Chapter 48

The wooden door was tightly closed, and it was late at night.

Inside the room, it was somewhat dim. Except for the oil lamp Xie Yun had just lit by the table, only the moonlight pouring in through the window could add brightness to this meditation room.

Xie Yun lowered his gaze to the charming face in front of him. In the past, he wouldn’t pay attention to others’ appearances; fat or thin, tall or short, there was no difference in his eyes.

But now, looking at her, he felt that she seemed to be more pleasing to the eye than others.

Her thick, black hair was half tied up, her eyelashes curled, blinking as she looked at people. Her features were delicate, and her beauty was quite striking. Yet her temperament was always gentle, rarely getting angry, speaking and acting in a gentle manner, her thoughts written all over her face.

Of course, she was also very obedient, just like now.

He moved his thumb inward, touching the girl’s white teeth. Her lips slightly parted, moving forward slightly, even able to touch the tip of the girl’s tongue. The soft, dry lips inside became wet, slippery, and warm.

The atmosphere was somewhat stagnant. Sang Yao tilted her head back, afraid to move, feeling that Xie Yun didn’t seem like someone who would take the initiative to wipe her mouth.

She was a little surprised by the favor she was receiving.

It wasn’t until she felt the man’s fingers crossing her teeth that Sang Yao felt something strange. Her head tingled, and subconsciously, she stuck out her tongue and licked it.

“…” Both of them paused at the same time.

The moist and soft touch came again, just like last time, which made him feel like it was some kind of hint. Xie Yun’s fingers suddenly stopped, his calm eyes moving from the girl’s red lips to her eyes.

Sang Yao’s face turned red, and she wished she could find a hole to hide in right now. She really didn’t mean it.

Because it was the first time someone touched her teeth, she felt strange, so her tongue uncontrollably wanted to push it out.

She raised her hand, grabbed Xie Yun’s wrist, and then pushed his hand away, stuttering with a red face, “S-s-sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

!

Xie Yun’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he retracted his hand, saying, “Intentionally what?”

“Intentionally licked you,” Sang Yao retorted. “What else could it be? Can you even say such words?”

Sang Yao bit her lip, feeling extremely embarrassed. She silently offered her handkerchief and whispered, “Do you want to wipe it off?”

The pink and white handkerchief was pinched in Sang Yao’s hand, its thin fabric swaying gently.

Xie Yun reached out and took it, his expression unchanged as he lowered his eyelashes. His slender, fair fingers gripped the girl’s soft handkerchief and wiped his fingers. Sang Yao silently breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, she felt that Xie Yun had applied a bit too much force when wiping her mouth just now. It didn’t seem like he was wiping her mouth on purpose, but facing his restrained face, it was hard for her to think too much about it.

He might not have done it intentionally. Moreover, Xie Yun had helped her a lot today. She couldn’t speculate about him like this anymore.

After wiping it off, Xie Yun seemed unwilling to stay here any longer. He walked towards the door, and Sang Yao hurriedly went up to open it for him, sincerely saying, “Xie Yun, even though you didn’t help me stop Chen Ke today, thank you.”

Xie Yun’s ears almost calloused from hearing these two words today. He said, “If you stop saying these two words, I’ll thank you too.”

Sang Yao’s smile froze for a moment. She suppressed the urge to curse him in her heart, saw him to the door, and said, “Xie Yun, you are a good person.” Xie Yun nodded, saying, “Thank you.”

The man’s figure disappeared into the night, and Sang Yao returned to her room. She sat on the not-so-soft couch, her hands resting on the bedding, quietly thinking that today wasn’t so bad after all.

★

By the time Xie Yun returned to the room, it was already past midnight.

He pushed open the door. The porcelain bowl on the desk was still there. In the simple room, the messy bed stood out. It was late at night, but he felt no sleepiness.

Xie Yun raised his hand to pick up the newspaper that Chen Ke had brought over. Then he walked to the nearby desk and sat down. This kind of sacrifice happened every year, and it was not important.

The newspaper was wordy, talking about a very simple matter in four full pages. Xie Yun glanced at it and set it aside. He furrowed his brow, suddenly smelling the lingering scent of jasmine on his fingertips. He was used to this smell. Xie Yun put down his arm and looked down at the crumpled silk handkerchief beside his hand.

