Chapter 88 Yan Tingnan, please recite scriptures for me, okay?
As soon as we left the city, the sky darkened.
The raindrops fell without warning, sparse at first, but soon they joined together.
The wheels rolled over the slippery mountain road.
The mountain slopes gradually become steeper, and the fog is so thick that it cannot be dispersed, enveloping the dark green forest.
Su Ruan gripped the steering wheel tightly, completely focused.
When we arrived at Qiyun Ancient Temple, it was already getting dark.
Four mottled characters in clerical script are carved on the stone plaque, glistening from the rain.
There is no bustling noise of burning incense, and no trace of tourism development.
Only the rain pattering against the mountains and forests brought utter silence.
This place only receives a small number of powerful figures or lay Buddhists seeking true tranquility; on ordinary days, there are few monks and pilgrims.
Su Ruan got out of the car with an umbrella, and the rain instantly soaked her trouser legs.
The temple gate was ajar.
Su Ruan pushed open the door and went in.
The main hall door was open, and the interior was dimly lit, with only a few ever-burning lamps illuminating the solemn Buddha statues.
A young novice monk dressed in a gray robe emerged from a side hall, his hands clasped together, his voice childish.
"Esteemed benefactor, it is getting late, and the mountain path is difficult to traverse. Would you like to stay overnight?"
"yes."
Su Ruan closed her umbrella, water droplets dripping from her hair.
"Please, young master, stay for a few days to calm your mind."
The young novice nodded and led her inside.
As you walk through the quiet corridor, rainwater flows down the ancient roof tiles, forming a curtain of water.
Just as she turned past a clump of green bamboo, Su Ruan suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Beneath the moon gate of the Zen temple ahead, a tall figure stood on the corridor, gazing at the rain-soaked sky.
The loose-fitting cotton and linen clothes couldn't hide the outline of her shoulders and back.
The familiar sandalwood prayer beads were wrapped around his wrist.
Yan Tingnan.
He seemed to notice the gaze and slowly turned his head.
The gaze behind the gold-rimmed glasses pierced through the rain and landed on her.
His eyes were like a deep, cold pool, without the slightest ripple, only a hint of astonishment that he forced down.
"President Yan?"
Su Ruan spoke first.
"What a coincidence."
She walked over, and rainwater gathered into small streams under the eaves.
"I also felt too restless lately and wanted to find a quiet place to calm down for a few days. I didn't expect Qiyun Ancient Temple to be so effective. I ran into an acquaintance as soon as I arrived."
Yan Tingnan's gaze swept over her rain-dampened temples and shoulders, then quickly shifted away, looking into the depths of the rain.
"It is quite a coincidence."
"It's more than 2,000 kilometers from Beijing to Qiyun Ancient Temple in the southwest."
"Miss Su, you've gone quite far for your secluded retreat."
There was no chance encounter whatsoever; it was all a tacit understanding between you and me as you acted out the story.
Su Ruan put on an innocent expression and even took half a step forward.
"If your mind is not at peace, you'll naturally wander far away."
"I've heard that Qiyun Ancient Temple is the most efficacious, capable of cleansing worldly thoughts and desires."
"Didn't President Yan also come all this way?"
"It's clear that this place truly allows people to settle down."
Yan Tingnan's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
"The southwest is humid and the mountain roads are difficult to travel. Miss Su, with your delicate and precious body, may not be used to it."
These words sound like a reminder, but in reality, every word is an order to leave.
Su Ruan mimicked his tone, her smile deepening, tinged with a hint of provocation.
"I love this damp feeling, this connection with the earth, it makes me feel alive."
"Don't you think so, Mr. Yan?"
Yan Tingnan pursed his thin lips and did not respond to her.
Su Ruanhun didn't care and turned to smile at the little monk.
"Young monk, please arrange a quiet meditation room."
Her gaze swept over Yan Tingnan, her tone natural.
"I think the room next to Mr. Yan's is quite nice; it would be convenient to ask him about the project."
The young novice monk, without suspicion, nodded in agreement.
Yan Tingnan tightened his grip on the prayer beads, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged slightly.
He didn't say anything, turned around and went straight back to his meditation room.
The soft sound of the wooden door closing was particularly clear amidst the sound of rain.
...
