Chapter 42 Climbing the Mountain. Destined to meet but not to be together.

Lu Songyuan's face was as black as an inkstone.

Jing Hui looked up at his tense jaw, pursed her lips, and chuckled.

Previously, when Jing Hui saw Lu Songyuan and Lian Zhu being at odds, he didn't know what was going on. But after last night, Jing Hui finally understood.

This person is jealous of her relationship with Lian Zhu.

Wow, she's really quick to grasp things!

Jing Hui chuckled and reached out to wrap her arms around Lu Songyuan's neck, pressing his Adam's apple as she urged, "Don't let outsiders laugh at us, get up."

outsider.

Lu Songyuan was inexplicably pleased by the name Jing Hui.

He reached out and pinched Jing Hui's mischievous hand, pressing it against her palm. He then lowered his head and bit Jing Hui's lips. "Okay."

Even when getting up, he dawdled. Lu Songyuan was unusually clingy today, and Jing Hui couldn't break free several times. Only after Lu Songyuan had dressed and sat in his wheelchair did Jing Hui turn around and walk towards the back hall.

She sighed inwardly, thinking that if Lu Songyuan's leg were still intact, she wouldn't be able to leave the house today.

After washing up, the two went out together. As soon as the door opened, Jing Hui saw Lian Zhu's sour face.

In the past, Jing Hui would have definitely made a series of sarcastic remarks, but today Bai Zhi was there, and Jing Hui turned to look at Lu Songyuan, who was holding her hand, and smiled.

I'm in a good mood today, so I won't hold it against him.

Jing Hui shook Lu Songyuan's hand in return and walked down the steps, saying in a light tone, "Let's go have breakfast."

Lianzhu followed behind him, pursed her lips and said, "Breakfast? It's almost lunchtime."

"So what?"

Jing Hui grabbed Bai Zhi's hand, turned to Lian Zhu and said, "Eat it or not, Bai Zhi, let's go."

Bai Zhi was flattered and quickly lowered his head, saying, "Okay."

Breakfast took some time to prepare, and it was about noon when we finished.

The meal was relatively harmonious. After breakfast, the group prepared to go up the mountain to pay their respects to the old abbot.

The elderly host is over 100 years old, 116 this year.

Empress Huixiao longed for a child. She prayed at the temple the day before and attended the abbot's 100th birthday banquet. After descending the mountain, she was diagnosed with pregnancy.

Empress Huixiao was moved to tears. After her pregnancy stabilized in three months, she personally went up the mountain to pay her respects to the old abbot again. Every year thereafter, she personally offered incense to pray for Jinghui's well-being.

Jing Hui has a deep connection with this temple, as does Lian Zhu.

When they were young, the two often came to the hot spring villa to play. This time, they came to ask Renju and Baizhi to draw a fortune stick to see if they were destined to be together.

If we are destined to be together, we can continue; if not, there is no need to force it.

The temple is called Chengen Temple, located on the summit of Xiaolishan Mountain.

The mountain road was steep, and the carriage could only go about halfway up the mountain before the group got off. It would take about another half an hour to reach their destination.

It was cold here, so when Jing Hui got out of the carriage, he pulled his cloak tighter and buttoned up the hood.

She turned around and saw Lu Qingyue pushing Lu Songyuan down from the carriage.

After Lu Songyuan came down, Lianzhu said, "Let's go."

Most of them had some martial arts experience, so climbing the mountain wasn't tiring.

Jing Hui tried to bring Lian Zhu and Bai Zhi together, chatting and laughing between them. With her there, laughter filled the air, even scaring away the mountain birds several times. Jing Hui could also clearly feel the closeness between Bai Zhi and Lian Zhu.

However, wheels are no match for legs, and in no time, Lu Songyuan had pulled five steps ahead of the three.

He rested his hand on his forehead, watching Jing Hui's clothes intertwined with someone's, and sighed.

She turned and gave Lu Qingyue a cold look, "Where's your spirit?"

