Chapter 40: Lantern Father, do you like it?
After Fang Zhiyue finished speaking, he felt a little regretful.
His lips moved, but he didn't make another sound.
Si Yao smiled and nodded, "Okay, then I'll win the rabbit lantern for my father."
Her voice was soft and doting, and her eyes and eyebrows looked infinitely tender under the light.
In the private room on the second floor.
One of the boys couldn't help but stop his gaze on her.
There was a flash of surprise in his eyes.
He stared at her for a long time before looking away.
Si Yao knew nothing, and his whole mind was on Fang Zhiyue at this moment.
"Yao, Sister Yao, I'm just talking casually, don't take it seriously..."
Fang Zhiyue said in a low voice with a red face.
I didn't dare to look into her eyes, "I don't really like that rabbit lantern either..."
"Little father, don't you believe me?"
Si Yao raised an eyebrow.
She quietly lowered her hand, used her sleeve to cover it, and pinched his palm.
"I will definitely win that rabbit lantern from you."
After saying that, he immediately let go.
His gaze also shifted forward.
Fang Zhiyue wanted to say something else.
Then the restaurant owner on the high platform spoke again, "...So, let's move on to our first puzzle of the day. Half of the Spring and Autumn Annals. Guess a word."
"Qin! It's the word Qin!"
Someone in the crowd immediately shouted.
He is a scholar holding a fan in his hand.
The restaurant owner smiled at her and said, "This lady is very quick-witted and answered the first question correctly."
"So……"
She continued: "Let's move on to the next question——"
In a short while, the restaurant owner had come up with more than thirty riddles.
It was quite noisy at the beginning, but it became quieter as time went on.
The people who had been answering enthusiastically just now gradually disappeared in the crowd.
The restaurant owner smiled but remained silent, continuing to speak aloud, "...The following is the fifty-sixth puzzle. The envoy's miraculous hands can bring back youth. Guess an idiom."
She finished her words.
The crowd was silent for a moment.
"It's better to be prepared."
Mu Tong spoke loudly and walked out of the crowd.
I smiled at the restaurant owner and asked, "Is that right?"
After saying that, he quickly winked at Si Yao and the others behind him.
"Congratulations, lady, you got the answer right!"
The restaurant owner replied.
His eyes were full of admiration.
She slowly said the next one.
Zhou Rusheng, Kong Mengruan and the other two also came out.
The four of them were equally matched, attracting the attention of the onlookers.
The restaurant owner remained calm and composed. When he reached the ninetieth puzzle, he looked at the four of them and said, "Ladies, would you like to choose the lantern on the flower stand first? The remaining ten puzzles are quite difficult. Would you like to continue?"
"nature."
Mu Tong responded first.
His eyes fell on the lantern at the top of the flower stand, full of confidence.
"good…"
The restaurant owner didn't waste any words.
He turned around and walked to the flower stand and pulled a thin rope.
She exerted a little force, and several banners fell from the sky, with ten puzzles written on them.
"If you would like to give it a try, please come forward again. As long as you can answer these ten riddles correctly, you can take home the lantern made by Master Dengyi himself."
The restaurant owner returned to the middle of the platform again.
After the words fell.
Several waiters walked out slowly from the back, holding paper and pens.
Have those who want a challenge leave the answers to the puzzles on paper.
Si Yao looked up and glanced at the ten puzzles on the banner.
After just a few breaths, he came out and wrote the answer on paper.
"alright--"
Seeing that the time was almost up, the restaurant owner spoke with a smile.
She took the rice paper from the wine waiter and announced the number of correct answers one by one.
"The lady who calls herself Wu Qing answered four questions correctly."
"Only the three female monarchs with the surname Qiu remain."
"…The Lady Sun, Five Paths."
The restaurant owner read out more than a dozen in one breath.
But none of them were completely correct.
The most there are is only five.
There was a smile in her eyes, but her gaze was calm, as if she had already expected this situation.
He cleared his throat and continued reading.
"The lady who signed her name in long white, seven ways..."
"hiss--"
There was an immediate gasp from the crowd, and everyone turned around to look for someone.
It's not that everyone is overreacting, it's just that compared to the previous ones, this female monarch called Changsu is much stronger.
Mu Tong curled his lips in dissatisfaction.
His eyes fell on Si Yao and the others, and he muttered unwillingly: "I lose this time, but I will definitely win back next time."
On the high platform, the restaurant owner paused for a second and continued reading.
"Zhou Rusheng, Zhou Nujun, also seven."
"Zheng Minxuan, Lady Zheng, seven paths."
"Kong Mengruan, Kong Nujun, Badao!"
"Si Yuzhuo, Si Nujun, ten...ten ways?!"
“They’re all correct!”
The restaurant owner widened his eyes in shock.
She looked down at the audience in disbelief, "Si, Si Yuzhuo... who is Si Nujun? Could you please step forward?"
The crowd gathered at the door and started to get excited again.
Although many of them did not understand the riddle, she was the only one who answered all the questions correctly.
Everyone stood on tiptoe and stretched their necks to see who this person was.
Si Yao slowly walked out facing several gazes.
There was no change in expression.
