novelaction Chapter 225 Guessing Lantern Riddles
Chapter 225 Guessing Lantern Riddles
Seeing an acrobat performing fire-breathing, the three boys squeezed into the crowd to watch, and clapped and cheered with the crowd.
"Hey, stand further away. Be careful not to get splashed by the fire." Shen Wanning had no choice but to squeeze in and pull them back.
After watching the fire-breathing, they put a few copper coins on the tray and continued to follow the crowd.
"What beautiful lanterns!" Lin Hu looked up and pointed at a lantern above.
Everyone looked in the direction he pointed and saw a platform with a shelf on it. Many lanterns were hung on it. At the top of the shelf hung a large rabbit-shaped lantern.
"Let's go and take a look. There are quite a few people gathered there. They should all be there to guess riddles." Aunt Zhang guessed.
The family walked to the bottom of the stage and squeezed in to look at the lanterns on the stage.
Standing on the stage was an old man about fifty years old with a long beard and his hands behind his back.
"Today is the Lantern Festival. My master has set up a table for guessing lantern riddles so that everyone can have fun together. Anyone who can guess ten riddles in a row can choose a lantern at will." The old man said in a loud voice.
"Good, good!" Someone in the crowd took the lead in clapping, and the others followed suit.
"Anyone who is interested can come on stage and try it out." The old man said finally.
Next to Shen Wanning stood a couple. The woman tugged at the man's sleeve and whispered, "I want that rabbit lantern. Can you try it?"
The man patted his chest and said, "I will definitely win it back for you. After all, I am a scholar. I can guess a few lantern riddles correctly."
After saying that, the man said loudly, "Let me try." After saying that, he walked onto the stage with confidence.
"Well, young people should have this kind of courage. I'm going to ask a question, please listen carefully."
"Please speak, and the students are listening."
"When drawing, it is round; when writing, it is square. It is warm with it, and cold without it." The old man recited aloud.
"Ri, this is the word for sun." The man answered without hesitation.
"Haha, good answer. Please continue listening to the question. Half is solid and half is empty, half grows on the ground and half grows in the soil. Guess a plant." The old man continued to ask.
"Scallions." The man replied quickly.
……
Before they knew it, they had reached the tenth question. Everyone's heart was hanging in the air, and their eyes were fixed on the two people on the stage.
The old man finally asked, "Its armor is dazzling and bright, yet its body is icy cold. It has wings but cannot fly, and it has no feet to travel across the world. Guess an animal."
The man hesitated for a long time, trying to guess, but he couldn't figure it out. He bowed and said, "I admit defeat. I really can't guess it."
Lin Hu shouted, "I know, it's a fish, it's a fish."
The old man walked to the edge of the platform and looked down. Seeing Lin Hu, he praised him a few times, "Young Master, you are so smart despite your young age. The answer to the riddle is indeed fish."
The man was dejected and returned home in defeat. Fortunately, the woman did not blame him, but comforted him with a few words.
The old man seemed to be interested in Lin Hu and asked, "Young Master, would you like to come up and try?"
Lin Hu hesitated and stood there without replying. Lin Jingcheng encouraged him, "Be a man, this is just a small matter. Even if you fail, it doesn't matter. If you want the lantern, stand up bravely. Our whole family will support you from below."
Lin Hu raised his head bravely and said, "I want to try."
After saying that, he strode up the stairs.
Someone in the audience questioned, "Why is it just a little baby? Has it been weaned?"
"Why is there such a big fuss with just a little kid like you? Hurry up and get off. Don't waste our time."
The old man defended, "The last lantern riddle was just answered by this young man. I believe he has the ability to do it. Besides, there is no age limit for my lantern riddles. If you can answer it, then this young man can answer it too."
After that, he asked again, "Are you ready, young master?"
Lin Hu took a long breath and nodded, "I'm ready, please ask, old man."
"A little girl, sitting in the middle of the water. Wearing a pink coat, emitting bursts of fragrance. Guess what kind of plant it is." said the old man.
"Lotus, it's lotus." Lin Hu answered directly.
"Well, young master, you are indeed smart. Now, please listen carefully to the next question..."
Lin Hu was answering questions on the screen, and He Zhenzhen's family of three happened to be walking not far away.
He Zhenzhen pointed at the rabbit lantern hanging high up and said, "Dad, Mom, look, there's a big rabbit lantern over there. It's really beautiful. Let's go over and take a look."
County Magistrate He took her by the hand and said, "It seems they're guessing lantern riddles over there. Quite a few people have gathered around. Let's go check out the fun."
When he got closer, he realized it was Lin Hu. He had seen Lin Hu once before when the milk tea shop opened.
Worried that He Zhenzhen couldn't see, County Magistrate He picked her up so that she could see the stage.
After hesitating, Madam He said, "Zhenzhen is already such a grown-up girl. Isn't it bad for Master to hold her?"
County Magistrate He said, "This isn't the capital, so there's no need to be so formal. Zhenzhen is my only daughter, and I can't dote on her too much."
As soon as He Zhenzhen saw the stage, she pointed at it and shouted happily, "It's Xiaohu, Xiaohu is guessing riddles on the stage. If he's here, then Sister Shen and Xiaohe must be here too. Dad and Mom, let's go look for them."
County Magistrate He had no choice but to hold He Zhenzhen in his arms and search everywhere.
"Last question, young master, listen carefully. This question is a bit difficult. From afar, the mountains are colorful; up close, the water is silent. Spring is gone, but the flowers remain; people come, but the birds are not startled. Guess what it is." The old man asked at last.
Lin Hu was sweating from anxiety, his fingers clenched tightly. Compared to the previous questions, this one was much more difficult.
The people in the audience were chattering and trying to guess the riddle.
"This riddle is too difficult! It's clearly embarrassing for children!"
"Yeah, I thought about it for a long time, but I couldn't figure out the answer."
"Brother Zhao, you are a juren, do you know the answer to this riddle?"
"I don't know. I'm not very knowledgeable and can't guess."
"I watched for a long time, and it seemed like no one in the audience had figured it out. This riddle is really difficult!"
The old man on the stage continued to ask, "Young Master, have you figured out the answer? If not, then I will announce the answer."
The old man was about to speak when Lin Hu suddenly shouted, "It's a painting, the answer is a painting."
The old man's face showed undisguised surprise, which eventually turned into admiration. "It is true that heroes emerge from youth! Although the young master is young, his talent is in no way inferior to that of his elders."
Lin Hu bowed and said, "Thank you for your praise, old man. I am truly humbled and unworthy of it."
"Young master, please don't be modest. Look at the lanterns on this shelf. Pick one!" the old man asked, pointing at the shelf.