Going out
When Jiang Yufan is feeling down, she doesn't stay at home. There are some things she can't let go of even after copying scriptures. Besides, since leaving Chenxiang Temple and joining the Gu family, Jiang Yufan hasn't even gone out to see the world.
Back when he was at Chenxiang Temple, Jiang Yufan was filled with sorrow, and the beauty, ugliness, joy, and sorrow of the outside world were no longer in his eyes. Now that he had finally left Chenxiang Temple, sitting in the courtyard, Jiang Yufan asked Yun if he wanted to go out for a walk.
Take a break and see what fun things are happening.
Daoyun readily agreed. The Gu family's place was pretty much the same everywhere, but the outside world was a different story. There was everything outside: hawkers' cries, all sorts of novelties in the shops, and plenty of food. Jiang Yufan and Daoyun quickly changed their clothes, and the two of them went out dressed in ordinary women's clothing.
Jiang Yufan wore a light blue dress, held a silk fan, and had a gold hairpin hidden in her black, flowing hair, truly resembling a wealthy heiress. Daoyun rarely saw Jiang Yufan like this; the Jiang Yufan she saw always had her hair hidden among her bodhisattva attire, and a face as cold as ice.
Now, with a hint of vitality and joy reflected on her face, Dao Yun felt that Jiang Yufan was even more captivating and mesmerizing.
The streets were as bustling as ever. Even if there was something really important to do, people had to eat first. The stalls were packed with people. Some were busy finishing their meals and getting back to work, while others sat quietly watching the capital slowly awaken. Shops that were doing business gradually opened, and a new day began.
Jiang Yufan and Daoyun sat in a noodle shop, right by the heart of the street, where it was bustling and they could watch the noodles being cooked and ladled into their bowls. Jiang Yufan loved noodles, and as she drank the warm soup, her stomach felt relaxed and her body warmed up, giving her a renewed sense of hope.
“Buddha Maiden,” Dao Yun said, straightening a pair of chopsticks and handing them to Jiang Yu Fan, “did you go out for a walk today because of Gu Si Du?”
"Do you think he invited us here to seek a smooth career advancement, and you're worried that we can't protect him, hence your concern?"
Yes and no. Gu Sidu wasn't that petty. Whether one believed in gods or Buddhas was a matter of personal choice. If you believed, they existed; if you didn't, they didn't. If you believed, then even if things didn't go well, you could find many reasons to excuse the gods and Buddhas.
Jiang Yufan has already made it clear that she is a fake bodhisattva, so it is to be expected that she will not succeed. If she succeeds, her reputation will be spread even more widely, and then Jiang Yufan will have even more to worry about.
Jiang Yufan's troubles were directed at herself.
Before Jiang Yufan could answer, two neatly arranged bowls of noodles were served. Eating was the priority; the noodles couldn't get soggy. Jiang Yufan gestured to Daoyun, indicating that Daoyun should eat first.
Eating is the most important thing in life.
The steam rising from the noodles hit Jiang Yufan's face, turning into moisture that seeped into her skin. The noodles went down her throat, and the instant satisfaction was enough to temporarily erase her worries. Jiang Yufan felt much better. She ate a few bites, and just then, the chair next to her sank.
"Is anyone here?" The child's innocent voice reached Jiang Yufan's ears.
Jiang Yufan turned her head and saw a couple standing in front of her. The one holding the lady's finger was a beautiful girl of seven or eight years old.
We are family.
"It's like this, the noodles at this restaurant are delicious, and we wanted to eat here, but there are no seats available. Could we sit here, eat our food, and then leave?"
Dao Yun was about to say no, but she felt that Jiang Yu Fan was in a bad mood and didn't want to interact with people. She wanted to say that they could wait until Jiang Yu Fan and Dao Yun finished eating before they could sit down.
But Jiang Yufan spoke first: "It's alright, you can sit down, we won't disturb you."
Daoyun fell silent, thinking that perhaps the lively events of the human world could alleviate the Buddhist nun's worries.
The family of three thanked her and took their seats, waiting for the noodles to be served. Jiang Yufan didn't pay much attention at first and just ate her own noodles, but she noticed that the little girl had her hands on the table, her head resting on the back of her hands, and was staring at her.
The little girl seemed to like him very much.
Jiang Yufan thought the girl was hungry, so she pushed her noodles over and asked the girl if she wanted to have a bite first.
“I’m not hungry, sister,” the little girl said. “I just think you’re so pretty. You look like a Bodhisattva in a temple.”
"What was his name again, Bodhisattva...?"
"You're so young, how do you know about the Bodhisattvas in the temple?" Jiang Yufan pinched the little girl's cheek; it was soft and adorable.
"Of course, I'm going to the temple with my parents later." The little girl was very proud; the pretty older sister had praised her, and she puffed out her chest.
“Sister, you really look alike. I remember I went to see a Bodhisattva once, and the difference between you and her was that she was holding a little baby in her arms.”
Jiang Yufan's hand paused for a moment. She seemed to understand what the little girl was saying. She looked at the little girl's parents, who were also taken aback when they looked at Jiang Yufan.
They put down their chopsticks and asked Jiang Yufan, "Have you been to Chenxiang Temple?"
Upon hearing the words "Chenxiang Temple," both Daoyun and Jiang Yufan put down their chopsticks. Daoyun was about to say no when Jiang Yufan shook her head ahead of her: "Where is Chenxiang Temple? Are you going there later?"