It was pale pink, embroidered with a white kitten. It looked lifelike, easily reminiscent of a pretty face.

Xie Yun pursed his lips, showing impatience. He casually opened the Buddhist scripture beside him. The pages were yellowed, and the edges were curled, as if they had been turned many times.

Xie Yun’s mother often came to the temple to chant and pray for blessings. Sometimes she even stayed in the temple for a few days. Xie Yun was not talkative since he was young, and he had a calm temperament at a young age. She firmly believed that he was a child with Buddha nature because of his quietness, so she sent him to live in Qiyan Temple for a year.

But Xie Yun was not interested in this. The so-called practice of purifying the mind for a year did not change anything about him.

As he grew older, except for staying away from women, everything else was contrary to Buddhism.

He was pragmatic, ruthless, a complete politician.

So no matter how many Buddhist scriptures he copied, no matter how many times he was brought to the temple by Shen Miaoyi, he was destined never to become someone with Buddha nature.

He didn’t even believe in gods or Buddhas, so the Buddhist scripture in his hand was useless to him except for passing time and occasionally dealing with Shen Miaoyi’s inquiries.

Today was no exception. But he still flipped through the Huayan Sutra in his hand from beginning to end, until late at night when he finally put down the scripture.

He didn’t touch the soft silk handkerchief beside him again.

Perhaps the Huayan Sutra he read before bed had an effect, and he fell asleep quickly today.

The night was quiet.

The sound of a needle dropping could be heard in the room. The incense burner was burning gently, emitting a light smoke. The candle flame flickered, and various documents were placed somewhat messily on the mahogany square table. He half-lay on the wooden chair, closing his eyes to rest.

Until a slender leg bent and fell on his leg. The narrow space couldn’t accommodate two people, and her movement caused some letters to fall to the ground.

The handwriting on the letters was sharp, being stepped on by her. The girl’s jade-like feet were fair and moist, seemingly graspable with one hand.

She naturally reached out and encircled his neck, using her plump and red lips to rub against his chin.

The scent of jasmine filled the air.

He raised his hand to stop her action by pinching her thigh, and when he looked up, he met a pair of familiar affectionate eyes. The girl’s long hair reached her hips, and her light pink clothes hung loosely on her body, revealing the porcelain-like white skin inside.

She ignored his restraint, straddling him, and the soft touch fell between his legs again. His hand was still on her thigh.

The girl moved her legs, shamelessly leaning on his shoulder, and spoke to him in a tone he was familiar with, “Xie Yun, you’re hurting me.”

Her voice was especially clear, sounding pitiful.

Xie Yun released his hand, and on the girl’s bare thigh, there was a faint red mark.

Her feet dangled in the air, her slender white calves swaying gently, her eyes blinking, her long lashes brushing against his profile. Xie Yun involuntarily lowered his head to avoid her gaze, but in the pile of gauze, he saw that small red mole.

It was in that dangerous place, forcefully drawing his gaze downward.

Sang Yao seemed to notice his gaze. She straightened her waist slightly, supporting his shoulder, and the red mole appeared before him. Her lips, moist and slightly raised, asked him a question.

But Xie Yun couldn’t hear clearly.

Then, she leaned closer to him, offering the red mole to the corner of his lips. All was in vain.

The solemn room suddenly shattered.

Only the moonlight entered the meditation room.

The Buddhist scriptures on the table remained in place, a crumpled pink handkerchief beside them, frost silently climbing up.

★

Early the next morning, Sang Yao was awakened by the ancient and long morning bell. She opened her eyes slowly, sat up from the bed slowly, put on her shoes, and then opened the door.

The morning mist had not yet dispersed. The place where Xie Yun found her to stay was secluded. There were not many people around, but this was not where she should be sleeping after all. To avoid arousing suspicion, she should return to her room with Mingrong.

She closed the door gently and, relying on her memory, asked the passing novice monks for directions. It took her half an incense stick’s time to reach the door of the room.

The door was still tightly closed.

Sang Yao stood in front of the door, hesitating to push it open for a long time.

She leaned against the door and listened for a moment, not sure if the man had left. He should have left, right? It was already bright outside. If he didn’t leave, he really didn’t respect her.

She was just reciting scriptures, not dead.