Angel’s face was stern as she looked at me, clearly dissatisfied with my recent behavior. I smiled apologetically and said, “You must understand my eagerness to meet the bride, and honestly, I think your challenges are meaningless for someone as smart and brave as I am. To put it simply, it’s just a waste of time!”
Angel gave me a disdainful look and replied, “I suggest you don’t get too confident. If you’re capable enough, convince me to let you go up!”
I pushed away the two men holding me and straightened my collar as I said, “Then bring it on.”
Angel examined me again and asked, “Have you played rock-paper-scissors before?”
I reacted exaggeratedly and replied, “Are you seriously going to play this game that three-year-olds like?”
“Don’t underestimate this game. Its difficulty lies in who your opponent is, so I’m going to test your intelligence. If you can beat me once, I’ll let you go up immediately.”
“And if I lose?”
“That’s when your physical strength will be tested. If you lose once, you have to do 50 push-ups and then get another chance to play against me. This will continue until you win once! This game is meant to help Mi Cai screen you, to see if you’re a man with both wisdom and physical strength.”
I rubbed my chin and replied, “There’s indeed great wisdom in small games. Director An, you truly live up to your reputation. This is indeed a comprehensive test for me. But don’t expect me to disappoint you. Don’t even dream of gaining an advantage over me—I’ll beat you almost immediately!”
“Great, I look forward to you beating me in one go. But you have to promise me, on your honor as a man, that you won’t cheat with a spring-loaded hand.”
I cracked my wrist and nodded, saying, “I’m an honest man; I won’t play dirty tricks with you, a woman!”
“Then let’s begin. I’ll count 1, 2, 3, and we’ll show our hands at the same time.”
I was confident that throwing a fist would give me a high chance of winning because women usually use the scissors pose for photos, a habit that would likely carry over into rock-paper-scissors. I had verified this with Xiaojun before.
Just as I was ready to throw my fist, Angel suddenly stopped and said, “Afraid your IQ might not be enough, I’ll kindly remind you—I’m going to show paper. If you believe me, you might actually pass in one go.”
I pondered her intention and firmly replied, “You’re just trying to confuse me. I already know exactly what I’m going to throw!”
Angel didn’t say more and started counting again. But at this moment, I became less certain. I felt something was fishy. I needed to think differently. She must have anticipated that I wouldn’t believe her, so she would definitely show paper again. Based on this suspicion, I finally decided not to throw a fist and changed my strategy at the last moment, showing scissors instead. However, the result stunned me—she actually showed a fist and smirked, saying, “Zhaoyang, you don’t even understand the principle that all is fair in love and war. This time you fail. Hurry up and do 50 push-ups!”
I accepted the loss gracefully because this seemingly simple game was actually a profound test of personality. If I had thought two steps ahead to predict her, she had already thought three steps ahead to outwit me…
After several rounds, I hadn’t won even once. I turned to Zhang Yixi behind me for help, whispering, “What is your wife’s brain made of? If this continues, I won’t even be able to carry Mi Cai later. You’d better give me some advice!”
At this moment, Zhang Yixi was on my side. He whispered back, “To deal with her, you need to act like someone without any thinking ability. Just throw randomly, making it impossible for her to predict any pattern. That way, you’ll have a 50% chance of winning against her!”
I nodded in agreement. My previous losses were due to overthinking. So I stopped thinking and confidently threw paper, although I still lost. However, the next time, finally without any guesswork, I beat her. By then, my arms felt like they no longer belonged to me. I was somewhat devastated and swore never to engage in a battle of wits with this woman again—she was just too hard to handle.
After the arduous victory over the woman in red, I encountered Jing Xiaosi guarding the next floor. I summoned my bravado and said, “I just won a battle and am full of momentum. I advise you not to stubbornly resist. Hurry up and let me pass. There will even be candies for you later. If you insist on being stubborn, I’ll leave you on the rooftop to suffer the cold northwest wind!”
A group of women rallied behind Jing Xiaosi, saying, “He’s getting desperate. Look at him, threatening us now!”
Another added, “He’s not desperate—he’s just rude and ill-mannered. We are all the bride’s relatives and friends…”
I quickly handed out candies and red envelopes to these women, trying to appease these goddesses while defending myself by saying it was just a joke. I assured them I would sincerely accept Jing Xiaosi’s challenge. Unlike Angel, Jing Xiaosi was clearly not as aggressive. She even spoke to me gently, saying, “Zhaoyang, I won’t make it too hard for you. Just answer a few questions to prove how much you value the bride. If you get them all right, you pass. If you get even one wrong, you do 50 push-ups. Whether you can still carry the bride afterward will be up to luck!”
