Lose oneself,

And then find yourself;

Run away and come back,      

To really understand the meaning of happiness.

Tour

The soft sunshine was warm; the soil was scented with the hay; the sweet potato that just came out of the stove was steaming. I moved a small bamboo chair and sat down in the corner of the yard. This kind of noon, long gone. Since I have been at work, I have rarely relaxed completely. I really felt good for idling the time away.

I've been to Wuzhen many times, but Wu Village is here for the first time. Obviously it was the first time to come, but the familiar one was like returning home. Opening the door, I could see a small yard. There was an unknown tree with winter branches showing minimalist beauty.

Although it was deep winter, it did not have the feeling of cold chill, and there were rich crops everywhere in the field. I had never seen sugarcanes planted in the ground, so tall and straight, like strong men. The big carrots on the ground were ripe, and the farmers were asked to pull the radishes together. They peeled off the skin of carrots by hand and ate them in one bite. It was full of crispness.

Food

At the time of lunch, I saw people walking down to the restaurant. It’s not like the tourists looking at the price menu, but instead enjoying the winter food together in the neighborhood.

Lunch was a Chinese-style buffet. There was no need to pay again. The dishes were rich. I ate my breakfast at 10 o'clock in the morning. After seeing so many delicious dishes, I couldn’t help but fill the plate. The most unforgettable dish was roasted duck, delicious, crispy, oily and not greasy; the large iron pan was stewed with Yanduxian, a lobscouse famous in southern Yangtze area, full of memories; fresh green leafy vegetables are hard to find in the city, and all of them were picked in the fields just this morning, even with the smell of frost and dew.

Leisure

After dinner, I walked back to the residence on the country lane, and chatted with the family who drove from Shanghai to spend the weekend. Such a secluded garden gives busy urbanites a habitat. After returning to the house in the afternoon for a while, the sun sneaked into the bed and I fell asleep without knowing it.

After taking a nap, I walked past the door of the village committee and met an old man. He said hello to me warmly, which made me feel very comfortable, because people in the city are used to brushing past with people in a hurry. There are a lot of old things in the village committee. They are all farming equipment. Although I have seen some, I don’t know what they are used for. They are still very novel, and they are all from the old farmers’ houses, which have traces of time.

Handcraft

When I first arrived in Wu Village, the little girl who picked me up said that the cultural center in the village had a lot of crafts to experience. After I woke up, I got up and went to explore.

The cultural center was very busy and crowded, with men, women and children gathering together. I took a closer look and saw that everyone here had a colorful yarn around their hands. It turned out they were crocheting flowers.

When CCO saw me, she let me sit down together and choose a favorite wool line. Then she taught me to crochet flowers. I have been to many places and have experienced a lot of services. Although some of them are also intimate, there are few family feelings like those in the village.

I had poor hands-on ability, but the little girl patiently taught me. There was no point to give up on me. Finally, though I was clumsy, I had even produced the first small finished product in my life. It was a feeling of happiness in the village committee to enjoy the warmth of the villagers in the afternoon, by chatting, crocheting flowers and laughing.

Tasty

As the sun set, the village slowly became quiet. Because of the restless habit, I picked up the camera and took the tour bus to Wuzhen West Scenic Zone, ready to relive the old dream. Every time I go to Wuzhen West, I must go to the guesthouse to have a good meal. That is my true memory of Wuzhen. Wang Fish and Toufu Soup, Fried River Shrimp and Duck Seasoned with Soy Sauce ... All are the taste of Wuzhen. This time, I came alone, and I didn't order much food, so I ate all of it.

Because it was a weekend, the frequented guesthouse was fully booked. This time I tried a new one. I chose a more secluded riverside guesthouse near the Temple of General Wu. As expected, the food was so delicious and the scenery was good. The difference was that this time the cook was a woman, so the taste was very authentic. Compared to the dishes made by the landlord before, it was more like mom’s cooking.

After dinner, I wrote down the phone number of the woman's house, and then planed to take a walk in the street with my camera under the beautiful nigh. The ginkgo leaves in front of the General Wu Temple almost fell, and occasionally a few pieces were stubbornly whispering in the night. I picked up a few leaves and put them in the handbook that I carried with me. I recorded the night of Wuzhen along the old street. Time was in a hurry, but Wuzhen is as beautiful as ever.

Night

I've been to a lot of old towns, but I prefer Wuzhen. I don't know why. Coming here, I’m very calm and reassuring. On the weekends, the old streets were bustling, but I didn't feel noisy at all. For a few seconds, it seemed to have passed through the bustling streets of ancient towns. It was full of life. I bought a radish cake, which was steaming in the winter night. "Leisure life does not have to experience the wild, higher-level seclusion is in the bustling city." If Wu Village is a haven of peace and happiness in the world, then Wuzhen is the human touch of entering the world.

Late at night, the people on the street gradually dispersed, and the shutter fixed a lot of memories of Wuzhen. Returning to Wu Village, I felt relax after drinking a bowl of warm porridge.

The time of enjoyment is always short, and the third day is to return to the city. I greedily took away many winter memories of Wuzhen and Wu Village. I will return in spring and return home. A good life should be like this.