Page 81 of He Is My Bride

Telling by little trade prince Lin’s confidence and appearance, the silk trader’s family must have been extremelywealthy and respected—and not humble about it. Although Hanjun was killing it today, and Li Ying thought he could take the peacock on. But it didn’t seem like a Wu thing, to posture. Li Ying would continue to observe, but first:

“Me, I will go against Sir Xiang!” Li Ying raised his hand again and went to take the seat opposite Huang Xiang while the crowd cheered.

“Watch out, everyone, I bet the American can hold her drink!”

“She’s still just a girl.”

“Watch me.” Li Ying sat down with his knees apart, naturally assuming a dominant position as he leaned his elbow on the table and smirked at Huang Xiang. “Please teach me the rhyme first, Master Huang, then prepare to drink!”

“Ohoho, such confidence,” someone commented.

Hanjun sat back, leg crossed over his knee, and observed closely, sipping his tea. Huang Xiang was undaunted, taking Li Ying’s boast in good humor, and taught him the rhyme as well as the little dance one was to perform with their hands before tossing out either rock, paper, or scissors to determine the outcome of the round. Then they played:

“Two little bees fly down to a flower and fly,fei ya!” they both sang and threw out their hands: both threw scissors.

“Mwah mwah!” Huang Xiang led by example and made two kissing sounds while smacking his lips in pretend kisses towards Li Ying. He did it slowly enough for Li Ying to follow along, as it was his first time.

“Mwah mwah!” Li Ying copied and then they threw again:

“Fei ya!” Both threw rocks and did the kissy-kissy again. Hanjun’s eyes had narrowed behind Huang Xiang’s back, but he tolerated it.

“Fei ya!” Both threw scissors again.

The game had started on an interesting note, and people whistled and shouted.

“Fei ya!” Both threw paper; ‘kiss kiss.’

“What is happening!” Someone exclaimed with excitement as they kept tying.

“Fei ya!” Huang Xiang threw paper again, Li Ying threw scissors.

Li Ying pretended to give Huang Xiang two slaps while the crowd helped him by shouting: ‘Pya, pya!’ and Huang Xiang played along, throwing his head from side to side as if slapped around, exclaiming ‘ah, ah!’ and on the second ‘slap,’ he grabbed a shot glass and emptied it.

“Was that such a good idea, Huang Xiang!” someone hollered, all in good fun. The next round immediately followed.

“Fei ya!” Li Ying threw rock, Huang Xiang threw paper, and now it was Huang Xiang’s turn to slap Li Ying: ‘pya, pya!’; ‘ah, ah!’

Li Ying was grinning widely, having the time of his life as he grabbed a shot glass and emptied it. It continued for a few more rounds, another shot for Huang Xiang, three ties for ‘kisses,’ and then, when Li Ying’s scissors would have lost to Huang Xiang’s rocks, Huang Xiang messed up, leaning in for a kiss:

“Mwa—Oh!”

“Drink up and step out, Huang Xiang!” someone called. “Who’s next against Li Ying?”

Huang Xiang raised his glass in toast to Li Ying and emptied it.

“I might not have a stomach for round two…” Huang Xiang said and went to sit down.

Li Ying had an uncanny ability in the game for a first timer, but he was good at rock, paper, scissors -psychology as well as quick witted, and didn’t mess up once. It helped that he only lost a few rounds and had to take fewer shots. But the longer he would remain the reigning champion, the more shots he would accumulate and the harder it would be for him to focus, making it easier for him to commit mistakes and thus for his opponent to prevail. Or so they thought, but Li Ying also had a particularly good alcohol tolerance.

“This is impossible…”

“Miss Li, it’s okay to stop.”

“Ha! I’m no quitter! If you want to dethrone me, you have to win me fair and square! Next opponent!” Li Ying tapped the table before the empty seat in front of him.

Up until this point, he had competed against Huang Xiang and two women—his earlier discussion partners—but now before him sat a man, one of Hanjun’s old schoolmates.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t go easy on you either.” Li Ying grinned and shook the hand the man had offered, as if they were about to engage in a formal chess match.