“Go ahead! I just hope your questions aren’t too easy, to show how deeply I love her!”
Jing Xiaosi took out a pre-prepared note from her pocket and said, “Zhaoyang, listen carefully. First question: tell me Mi Cai’s phone number within five seconds.”
I blurted it out and used the remaining three seconds to look down on Jing Xiaosi. If this question was her idea, it was cliché and unimpressive.
Ignoring my disdain, Jing Xiaosi continued like a programmed robot, “Second question: what color does Mi Cai like the most?”
“Of course, all colors! Xiaosi, can you ask something more profound? Such a simple and common question—does it match my almost otherworldly bride?”
Jing Xiaosi smiled and replied, “These questions were all set by Mi Cai herself. If it were me setting them, would I need to read from a script?… Besides, you got them right!”
Upon learning that these were Mi Cai’s questions, I immediately understood. Perhaps Mi Cai didn’t want to make it too hard for me. Thinking this way, my mood changed, and I became more confident about facing the next question. I urged, “Xiaosi, hurry up and finish your task so you can let me pass. I can’t wait to see my bride!”
Jing Xiaosi nodded and said, “I understand your feelings. Don’t rush; there’s only one last question.”
“Hurry, hurry! I’ll give you a red envelope after you finish.”
My anxious appearance made Jing Xiaosi smile as she said, “The last question: you and Mi Cai both love music. Please tell me, which song is the most important to her?”
I couldn’t help but recall the old song “The Proverbs of Love,” which Mi Zhongxin loved dearly, and how Mi Cai had cried many times over it. As her pain resurfaced in my mind, my mood darkened, and I softly said, “It’s that old song, ‘The Proverbs of Love.'”
Jing Xiaosi looked surprised, let out an “Ah!” sound, and then checked the answer Mi Cai had given her, shaking her head and saying, “Zhaoyang, you got this one wrong. It’s not that song. Think about it again!”
I looked at her, completely disbelieving that I could have gotten this question wrong—the one I was most confident about. Yet the woman in red was unyielding, saying to Jing Xiaosi, “Xiaosi, a wrong answer is a wrong answer. You can’t give him another chance, or he won’t learn. Make him do the 50 push-ups first!”
This time, I didn’t haggle and very cooperatively got on the ground, starting my push-ups while simultaneously thinking in my mind what song could have left such an indelible impression on Mi Cai. But even “The Proverbs of Love” wasn’t the correct answer! I was somewhat at a loss and even doubted whether these questions were indeed set by Mi Cai. I deeply understood that there was no emotion in her life more important than her longing for Mi Zhongxin. She had once felt guilty, cried, and made countless efforts to make up for it…
Soon, I completed the punishment of 50 push-ups, but my attention wasn’t on the fatigue in my arms. I was still pondering what the correct answer was, a song beyond my expectations. I stopped Jing Xiaosi from giving me the right answer, determined to hear it from Mi Cai’s own mouth later because it was significant for both of us.
…
At this point, I had a different mindset and wasn’t as energetic as before. Amidst the crowd’s accompaniment, I entered the room methodically, greeted the elders one by one, and expressed my deep love for Mi Cai, asking them to trust her to me. However, after handing out cigarettes and candies to everyone, Leyao was still the last obstacle standing in front of Mi Cai’s door, refusing to let me in…
I asked her, “May I ask, what act are you performing now?”
“I’m the representative of Mi Cai’s post-marriage interests.”
I felt both annoyed and amused. Probably the person least compatible with Mi Cai was her, Leyao. Now she claimed to be the representative of Mi Cai’s post-marriage interests. As if seeing through my confusion, Leyao continued, “Zhaoyang, I’m representing CC now. I’m fulfilling a favor entrusted to me by a friend!”
Upon hearing this, I immediately understood something and asked, “You mean CC has been in contact with you…”
“Yes, so I say this is the favor she entrusted to me.”
I nodded, my eyes slightly stinging. I understood CC’s good intentions. The reason she asked Leyao to handle this matter was actually to remind Leyao to find her proper place and not continue creating problems between Mi Cai and me as she had done in the past. Although she had left with a weary body, part of her soul still clung to Mi Cai and me, caring deeply. And by now, Leyao herself had nothing left to cling to, so she accepted CC’s favor, making the ending between us three seem so perfect.
I softly exhaled, waiting for Leyao to give me the final test, but my mind was still preoccupied with that wrong answer. What song could leave such a deep impression on Mi Cai? This question left me deeply puzzled!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage