguously, chewing on a mouthful of beef, "I’m still growing. I’ll be hungry again in a bit."

Several grains of rice flew out of his mouth and landed in Ouyang Fen’s bowl. Ouyang Fen wasn't paying any attention though. He was too busy struggling with his ribs. Sister Xue and Qin Guan stared at each other for a second before pretending that nothing had happened.

When all the plates were clean, a bucket of rice had been eaten. The landlady was really pleased and proud of her cooking skills. Her husband looked glad himself as he rolled the lamb above the fire. Lamb dishes were the most common in the grassland because that meat was the best in quality. Oil was dripping into the fire fragrantly.

Intoxicated by the breeze of the early autumn in the grassland, everyone felt inspired. When they smelled the lamb though, they suddenly started shouting.

"I’m too full. I forgοt about the lamb!"

"I beat you! I have some spare place in my stomach. Ha, ha, ha..."

The biggest losers were the Ou brothers. One of them had had very little food because he was on a diet, and the other one had failed to beat Qin Guan at an eating contest.

The couple carried the lamb to the table. It was a crisp, fragrant golden brown roast lamb. The pink-and-white meat was easy to tear off. In a few minutes, the tender meat was torn off the skeleton and placed on their plates.

Silence prevailed as everyone filled their mouths with lamb. It was really late at night, and the mosquitoes in the grassland went out silently to join the feast...

The next morning, everyone was shouting loudly.

"There are so many bumps on my face!"

Nothing could stop the mosquitoes on the grassland. They were stronger and more resolute than their counterparts in urban areas for they had to fight against the strong wind and different kinds of animals for food.

Qin Guan got up from the kang and entered the bathroom in his slippers.

Why is my butt so itchy? He touched his butt unconsciously. F*ck! There were two big bumps on it. One was on the right side, and the other was on the left side. At least they are in a private place.

Qin Guan went out in his riding attire and saw that the other models were in the same outfit as well. The slim riding boots reached as high as their knees, the fitting breeches complimented their long legs, and the white shirt and black belt added elegance to the outfits.

The shooting was about a horsemanship competition on the grassland. The protagonist was an actual contestant, invited by the sponsor of the competition. The six models promoted by the magazine were just going to be in the background.

As they started for the shooting site, Qin Guan noticed that Ouyang Fen’s face had also been marked by mosquitoes. A large red bump was on his right eyelid, and there was light shining from the little slit of his eye. Even the most compassionate assistant couldn't help but laugh.

To Ouyang Fen’s surprise, Qin Guan remained silent. What's wrong with him?

Qin Guan was not in the mood to laugh at others. The bumps on his butt were itchy, and it hurt to sit on the shaking seat.

When they got off the car, everyone was fascinated by the scenery.

It was early autumn in the valley, and there were yellow birches, green spruces, pink bushes and verdant pines everywhere. Red fruit was hanging from Shanding trees. What a beautiful scenery! On the grassland, fleets were just like bright clouds, blooming on the green slope of the mountain and adding an extra brush to the painting-like picture.

The staff of the horsemanship competition were waiting for them as fine horses were chewing on hay leisurely behind the fences. The protagonist was still on his way. The Mongolian staff prepared the horses for the models first.

The director of the competition walked towards them and asked, "Who can ride?" They all looked at each other. Despite his bumpy eye, Ouyang Fen held his hand up. "I can." Another female model held her hand up hesitantly. "A little."

The director waved at the Mongolian young men. "Baiyin and Buhe, come here and help." They loosened the bridle reins and came over. Pointing at the four models on the left, the director said, "Teach them the basic riding skills so they can cope with the photoshoot."