To avoid them being spotted at a glance, Li Xu deliberately chose spots that were a bit high up—places a flashlight could reach, but a hand couldn't.
He scrambled up a willow tree like a monkey, found a relatively smooth patch of bark, and carefully stuck the "cicada" to it.
"Don't stick it on too tight. It won't be funny if they can't get it off."
Song Sisi reminded him in a hushed voice from below.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Li Xu finished sticking one on, then jumped down to admire his work.
In the mottled light and shadow beneath the tree, the paper cicada actually looked like the real deal.
Never mind at night; it would be completely indistinguishable.
They divided the labor. Li Xu was in charge of climbing trees to stick them up high, while Song Sisi handled the hidden corners in the lower areas.
As they carried out this thankless, malicious deed, they couldn't help but snicker.
