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In the summer of 1953, the Alabama sun was scorching and bright, and Greenfield seemed to be enveloped in a lazy golden halo.

Mrs. Gan's guesthouse business continues to thrive thanks to its renowned home-style cooking and comfortable, cozy atmosphere.

Ten-year-old Su Ning has already become an indispensable and capable helper for Mrs. Gan.

Whether it was greeting guests, registering information, or helping out in the kitchen, he did everything in an orderly manner.

The hotel guests all adored this clever, capable, and "genius" young man from the East.

I often chat with him for a few minutes, or ask him to show me what awards he has won recently.

There was no racial discrimination as seen in this conservative stronghold of the South; in any case, there was no obvious discrimination against Suning.

On a particularly hot afternoon, the guesthouse welcomed a rather unusual young guest.

He was about eighteen or nineteen years old, wearing jeans and a T-shirt that were not expensive but were clean and tidy. His hair was styled with hair oil in a fashionable way at the time, and his eyes carried a sense of confusion about the future and an imperceptible ambition.

The name he wrote in the register was Elvis Presley.

"Hello, kid, are there any rooms available? I need to stay for a few days to find temporary work." The young man gave a slightly embarrassed smile, his voice carrying a southern accent.

“Yes, Mr. Presley,” Suning replied calmly, but her gaze lingered on his face for a few more seconds.

Elvis Presley...

The name instantly stirred up waves in his mind; it was the rock and roll pioneer who would later shake the world music scene and be hailed as "Elvis"!
Unexpectedly, at this point in time, the future superstar was just an unknown young man struggling to make a living.

Suning quietly checked him in and took good care of him during his stay, such as leaving him a hot dinner when he returned late.

Elvis also had a good impression of this calm and friendly Eastern boy.

One evening, instead of going out to look for work, Elvis sat on a rocking chair on the porch of the guesthouse, holding an old wooden guitar, casually strumming the strings and humming some blues and country tunes.

His singing is full of emotion and has a primal, infectious quality.

Forrest Gump and Jenny were drawn in by the singing and sat on the porch steps, listening intently.

As he sang, Elvis seemed to find singing alone a bit monotonous. He tried swaying his body slightly to the rhythm, but his movements appeared somewhat restrained and clumsy, and he couldn't find the right feeling.

But he quickly frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with his performance.

Just then, Su Ning, who was sitting next to Agan, gently nudged Agan, who was listening and laughing to himself, and whispered in his ear, "Agan, does the music make you want to move? Just like when you're happy, move around a bit."

Forrest Gump has an instinctive reaction to music; he has actually been unconsciously swaying slightly to the rhythm, but with the leg braces on, his movements look even stranger and clumsy.

Hearing his brother's words, he seemed to have received permission and became more uninhibited, beginning to sway his body and leg braces more obviously and in a completely unrestrained, even somewhat comical way, to the rhythm of Elvis's guitar.

His movements were completely haphazard, driven entirely by instinct; his knees bent and straightened stiffly, and his hips swayed awkwardly, yet there was a strange, vibrant sense of rhythm about them.

Elvis's gaze inadvertently swept over Forrest Gump. At first, he found it somewhat amusing, but as he looked at him, his expression gradually changed.

Forrest Gump's twisting movements, which completely abandoned the framework of traditional dance steps and were purely driven by his inner rhythm, with a kind of primal impulse, were like a lightning bolt that struck him!
Elvis discovered that what he had been searching for was a way of performing that broke with convention and allowed him to better unleash his inner passion and physical rhythm.

Forrest Gump's seemingly clumsy "dance" gave him the most direct inspiration!
Elvis stopped playing, stood up abruptly, and imitated and amplified Forrest Gump's movements, adding more hip swaying and leg springy movements, trying to make this "clumsy" movement coordinated, powerful, and charming.

Elvis twisted and turned as he plucked the strings again, his humming becoming even more passionate.

"Yes! That's it! It feels right!" Elvis exclaimed excitedly to himself, as if he had discovered a new continent.

He kept adjusting and perfecting the set of movements that he had just been inspired by.

Su Ning watched this scene quietly from the side, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

He understood that history was subtly shifting before his very eyes.

So he immediately turned around and ran into the house, where he found Mrs. Gan busy in the kitchen.

"Mom! Quick! Get the camera out here!" Suning said eagerly. "Elvis...Presley seems to have invented a really special dance! It's on the porch! And Forrest Gump and Jenny are there too! Let's take some pictures to remember this, it's so much fun!"

Although Mrs. Gan didn't understand why, she always supported Suning's requests.

“Okay! My darling.” She wiped her hands, took out the precious Polaroid camera from home, and followed Su Ning to the porch.

At Suning's suggestion, Mrs. Gan took several group photos of Elvis, who was excitedly trying out new dance steps, Agan, who was happily swaying along beside him, and Suning, who was standing to the side smiling.

In the photo, young Elvis is poised and full of passion for exploration; Forrest Gump has a pure smile and his actions are comical yet genuine; Jenny is happily clapping and encouraging him; and Suning stands quietly to the side, as if he were a witness to history.

Elvis was also happy to have his picture taken. He put his arms around Agan and Suning's shoulders and thanked them for giving him "inspiration".

A few days later, Elvis left Greentown to continue pursuing his musical dreams.

No one knows what brilliant achievements he will make in the future.

But Suning knew.

He carefully kept the photos and said to Mrs. Gan, "Mom, keep these photos safe. I have a feeling that this Presley might become very famous in the future. Our guesthouse, where he stayed and found inspiration, might also become famous!"

Mrs. Gan smiled and patted his head, taking it as a child's joke, but still carefully put the photo into the album.

Unbeknownst to her, her son was planning for the future with a vision ahead of his time.

And Agnes's instinctive, clumsy twists inadvertently planted a crucial seed for the iconic dance moves of a generation of superstars.

This summer of 1953 was therefore exceptionally different.

……

Time passed quietly, and Jenny's life at her grandmother's house became peaceful and stable, with the shadows of the past gradually being lifted.

On a sunny and breezy weekend, Suning suggested a long-awaited outing.

The suggestion was immediately met with enthusiastic support from Forrest Gump and Jenny.

Mrs. Fries Gan had thoughtfully prepared a picnic basket for them, filled with her own fragrant and fluffy bread, Suning's uniquely flavored potato salad, hard-boiled eggs, and sweet and refreshing seasonal fruits.

She also carefully laid out a large, clean checkered picnic blanket.

"Go on, children, have fun!" Mrs. Gan stood at the door, kindly instructing, "Suning, take good care of Forrest and Jenny. Forrest, listen to your brother. Jenny, have fun!"

"I understand, Mom!" Forrest nodded vigorously, his face beaming with excitement.

Being able to go out with his brother and his best friend Jenny at the same time was the happiest thing in the world for him.

Jenny smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you, Mrs. Gan! We will!"

Suning took the heavy picnic basket, and the three children set off. Their destination was a familiar grassy slope not far from the town, a place with a wide view, lush green grass, and a crystal-clear stream flowing by—the perfect "secret base" in the children's hearts.

Although Forrest Gump wore leg braces, which made him walk slower and more clumsily than others, Suning and Jenny patiently stayed by his side, and no one urged him on.

Jenny would even thoughtfully remind Forrest to watch out for the pebbles under his feet.

The sunlight shone on the three small figures, warm and beautiful.

Upon arriving at the grassy slope, Su Ning skillfully spread out the picnic blanket and arranged the food items one by one.

Forrest Gump was immediately drawn to the food in the basket and stared at it longingly.

However, she still looked at Suning with great respect. Apart from Mrs. Gan, she was probably the one who listened to Suning the most.

"Agan, wash your hands first." Su Ning handed over a kettle and a towel.

Forrest Gump obediently did as he was told, then picked up a piece of bread and ate it with great satisfaction, saying indistinctly, "Mom's bread... is the best!"

Jenny ate her fruit in small bites, watching Forrest Gump eat, and couldn't help but giggle.

