Colorful years

After such a long silence, it's my turn to step in. Thinking this, Congcong pushed her way through the crowd.

When the host read out the first riddle, Congcong's eyes lit up instantly, as if touched by some mysterious force.

His heart raced, his thoughts raced, and in just a moment, the answer clearly appeared in his mind.

He stepped forward confidently and announced in a loud voice, "The answer to this riddle is a lotus seedpod!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the host's face showed an incredulous surprise. Then, he loudly announced that Congcong had guessed correctly. The villagers all cast approving glances at him, and applause surged like a tide, engulfing Congcong in joy.

Then, the host posed an even more complex riddle: "It has a face but no mouth, feet but no hands, and although it has four legs, it can't walk on its own. Guess a household item."

The riddle was like a difficult problem, causing the villagers present to frown and exchange puzzled glances. They shook their heads, trying to find clues in the details of their daily lives, but to no avail.

Congcong, meanwhile, pondered silently in his heart. His thoughts seemed to travel to every corner of the house, finally settling on that familiar table.

He strode forward and confidently declared, "The answer to this riddle is a table!"

The host smiled with satisfaction and announced, "Congcong, you guessed right again!"

The villagers were amazed and applauded for a long time, as if they were crowning Congcong's intelligence.

Congcong's riddle-solving journey did not stop there. He became more and more courageous and solved several riddles in a row, winning rounds of applause and cheers from everyone each time.

His performance was like a breath of fresh air, making this otherwise ordinary afternoon lively and interesting.

However, the challenge was not over. When the host read out a particularly difficult riddle: "Thousands of lines, tens of thousands of lines, fall into the water and disappear. Guess a natural phenomenon." the villagers fell into deep thought once again.

They looked at each other, bewildered, as if the riddle had transported them to a strange world. They discussed it amongst themselves, trying to find inspiration in each other's words, but ultimately no one could solve it.

Congcong also felt a bit tricky. He closed his eyes and fell into deep thought.

His thoughts, like a bird, traversed the boundaries of time and space, finally settling on that familiar scene—the continuous drizzle falling from the sky, disappearing into the water without a trace.

He suddenly opened his eyes and announced loudly, "The answer to this riddle is rain!"

Upon hearing this, the host showed a surprised expression and announced that Congcong had guessed correctly again.

The villagers looked on with admiration, and applause rang out again like a tidal wave, as if cheering for his wisdom.

At this point, to increase the difficulty, the host mysteriously took out a slip of paper from his pocket and announced:

"This is the last riddle, and also the most difficult one. If any of you can guess it, I will give him/her a treasured possession that I have kept for many years."

Upon hearing this, the villagers were all eager to try their luck. Congcong was not to be outdone; he took a deep breath, ready to face this final challenge.

The host cleared his throat and loudly read out the riddle: "Playing together during the day, sleeping together at night. Never separated until old age, people praise their good marriage. Guess the animal."

The riddle, like a puzzle, left everyone present deep in thought. They looked at each other, shook their heads, indicating they couldn't guess it. Some even began to complain that the riddle was too difficult.

Congcong closed his eyes again, lost in deep thought. His thoughts drifted like a small boat on the sea of ​​memories, finally settling on that beautiful scene—a pair of mandarin ducks playing in the water, inseparable, growing old together.

He suddenly opened his eyes, and the answer instantly came to him. He strode forward and announced loudly, "The answer to this riddle is mandarin ducks!"

The host looked surprised upon hearing this, then announced that Congcong had guessed correctly. The villagers all looked on with approval, and thunderous applause erupted, as if cheering for Congcong's victory.

The host smiled and walked up to Congcong, took out a beautiful little box from his pocket, handed it to him and said, "Congcong, you are so smart! This is a treasure I have kept for many years, and I am giving it to you as a reward."

Congcong took the small box, opened it, and found a delicate jade pendant inside. The pendant was carved with exquisite patterns and emitted a warm luster, as if it contained some kind of mysterious power.

Congcong was overjoyed and kept saying, "Thank you! Thank you!" This gift was not only an affirmation of his intelligence, but also a precious treasure he gained today.

The villagers gathered around to congratulate Congcong on guessing all the riddles correctly. They praised Congcong for being clever, quick-witted, and destined for a bright future.

Congcong felt very happy after hearing everyone's praise.

Before Congcong could fully immerse himself in the moment, a venerable old man approached him.