The matriarch couldn't help but speak up, calling out loudly, "Mingwei, Cui Qiao, you two hurry back and sit properly. We're about to begin, everyone is waiting!"
Then she turned back to Chen Lan and instructed, "Xiao Lan, you'll be the conductor again this time."
Chen Lan scooped up the dragon and phoenix twins, who were busy picking at the drum skin with their little fingers, one in each arm, and happily agreed, "Got it!"
She then coughed and continued with a smile, "Everyone, listen up! Tonight's game rules are the same as last time! There are prizes for winning, and punishments for losing! Su Dan Novel Network
Over there are the prizes for winning, see? It's all in that large bundle I just took out. It contains all of tonight's prizes." She nudged her chin towards the large bundle that Mingwei and Cui Qiao had been looking at earlier.
At this point, Ruyi loudly asked, "Sister Xiao Lan, how do we win? How do we lose?"
Chen Lan smiled and explained, "Ruyi, listen carefully. I'll tell you how this game will be played; everyone who played the idiom chain game last time should know how to play!"
She then looked around at everyone. Those who had participated in the idiom chain game last time replied, "We know."
Chen Lan continued, "This time, we'll change the game. It's New Year's Eve, we're staying up late, and it's the New Year, so we'll start with the character 'nian' (year). The rule is that it doesn't matter how many words you say, as long as the meaning is clear and understandable, such as 'nian ye fan' (New Year's Eve dinner), 'nian gao' (New Year cake), 'nian nian you yu' (may you have abundance year after year), and so on. Do you understand?"
Everyone replied loudly, "We understand!"
Chen Lan continued, "Those who understand the rules, don't speak. Those who don't, listen carefully."
She then pointed to the small drum and said, "The person who has to answer must do so before I finish ten beats. Otherwise, they lose and must accept the punishment.
Of course, it's the same as before; you cannot repeat words or sentences that others or yourself have already said, or it will count as a loss."
Chen Lan looked up at Mingwei, Cui Qiao, and Ming Zhe, who were all eager to play; she then continued, "The punishments this time are also very simple: singing a song, telling a joke, performing a play, or reciting a passage from a textbook are all acceptable; did everyone understand? Can we start?"
Everyone replied loudly, "We all understand, we can start."
Chen Lan placed the twins on her lap, allowing each of them to hold a drumstick, while she held both small hands and began to beat the drum, "Dong dong dong!"
She began speaking, "Everyone, quiet, let's begin! This time, we'll start with my mother-in-law. Please listen, today is New Year's Eve, and we will start with the character 'nian'."
As soon as she finished speaking, the drumbeats started, "Dong dong dong!"
The matriarch was slightly startled and immediately said, "Nian hua" (New Year picture); she then looked at Mingwei, who was seated to her right. As soon as she spoke, the drumbeats had already started.
Mingwei immediately replied, "Nian qing ren" (Young people); after speaking, Mingwei quickly turned to look at Xiao Xue, who was next in line.
The drumbeats "Dong dong dong" continued to play. Xiao Xue was momentarily stunned and quickly stammered, "Nian ji da de ren" (Older people).
Chen Lan, while beating the drum, couldn't help but want to laugh. Xiao Xue had gotten lucky, but it still counted as a pass.
Just as she was thinking, someone below started to make a fuss. It turned out that the first person who couldn't keep up had appeared. Chen Lan looked and saw it was Liu Mama, and she was puzzled. How could Liu Mama not answer such a simple question?
Upon closer inspection, she saw that Hu Tou was causing trouble! She immediately said sternly, "Little Hu Tou, what are you doing? Don't bother your grandma."
Little Hu Tou immediately replied obediently, "Auntie Xiao Lan, I'm not bothering her. I want to hit the drum too, but Grandma won't let me."
Chen Lan lowered her head and gently said to Jia Yao, "Jia Yao, can your brother play for a while?"
Jia Yao nodded obediently. His mother immediately came over to take Jia Yao back to his seat. Chen Lan waved to Hu Tou, and Hu Tou quickly ran over.
After a brief interlude, the game continued. Liu Mama had not answered in time before the drumbeats stopped, so she had to accept her punishment. Liu Mama said she was willing to accept the punishment and decided to tell everyone a joke.
Liu Mama cleared her throat, coughed, and began, "I'll tell you all a joke. More than ten years ago, a region was suffering from a famine. A strong man, desperate with hunger, stole three apples from a fruit stall.
However, because he was too weak to walk from hunger, he was caught by the shop assistant. The shopkeeper handed the strong man over to the police. The police sentenced the strong man to a month in prison.
The strong man said angrily to the police, 'You're too harsh! I only stole three apples, and you have to lock me up for a month?'
The policeman rolled his eyes at the strong man and said calmly, 'Once upon a time, a little monkey stole a few peaches and was imprisoned for a full five hundred years. Do you still think locking you up for a month is too long? Too harsh?'
The strong man was stunned and dared not say another word.
At this point, it was silent below. Everyone hadn't reacted yet. Old Mother was the first to burst out laughing! Then Mingwei, Wen Kai, and Wen Qi finally understood. Soon, Ming Zhe also reacted. They whispered to each other and all burst into laughter.
After Liu Mama accepted her punishment, the game continued. The sound of the drumbeats echoed through the New Year's Eve night, sounding exceptionally clear and loud! Before long, someone else failed to answer in time. Chen Lan saw it was Chun Cao.
Chun Cao stood up, smiled generously, and said, "I'm willing to accept the punishment. I'll tell everyone a joke too:
It is said that an old man named Wang was going to the city to get medicine for his wife. It was his first time in the city, and he didn't know anyone there. He was illiterate, but the doctor who prescribed the medicine had said that 'Ji Shi Tang' was very famous in the city, and everyone would know it.
So, Old Man Wang confidently rode his donkey into the city. As soon as he entered, Old Man Wang asked people where 'Ji Shi Tang' was. However, the city dwellers looked down on country folk and ignored him.
After half an afternoon of searching, he still couldn't find 'Ji Shi Tang', and he was so anxious that he was sweating profusely. Just as Old Man Wang was worrying, he suddenly heard someone greet him, 'Hey, brother, have you eaten? Are you thirsty? Tired?'
Old Man Wang turned around and saw a young man. He quickly replied, 'It's okay, it's okay.'
Then he asked, 'Young man, I'd like to ask you...' Before Old Man Wang could finish,
The young man cut him off and said, 'I was asking the donkey, why are you answering?'
After that, the young man and the passers-by all burst into laughter.
Old Man Wang wasn't in a hurry. He waved his hand and slapped the donkey twice, scolding loudly, 'You sneaky beast, you're really not honest! How many times have I asked you if you have any relatives in the city, and you wouldn't tell me? So you have a cousin in the city too!'
Everyone listened and burst into loud laughter, their laughter echoing through the New Year's Eve night.
Chen Lan silently prayed in her heart, 'May laughter accompany everyone in all their days to come.'"