She looked around, took a deep breath of the air filled with the fragrance of grass and earth, and said sincerely, "This place is so beautiful and quiet. It's even bigger than the yard at my grandmother's house."

"I'm glad you like it," Su Ning said with a smile, handing her a glass of homemade lemonade made by Mrs. Gan.

"Thank you."

"Jenny, are you doing well at your grandmother's?"

"It's great! Except sometimes I feel scared at night."

"So you come here every night to sleep with Forrest Gump?"

"Oh? You knew all along?"

"Of course! My mother and I knew about it the first time you climbed over the wall at night."

"Thank you! Thank you for not stopping me."

“Jenny, cheer up! Everyone has imperfections. Just like I’m an orphan and Forrest Gump has a slight intellectual disability, we must face the light.”

"You don't understand! The damage I suffered is irreparable."

……

After a simple lunch, the three children played freely on the grass.

Although Forrest Gump couldn't run, he felt very happy sitting on the soft grass, watching his brother and Jenny.

Jenny twirled on the grass like a light butterfly, her golden curls shimmering in the sunlight.

She would occasionally run back, sit next to Forrest, and share with him a beautiful butterfly or an unknown wildflower she had just seen.

“Forrest Gump, look, doesn’t this flower look like your blue eyes?” Jenny handed Forrest a small blue cornflower.

Forrest Gump looked closely at the flower, then at Jenny, and grinned foolishly: "It looks like...like Jenny's smile."

Despite his limited vocabulary, he always managed to speak the most direct and sincere words, which made Jenny's cheeks blush slightly.

Su Ning did not participate in their childlike conversation. He leaned against a big tree at the top of the slope, a blade of grass between his teeth, and watched the scene before him with gentle eyes.

Seeing Forrest Gump's innocent smile and Jenny's radiant glow as she gradually emerged from the shadows, he felt a deep sense of peace and contentment.

Protecting this pure beauty is perhaps one of the reasons he remains in this era and in this home.

After a while, Su Ning stood up and took out a simple kite from his backpack, which he had made himself using bamboo strips and old newspapers.

"Forrest Gump, Jenny, let's fly a kite!"

"A kite!" Forrest Gump and Jenny excitedly gathered around.

Suning was responsible for running while holding the string, and with the help of the wind from the slope, he quickly launched the kite into the sky.

The simple newspaper kite swayed in the azure sky, carrying all the joy of the three children.

"Brother! Higher! Higher!" Agan shouted excitedly, pointing at the kite with his head tilted back, almost forgetting the inconvenience of his leg braces, and tried to jump up.

Jenny clapped her hands and laughed happily, "It flew up! It flew so high! Suning, you're amazing!"

Suning handed the kite spool to Agan and instructed him on how to slowly let out and reel in the line.

Forrest Gump carefully held the spool, feeling the upward pull of the kite in the sky, his face filled with curiosity and focus.

Jenny watched nervously from the side, occasionally offering encouragement: "Be careful, Forrest! Yes, that's it!"

A gentle breeze, meadows, a stream, kites, and the carefree laughter of children…

This created an incredibly harmonious and warm scene.

This afternoon, there was no academic pressure, no worries about life, only the purest friendship and joy.

As the sun set and the sky was dyed a warm orange-red, the three children reluctantly packed their things and set off on their way home.

Although Forrest Gump was tired from playing and walked with a more unsteady gait, he always had a satisfied smile on his face.

Jenny's cheeks were flushed red by the setting sun, and her eyes were bright.

It's as if today's sunshine has stored up enough to dispel all the past cold.

"Today is one of my happiest days!" Jenny said to Suning, holding Agan's hand.

"Yes!" Agan nodded vigorously in agreement.

Su Ning looked at them, smiled, and said nothing.

Such days will eventually come to an end. Jenny, who yearns for freedom, cannot stop. Her life seems to have been a chaotic mess.

However, this seemingly simple outing was like a healing experience for the soul, not only deepening the bond between the three children but also giving everyone a warm sense of strength to keep moving forward.

In the distance, Mrs. Gan's little white house was already lit up with warm lights, waiting for their return.

...(End of chapter)