Dao Yun quickly added, "Our young lady finally went out today, but she hasn't been to this Chenxiang Temple yet. Is this Chenxiang Temple efficacious?"
When asked about its efficacy, the couple became excited and said, "It is effective. If you want to ask for anything, just go and ask. There is a Bodhisattva inside who is one in a hundred years. He can really communicate with the gods and can fulfill the wishes of the people."
"But this Bodhisattva has gone to cultivate and is not in the temple."
"If they're not here, should we still go and beg them?" Jiang Yufan asked.
“Bodhisattvas go to cultivate themselves so that they can help us better. Naturally, we cannot stop them from cultivating themselves. Since they are bodhisattvas who can communicate with the gods, they know what we ask for at Chenxiang Temple and will naturally help us.”
The abbot is right. What does it matter whether Jiang Yufan is at Chenxiang Temple or not?
Jiang Yufan felt both absurd and helpless, and she smiled faintly.
"Then what are you asking for?" Daoyun asked.
“We’re going to pray for a child.” The couple smiled sheepishly.
The girl was praying for a child, and the Bodhisattva she saw was Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy who grants children. It wasn't that their family was without offspring, but rather that they had no sons, hence their prayers. Judging from the girl's words, they had been there more than once; this was just one of their previous visits.
When Daoyun asked this question, she looked at Jiang Yufan and belatedly realized that Jiang Yufan's trip to clear her head today was not for Gu Sidu but for something else.
She realized that Jiang Yufan was worried and sad because of her.
Neither of them asked any more questions. After finishing their noodles, the couple, along with the little girl, said goodbye to Jiang Yufan. Jiang Yufan smiled and said goodbye to them as well. Only after their figures disappeared and they went to Chenxiang Temple did Jiang Yufan come back to her senses and lower her head to fiddle with the noodles in her bowl.
“Buddha, please don’t overthink it or be sad. Eight years have passed.”
"Yes, it's been a long time, but it feels like it was just yesterday."
This wasn't the first time Jiang Yufan had seen people praying for a child. When she was at Chenxiang Temple, people came day and night to pray for a child. They said they only wanted one son. They didn't care what the son would be like in the future, even if he was a troublemaker, as long as he could continue the family line, that would be enough.
I can have any kind of child, it doesn't matter, I just want a son.
At that time, Jiang Yufan lowered her eyes. Although she had the face of Guanyin, there was only resentment and coldness in her eyes. She said she was unwilling and would not ask for this for others.
Why only boys? Why not girls? Why would you rather have a boy who might ruin the family business than a girl who only thinks about her parents?
Is it worth going bankrupt just to continue the family line?
What's the point of having offspring and continuing the family line?
No one answered these questions, and no one told Jiang Yufan anything. It was at that time that Jiang Yufan's heart gradually grew cold.
The abbot asked her if she was willing to let go of her hatred and resentment and pray for offspring for the person in front of her. At that time, Jiang Yufan said, "No, I am not willing."
No one would ask for another son just because their parents abandoned them.
Jiang Yufan will always remember this resentment and live with it for the rest of her life.
She even maliciously thought, why should they have any more children? They already had children, and they abandoned their own children. They should just live out their lives without children.
Jiang Yufan used to think that she was the only unlucky person in the world, but now she realizes that she is not the only Jiang Yufan in the world, but there are many, many Jiang Yufans.
That little girl was also Jiang Yufan; that little girl was her from before.
But that little girl has no idea what she will face in the future.
This trip was not a good one; instead of helping her relax, it added to the Buddhist nun's worries. Daoyun didn't want to upset Jiang Yufan, so she said to her, "Buddha, it's enough, let's go back."
“Looking back home, I will talk to the Buddhist nun again to pass the time.”
There was still a long way to go from here to home. She hadn't realized it when she first left, but now her heart was filled with sorrow, and she couldn't take another step. Dao Yun paid the bill, and Jiang Yufan stood up. Thinking about how far the road ahead was and that she couldn't look back on the road she had come from, another layer of sorrow welled up in her heart.
But at that moment, Jiang Yufan heard the people around her start shouting loudly.
"Make way, make way! There's a horse, a horse is coming!"
Those riding horses through the long street must be high-ranking officials. I wonder what kind of arrogant official could make the people tremble and flee in panic this time.
Jiang Yufan had seen many such cases. They usually sent people ahead to clear the way, and those people would use whips to drive the crowd. Once the people of high status passed by, the road would be peaceful. They would ride on their horses and sigh, "What a peaceful and prosperous era!"
This time will probably be the same.
Jiang Yufan was about to make way when she looked up and saw a horse coming towards her. It wasn't wielding a whip to drive away the people, nor was it trampling on other people's stalls. The only thing that posed a threat was that it was riding extremely fast, kicking up a little dust.
It was as if he was greeting the people.
Jiang Yufan heard the cheers of the people around her: "Lord Gu, Lord Gu, it's you!"
"Come sit here and have a cup of tea!"
"No, thank you!" Gu Sidu's voice came, filled with excitement. "Next time, I'll definitely come next time!"
Jiang Yufan saw Gu Sidu's face. Gu Sidu reined in his horse and stopped right in front of her. The summer sun was blazing, shining brightly and blindingly on every inch of the land, but Gu Sidu shielded Jiang Yufan from the sunlight, riding his horse against the light.
Gu Sidu reached out his hand to Jiang Yufan and said to her, "Bodhisattva, I will take you home."
Gu Sidu made himself look like a hero, and just when Jiang Yufan was feeling sad and unable to move, he came to her side.
What is he up to?
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