"Why else would you enter the bridal chamber with two big, round steamed buns tucked against your chest?
"Warm, soft, and heavy!
"Oh my, my dear wife, are you feeling hot?
"Why else are you sweating so much, with water all around your waist?
"Damp, sticky, and fragrant!
"I can't see-oh, I'm frantic-
"I can't see-oh, my heart's delighted..."
As he sang, all the men stopped their work and pricked up their ears, listening with relish.
When he finished, some talkative old fellow in the convoy drawled, "You young pup, you haven't even grown all your hair yet. I'll bet you've never even touched a woman's hand! You sing as if it really happened, but if you ask me, you probably couldn't find your way around as well as that blind man!"
At that, everyone in the convoy burst out laughing.
The young singer flushed scarlet and stiffened his neck, swearing at the other young man driving beside him. "Fine, let them laugh, but what are you laughing at? Have you ever seen a woman yourself?"
That made everyone laugh even harder, and even the draft animals seemed infected, letting out several loud snorts.
And so the men shoveled snow to clear the road, cheering themselves along through the monotonous journey and relieving its boredom and fatigue.
There was no telling how many times they swung their shovels or how many jokes they told.
At last, as dusk gradually fell, the blurred outline of Langya Village finally appeared before their weary eyes.
Beneath the night sky, scattered yellow lights glowed dimly in the village, like stars in the darkness. Faint though they were, they brought endless hope and warmth to the convoy that had trudged along all day.
The moment they saw those lights, smiles of relief appeared on every