Chapter 48
The temple that Ye Yan had his eye on was called Baoluo Temple, which is said to have a history of over a thousand years.
This temple is somewhat famous locally, but it's not a popular tourist attraction, and because it was a weekday, not many people came.
Standing at the foot of the mountain and looking up, Qin Su saw that the mountain was covered with pines and cypresses, and a clean stone path meandered upwards. The environment was quiet, so he smiled and said, "It really does have a bit of the feel of the ancient Foguang Temple."
It was Ye Yan's first time visiting a temple, so he was quite cautious and didn't take the cable car. He and Qin Su walked up the mountain together.
When they reached the middle of the mountain, they saw an octagonal pavilion where an uncle was selling sugar-roasted hawthorns.
The bright red hawthorns, coated in snow-white icing, were piled up round in a wooden basin, making one's mouth water just looking at them.
Qin Su wanted to buy it, but considering it would be inconvenient to enter the temple later, she patted Ye Yan and said, "Remind me to buy this when we go down the mountain."
Ye Yan agreed.
Baoluo Temple is not large, with three courtyards, and enshrines several common Bodhisattvas.
Qin Su and Ye Yan offered incense and bought red silk sachets that were said to have been blessed before heading to the backyard.
The marriage tree mentioned in the post they had seen earlier grew on the south side of the backyard.
The "marriage tree" is not actually a single tree, but rather two crooked trees that have embraced each other.
As time went by, the branches of the two trees intertwined and became inseparable, forming what appears to be an exceptionally tall marriage tree.
A long table was placed next to the tree for people to write their wishes.
Qin Su was standing very close to Ye Yan, but when Ye Yan was about to put down his pen, he took the initiative to move to the side, putting some distance between himself and Qin Su.
Qin Su turned her head to look at him: "What are you doing?"
Ye Yan said solemnly, "Wishes must not be seen by others."
Qin Su: "..."
Why are you taking it so seriously?
She held the red silk and hesitated for a moment.
But she is not from this world, and making wishes is not suitable for her.
After thinking for a moment, Qin Su picked up a brush and wrote the character "无" (meaning "nothing") on the red silk, then put it in the sachet and sealed it away.
Ye Yan had already written his wish stroke by stroke and carefully tied the ribbon on the sachet.
He found a corner that was sheltered from the wind and rain and less exposed to the sun, and reverently hung up his and Qin Su's sachets there.
Qin Su asked, "What did you write?"
Ye Yan pursed his lips, unwilling to tell her: "If I tell you, it won't work."
Qin Su coaxed, "It's okay, just whisper to me, the Bodhisattva can't hear you."
Ye Yan shook his head.
Qin Su's curiosity was piqued: "Tell me the gist of it."
Ye Yan: "I can't say."
He rarely rejected Qin Su so resolutely, and Qin Su tugged at his hair in displeasure.
She jumped onto Ye Yan's back and threatened, "If you don't tell me what you wished for, I'll punish you by making you carry me down the mountain."
Ye Yan chuckled and steadily carried her on his back: "What's so difficult about this?"
After saying that, he really intended to carry her down the mountain on his back.
Qin Su often hugged Ye Yan, but this was the first time he had ever carried her on his back.
His back was broad and flat, and she felt extremely comfortable lying on it, slowly feeling his warm body temperature even through her down jacket.
Qin Su looked around in surprise: "This height is actually quite good."
Ye Yan walked steadily, breathing evenly, showing no signs of strain: "If you like, I can carry you on my back often in the future."
Qin Su said, "Forget it, what would that look like? People who don't know me would think I'm some kind of old lady with mobility issues who can't even walk."
Ye Yan couldn't help but chuckle: "If you're an old lady, then I'm an old man."
Qin Su pinched his ear and said proudly, "Oh my, you old man are so lucky to have such a beautiful old lady like me."
Ye Yan shamelessly said, "There's nothing we can do. Marriage is preordained by heaven. We've already prayed to the Bodhisattva today, so it's too late if the old lady doesn't want to."
The two of them burst into laughter.
Qin Su wrapped her arms around Ye Yan's neck, snuggling close to him.
The sky was overcast, and the distant pines and cypresses were not clearly visible; all that could be seen were large patches of dark green.
The lush trees on both sides of the road slowly receded from view, like a silhouette of time passing by.
She was lost in thought when she suddenly felt a coolness on her cheek. Looking up, she exclaimed in surprise, "It's snowing?"
A snowflake fell between Ye Yan's brows, and melted away in an instant.
"It should be Xiaoxue. Let's hurry up, it's okay."
Qin Su swung her legs and said, "It's nothing between us. I'm just worried that the uncle who sells hawthorns has gone home."
Upon hearing this, Ye Yan immediately quickened his pace.
Fortunately, the uncle did not leave and remained sitting in the octagonal pavilion.
Next to him was a worn-out little speaker playing current pop songs.
The male singer's clear voice was slightly distorted, echoing around the pavilion with a hint of melancholy.
...Someone wipes away your tears of longing, someone dreams of you and the past...
The uncle paused the music, weighed a bag of hawthorns for Ye Yan, and said in a friendly manner, "A couple, right? You're still up the mountain to pray for blessings in this cold weather. You two must have a really good relationship."
Ye Yan found his words strangely pleasing to the ear, so he said gently, "I've heard this place is quite effective."
"It really works." The uncle smiled honestly. "Every year, huge crowds come to fulfill their vows. There are fewer people now in the dead of winter, but there are more in the summer."
He said cheerfully, "I'll be here in the summer too, selling popsicles and watermelons. If you come to make your vows, I guarantee you'll still see me."
The words "fulfilling a vow" sounded auspicious, and Ye Yan couldn't help but smile slightly, politely saying, "Then we'll come back to buy watermelons in the summer."
The boss said happily, "That's great! Come find me then, and I'll give you a discount!"
Ye Yan said, "Okay."
After paying, he carried Qin Su down the street.
Qin Su used a bamboo skewer to pick up a hawthorn and fed it to him.
"Would you like to try it?"
Ye Yan thought about what the stall owner had said about the temple's efficacy, and felt happy: "Delicious."
The owner of the octagonal pavilion turned the stereo back on, and the male singer's voice rang out again.
If we hadn't met, we would never have fallen in love...
Qin Su fed Ye Yan another one, smiling and saying, "Seeing how hard you've worked, here's another one with lots of frosting. Is it sweet?"
Ye Yan bit down, his eyes crinkling with a smile, and said, "Sweet."
...It was all a pipe dream; when we wake up, we each go our separate ways...
Tiny snowflakes drifted down gently, and the aroma of hawthorns and the songs from the stereo were gradually left behind.
Ye Yan suddenly grasped Qin Su's hand and said softly, "Su Su, when we really become old men and women in the future, I'll still carry you like this to fulfill my vow, okay?"
A cold wind blew snowflakes over, and the song lingered faintly in the mountains and forests.
...With every step, I turn back, my heart filled with unwavering devotion...
Qin Su paused, her fingertips holding the paper bag becoming icy cold from the wind.
She answered softly, "Okay."
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(1. The lyrics are from "The Girl Walks South". I heard it by chance while watching a video the other day, and I felt that a few lines were very suitable for them~)
Yuan Yuan cautiously peeks out from under the pot lid: Can everyone smell the knife?
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