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Chapter 68: Fulfilling a Vow

Wen Ruyu took her family to the temple to pray and fulfill a vow. It was just a day trip, so Zhao Shu gave instructions the day before, and the next morning, the servants had already prepared the carriage, horses, and all the necessary food.

It was just that the winter weather was quite cold, requiring thick clothing and the trouble of bringing hand warmers and similar items.

Lunch would be eaten at Longxing Temple, so there was no need to bring food. But to prepare for the possibility that the masters might want some snacks, they brought some dried fruits and other little treats just in case.

Wen Ruyu, though forty years old and not particularly sensitive to the cold, was bundled up tightly out of concern from her household. Several attendants followed her every step, fearful she might fall ill.

That morning, Lu Jinnian was unusually enthusiastic. Everyone thought he was just happy to have gotten leave from his tutor.

Only his servant Huan’er knew the real reason—but that wasn’t something he could tell anyone. If he did, he’d get beaten just the same.

His master’s indulgence couldn’t be talked out of him. Huan’er could only resign himself to fate.

He just hoped his master would get bored soon and “return to the right path.” The most important thing was that no one else discovered the secret.

Wen Ruyu sat in the carriage, hugging a hand warmer and sitting on cushions. Once the doors and windows were closed, it was fairly warm inside.

Bored on the road, she chatted with her daughter-in-law and daughter.

After a few words, she lost interest in talking and just listened to them chat.

In less than half an hour, the carriages came to a stop.

As expected, many people had come to the temple that day to pray and fulfill vows.

Climbing the steps, Wen Ruyu led her family to offer incense and pray.

That morning, the abbot personally received the Lu family as usual.

Lu Jinnian, ever restless, sat for a while before making an excuse to leave.

Wen Ruyu was not the kind to sit still listening to people talk for too long either.

She always managed her household with the principle of not imposing on others what she didn’t want for herself, so she let Lu Jinnian go, only instructing Huan’er to follow him.

The weather was cold. As Lu Jinnian walked quickly, he exhaled warm breath into the air.

He knew where Monk Miaozhen usually did his duties, but he often failed to find him on the first try.

That day, after searching a few spots—perhaps because of the crowd or because the monks were seeking peace—most were nowhere to be found.

After a good while, he finally saw a slender figure with fair ears.

Finding his person, he turned to Huan’er and said, “Go over there. Don’t be an eyesore.”

Huan’er gave Lu Jinnian a resentful look but replied with a quiet “yes” and withdrew.

With Miaozhen in sight, Lu Jinnian had no attention to spare for anyone else and missed Huan’er’s expression completely.

He had initially intended to call out to Miaozhen, but then a mischievous idea popped into his head.

He adjusted his long sleeves and tiptoed toward Miaozhen, who was reciting sutras at a stone table.

Coming up behind him, Miaozhen hadn’t noticed anything.

Lu Jinnian then covered Miaozhen’s mouth with one hand and wrapped his other arm around his waist, pulling him into his embrace.

The young monk had never been frightened like this before. He panicked, dropped his book, and struggled in Lu Jinnian’s arms.

It wasn’t until Lu Jinnian burst into laughter that Miaozhen realized it was someone he knew.

Miaozhen turned to look up—those clear eyes met Lu Jinnian’s gaze.

So beautiful, Lu Jinnian forgot to laugh.

He flexed his fingers, as if still feeling the touch of Miaozhen’s lips from earlier.

Miaozhen frowned gently, stood up, picked up the fallen scripture, and said, “Fourth Master, please don’t play like that.”

Even as he spoke, he didn’t avoid Lu Jinnian. Once the book was retrieved, he quietly sat back down.

Seeing Miaozhen’s fair skin flushed from embarrassment, Lu Jinnian found him even more endearing.

He crouched beside him and whispered, “My dear, do you know how much I’ve missed you?”

Miaozhen blushed even deeper.

Lu Jinnian grinned and said, “It’s not quiet enough here. We can’t talk properly. Come, I’ll take you outside.”

Saying so, he took Miaozhen’s hand and led him away.

With the temple crowded for the New Year, no one paid much attention to a single monk.

At the back of the temple, a path led up into the hills. A few families lived back there, surviving by hunting and farming.

Hardly anyone passed that way—five or six people a day was a lot.

Once there, Lu Jinnian took Miaozhen’s hand, noticing its roughness from temple chores. He figured—it’s a man after all, that’s to be expected.

