Chapter 81 A Wasted Trip
"Heh." Xiao Yuan sneered, not too loudly, and said faintly, "If both parties are in love, why would there be any need to ask for it?"
The old monk was stunned for a moment. Xiao Yuan had already left holding the red rope, but he had just taken two steps when he suddenly turned back.
The old monk was startled. "Donor, is there anything else?"
Xiao Yuan pointed to the remaining red ropes on his desk and asked, "Are you preparing these for today's pilgrims?"
"Yes." The old monk nodded, not understanding why.
"Is there a rule that a person can only ask once?"
"Well... not really." The old monk shook his head. Xiao Yuan's lips curled up into a slight smile, but the old monk moved back, feeling that the smile was very cold.
The next moment, a silver note was placed on the table. "I want all of these. You write them down first. I'll come back to get them after I finish hanging this."
"All...all?" The old monk was shocked for a long while, then came back to his senses under Xiao Yuan's cold gaze.
"no?"
"That's not impossible." Yue Lao Temple did not have such a rule, but it was the first time that they encountered a pilgrim with such a request as Xiao Yuan.
"Then write it."
Ling Chenyi was not far away, so he naturally heard the conversation between the two. He looked at Xiao Yuan walking out of the temple with a complicated expression, and he no longer had any intention of laughing.
Things seemed to be far more serious and complicated than he had imagined.
"How do you know Miss Shen's birth date?" He asked Xiao Yuan, who was looking up at the ancient tree and looking for a suitable position.
Xiao Yuan didn't say anything, his eyes fixed on the top of the ancient tree.
He opened the cloak, handed it to Ling Chenyi, used his Qinggong skills to tie the red rope.
Ling Chenyi looked at his back for a long time without saying anything. The wind was cold and biting. After a long while, seeing that Xiao Yuan still had no intention of coming down, he spoke softly.
"You bought a lot, didn't you? If you don't go and hang it up now, I'm afraid it will be too late."
Xiao Yuan then moved his body and jumped down.
The old monk wrote very quickly. Xiao Yuan went back and forth many times. Ling Chenyi wanted to help, but was rejected by him.
No one knows how many marriage ropes with Xiao Yuan and Shen Anan’s names on them are hung on the ancient tree, just like the one at Xiangjue Temple that day.
No one knew that Master Wen Yin had compared the horoscopes of not only Zhang Yeyang and Shen Anan, but also theirs.
After all the red strings were hung up, the two sat in a pavilion not far from the Yue Lao Temple. Ling Chenyi asked, "What did you ask the Imperial Observatory?"
Xiao Yuan lowered his eyes, said nothing, just picked up the wine jug and took a sip of wine.
Ling Chenyi stopped asking questions and sat with him. Although the weather was cold, it was not as cold as sitting next to him.
Near noon, a carriage finally stopped in front of the Yue Lao Temple.
Shen Anan got off the carriage with the help of Mo Xiang, still holding a hand warmer in her hand.
"Miss Chen." As soon as Zhang Yeyang saw her, a smile appeared in his eyes.
"Have you been waiting for a long time?"
"No, I just arrived too."
But compared to Shen Anan, he looked a little disheveled, his hair tied up with a wooden hairpin was blown a little messy, his face was red and his lips were faintly blue from frostbite.
There was also some mud on the robe and short boots. Shen Anan just glanced at them and then withdrew her gaze with a smile without asking any more questions.
Try to maintain his dignity.
Only Mo Xiang was a little unhappy. Master Zhang didn't let the girl pick him up and insisted on walking here by himself. Was it because of his pride or something else?
She felt that it was unnecessary to endure hardship without any effort. If she was so sensitive, would she feel unfair and malicious towards the girl because of her good family background after they got married?
"It's cold outside, let's go in." Zhang Yeyang took the initiative to speak.
Shen Anan nodded.
After staying in prison for several days, Zhang Yeyang did not lose weight, which showed that he did not suffer any injustice during those days. He just looked a little haggard and depressed.
Shen Anan wanted to ask, but he refused to say, so she stopped asking.
The old monk was cleaning when he saw a man and a woman walking in from outside and was slightly stunned.
He had seen countless talented men and beautiful women, young men from wealthy families and girls from poor families, rich girls and scholars, but none of them made him feel so out of place as the two standing together in front of him.
"Are you two here to ask for the marriage rope?"
Zhang Yeyang nodded and bowed politely, "That's right."
The old monk shook his head and said, "It's not possible today. A young man just bought all the marriage ropes. You two should come back tomorrow."
Shen Anan's expression didn't change, but Zhang Yeyang was a little anxious, "It's not even noon yet, how come it's gone?"
He had inquired early on and found out that not many people came here at this time of year. Moreover, he had not seen anyone on his way in just now.
"You are late, benefactor." The old monk shook his head and continued to sweep the dust.
Zhang Yeyang stepped forward quickly, "We are going to get engaged tomorrow. We came here because of your reputation. Master, can you help us and give us another one?"
The old monk sighed, "Young Master, it's not that I don't want to help, I really don't have any left. You're a step too late. The young master bought them all and hung them on the ancient tree."
“But…” Zhang Yeyang was unwilling, and Shen Anan called him softly, “Mr. Zhang, since the master said there is no more, let’s wait and come back.”
