Chapter 68: Inevitably overthink Chapter 68: Inevitably overthink “Haven’t seen you for a few days, don’t recognize me?”
Shang Hexing stood opposite Wen Zhi, dressed in a light gray satin shirt, exuding an inherent nobility. When he looked at her, his deep eyes carried a hint of a faint smile.
Wen Zhi stared at him blankly, her expression clearly confused, and the broom in her hand fell to the ground.
She stood frozen, not picking it up.
It was Shang Hexing who bent down to pick it up for her, and asked her, “Why are you sweeping here?”
Finally coming to her senses, Wen Zhi suddenly called out his full name, “Shang Hexing?”
Shang Hexing asked her, “Just recognized me?”
Wen Zhi chuckled awkwardly, “I just felt it was too unexpected. I never thought I’d meet Mr. Shang at Jingci Temple.”
Lin City was more than twelve hundred kilometers from Bai City, so she indeed could not imagine encountering Shang Hexing at the distant Jingci Temple.
To her, this felt like a dream, especially unreal.
She immediately reached out to take the broom from his hand, “What brings Mr. Shang to Jingci Temple so suddenly?”
Shang Hexing returned the broom to her, responding nonchalantly, “A colleague mentioned Jingci Temple is very auspicious, so I came to offer incense and make a wish.”
“Does Mr. Shang believe in Buddhism?” she asked.
“I do,” he answered.
Jingci Temple was indeed regarded as auspicious, and Wen Zhi did not doubt his reason for coming.
She just asked him, “Did Mr. Shang come here today?”
Shang Hexing confirmed, “Mhm.”
“Alone?” she inquired further.
With a joking tone, Shang Hexing replied to her, “Do I look like half a person?”
Wen Zhi explained, “Usually I see Chen Zhu by Mr. Shang’s side, but not today, so I asked.”
Shang Hexing was succinct, “Personal trip, not on official business.”
Implicitly, this visit to Jingci Temple was Shang Hexing’s personal decision, and he hadn’t told anyone close to him.
The coincidence was too strong, and Wen Zhi inevitably thought more about it.
Looking around, she saw no monks or pilgrims passing by, only her and Shang Hexing, as if he had specifically come here to find her.
But those words Wen Zhi really couldn’t bring herself to ask. Whether it was as she thought or not, once spoken, the metaphorical ‘paper window’ between them was likely to be punctured.
Why bother? If he did not make it clear, she would feign ignorance. Thus, she suppressed those thoughts and changed the topic, “Mr. Shang, are you lost now?”
“Lost?… I guess you could say that,” he answered her.
Whether Wen Zhi believed it or not, she accepted his response, placing the broom aside, wiped her hands casually on her Zen robe, and offered politely, “Are you heading to the Buddha Hall or the Guest Hall now, Mr. Shang? I’m familiar with this place and can show you the way.”
Jingci Temple’s rear was vast, and it was common for pilgrims to get lost; Kong Ci often wandered around this area sweeping and occasionally guiding pilgrims.
Today, in Kong Ci’s absence, Wen Zhi took over his duties.
Yet, she had not expected that the first pilgrim she would guide would be Shang Hexing.
She was ready to lead him to either the Guest Hall or the Buddha Hall, but then Shang Hexing said, “Wen Zhi, I haven’t had lunch yet.”
Wen Zhi looked at him in surprise, “Mr. Shang, are you looking for the Vegetarian Hall?”
Shang Hexing nodded slightly, “If you could be so kind.”
“I had lunch and forgot that it’s the time for the meal service, so I neglected to ask if you had eaten. Please follow me; I’ll take you to the Vegetarian Hall,” Wen Zhi offered, leading the way with a polite yet distant manner.
Shang Hexing could clearly sense her demeanor.
He quietly followed her.
Upon reaching the Vegetarian Hall.
Monks and pilgrims sat together at a table, with another empty table nearby. Wen Zhi asked Shang Hexing whether he preferred rice or noodles, to which Shang Hexing said, “You can decide for me.”
The vegetarian meals were all simple, with no choices to ponder, so Wen Zhi ordered noodles with sauce for Shang Hexing.