Chapter 145: Chapter 145 - 140: Red Tide Sports Festival

Emily was utterly confused, trying to piece together an image in her mind, but she couldn't figure out what the woman meant by "tug-of-war"."You'll see when the time comes," the woman smiled as she waved her hand, carrying an empty bowl back to the recycling point.Soon it was morning.A hand-drawn schedule of events was nailed at the front, with drawings and crooked lettering reading: "Tug-of-war", "Relay Race", "Stone Throwing Contest", "Wood Relay".Though not glamorous, it exuded a simple vibe of everyday life.Emily originally planned to "take a look and leave," given her identity was not suitable for staying in the crowd for long.But as she walked to the edge of the sports field, her pace slowed.Laughter and shouts filled the air.Children ran joyfully, waving homemade little flags in their hands, weaving in and out among the adults.These warm and lively scenes captivated her.After thinking it over, she decided not to leave but instead found a wooden step on the edge of the square to sit down.At first, Emily was somewhat reserved, worried about being recognized, but she realized quickly that no one noticed her.People's eyes were all on the competition at the center of the field, emotions rising and falling with the wins and losses, like a pot of boiling water bubbling over.Next to her crouched a little boy, holding half a piece of sugar cake, muttering, "In our residents' area, we have Long-Legged Cole, we can definitely win!"When he realized Emily was a guest from outside, he animatedly explained the rules to her.There was also the "Wood Relay," where teams passed bundles of wood back and forth to see which team was the steadiest.These competitions weren't complicated, even somewhat clumsy, but precisely because of this, everyone could join in.Whether farmers or slaves, men, women, young or old, they all gritted their teeth and gave their all to run, pull the rope, and throw stones.No one cared about status, no one cared about origin.All just to let family, neighbors, and friends see their efforts, to cheer them on.The winners would be surrounded and cheered, medals were iron-engraved round badges, prizes included silver coins and bags of food laid out on tables.And those who lost would collapse on the ground, faces full of frustration, but they would be given a small loaf of bread or a candy, along with a pat on the shoulder with a smile.Initially, Emily just sat quietly, with a hint of doubt in her eyes.She watched those farmers, blacksmiths, and fishermen run in the dust, fall, and get up, smiling and helping each other.Their actions were clumsy, and the scene was far from elegant, even carrying a touch of comical clumsiness."What's the point of this?"