It was 10 p.m. in the meditation room.
Yan Tingnan sat at the desk.
A single lamp cast a dim light, illuminating his tense profile.
A half-copied copy of the Heart Sutra lay spread out in front of him.
The ink was not yet dry, but the brushstrokes had lost their usual vigor, carrying a hint of imperceptible restlessness.
She's here.
It's really here.
Like an inextinguishable wildfire, it chased after this pure Buddhist sanctuary.
He forced himself to concentrate, the pen tip hovering over the paper, but he hesitated to put it down.
Outside the window, the rain suddenly intensified.
Large raindrops pounded on the tiles, making a crackling sound like a dense drumbeat.
Immediately afterwards, a blinding bolt of lightning tore through the night!
Boom! ...
A thunderclap boomed, making the windowpanes rattle.
The thunder had just subsided.
Suddenly, a muffled thud came from next door!
It sounded like something heavy had fallen to the ground.
Immediately following was a short, suppressed gasp!
Yan Tingnan's body suddenly stiffened!
The pen tip went out of control, and a large drop of thick ink slammed onto the half-copied scripture, spreading into a murky blotch.
He stared at the ink stain as if it were his own heartbeat suddenly going out of control.
The thunder was still rolling across the sky.
There was no more sound from next door.
Dead silence.
An even more agonizing silence than before.
Yan Tingnan suddenly stood up, so fast that he knocked over the chair!
He rushed to the door and flung open the door to his meditation room.
The door next door was tightly shut.
Without even thinking, he raised his hand and slammed it heavily on the door!
"Su Ruan!"
His voice was deep and hoarse, with a hint of urgency that he himself didn't even realize.
There was a moment of silence inside the door.
Then, the door was pulled open a crack.
Su Ruan wore a cotton nightgown, her long hair was slightly messy and draped over her shoulders, and her small face looked particularly pale in the dim light.
"Yan Tingnan?"
Her voice trembled slightly from fright, and her wet eyes looked at me like a frightened fawn.
Yan Tingnan's gaze swept over her slender figure, confirming that there were no obvious injuries.
"What happened?"
His voice remained cold and hard.
"nothing."
Su Ruan lowered her eyelashes, her voice soft and weak.
"The thunder was so loud that it startled me, and I lost my balance and knocked over the incense burner stand."
Yan Tingnan's taut shoulder line did not relax.
He stood at the doorway, his tall figure blocking the door frame, showing no intention of going in.
"Afraid of thunder?"
His tone was scrutinizing.
Su Ruan looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears, carrying a pitiful helplessness.
"Yeah, I've been afraid of it since I was little."
She nodded slightly, her fingers unconsciously tightening around her clothes.
"The thunder in these mountains is terrifying."
Another bolt of lightning struck!
Su Ruan's body trembled violently, she let out a soft cry, and almost instinctively lunged forward!
She pressed her forehead against his warm chest and gripped the fabric of his clothes tightly at his waist.
"Yan Tingnan, I'm scared."
Her voice was soft and sweet, with a hint of sobbing, scratching at the most tender and sensitive part of his heart.
"Don't go..."
Her breath brushed against his neck.
Yan Tingnan's body stiffened instantly!
The familiar, sweet, and warm fruity scent emanating from her forcefully entered my nostrils, conquering and encroaching upon my senses.
Her soft body clung to him, trembling slightly, like a young animal seeking shelter.
Yan Tingnan's hands, hanging by his sides, clenched tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms!
Reason is screaming madly.
Push her away! Immediately! Right now!
But my body felt like it was frozen in place.
"Su Ruan!"
His voice was hoarse, carrying a warning of anger.
"let go!"
"Don't loosen it."
Su Ruan hugged him even tighter, rubbing her cheek against his chest.
"How can you be so heartless before Buddha?"
"You see how scared I am, and you're not going to do anything about it?"
"Just a little while, wait for Lei to pass by."
She tilted her head back, resting her chin on his chest, her wet eyes gazing at him, her red lips almost touching his.
"Isn't chanting scriptures the best way to calm your mind?"
Her voice was soft and gentle, with a hooking quality.
"Can you read it to me?"
“Yan Tingnan, you’ve been hiding here chanting sutras, specifically the Heart-Cleansing Mantra.”
"Still my name?"
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