Lu Qingyue was full of energy, but the mountain road was almost vertical. He worked himself to the bone for a long time and was still ridiculed. He immediately looked miserable.

"General, why don't you get up and walk a few steps yourself? The road is already full of potholes, but it's almost vertical. I really don't have the strength to push you in to catch up with the princess."

Lu Songyuan once again doubted his feigned lameness. Upon hearing this, he stopped scolding Lu Qingyue and looked ahead, saying, "Let's go."

"yes--"

As soon as the two finished speaking, the three people in front of them suddenly stopped.

Jing Hui turned around and glanced at Lu Songyuan, said something to the two people beside her, and then walked towards Lu Songyuan.

Lu Songyuan raised an eyebrow and, before Jing Hui could even approach, extended a hand towards her.

Jing Hui stepped forward and took Lu Qingyue's hand, then looked at him and asked, "Are you tired? Would you like to rest for a while?"

Lu Qingyue was flattered. He had just shown his gratitude when he caught a glimpse of Lu Songyuan and immediately withdrew his expression.

"No, I'm not tired. Thank you for your understanding, Princess. I wouldn't dare to delay you."

Jing Hui wanted to say something, but Lu Songyuan squeezed her hand and asked, "You were laughing so happily just now, what did you say?"

"Of course, it's to bring the two of them together."

Jing turned back to look ahead.

Lianzhu took out a water bag from her waist and handed it to Bai Zhi. Bai Zhi was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and accepted it. After drinking a few sips, she twisted the water bag shut, hung it around her waist, and patted Lianzhu on the shoulder.

Her face was full of admiration and joy, while Lianzhu felt embarrassed, touched her nose, and lowered her head.

Even from a distance, Jing Hui knew that Lian Zhu was smiling.

"I told you so."

Jing Hui raised her chin and said, "Bai Zhi definitely has feelings for him."

Lu Songyuan glanced at the two of them.

He had never cared about matters of the heart, but after learning of Jing Hui's feelings for him, Lu Songyuan began to observe how outsiders interacted with each other, intentionally or unintentionally.

According to Lu Songyuan, Bai Zhi does have feelings for Lian Zhu, but what those feelings are is hard to say.

"Let nature take its course."

Lu Songyuan said, "If it really exists, you can give it a little push and it will come; there's no need to force it."

"I know."

Jing Hui nodded, looked up at the sky, and said, "It's getting late, we should go."

"good."

Jing Hui glanced at Lu Qingyue's exhausted appearance and jokingly said, "How about I push you for a while?"

As soon as Jing Hui finished speaking, Lian Zhu urged them, "A Zhu, what are you doing? Hurry up and leave."

"Need not."

Lu Songyuan looked at Lian Zhu and said loudly, "My subordinate is injured. I would like to trouble General Zhonglang to give me a push."

Even from a distance, Jing Hui could see the anger on Lian Zhu's face.

She patted Lu Songyuan and whispered, "Why do you always bother him?"

Lu Songyuan raised an eyebrow. "What, are you heartbroken?"

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

Jing Hui glared at Lu Songyuan. If this guy didn't leave soon, it would be dark by the time he left. She turned to Lian Zhu and said, "Thank you for your trouble, brother."

Lian Zhu didn't want to come, but Bai Zhi said something, so Lian Zhu reluctantly came over, glared at Lu Songyuan, and walked behind him to grab the wheelchair handle.

"I don't know the way, and I might accidentally push it down the mountain. General Lu, please don't blame me."

Upon hearing Lian Zhu's words, Bai Zhi, who had followed, quickly patted his arm and said to Jing Hui and Lu Songyuan, "Princess, please forgive us. General Lu, please forgive us."

Jing Hui snorted, and Lu Songyuan said, "No rush. This general's hands are quite fast. Who will fall down at that time is uncertain."

You despicable person!

Jing Hui smiled and said, "Let's go!"

"good."

