When Qi Qingyao exited the temple, Jiang Yeqian asked, “What did you pray for?”
“For fortune,” Qi Qingyao replied matter-of-factly.
Jiang Yeqian, “…”
He was wearing a mask, but Qi Qingyao felt like the expression on his face would be one of speechless disdain. He would probably think that praying for fortune was of poor taste.
She was in doubt. “What did you think I’d pray for if not that?”
Jiang Yeqian said, “For marriage.” Was it not that? She was only a woman, and she had to take care of three children…
“??”
Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes to the sky. “Only fools would pray for marriage!”
Jiang Yeqian, “…” ‘A normal woman would totally pray for marriage in this situation, wouldn’t they?’
Si Jin chuckled.
Qi Qingyao said blandly, “Men cannot be depended on. In this world, I rather depend on myself than on anything else.”
Jiang Yeqian said nothing while he thought about her words.
Si Jin said seriously, “Jiejie, you can depend on me. I’m yours.”
Qi Qingyao waved her hand. “What are you talking about? You’re still a kid!”
Si Jin pouted. He was not a kid! He was already several hundred years old!
When Qi Qingyao came out, the children wanted to pray to the Koi Fish God too. Qi Qingyao knew that the children were still too young and knew nothing, so she told them about what they should do inside the temple and gave them a few coins each. The children looked at the coins in their palms. Xiaobao thought about it for a while before returning everything to Qi Qingyao aside from one coin.
Upon noticing that, Dabao and Erniu also picked out the extra money and returned them to Qi Qingyao.
Looking at the children’s serious and cute faces, Qi Qingyao kept the coins well.
Hand in hand, the children crossed the threshold of the temple and prepared to pray to the Koi Fish God earnestly.
After they entered the temple, they imitated the other pilgrims, walking with their short legs to stand in front of the cushions and kneeling down obediently.
They tossed one coin into the donation box before clasping their palms together to pray.
“I pray that the Koi Fish God will protect my mother…” Dabao muttered.
Erniu suddenly turned to him and asked, “What should we have the Koi Fish God bless Mother with?”
“The health of our family,” Dabao said.
“Then I’ll pray for…” Erniu thought for a while. She looked at the statue of the Koi Fish God with a smile and said devoutly, “I pray that the Koi Fish God will bless my mother, so that she will find Father one day. Qi Yunxi also wants Father to kiss and hold me in his arms~” Her voice was so soft and cute, like a soft bun.
Xiaobao looked at Dabao and Erniu silently. He thought about it for a while before praying with a furrowed brow, “Please, Koi Fish God, bless Mother so that she can clear her debts soon, and so that the Qi family will not come to give her trouble. I also pray that my family will live peacefully.”
‘Xiaobao’s prayers are so practical,’ thought Dabao and Erniu after listening to his prayers.
“Xiaobao, should I change my prayer too?” Erniu pouted, blinking her big round eyes.
“We’ve already made our wish. We shouldn’t change it now! Each prayer will only be responded to once even if we make it multiple times,” Xiaobao said softly.
Dabao and Erniu realized that he was right.
…
Outside the door, Qi Qingyao looked at the inside of the temple. A smile graced her lips when she saw her children praying in front of the statue.
Qi Qingyao suddenly thought about something. She turned to the other adults.
“Aren’t you going to pray to the Koi Fish God?”
Jiang Yeqian said, “I don’t believe in gods.” ‘Also, this is not even a god, only a fish!’