Zhao Renjie turned his back to everyone, using the silver platter as a drum and the chopsticks as drumsticks, he gently tapped. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
The air quickly filled with tension. Everyone was curious to find out whose hands the flower would be in when the pleasant sound of the silver platter stopped.
The rhythm gradually quickened, and everyone’s heartbeat sped up accordingly.
Every time the tapping paused briefly, Tang Xiaowan’s big eyes would fix on the person holding the flower, hoping that the pregnant Li Ruonan would become the first lucky one.
She had always been very enthusiastic about playing games!
But today, she was even more eager to hear about Li Ruonan’s childhood stories.
Therefore, when Tang Xiaowan passed the flower to Li Ruonan, she deliberately dawdled for a moment, just waiting for the tapping sound to stop, but it didn’t.
An idea struck her, and she whispered, "Nannan, you’d better get ready."
"Oh my, Tangtang, don’t scare me. I’m worried right now, I don’t have any interesting stories, really I don’t."
"Whatever comes to mind, just say it. It’s okay, don’t be afraid, there will always be a way when you get to the mountain."
With that, she threw a flirtatious wink.
Time passed, the tapping grew faster, and the tension became more intense.
Suddenly, the sound stopped abruptly, and, indeed, the flower remained in Li Ruonan’s hands. She was startled at first but after a few seconds regained her composure.
"Oh my God, it’s me? Is it really me?"
Tang Xiaowan took the lead in giving an enthusiastic applause.
Li Ruonan then stood up with a smile, quickly recalling her childhood in her mind.
Finally, under everyone’s expectant gaze, she remembered a funny incident, excitedly picked up her cup, and took a big gulp of fresh pear juice.
This was to bolster her courage. Whether to laugh or not was now in the hands of fate.
"Come on, hurry up! Quick, quick!"
Li Ruonan smiled and cleared her throat.
"I remember this one time, I went on an outing with some friends. Suddenly, a grey rabbit sprung out from the bushes, and we all scattered in fright. I accidentally ran into a ditch and even lost a shoe; by the time I got home..."
Before anyone else could laugh, Li Ruonan was already in stitches, her laughter echoing in the restaurant.
And just like that, the tension was broken.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, enjoying the fun the game brought, but they held back their laughter because now they could punish Li Ruonan by making her perform.
Suddenly, Shen Yiming burst into hearty laughter.
Whether it was on purpose or not, no one thought to call him out, after all, it was just a game, and having fun was what mattered most.
Next, Li Ruonan passed the flower to her husband, Shen Yiming, and the game continued.
Zhao Renjie tapped the silver platter with a smile, his keen listening on alert. Suddenly, with a deep flash in his eyes, the sound abruptly stopped again.
This time, Tang Xiaowan was the lucky one to get the flower. She squinted and thought for a while, then with a grin said, "I remember back in junior high, taking part in the school’s anniversary performance. I was dressed as a clown, walked on stage holding a big vase, and I hadn’t gone far when I face-planted into the ground. Right in front of everyone I... ’Bam’, disappeared, dove right into the vase."
Tang Xiaowan narrated with vivid expressions, her large eyes wide and her face animated.
Following her story, Bai Long burst out laughing.
"That must’ve been some vase! Didn’t it shatter under your weight? How is that possible, that’s so exaggerated?"
"Wow, you laughed, I passed the test!"
Realizing what happened, Bai Long quickly smacked his forehead, understanding he’d been had, yet his smile remained unabated.
He was genuinely amused by Tang Xiaowan, his laughter heartfelt and unpretentious.
Li Zishen: Xiaowan is indeed very clever!
Li Ruonan: How did she get in? It must be a trick, right? Well, it probably is, haha.
Also immersed was Ling Xiao.
He laughed because the act Tang Xiaowan performed was one he had designed himself. The big vase looked real but was actually made from special materials, and the opening was not small, so for someone as agile as Xiaowan, slipping into it was a piece of cake.
As for the bang, that came from a magic prop Xiaowan hid on her.
Once activated, it would create a burst of flying petals.
Shen Yiming took a sip of red wine, looking at Tang Xiaowan with relish, "Give us a hint, how did you disappear? They didn’t see you?"
But, Tang Xiaowan just smiled mysteriously.
"That’s a long-lost secret technique...can’t tell you; once I say it, it won’t work anymore."