As it was Shao Cheng's turn, the pale boy went crawling all around the river bank to find a stone small enough and smooth enough to have a chance of balancing on that teetering structure. His jaw clenched and brow furrowed with frustration as he searched, crawled and searched some more.
There were hardly any smooth stones left! He and Li Jun had used all of them up!
Feeling irritated, Shao Cheng settled on a small stone that was slightly crooked, but smooth enough. For almost a whole minute, he stood hunched over the tower, trying again and again to place the stone without making the tower sway. Clenching his jaw in concentration, he at last lowered it, careful not to touch the stones below with even his fingertips.
The tower swayed. It wobbled.
…And it steadied.
Shao Cheng had succeeded!
Looking extremely satisfied with himself, Shao Cheng went to sit cross-legged by Li Jun, who looked disappointed.
