Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 365: The Colored Ring Game at the Temple Fair

Shen Yu was quick to act and grabbed the sleeves of both men.

She smiled and said, "Even if you go shopping, you have to come with us. There are so many people here today, what if you get lost?"

Yucheng and Dundun made faces at each other, then had to stop and follow obediently, but they looked as if they were eager to reach the temple gate in one step.

Lu Lang smiled and said, "Since you think we are too slow, let Qixi go shopping with the three of them. Don't worry, he will follow them and they won't get lost."

Seeing that Yu Cheng and the others seemed to be eager to step out of the temple, Shen Yu had no choice but to nod.

Qi Xi also wanted to go out for a walk quickly at this moment. Seeing that Shen Yu agreed, he quickly assured her, "Don't worry, young lady. I will definitely keep an eye on the three of them."

Shen Yu gave the three of them some instructions, then handed a purse to Yu Tao and said, "You all have pocket money, if you come across something you like, just buy it."

"Here are three hundred coins. If your pocket money is not enough, you can use this money to make up for it."

"Listen to Qixi's words and don't run around. If you don't see us after you finish shopping, gather at the temple gate."

Yutao took the purse and said sweetly, "Thank you, sister. We'll make a note of it." Then, led by Qixi, the four of them happily ran towards the temple gate.

Shen Yu didn't have to worry about the three getting lost at this moment, so he strolled leisurely and followed behind with Lu Lang.

At first, one could still see the backs of the four people, but before they had taken a few steps, Qi Xi and the others had already walked out of the temple gate and joined the bustling crowd outside.

The temple fair during the Wanshou Festival is indeed very lively.

Some people set up an open space to show off their stunts and acrobatics, some set up a small stage to perform shadow puppet shows, and some perform all kinds of tricks on land flower boats.

There is one particularly interesting performance of a ventriloquist who learns to hawk goods in the market. Although there is only one person sitting behind the scenes, he gives people the feeling of being in a market with a dozen people singing and selling goods there.

There are not many stalls selling groceries and food today, most of them are for performances.

It’s a bit like entering an amusement park, with independent small performances everywhere, which are dazzling and overwhelming.

The two walked to a stall selling dolls with colored rings, and Shen Yu couldn't help but be attracted by the clay dolls of different sizes placed on the ground.

This stall is the most popular.

The stall owner used long, colorful ropes to enclose a ten-foot-square area. The ground was covered with a smooth mat made of wide yellow-green bamboo strips, and on the mat were many different clay dolls arranged in an orderly manner.

There are the twelve zodiac animals, kittens, puppies, tigers, ponies, donkeys, and various simulated fruits.

The most attractive things are the clay dolls wearing different clothes and with different hairstyles, men and women in red and green, with vivid expressions, some happy and some angry, which make people unable to take their eyes off.

Many children stopped and begged their parents to take out money to buy the colorful rings. They tried their best to put on a favorite doll and take it home.

The stall owner was a middle-aged man who looked amiable but shrewd. He shouted in full force: "Clay dolls. Five coins for ten rings. I'll give it to the one who gets it right. If you get it right, I won't charge."

"There are clay dolls, kittens, puppies, fat tigers, red men and green women, and big Ah Fu. They are all free. Come quickly."

As the shouts sounded, there were constantly children who begged their parents to take out five cents of silver, and happily went to the stall owner to exchange them for ten dyed bamboo rings. They would then find their favorite targets and throw the colored rings out with confidence.

Shen Yu stopped and stood aside to watch with great interest. Seeing her interest, Lu Lang also stopped aside patiently.

The dolls placed on the ground are made of clay or fine porcelain, with fine workmanship and bright colors.

According to the market price, one piece would cost more than twenty or thirty coins. The few white and delicate porcelain ladies placed at the innermost part would probably cost more than a hundred coins each.

The colored rings were thrown out with aim, but when they were put on the doll, they either deviated a little and flew out, or seemed to have been put on, but then miraculously bounced and slid off.

This made the child who was throwing the colored rings so angry that he jumped up and down, and the people watching on the side also sighed with regret.

Shen Yu watched the children throw it a few times and then figured out the trick.

The colorful rings look thick and large, but they are actually made of extremely thin bamboo strips that are polished and bent into circles. They are very light and can easily go off target if you don't aim well.

Moreover, there seemed to be something else under the wide bamboo mat. When the ring was hit hard, it actually bounced slightly, causing the ring that was originally able to be put on to fall down again.

Shen Yu secretly laughed in his heart: "What a smart stall owner, no wonder he is shouting so enthusiastically."

"These dolls are so exquisite, and the cost of putting them on ten times is not much. Everyone thinks that if they hit the target, they can get a doll worth several times the value for only five cents. Little do they know that they are just giving money to the stall owner for nothing."

Lu Lang watched Shen Yu carefully examine them and asked with a smile, "Miss Shen, which one do you like? Do you want to try it?"

Shen Yu waved her hands and said, "I can't play this, but the clay doll in pink clothes with two little pigtails looks really cute, and it looks similar to Yutao's makeup today."

As he was speaking, Qi Xi and Yu Cheng and a few others squeezed over at some point and just happened to hear Shen Yu say this.

Everyone looked in the direction of Shen Yu's finger.

Yes, the chubby clay doll in the corner, wearing a pink cotton jacket and pants, with two small round buns on her head, curved eyebrows and a smile, looks about the same as Yutao, who is wearing a pink padded jacket and a bun at this moment.

Yutao stood on tiptoe, leaned forward to take a closer look, and smiled.

Dun Dun asked Yu Tao: "Sister Yu Tao, do you want that clay doll?"

Before Yu Tao could answer, Yu Cheng had already taken out his small purse with great vigor, and took out five copper coins. He walked away and said, "Wait, second sister. I'll get them back for you."

Yutao was about to say no when the stall owner quickly took the money and handed her ten colorful rings.

Shen Yu and Lu Lang both smiled and shook their heads.

The clay doll was placed very far inside, far away from the position where the ring was thrown, and the angle was off, so it was basically impossible to hit it.

Sure enough, Yu Cheng took a horse stance, looked left and right, and threw the colored ring in his hand out.

From full of confidence to disbelief, from elation to dejection, it only took ten rings, but the little Yu Cheng was already devastated to the point of having his shoulders collapsed.

He walked back with slow steps, glanced at Yutao shyly, and said incoherently, "Second sister, I thought it was easy to get you."

Yu Tao was also a little disappointed, but she still kindly comforted Yu Cheng: "This looks difficult to put on. It's not your fault. Maybe the clay doll's head is too big to fit."