Miao: Early Spring Barefoot Travelogue

In early spring in Ningbo, the sunlight spills golden all over the ground. The 28-degree temperature is neither cold nor hot, and the air carries a hint of the salty sea breeze and the fresh scent of flowers and grass. Such a day is truly perfect for going barefoot. Teacher Jiang had arranged with me a few days ago, saying he wanted to take advantage of the good weather to give me a thorough outdoor barefoot experience. He even joked, “Miao, don't you always love being barefoot at home? This time, let's go all out—take a walk outdoors, take some photos, I guarantee you'll get hooked!” I agreed with a smile, but inside I was a bit nervous—after all, being barefoot at home is my own little world; outside, with people coming and going, what if someone stares? But thinking back to the embarrassing incident in Qingdao where I froze and had to buy cotton shoes in the middle of the night, I decided to just go for it and give it a try.

At noon, I wore loose black leather pants, with nothing on my feet, and simply tossed my shoes onto the back seat of Teacher Jiang's car. He glanced at me and grinned mischievously, “Miao, you're really daring!” I rolled my eyes, pretending not to care, “It's just being barefoot, no big deal!” But as soon as I stepped onto the road, my heart still raced a bit. The early spring ground was still a little cool, and the texture of the pavement tickled the soles of my feet, but I liked this real sensation. When crossing the street, I deliberately slowed my pace, feeling the bumps of the crosswalk and the granules on the ground. Passersby occasionally glanced at me, but I noticed they were just curious for a moment before going about their own business. Hey, what was I worried about? Seems I was overthinking it.

After crossing the street, Teacher Jiang took me to a park with a large patch of grass nearby, tender and green, making me want to just dive onto it. Without a second thought, I ran over barefoot. The grass was soft, like stepping on a carpet, but with an added moist and fresh scent. The tips of the grass tickled the soles of my feet, and I giggled, simply lying down and rolling around. Teacher Jiang called out from the side, “Miao, don't just play around, strike a pose so I can take a couple of photos!” I lazily got up, sat cross-legged on the grass, soles facing forward, and pretended to stretch casually. Actually, I secretly glanced at my feet—the soles were already a bit dirty, stained with grass bits and mud, looking somewhat black. I'm usually quite clean, so seeing this was a bit surprising: “Whoa! How did my soles get so black?” Teacher Jiang laughed heartily, “This is just the beginning, there's a pebble pit waiting for you later!”

Coming out from the grass, Teacher Jiang pointed to a small pebble-filled pit not far away and said, “Miao, dare to walk a round on that?” Looking at those smooth little stones, I felt a bit apprehensive, but still insisted, “Why wouldn't I dare!” The first step barefoot onto the pebbles made me grimace from the pressure, but as I walked slowly, it started to feel somewhat comfortable, like a foot massage. The pebbles varied in size, some quite sharp, and I had to carefully choose my footing, working up a sweat. The soles of my feet were rubbed a bit red, occasionally poked by small stones, but the more I walked, the more excited I became. Teacher Jiang clicked away with his camera beside me, praising, “Miao, your soles are quite resilient!” I snorted proudly, but inside I thought: This barefoot outdoor thing is really a bit thrilling.

After finishing the pebble pit, the soles of my feet were completely black, covered in dust and small mud spots. Usually a cleanliness lover, for the first time, I found this dirty state somewhat cute.

While taking photos, Teacher Jiang asked me to pose on a large rock. First, I stood, tiptoeing, leather pants paired with bare feet, feeling a bit cool. Then I sat down, stretched my legs out, deliberately showing my dirty soles. I usually enjoy looking at other girls' feet, liking the bony structure and the tendons on the instep. Today, looking at my own feet, I suddenly thought they looked quite nice too. The sunlight shone warmly on my feet, and I couldn't help but touch the instep with my hand, feeling the temperature of the skin.

After taking photos, I jumped off the rock, and the soles of my feet picked up some more sand and dirt. Teacher Jiang asked me, “Tired? Need a break?” I shook my head, “Not tired, let's walk some more!” Actually, my soles were a bit sore, but this feeling of freedom made me reluctant to stop.

After playing all afternoon, I was a bit hungry, but first had to answer nature's call. There was a public restroom near the park. I hesitated for a moment but still walked in barefoot. The floor was wet and a bit slippery. I stepped carefully, my heart pounding, “This is too dirty!” But since I was already here, there was no turning back; I had to brace myself and go in. The sticky feeling on my soles was somewhat uncomfortable, but also thrilling—something I would never normally do, I actually did today!

Finally, we decided to go to McDonald's for dinner. Walking barefoot on the sidewalk, my soles had already adapted to the textures of various surfaces. When entering McDonald's, the staff glanced at me but didn't say anything. I ordered a burger and fries, found a seat by the window, and rested my feet on the chair beside me. After picking up the order, we left McDonald's.

On the way back, I sat in Teacher Jiang's car, still barefoot, too lazy to put on shoes. Looking at the sunset outside the window, I reflected on the day's experiences—from the initial nervousness, to later relaxation, and finally completely letting go. Going barefoot outdoors really made me feel a different kind of freedom, thrilling and fun. Thinking about my blackened soles, I couldn't help but laugh.

The feeling of being barefoot is truly addictive!