Mingzhuo slept very well, and the next day he got up early and went to the plum grove in the west to admire the flowers for a while.

The spring chill was still in the air, and the temperature had suddenly dropped; there was hardly anyone by the lake so early.

Mingzhu broke off a willow branch and practiced swordplay under the plum blossom tree.

Her posture was casual and unrestrained, yet full of power. The willow branch in her hand seemed no longer soft, but transformed into a sharp sword.

The invisible sword energy was cold and deadly, as if it carried a strange power capable of slicing through everything in the world.

The sword energy pierced through the air, heading straight for the man standing by the plum blossom grove.

Just as they were about to make contact, the sword energy dissipated instantly, and the invisible shockwave caused plum blossoms to fall in a flurry.

Mingzhuo stopped her attack and gazed at the man from afar amidst the falling petals.

The man, dressed in all black, appeared aloof and dignified. Compared to the day we first met, he had lost some of his gentle, approachable charm and gained a coldness that kept strangers at bay.

But it's still as beautiful as ever!

Few men have such fair skin, yet they don't look effeminate, making it clear to everyone that this is a genuine man.

Mingzhuo smiled and raised his hand to greet her, "Hi, we meet again. But why are you wearing black today? You have a different aura..."

As she spoke, she walked towards the other person, but halfway through her sentence, she suddenly widened her eyes slightly and abruptly stopped.

Gu Xu looked at her, his voice low and cold: "How is it different?"

The man was dressed in black, his eyes were deeper than the night, giving off a sharp, cold aura.

It wasn't the person who smiled and nodded at me under the plum blossom tree that day.

Mingzhuo quickly realized he had mistaken someone for someone else: "I'm sorry, I made a mistake."

This person seemed unapproachable, like a flower on a high mountain, so she decided not to continue the conversation.

Gu Xu watched the little girl's departing figure, feeling somewhat surprised.

One second he was smiling brightly, the next his expression changed.

However, Gu Xu frowned. They met again? When had they met before?

Such a beautiful and spirited young girl, if I had seen her before, I wouldn't have a complete memory of her.

Thinking of the wonderful "sword dance" he had just witnessed, Gu Xu couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Ah Xu, you smiled?" He Wangyao walked over with a surprised look on her face.

Could this person actually laugh? He felt a sense of astonishment, like seeing an iron tree bloom!

Gu Xu said indifferently, "Why can't I laugh?"

He Wangyao was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Axu, I have something urgent to attend to and need to leave for a few days."

His father had instructed him to follow Ah Xu, and he quite liked Ah Xu as a friend. Although Ah Xu was aloof and not very enthusiastic, he was very loyal and never interfered in his affairs.

His friends often criticized him, thinking that it was a waste of time for a grown man to be a live streamer.

Ah-Xu never wears colored glasses, which is truly admirable!

Gu Xu frowned slightly: "You'd better tell your uncle."

"No need, no need. I'm going to an offline gathering at the invitation of a friend. I'll be back in about four or five days." He Wangyao waved his hand with a smile. The car he had arranged had already arrived.

Just before getting into the car, he suddenly turned around and said, "By the way, Ah Xu, I remember you used to laugh a lot when you were little. You had a very beautiful smile!"

Gu Xu said calmly, "Is that so? Then you're mistaken."

He Wangyao paused for a moment, then laughed, "Okay, then I remembered it wrong."

Ah Xu was actually shy, but since the other party wouldn't admit it, she decided to play dumb as well!

Although he considered the other person a friend, he was vaguely intimidated by them and always felt that he shouldn't act presumptuously in front of this person.

It's okay to be a little mischievous once in a while, but you must know your limits! Although he's carefree, he's very measured in this regard and has an animal-like keen intuition.

He didn't say much, got into his car, and left.

——

Today is the day to go to Yunling Temple to burn incense and fulfill vows. When Mingzhuo returned home, the whole family had already made preparations.

Burning incense requires bathing and fasting, so the family kept a low profile, not only dressing simply and plainly, but also changing their car to a Volkswagen model.

Ruan Mingying held Mingzhuo's hand: "I have been looking for you all these years, but all the monks and Taoists I have asked say that your whereabouts have been concealed by heavenly secrets."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "But this Yunling Temple is quite different! I've only been there twice, and thank God, I found you! No wonder it's an ancient temple with a thousand-year history and a highly accomplished monk!"

Ruan Mingxuan: "Is it really that effective?"

She had been studying abroad and was skeptical of these claims.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Ruan's mother was silent for a moment, then said, "Xiaoxuan, listen to your older sister."

“Yes, even if you don’t believe, you should still be devout when burning incense,” Ruan Mingying said.

Mingzhuo smiled but didn't say anything.

Yunling Temple truly lives up to its reputation as a thousand-year-old temple with thriving incense offerings; even on weekdays, there is still a constant stream of worshippers coming to burn incense.

This was Mingzhuo's first time experiencing burning incense and praying to Buddha. Ruan Mingying personally guided her and reminded her to pay attention to the three-kowtow ritual.

After Mingzhuo finished his ritual and stood up, the monk in charge of the reception faintly heard a soft clicking sound coming from above.

He looked up at the Buddha statue with a puzzled expression... He felt that the solemn and dignified expression on the Buddha's face seemed to have become somewhat stiff.

It was as if they had encountered something difficult.

The moment the thought crossed his mind, he felt it was blasphemous and quickly put his hands together in prayer, saying, "Amitabha."

Mingzhuo retreated to a corner of the main hall, looking up at the Buddha statue with a smile.

The burning incense smoke seemed to deliberately obscure her vision.

She had no choice but to look away, since staring at people was impolite and could easily be misunderstood as a sign that she was there to cause trouble.

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