Addicted: Book One - The Inquietude of Youth

Chapter 132: A grown son can't be kept at home either

Bai Luo Yin continued, "The fifth riddle on the third row, that idiom is, "A crowd of good friends gathered together."

The girl in charged of verifying all the answers looked extremely petrified as she said "Incorrect," with a very low voice, almost inaudible.

The stall owner, whom beforehand stood to the side, interrupted. And in a loud, ear splitting tone, he roared, "Wrong! Next!"

"That's impossible!"

Bai Luo Yin firmly believe in his answer. There was no doubt, in his mind at all, that he had answered correctly. He snatched the answer book from the girl and as expected, with just one look at it, his answer was verified.

"Are you serious, how can you be like this? We obviously answered correctly and you still have the nerve to accuse us of being wrong? Or is it that, you can't give us our prizes?" bellowed out Yang Meng, using Bai Luo Yin's fierceness to flaunt his momentary superiority.

In the end, the stall owner himself came out. With a smile adorning his lips, he confronted Bai Luo Yin and Yang Meng.

"It's the Lantern Festival, a very auspicious day. It's not that we're unable to give you the prizes, it's just that we encourage more people to participate and have a go at it as well. Two handsome men like yourselves, I know you're both knowledgeable and are expert at answering these riddles. You want the prizes and you can easily obtain them. But the crucial point is, those people standing patiently at the side. You also have to give them an opportunity to win some prizes too right?"

Bai Luo Yin laughed to this statement and turn to leave the premises, with the dignity of a gentleman enveloping his stature.

"Wait a second, take these!"

Upon hearing someone called out to him, Bai Luo Yin turned around. With great agility, he skillfully caught the package that was tossed in his direction, by someone on the other side.

After he steadied his footing, he finally saw clearly what it was. Yang Meng couldn't help but cry out in alarm, "That's some freaking huge sticky rice balls! Is it......is it even cooked!?"

Bai Luo Yin's eyes froze, somberness congealed the blood that once graced his picturesque features.

A memory flashed across his mind, and drowned out the loud noises of the streets.*1

Once dusk sauntered by, all the street lights turned on. Together, Bai Luo Yin and Yang Meng stood at the corner of the street. For a long while, they once again, admired and took pleasure in the beauty of all the lights as it illuminated across the street; painting a picture perfect illustration of the festival in all its' glory and magnificence. Afterwards they made their way back him with contentment already poured deeply into their heart.

By the time Bai Luo Yin got to the courtyard of his house, food was already prepared and everyone was waiting patiently for his arrival. Once Meng Tong Tian saw Bai Luo Yin's figure approached, he pulled a chair over and gestured him to quickly sit down.

"Come, come, come, supper's ready," announced Bai Han Qi loudly, excited intermingled with his voice, as his signature smile crept swiftly toward the corners of his lips.

Everyone lifted the cups in their hands, regardless of whether it was liquor or a soft drink, they toasted each other first before exchanging any words.

"Eat, eat."

"Wait, we should eat the sweet sticky dumplings first."

"That's right! It goes without saying that our Tong Tian is the most intelligent."

The whole family surrounded the table as they happily ate and chat at the same time. Their faces full to the brim with happiness and the events of the few precious days did not affect their mood even the slightest bit. It was as if they had mutually agreed to seal their lips and bury those unfortunate occurrences. It was the last day of the lunar month, they had long ago resolved to only talk about all joyous things and determined to perpetuate happiness and harmonious until the very last minute, last second of that year.