She looked up at the innkeeper on the platform and said, "Since I've answered all the questions correctly, can I take the lantern?"
Then he pointed to the rabbit lantern at the top of the flower stand.
"Zi, naturally."
The restaurant owner was stunned for a second when he saw her, and then quickly responded.
It seemed that no one expected that the person who answered the riddle correctly would be such an elegant lady.
She instructed the waiter to take down the lanterns.
Then he handed the lantern to her, "Madam, please take it."
Si Yao thanked him and returned to the crowd.
In the private room on the second floor, the man in gorgeous clothes who had just been amazed by Si Yao stared down with a somewhat fiery gaze on Si Yao.
He immediately ordered the guards behind him: "Hurry down! Bring up the lady below!"
"yes."
The guard received the order and immediately pushed the door open and walked out.
The boy returned to the couch and sat down, waiting anxiously.
But when the guards came back, they didn't see anyone behind her.
He immediately frowned, "What's going on? Didn't I tell you to go downstairs and ask for help? Where are they?"
"Please forgive me, my lord. When I got downstairs, the lady had already left. I went out and looked for her, but still couldn't find her."
The guard knelt on the ground with his head lowered.
"waste!"
Cheng Huajunzi shouted loudly and angrily dropped the teacup at his feet.
"Jianzi..."
At this time, the little servant in blue who had been standing behind him called out softly.
He spoke slowly and calmly, "I see that the lady is wearing student clothes and doesn't look like a local. I think she's heading to the capital to take part in the Spring Examination. My son, why don't you return to the capital early? Perhaps you can run into her again."
When Cheng Huajun heard this, his eyes lit up and his anger gradually subsided.
A smile appeared on his face again. "You are right. That lady looks extraordinary. She will definitely stand out in this spring exam. I must hurry back to the capital. I can't let anyone else get there first!"
*
On this side, Si Yao didn't know that he was being targeted again.
After she left the restaurant, she immediately stuffed the lantern in her hand into Fang Zhiyue's hand.
While the others weren't paying attention, she chuckled in his ear, "Do you like the rabbit lantern that my father asked for?"
Fang Zhiyue was holding an exquisite octagonal lantern in his hand.
Each side is painted with a picture of osmanthus and rabbit.
When the fan is turned, these pictures automatically connect into one, and the rabbits painted on them seem to come alive.
He pursed his lips slightly and nodded: "I like it..."
Si Yao chuckled again.
There was a smile between his eyebrows and eyes, "As long as my father likes it, that's good."
The two of them were talking in low voices.
Mu Tong and the others walking in front suddenly turned their heads and set their eyes on the two of them. "Junior sister, you have to treat us to some tangyuan today. To comfort our wounded hearts."
She stared at her with resentment on her face.
I couldn't help but mutter to myself, "It's okay that I can't compare with you in knowledge. But I didn't expect that I can't even beat you in guessing lantern riddles. I'm really jealous!"
Si Yao couldn't help but laugh.
He smiled at the four of them and said, "Don't worry, I'll take care of all the dumplings tonight. Sisters, feel free to eat, I'll pay."
They found an old shop nearby.
Each person was served one portion first.
Si Yao and Fang Zhiyue sat together and handed him the spoon that was beside them.
"Try it and see what the tangyuan from Chuzhou tastes like."
Fang Zhiyue reached out to take it, immediately scooped up one and took a bite, and was accidentally scalded by the sugar water wrapped inside.
He paused for a moment before whispering, "It's delicious...it's filled with walnut kernels and osmanthus flowers."
"Sister Yao, you should try it too."
Seeing Si Yao's eyes were always on him.
Fang Zhiyue urged immediately.
After they finished eating, they wandered around the city for a while.
We didn't return to the ship until late at night.
Si Yao led Fang Zhiyue directly back to the cabin.
Turning around, I saw him holding the lantern with a cautious look, and I couldn't help but chuckle, "Is this how much my little father likes this lantern?"
When Fang Zhiyue saw the smile on her lips, he couldn't help but blush.
Without saying anything, he simply placed the lantern in the most conspicuous spot by the bed, so that he could see it the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes every day.
He took off his shoes and got into bed.
He only said, "Good morning, go to bed early, it's getting late."
Then lie down facing inward.
Si Yao took off his outer robe and lay down beside him.
Out of habit, she put her arms around his waist and held him in her arms.
Looking at his white and tender neck, she suddenly asked in his ear, "Is your knee healed?"
"You, why do you ask this?"
Fang Zhiyue immediately opened his eyes and his body stiffened slightly.
Then he quickly said, "No, no, it's still swollen. And after walking for such a long time today, it seems to have gotten worse."
His heart was beating like a drum, and his hands on his chest were clenched quietly.
"Yeah…"
After a long while, Si Yao finally responded.
She tightened her grip around his waist and said calmly, "In that case, then you should take good care of him. Tomorrow I'll ask the boatwoman if she has any medicine to reduce the swelling."
After saying that, he fell silent completely.
Fang Zhiyue didn't expect that she could be fooled so easily.
I didn't feel relaxed at all.
Instead, I feel a little uneasy.
She, she wouldn't be thinking of other ways to torment people, right?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
