Chapter 35 Meeting

Gu Jiao carried her basket to the other side of the mountain.

The temple was located halfway up the mountain, making it extremely difficult to reach. One section of the path had no steps and was entirely covered in snow. Fortunately, Gu Jiao had been diligent in climbing mountains and exercising since arriving here, which prevented her from being deterred by the treacherous mountain path.

She walked faster than most people, but it still took her an hour to reach the temple, which was close to noon.

The temple wasn't very big. The ancient and weathered plaque read "Ning'an Temple." Perhaps because it was snowing and there were few people, Gu Jiao didn't encounter a single pilgrim along the way.

There weren't many monks in the temple, and Gu Jiao had been inside for quite a while without seeing a single one.

"Could this temple be empty now?"

But the floor was kept very clean, as if someone took care of it every day.

As she was pondering this, Gu Jiao arrived at the Guanyin Hall. Standing behind a pillar, she glanced casually into the hall and finally saw the first living person of the day.

She was a lady dressed in fine silks and satins. Although her clothes were luxurious, they were not ostentatious. A white cloak was draped over her body, reflecting the snow-like light.

From Gu Jiao's perspective, she could only see the other person's back, but she could still feel the gentle and elegant aura emanating from them.

She kowtowed several times devoutly, her hands clasped together, and prayed, "May the Bodhisattva bless my son with peace and good fortune..."

Even her voice was gentle and pleasant to hear.

Gu Jiao rarely pays attention to strangers, especially if the other person is a woman, and she doesn't like women, right?

Just as he was lost in thought, a sharp voice suddenly rang out from the side: "Where did this little brat come from? How dare you peek at my lady!"

Gu Jiao snapped out of her daze and looked in the direction from which the shout came. She saw a maid in a light green vest walking down the opposite corridor. The maid was not scolding her, but rather a few little monks who had somehow gotten up behind another pillar.

The young monks, seeing that the beautiful woman had been caught red-handed, cried out and ran away in a panic.

So there are monks, but they are such tiny little monks!

One of the little ones ran in the wrong direction, heading towards Gu Jiao, bumping into her leg with a thud, and then falling to the ground with a thud.

Gu Jiao was charmed by the little dumpling who was standing there dumbfounded, and suddenly wanted to move him around!

But before she could reach out her hand, the little dumpling got up and ran away, chirping away.

The lady who had been praying to the Bodhisattva in the hall came out and said to the maid in the green vest, "Liu'er, do not be rude."

"Madam," the maid called Liu'er muttered as she stepped forward, "if these little rascals aren't properly disciplined, they'll take advantage of your kindness and start causing trouble in your meditation room!"

“They’re all children,” the lady said.

The maid pursed her lips, clearly disagreeing, but did not continue to argue with the lady.

Just as Gu Jiao thought the two were about to leave, the madam suddenly looked in Gu Jiao's direction.

Gu Jiao's figure was completely blocked by the pillar, and even the maid who came towards her did not notice her. It is unknown how this lady noticed her.

"Who goes there?" The maidservant immediately became alert.

Gu Jiao had no choice but to come out.

She wore a shabby light purple floral short jacket, dark brown cotton trousers, and a pair of black cloth shoes that were already soaked with snow. She also carried a worn-out little basket on her back. However, she was not very good at styling a woman's hair into a bun, so she picked up a finger of hair and tied it into a bun on top of her head.

She was dressed exactly like a poor country girl, not to mention the conspicuous red birthmark on her face.

A hint of disdain instantly appeared on the maid's face.

There was not a trace of disdain in the lady's eyes.

The snow stopped, and the temple roof tiles were covered with auspicious snow. The green mountains and beautiful scenery were covered with silver, and the world was a vast expanse of white and icy color. However, all of this paled in comparison to her stunning beauty.

Gu Jiao had never seen such a beautiful woman before.

But what's most beautiful about her is her temperament—gentle, elegant, quiet, and dignified.

"Are you here to pay homage to Guanyin Bodhisattva, young lady?" the lady asked Gu Jiao with a smile.

Such a gentle voice, such a gentle smile...

Gu Jiao was stunned for a moment before saying, "No, I'm here to see the abbot."

The lady said with a gentle smile, "The abbot has come down the mountain..."

Before she could finish speaking, another maidservant came hurrying over carrying a food box. There was still some ice on the road, and she slipped, cried out, and fell forward.

Not only did she fall to the ground, but the food box in her hand also flew out, about to hit the lady. Gu Jiao took a step forward and blocked it with her arm.

The food box broke apart in mid-air, spilling soup and vegetable leaves that soaked Gu Jiao!

The lady was shocked: "Young lady! Are you alright?!"

"It's nothing serious," Gu Jiao said.

It was too cold, and the food wasn't hot anymore. It was just that the soup was sticking to my body and it felt really uncomfortable.

Seeing her disheveled state, the lady felt guilty. She looked at the maid who had fallen to the ground and sighed, "Can't you walk properly?"

The maid also fell quite hard; her knees were swollen. She endured the pain and got up, complaining, "The road was too slippery..."

The lady understood that she hadn't done it on purpose, but she had still hurt the young lady, and she couldn't let it go. She said to Gu Jiao, "It's all my fault for not disciplining her properly. I've soiled the young lady's clothes. Please come with me to the meditation room to change into clean clothes."

Gu Jiao thought about it and did not refuse.

This lady was clearly a regular at the temple. She even had a private meditation room at the end of the corridor. The room looked no different from the other meditation rooms, but the furnishings inside were very elegant and serene, perfectly matching her temperament.

Two maids also entered the room.

The lady instructed the maid named Liu'er, who was wearing a green vest, to open the trunk.

Liu'er immediately objected: "Madam, these are all Miss's clothes!"

How could a country bumpkin be worthy of wearing their young lady's clothes?

The lady's gentle expression softened slightly: "Go out and bring in another vegetarian meal, and remember to get one for this young lady as well."

The maidservant felt the pressure from her mistress and lowered her head, replying, "...Yes."

The lady personally picked out a set of clothes from the trunk and gave them to Gu Jiao: "These are my daughter's clothes. I don't know if they will fit you, but they are better than wet clothes. Please change quickly, young lady."

Gu Jiao went behind the screen to change her clothes and came out.

I thought it would be a bit big, but it actually fits perfectly.

"It suits you perfectly," the lady said with a smile. The clothes were clearly her daughter's, but the little girl looked even brighter in them. "How old are you this year?"

Gu Jiao replied, "Fourteen."

The lady's eyes lit up: "She's the same age as my daughter. My daughter was born in this temple."

Gu Jiao: What a coincidence, me too.

(End of this chapter)