"It seems the victory or defeat depends on the final question. I am a bit nervous." The official’s face showed a trace of tension. Not just him, but all the students and teachers sitting below, including the principal, felt the tension rise. They had come to participate in the knowledge competition, but they hadn’t expected the atmosphere to become so intense. In contrast, the three children on stage looked quite relaxed. Perhaps they were the most relaxed people in the entire auditorium.
The official took a deep breath and then said, "The final question." He glanced at the last question, and a strange look flashed in his eyes. "This is a very peculiar question. The question is: Which month has the 28th?"
"Every month," Zhu Yanyi answered immediately.
"February," Luo Fuxin and Cheng Chen said in unison.
The official looked at the three of them. "There are two answers. Student Zhu Yanyi says every month, while Students Cheng Chen and Luo Fuxin say February. So, what is the answer?" The official checked the answer key and announced it with a faint smile, "The answer is every month."
Zhu Yanyi shrugged. She had known the answer all along. After all, it was a brain teaser.
The official looked at Zhu Yanyi, who remained calm and seemed to have known the answer beforehand. "Did you know this question, Student Zhu Yanyi?"
"It’s a question that tests your wit. You can’t think about it normally. The main thing is not to overthink it. I call it a brain teaser. I’ve read quite a few books when I was bored, and I once saw one like this, so I wasn’t tricked by the trap. If Cheng Chen and Luo Fuxin had read that book, they would have known too." Zhu Yanyi smiled slightly. "Let me give you an example. There’s a question like this: 'Which character can never be written well?' Which character do you think it is?"
Cheng Chen and Luo Fuxin were slightly stunned. "Give us the answer first." They could find the pattern through the answer.
Zhu Yanyi didn’t hesitate. "The answer is 'bad' (huai). 'Bad' itself isn't 'good', so writing the character 'bad' means you can never write it 'well'. There are similar questions, like 'Why does a black pen write red characters?' The answer is because you wrote the character 'red'. The simpler your thinking, the easier it is to answer these questions."
"I understand," Cheng Chen nodded, indicating he got it.
Zhu Yanyi smiled. "Let me test you again. The question is: What is the difference between Confucius and Mencius?"
Cheng Chen paused for a moment. "The 'zi' in Confucius is on the left, while the 'zi' in Mencius is on top."
"Smart. That’s exactly what a brain teaser is." Zhu Yanyi admired Cheng Chen again for grasping the logic of brain teasers so quickly.
"I understand too," Luo Fuxin’s eyes lit up. He realized that things could be viewed so simply.
"Then I’ll give you a question too: Why do men always play finger-guessing games when drinking together?"
Luo Fuxin thought for a moment and answered uncertainly, "Because if you don’t accept the toast, you’ll have to drink the penalty."
"That’s right," Zhu Yanyi nodded. "Exactly."
"These kinds of questions are so interesting. Do you still have that book? I want to see it," Cheng Chen said.
"I’ll look for it when I get home and bring it to you then," Zhu Yanyi said.
"Can I borrow it too?" Luo Fuxin asked.
"Sure. You can ask Cheng Chen for it later," Zhu Yanyi waved her hand. It was just a book of brain teasers, after all.