Lu Songyuan, relaxed and leaning back in his wheelchair, said, "Please hurry up and go."

Lian Zhu gritted his teeth, holding back a surge of anger, which propelled him to push Lu Songyuan up the mountain in one go, without even taking a break in between.

Upon arriving at the temple gate, Lianzhu tossed Lu Songyuan in front of Jing Hui, then turned to Bai Zhi for water and gulped down an entire water bag.

"Useless, not even as good as Lu Qingyue."

Jing Hui chuckled, and Lian Zhu, who was on the other side, heard it and shouted, "Who are you talking about! Don't you know how much you weigh?"

Lianzhu shouted loudly, and the entire temple echoed. Just as Jing Hui was about to reprimand him, he suddenly heard a deep and ethereal voice behind him.

"Amitabha, the young master is still so lively."

Saying a child is lively is a compliment; what's so lively about a grown man like him?

Everyone turned to look and saw a man with white hair and beard, a few wrinkles on his face, and wearing a golden cassock. He had been watching them from behind for who knows how long.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Jing Hui exclaimed joyfully, "Abbot Kongxing!"

"Amitabha, Princess, it's been a long time."

"haven't seen you for a long time!"

Jing Hui walked up to him, put his hands together in prayer, and said, "Why is the abbot here?"

She did not send a message.

"The magpies on the back mountain have been calling for several days. I guess a distinguished person will come today."

Kongxing's voice was not as weathered as that of an ordinary old man; instead, it had a deep quality that came from having experienced many hardships.

"Thank you for coming to pick me up in person, Abbot."

After Jing Hui explained her purpose for seeking divination to Kong Xing, Kong Xing said, "It is auspicious to see divination today. Princess and everyone else, please go into the temple first to rest for a while, and come directly to the Mahavira Hall at 5 pm."

Thank you.

The group thanked the abbot and went to rest in the meditation room at the back of the temple.

Originally, there should have been four people per room, but many people came up the mountain to pray for blessings these days, so Jinghui and Baizhi shared a room, and Lu Songyuan and Lianzhu shared a room.

After a night, Jing Hui and Bai Zhi settled in and went to the next room, where they saw Lian Zhu and Lu Songyuan staring at each other coldly without saying a word.

Jing Hui stood between the two, looking them over, and then pointed at them, saying, "It's not appropriate to make noise in the temple. It's only for one night anyway, so no arguing is allowed."

Lu Songyuan looked at Jing Hui and reached out his hand to her. Jing Hui stepped forward and took his hand. The two of them looked at Lian Zhu together.

Lianzhu had already noticed something was wrong with Jing Hui. She realized that this man had been completely fooling Jing Hui, and Lianzhu felt a surge of inexplicable anger.

Bai Zhi walked up to her side without her noticing and patted Lian Zhu's arm. Lian Zhu turned her head and saw her, and her anger immediately subsided.

"knew."

The four rested in their room for half an hour. Seeing the sun sinking behind the western mountains, they got up together, ate a vegetarian meal, and then went to the Mahavira Hall.

Because of the princess's arrival, the palace had been cleared out, leaving only the disciples of the abbot, Guitar.

The four of them stepped forward together, and Jing Hui said, "Let's see what fate has in store for you, brother."

After she finished speaking, seeing Bai Zhi stunned, Jing Hui winked at her, "We'll come over in a bit."

Bai Zhi was amused and replied, "Yes, Princess."

The dakini pointed to the prayer mat in front of the Bodhisattva and said, "Let's come here."

"good."

Lianzhu and Baizhi knelt down together, and then a young novice monk handed them a divination tube. The two looked at each other, shook it together, and the divination slips inside fell to the ground at the same time.

The young novice monk handed it to the Dakini, who examined it carefully and then looked up at Lianzhu.

He glanced at Bai Zhi again and said, "The two of you are asking about the same thing, and the result is the same."

"It is a case of being destined to meet but not to be together."