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 fragrance 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 going 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, going barefoot at home is my own little world. Outside, with people coming and going, what if I get stared at? But thinking about that embarrassing incident in Qingdao where I had to buy cotton shoes in the middle of the night because I was freezing, I decided to just go for it. At noon, I wore loose black leather pants, with nothing on my feet, and just threw 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 going barefoot! What's the big deal?” But the moment I stepped onto the road, my heart still raced a bit. The early spring ground was still a bit cool, and the texture of the road surface made my soles feel a bit ticklish, but I liked this real sensation. When crossing the street, I deliberately slowed my pace, feeling the bumps of the crosswalk and the granules of the ground. Pedestrians on the roadside occasionally glanced at me, but I found 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. Next to it was a large patch of grass, tender and green, making you 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 grass tips tickled my soles, and I giggled, simply lying down and rolling around. Teacher Jiang called 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, pretending to casually stretch. Actually, I was secretly glancing at my own feet—the soles were already a bit dirty, with some grass bits and mud stuck to them, 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 pit paved with pebbles not far away and said: “Miao, dare to walk a lap on that?” Looking at those smooth, round stones, I felt a bit apprehensive inside, but my mouth was still tough: “What's there to be afraid of!” The first step barefoot onto the pebbles made me grimace as they pressed into my feet, but walking slowly, it started to feel somewhat comfortable, like a foot massage. The pebbles were of various sizes, some quite sharp. I had to carefully find footing, working up a sweat. My soles were getting a bit red from the friction, occasionally getting poked by a small stone, but the more I walked, the more excited I became. Teacher Jiang clicked away with his camera beside me, praising me: “Miao, your soles have good resilience!” I snorted proudly, but inside I was thinking: This barefoot outdoor thing is really a bit thrilling. After finishing the pebble pit, my soles were completely black, covered in dust and small mud spots. Usually being someone who loves cleanliness, for the first time, I found this dirty state somewhat cute. When taking photos, Teacher Jiang had me pose on a large rock. First, I stood, toes touching the ground, 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 bone structure and the tendons on the instep. Today, looking at my own feet, I suddenly thought they looked quite nice too. The sunlight shone on my feet, warm and cozy. I couldn't help but touch the instep with my hand, feeling the temperature of the skin. After the photoshoot, I jumped off the rock, my soles picking up some more sand and dirt. Teacher Jiang asked me: ”Tired? Want to rest a bit?“ 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 getting a bit hungry, but first, I 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 here, there was no turning back. I just had to brace myself and go in. The sticky feeling under my soles was a bit uncomfortable, but at the same time, it felt thrilling—something I would absolutely never do normally, I actually did it today! Finally, we decided to go to McDonald's to buy 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 next to me. After getting the food, we left McDonald's. On the way back, sitting in Teacher Jiang's car, my feet were still bare—I was too lazy to put on shoes. Looking at the sunset outside the window, I recalled the day's experiences—from the initial nervousness, to later relaxation, to 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!
Miao (三水) 
