Chapter 399 - 205: Li Zhi, I...
Chapter 399: Chapter 205: Li Zhi, I...
At seven in the morning, the faint light of dawn flooded into the hotel’s second-floor breakfast restaurant through massive floor-to-ceiling windows.
The air was filled with the white steam of steamers and the fragrant aroma of rice congee. The buffet area featured a neat arrangement of plain congee, fried dough sticks, soup dumplings, and a few plates of refreshing pickles—a quintessential Chinese breakfast.
Li Zhi, carrying a plate piled with xiaolongbao and half a fried dough stick, walked straight to a square table by the window.
Shen Yuan was already sitting there, a bowl of savory soy milk topped with finely chopped scallions in front of him.
He was peeling a tea egg with nimble fingers.
Seeing Li Zhi sit down, Shen Yuan placed a freshly peeled tea egg into her bowl.
"Thanks."
"You sure took your time," Shen Yuan teased.
"Hey, hey, hey! I’m a girl! How could I be as quick and careless as you?"
"Just eat!"
Shen Yuan picked up a xiaolongbao with his chopsticks and held it to Li Zhi’s lips. She instinctively opened her mouth and ate it, only to realize he had used his own chopsticks.
"You moron, Shen Yuan! Were those your chopsticks?!"
Shen Yuan belatedly looked down at the "culprit" in his hand.
"Huh? What’s wrong with mine? They’re perfectly clean... I haven’t even eaten yet!"
Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi and argued righteously, "Didn’t you use my spoon when you were eating ice cream?"
"Ice cream is different!"
Seeing the look of disgust on her face, Shen Yuan shrugged helplessly and muttered under his breath, ’So picky...’
Li Zhi shot him a fierce glare.
After finishing breakfast, they went back to their rooms to pack. After a quick tidy-up, they met at their doors.
"Got everything?"
"Mhm." Li Zhi checked her backpack and nodded.
The two went to the front desk in the lobby and used their key cards to check out.
After returning the key cards, Shen Yuan led Li Zhi out of the hotel’s main entrance.
All that remained was their final stop: the temple.
Stepping out of the hotel, they were greeted by the cool morning air, a mix of vapor from West Lake and the scent of the awakening city.
Shen Yuan took out his phone and opened a ride-hailing app. "I’ll call a car to Faxi Temple."
Li Zhi froze for a second.
’Faxi Temple?’
She had assumed they were going to Lingyin Temple today.
Li Zhi stopped and turned to look at Shen Yuan, her brows knitting together out of habit. "Wait, you moron, Faxi Temple? Not Lingyin Temple?"
Shen Yuan, who was busy with his phone, answered casually without looking up, "They’re both temples, what’s the difference? Lingyin Temple will be way more crowded. It’ll be a total madhouse."
He looked up and raised an eyebrow at Li Zhi. "Faxi Temple is quieter, and its incense offerings are just as popular. Won’t our prayers be just as sincere there?"
Watching Shen Yuan talk about "sincerity" with such a serious expression, Li Zhi felt that something was off.
She didn’t argue further. Instead, with a hint of suspicion, she stealthily pulled her own phone from her pocket.
The screen lit up, and her fair fingertips quickly typed the two words "Faxi Temple" into the search bar.
She lowered her head, her gaze fixed with Concentration as she scanned the information summary that popped up on the screen.
As the lines of text scrolled by, her slightly suspicious expression gradually froze.
Her bright pupils suddenly widened, as if she had seen something unbelievable. Even her breathing hitched for a moment.
Phrases that appeared frequently, like "praying for a good match," "a sacred place for couples’ blessings," and "especially effective," were like tiny needles, unexpectedly piercing her understanding.
A faint blush spread across her cheeks with visible speed, WHOOSH, reaching all the way to the tips of her ears.
The girl’s head snapped up. Her eyes, filled with surprise and a hint of imperceptible embarrassment, shot toward Shen Yuan, who had already called the car and was waiting beside her. They were like the eyes of a startled fawn.
Almost as a reflex, she shoved her phone, still displaying the search results, right in front of Shen Yuan’s face!
The text on the screen was clearly visible in the morning light.
Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi, whose gaze was filled with accusation.
"Erk...!"
Startled by her sudden movement, Shen Yuan’s gaze involuntarily fell upon the phone screen right in front of him.
When he clearly saw keywords like "good match" and "couples," the nonchalant expression on his face instantly froze.
It was immediately followed by a flicker of embarrassment at being caught and a flustered panic born from some unspoken expectation.
Shen Yuan subconsciously swallowed, his eyes starting to dart around.
The air seemed to compress and freeze once more, leaving only the silent morning mist from West Lake wafting outside.
Li Zhi’s cheeks were burning. She snatched her phone back, took a deep breath, and stared Shen Yuan down. "You moron, Shen Yuan! You... What’s the meaning of this?!"
This sudden question made Shen Yuan’s heart leap, but he immediately stiffened his neck, frantically gathering his thoughts. His eyes darted away as he tried to put on a brave, self-righteous front.
"Wh-what do you mean, ’what’s the meaning of this’?! What’s wrong with Faxi Temple? Aren’t all temples the same? Lingyin Temple is a total zoo, packed like sardines."
Shen Yuan started speaking faster, trying to hide his guilt with speed and volume. "Look, Faxi Temple is quiet! The environment is nice! The air is fresh! It’s much better for focusing your mind and making a sincere wish, you get it?"
The more he spoke, the more he seemed to convince himself. He even nodded to add emphasis. "Besides, sincerity is what matters! Do you think the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas care which temple you go to? It’s all about attitude! I’m... I’m creating the optimal environment for your prayers! Understand?"
Seeing Li Zhi’s gaze grow sharper and sensing that another "moron" was brewing on the tip of her tongue, Shen Yuan steeled himself. He decided to make a last-ditch effort and start bullshitting about why the temple was "effective."