Chapter 113 - Zhang Ye’s Second Half! (1/2)
In the square.
The preliminary round was coming to an end.
”Time is almost up?” Elder Qian said.
The second judge said, ”Well, let's wait another two more minutes.”
The third judge nodded, ”Okay. If no one steps forward, we will be closing up. Hur Hur.”
The three judges announced the ending time, as the preliminaries could not go on without an ending. Everyone was still waiting for the opening ceremony over at the auditorium. Actually, they had not expected anyone to be able to match this couplet. There wasn't enough time either. The key couplet's second line was a very tricky one; every word had to be separated, broken down and digested before you could attempt to match the second line. There was just no other way.
Elder Qian looked at those who had given up and shook his head slightly. In his heart, he had hoped that someone could match this couplet, but he understood that there was no way anyone could.
Not far away.
Xiao Lu was getting anxious, ”Quickly match it!”
Hou Di did not know whether to laugh or to cry, ”How do you match question 50?”
Dafei also looked over at the couplet that was coined as one of the two most difficult questions, ”Hai shui chao chao chao chao chao chao chao luo*? Was this couplet matching, or was this a tongue twister? What is this c.r.a.p?”
Hou Ge also stared, ”The words are written incorrectly, right? Why are there so many 'chao'?”
Xiao Lu gave an idea, ”Why don't we just bullsh*t and try our luck? Let's match it with 'Da feng gua gua gua gua gua gua gua qi'.”
Man, with so many gua (Gusting), it had to be a typhoon. Zhang Ye could only smile bitterly.
Dafei nearly fainted as he said, ”Why didn't you match it with ‘Fu ben zou zou zou zou zou zou zou' (copy cat go go go go go go go)?”
Xiao Lu also knew it couldn't work. She looked down in despair, ”Then what should we do?”
Just as they were discussing, Big Thunder was staring at Zhang Ye and laughed. He walked up and said, ”Yo. Zhang Ye is here, too? Have you not matched any yet? But there's only this one left.” Big Thunder was good at poetry and also couplets, otherwise he wouldn't have received the runner up position in the last compet.i.tion. He stood before Zhang Ye this time as a compet.i.tor in the couplet compet.i.tion. Big Thunder was very confident; he knew that in terms of poetry, he might not compare to Zhang Ye, but in couplets? He wants to compete with me in couplets? You sure are funny! Big Thunder joined this year with the target to be the champion!
Zhang Ye looked at him, ”So what if there's only one left?”
”Then you had better hurry; there's not much time.” Big Thunder laughed, ”And are you even sure that you can match this couplet? This was given by Elder Qian. Before bragging that you can match it, why not read the first part of the couplet for us first? I'm afraid that you can't even read it correctly. If that's the case, then you can forget about matching it.”
Xiao Lu whispered, ”Teacher Zhang, just bullsh*t your way through!”
”Right. Write anything. You might even get it correct!” Hou Di said, ”Why don't you just use the one Xiao Lu suggested earlier?”
The few of them discussed in whispers.
Big Thunder shook his head, ”You are even trying to match the couplet collectively? Isn't this cheating?”
Xiao Lu stared viciously at Big Thunder. This old bald donkey! What has it to do with you? Could it be that you were the one who did not allow Teacher Zhang to compete? Were you the one playing tricks?
The first judge, Elder Qian, looked at his watch, ”Okay. Let's call it a day.”
They were preparing to go off. The school staff were coming over to move the tables away and pack up.
At this moment, Zhang Ye said loudly, ”Judges, please wait. I would like to give it a try.”
Big Thunder was stunned, and he was also happy. He wondered if Zhang Ye was even serious about matching this couplet? And he hadn't even arrived for long? In such a short time, what could he match! Even if it was him, he might have had to spend an hour or two and it might not even be a good match, or he might not even be able to match it, so how could Zhang Ye?
The other contestants also stopped in their steps and paid attention.
”Eh?”
”Who is this person?”
”This couplet must be an impossibility, right? Yet, someone actually wants to try it?”
”It cannot be considered an impossibility, but it is definitely very difficult.”
”Can he do it? I have never seen him before. Is he from this field?”
Big Sis Zhou, Auntie Sun and Zhao Guozhou were also observing near the square. When they saw Zhang Ye stepping up, they all cheered.
”Teacher Zhang, go for it!” Xiaofang shouted.
”Little Zhang! Show them what you've got!” Auntie Sun said
Zhang Ye turned around to look. Even Tian Bin and his wife were gesturing for him to do well. He nodded to them in acknowledgment and a.s.sured them.
With all the shouting, many of those who had given up were shocked!
”Zhang Ye?”
”He is that Zhang Ye?”
”Shuidiao Getou was very well written. So that's him.”
”I heard that he slapped the faces of those in the Writers' a.s.sociation the last time, yet he dares to step foot here today?”
A portion of the crowd still did not know of Zhang Ye, but there were still some who had heard of him before. They all gathered together and discussed about him, occasionally pointing at him.
At this time, the cameraman responsible for live streaming the event also pointed his camera at Zhang Ye. The preliminary round was not streamed live, but he still had to record it. There would be edits to create a highlight reel that was to be uploaded to the internet.