Full of vitality, the silver-haired sinologist puts on his back-pack, jeans and sandals and goes to his country cottage for the weekend.

• 背包、牛仔裤、凉鞋，手上拿著孙女的竹制雪撬，孟列夫满头银发，仍精神健烁。他正赶搭火车到列宁格勒一百多公里外的别墅度周末。