Zhang Yeyang's face was not very good, and he nodded slightly, "That's the only way. It's just that you have to make a wasted trip with me in such a cold weather."
He felt a little guilty, and a feeling of unwillingness was slowly spreading.
It seemed as if everyone and everything were against him. No matter what he did, he could not get what he wanted. He was inexplicably arrested and put in jail, and was kicked out by the waiter of a restaurant.
Is it just because he has no official position and a low status?
In the capital, he clearly realized again and again the importance of power.
"Let's go," Shen Anan walked out first.
Zhang Yeyang pursed his lips and immediately followed her out, but he saw that she did not leave. Instead, she stood under the ancient tree and looked up.
Feelings of self-blame and guilt filled my chest.
"I'm sorry, today..."
"It's okay, it's good to come out for some fresh air." She didn't want to, but just looking at the ancient tree, she remembered something.
She remembered that there was not only this Yue Lao Temple, but also a master in Xiangjue Temple who could help people find love. She wanted to go there very much, but later...
She thought he was always busy, but she didn't know that he had already taken Duan Mengmeng there.
If nothing changes in this life, it should happen soon. Without her entanglement this time, I think they will eventually get married.
As she was lost in thought, Shen Anan suddenly felt a burning gaze fixed on her. She originally thought it was Zhang Yeyang, but until that gaze became more and more undisguised, it faintly made her spine shiver.
She sensed something was wrong and suddenly turned around to look back, unexpectedly meeting a pair of cold and fierce eyes.
The man stood in the pavilion with his hands behind his back, his figure as green as bamboo. He looked at her with a dark and gloomy look. When their eyes met, Shen Anan's breathing tightened and she felt slightly choked.
Xiao Yuan, why is he here?
"What's wrong?" Zhang Yeyang noticed something was wrong with her and looked in the direction she was looking, but it was empty.
He looked back at Shen Anan again, “Miss Shen.”
When Shen Anan came back to her senses, the man was no longer in the pavilion, as if the extremely invasive gaze just now had never appeared.
"Nothing, just a little cold, let's go back."
Zhang Yeyang lowered his eyes to hide the disappointment in his eyes, nodded, and the two walked out together.
——
"Xiao Yuan, what's wrong with you?" Beside the rockery behind the pavilion, Ling Chenyi supported the unstable Xiao Yuan with a frown on his face, even wondering if he was too sad.
But Xiao Yuan's brows were twisted into a knot, his face turned pale and he shook his head.
He pursed his lips tightly, his head was splitting, and several fragments kept flashing in his mind.
Those eyes,
Those eyes appeared again, and they were extremely clear. He saw her face, it was Shen Anan.
"Husband, the Lantern Festival tomorrow will be very lively. I want to go to the flower boat to light lanterns. Would you like to accompany me?"
Her eyes were full of admiration and expectation. He was filled with joy and wanted to say yes, but his cold voice sounded against his will.
"The court is busy, I'll let Qing'an take care of you."
He watched those gentle eyes gradually turn into disappointment, and could even empathize with her anger.
"Busy, busy, busy, you say this every time, but are you busy or do you just not want to be with me?"
She almost roared, her face full of tears of despair.
"Xiao Yuan." Ling Chenyi looked at his back bent due to pain, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
"Qing'an, go back to the city." He ordered Qing'an to support Xiao Yuan and prepare to leave.
"I'm fine." Xiao Yuan raised his hand to refuse. He stroked his chest with one hand. The pain in his body and heart made him bend over and retch while holding onto the rockery.
Ling Chenyi quickly handed him the kettle and held it against his back.
"How are you?"
Xiao Yuan shook his head slowly, his face hidden in the darkness, and it was impossible to tell what his expression was.
"I'm fine." After a long while, he slowly straightened up, but his face was a little pale.
Ling Chenyi wanted to say something, but Xiao Yuan asked directly, "Are the Zhang sisters here?"
“Here we are, Miss Shen should have met him by now.”
"Um."
He nodded lightly, walked out of the rockery, and looked at the place where Shen Anan had just stood.
Ling Chenyi just felt that he was very strange today, so he stood silently by his side without saying anything.
"Chen Yi, do you believe in dreams?"
"Hmm?" Ling Chenyi looked confused.
He suddenly smiled. The scene just now was extremely clear, as if it had really happened. He couldn't help but think of the dream she had told him on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
"If this is true, the me in my dream deserves to die!"
He closed his eyes slightly, and a feeling of powerlessness and depression slowly rose in his heart.
If she had had the same dream, then all those perfunctory and unhappy responses would have had an answer.
"What are you talking about?" Ling Chenyi reached out to touch his forehead, "Did you get cold when you were hanging the red string? Otherwise, you should go back first. I'll watch over here. Everything will be fine."
"No." Xiao Yuan walked towards the direction where the Shen Mansion's carriage left.
Even if it was a dream, he was willing to make up for himself in the dream and experience the pain of unrequited love that she dreamed of.
He didn't know the ending of the dream, but the ending of reality was in his hands.
——
After Shen Anan invited him, Zhang Yeyang got on the Shen Mansion carriage with embarrassment. However, he was very sensible and did not enter the carriage, but sat with Uncle Zhong.
It was cold, so Uncle Zhong was not driving fast. Not long after leaving Yue Lao Temple, he was stopped in front of his car.
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