Still, he thought, if Miaozhen’s hands were softer, wouldn’t he be perfect?

It was fate’s trick to have such a beautiful person born into a poor family.

“How could your parents bear to send you to the temple?”

Miaozhen replied with some confusion, “The temple life is better—less labor than servants in big households, no need to sell oneself, and I can eat my fill.”

“My uncle is a monk. I got in through his connection. He even saved up and got married after being a monk.”

“My family was poor. Father died early. Mother remarried, and my stepfather didn’t let her get close to me. It was just Grandma and me on my father’s side. Uncle felt sorry for me and asked if I’d like to become a monk. Back then, I just wanted to eat. Unlike you, Fourth Master, whose family could afford to send you to school.”

Lu Jinnian was even more heartbroken hearing this.

“You shouldn’t be a monk anymore. Come with me, I’ll take care of you.”

He said it sweetly but knew Miaozhen wouldn’t actually go with him.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t even say it—he dared not upset the old matriarch at home.

As expected, Miaozhen just smiled faintly—so beautifully that it made Lu Jinnian’s heart flutter.

“I know I look valuable. Since I was young, many tried to lure me into becoming a courtesan. My uncle feared I’d go astray and gave me a proper path.”

Lu Jinnian chuckled. He wanted to ask: If you don’t want to go astray, why are you still being ambiguous with me?

But he was smart enough not to ask.

He knew he liked Miaozhen’s beauty, and Miaozhen liked his charm too.

While Miaozhen was speaking, Lu Jinnian pulled out a gold ring and slid it onto his finger.

Miaozhen’s fingers were even thicker at the joints than his—probably from all the labor like sweeping, chopping wood, and carrying water.

Miaozhen felt the cold metal, glanced at the gold ring, and tried to take it off, alarmed.

“Fourth Master, this is too valuable. I can’t accept it.”

He had never seen much silver in his life, let alone gold.

When his parents married, his mother’s dowry was just some furniture. He’d barely seen any gold or silver growing up.

Money always came and went—and mostly went.

Lu Jinnian held Miaozhen’s hand and interlocked their fingers, saying, “I bought it for you. If you don’t take it, I’ll throw it away.”

He said it casually, as if the gold meant nothing.

Miaozhen had no choice but to stop trying to remove it.

Still, he looked troubled. “I can’t wear it. If I lose it, I’ll feel terrible. And people will ask if they see it.”

“Then hide it well.” Lu Jinnian embraced him tightly.

Miaozhen was slender, only a bit shorter than Lu Jinnian, but gentle in temperament—very much to Lu Jinnian’s liking.

“What if I can’t hide it?”

“Then say it was lost by a guest. When I visit again, tell me, and I’ll talk to your abbot and get it back. Deal?”

Though troublesome, it was a solution.

Hearing that, Miaozhen finally stopped protesting.

Lu Jinnian wore a luxurious pink brocade jacket that day, stuffed with cotton and soft to the touch. The jacquard pattern made it look rich.

Miaozhen, by contrast, wore an old, plain robe. Even with the New Year near, who knew if the temple gave out new clothes?

When he got money, he’d have to buy cotton for quilts first. As for clothes—he might not afford any.

Rubbing his face against Lu Jinnian’s jacket, Miaozhen smiled: “Fourth Master, I never thought I’d ever be involved with someone like you.”

“Me neither.” Lu Jinnian laughed, brushing Miaozhen’s warm hat.

The hat was lined with cotton, made by his aunt from old clothes, since his mother never visited him.

Beneath the small warm hat was Miaozhen’s bald head.

Lu Jinnian had liked many people in his life—but this was the first time he fell for a bald monk.

And this monk had the power to make him completely addicted.

“My heart and eyes are full of you,” he whispered.

Miaozhen didn’t respond, but the red blush returned to his cheeks.

Lu Jinnian, familiar with his shyness, was all the more thrilled by it.

He leaned to Miaozhen’s ear and whispered, “My dear, I’ve missed you so much these days. Have you missed me?”

Miaozhen said nothing, but nodded.

Lu Jinnian beamed and asked, “When I was walking through the market, I wanted to buy you everything. I bought this ring thinking of you. Don’t you have a gift for me?”

Miaozhen, puzzled, pulled away a bit and said, “You know my situation—what could I possibly give you?”

Lu Jinnian smiled slyly. “Just give me a kiss as a gift.”

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