Chapter One: Echoes of Laughter
It was a golden summer afternoon. The sky was blue and clear, a gentle breeze was blowing, and the sunlight filtered through the tree branches, laying a golden sheet over the ground.
In an old village field, four little children — around ten or eleven years old — were completely lost in fun. Their friendship was strong and beautiful. Among them were Feng, Ling Fei, Dodo, and the most mischievous of all, the very cute Shi Lang.
They were playing ball. Their faces bloomed with laughter, eyes sparkled, and their hearts were free of worries. Unbothered by the world, they were immersed in their game.
They played 'Boli Ball' — throwing the ball loudly at each other, laughing, falling, getting up — as if all the joy in life was contained in that very field.
Shi Lang was the naughtiest of them all — quick, agile, and just a bit of a troublemaker. Suddenly, he gave the ball a strong kick — it soared through the air… and landed straight in a neighbor's yard.
For a moment, everything went silent.
Then— the door slammed open.
A furious neighbor stormed out. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his face was red with anger.
"How many times have I told you not to play here?!" he shouted.
The children looked at each other — and without wasting a second, they ran.
The sound of their little feet echoed through the narrow village lanes. The neighbor chased after them, but the children were like the wind — fast, laughing, running — impossible to catch.
They were like a storm in the village.
Every street and corner held stories of their mischiefs.
Breaking someone's window, throwing stones into a well — their pranks were many, but their intentions were innocent.
The villagers would often get annoyed, but then smile and say,
"These are the heart of our village... even their mischiefs are sweet."