The shopkeeper laughed, “Young lady, you have good taste. This pair of Mo He Le was crafted by Gao Shan from Suzhou. It’s priceless, our shop’s treasure. It’s only for Guapo, not for sale, and Guapo is the most difficult game. If you want it, you’ll need some real skill.”
Ning Wanwan knew that Mo He Le was typically only available during the Qixi Festival, making these dolls rare.
Just as she was about to give up, Si Zhan confidently said, “Shopkeeper, just set up the game. We’ll play.”
“Alright!” The shopkeeper brought out three red-feathered arrow pins and explained the Guapo rules: “You only have three arrows. After the wheel spins, you must shoot three arrows without stopping. If you hit the flower, bird, and fish images, you win. You must bet fifty coins before playing.”
Si Zhan was about to take out his money pouch when Fu Yi quickly handed fifty coins to the shopkeeper.
“Wait,” Si Zhan took out a piece of silver from his money pouch, placed it in the shopkeeper’s hand, and returned Fu Yi’s fifty coins.
Confused, Fu Yi looked at the coins and then at Ning Wanwan for instructions. Ning Wanwan gently nodded, and Fu Yi reluctantly put the money back.
A crowd quickly gathered, eagerly awaiting the game. The shopkeeper shouted, “Open!”
Cheers erupted around them: “Hit! Hit! Hit…” Ning Wanwan watched the spinning wheel, its patterns swirling impossibly fast, making it impossible to distinguish between the birds and fish. Her heart sank as the game required three consecutive shots with extremely light needle arrows under challenging conditions. The shopkeeper confidently displayed this game as the shop’s treasure.
Si Zhan stood calmly about two zhang away from the wheel, holding three needle arrows, seemingly serene. As everyone cheered, he slowly closed his phoenix eyes, leaving the crowd stunned. In that moment of stillness, Ning Wanwan saw Si Zhan quickly open his eyes, a sharp glint passing through his pitch-black pupils.
For an instant, she saw the decisive Si Zhan from her previous life.
His hand moved deftly, with three light “dong” sounds as the arrows were shot.
The crowd eagerly watched the shopkeeper stop the wheel. Suddenly, someone exclaimed, “Birds and fish! All hit!”
The onlookers erupted in applause.
