Chapter 111: The Fated One

The Taoist priest was dressed in a blue robe, looking very young, seemingly just over twenty years old. His brows were as if painted with ink, his face like peach petals, and a red mole under his eyelid added a touch of romantic charm, making him appear less like a Taoist priest.

Jiu Yu noticed someone staring at him and raised his eyes, his gaze glanced past Gu Huaizhi and paused on Su Wan’s face.

He bowed and pointed the way for Gu Huaizhi and Su Wan: “There is a phoenix tree ahead, turn left, and you will reach the dining hall.”

“Thank you, Taoist master.” When Su Wan saw Jiu Yu salute, his wide sleeve slipped down, revealing a slender wrist adorned with a uniquely designed bracelet.

A hand grabbed her collar and pulled her away.

“Gu Huaizhi, are you trying to strangle me!” Su Wan angrily shook off his hand, straightened her collar, and rubbed her slightly aching neck.

She looked back and saw that the Taoist priest had already walked away. She asked curiously, “Do you know this Taoist master?”

“No.”

“Uh…” Su Wan rolled her eyes. “Stingy.”

Gu Huaizhi remained silent and continued walking towards the dining hall.

Mo Chen brought over two dishes: peony lettuce and yellow bean paste. “These two dishes are famous far and wide. Many pilgrims who visit the Guo Temple come here specifically to eat them. I arrived early but only managed to get the last servings.”

Su Wan looked over curiously.

Gu Huaizhi took a clean pair of chopsticks and placed a piece of peony lettuce in her bowl. “The young Taoist master picks peony petals with morning dew, coats them in a thin layer of flour, and fries them until crispy. The texture is quite good; you should try it.”

Su Wan took a small bite and immediately understood the secret. The flour coating not only preserved the nutritional value of the ingredients but also prevented the lettuce and petals from getting burnt. The result was a crispy exterior and a tender interior, filling her mouth with a floral fragrance.

Gu Huaizhi prepared some yellow bean paste for her. “This is made by grinding beans into powder and then drying it. When it’s time to eat, the bean flour is rolled into thin strips and cooked together with green mustard and choy sum (Chinese flowering cabbage).

It’s sold outside, but it’s not as tasty as it is here. I don’t know what method they use, but you can taste the fresh flavor of fish, making it refreshing and smooth. If you find the flavor too light, you can add some sauce.”

He pushed the sauce dish towards her.

Su Wan took a bite of the yellow bean paste, which resembled fine noodles, and indeed, as Gu Huaizhi had described, it had the fresh and smooth taste of fish. The green mustard was very tender, and while the flavor was mild, it preserved the food’s natural taste.

“This is delicious,” Su Wan said with a smile, her eyes curving with delight. “This could be considered ‘longevity noodles’.”

“Sort of,” Gu Huaizhi replied, raising his hand to brush the stray hair by her cheek behind her ear.

Su Wan uncomfortably tilted her head, feeling that her hair bun was slightly askew. He adjusted it with his hand, while she awkwardly touched her temple and continued to eat the yellow bean paste.

Mo Chen, standing nearby, noticed an extra jade hairpin in Su Wan’s hair. His small eyes glanced at his master, who was calmly sipping tea, as if he hadn’t secretly gifted the hairpin.

The tea in the Taoist temple was made from wild tea leaves picked at the peak of the mountain, with a bitter taste that left a sweet aftertaste in the mouth.

After finishing her meal, Su Wan still felt a bit unsatisfied. She sipped the tea, with bitterness filling her mouth, she wrinkled her nose, and the greasiness in her mouth relieved.

“Are we going home?” Su Wan looked at the sky, where the sun was shining brightly. “Or should we rest before heading back?”

“Let’s rest before we go back,” Gu Huaizhi said, leading her to the back mountain of the Taoist temple.

Su Wan immediately saw a century-old tree, lush with branches and leaves, adorned with numerous red ribbons carrying people’s wishes.

“Gu Huaizhi, did you bring me here to make a wish?” Su Wan asked. In the 21st century, she had visited temples, especially during the birthday of Guanyin Bodhisattva, where temples would also have a tree. Devotees would hang red ribbons on it, praying for their family’s peace and happiness.

She hadn’t expected Gu Huaizhi to bring her here.

He didn’t seem like a superstitious person, yet because of the legend of the Immortal Spring, he had specially fetched her some clear and sweet spring water, treated her to a vegetarian meal, and now brought her to make a wish.

She wanted to say that the wishing tree was just a comfort for wish-makers’ hearts and wouldn’t actually work.

But Su Wan couldn’t bear to reject Gu Huaizhi’s good intentions.

“Just following the custom,” Gu Huaizhi said, handing her a red ribbon along with a pen dipped in ink.

Su Wan took the ribbon and, with swift strokes, quickly wrote her wish. After blowing the ink dry, she gracefully tossed it onto the tree.

Gu Huaizhi took the pen from her hand, “Where do you want to go?”

“I don’t have anywhere in particular,” Su Wan replied, thinking about returning to Xinghua Village tomorrow. She sighed, “I want to go back early today; I have something to say to my grandmother.”

“You go back to your room and rest for a bit. I have something to take care of and will be back shortly,” Gu Huaizhi instructed Mo Chen to take Su Wan back to her room.

Su Wan followed Mo Chen and left.

Gu Huaizhi picked up a stone and casually threw it at the tree. A red ribbon fluttered down, and he caught it, seeing the two characters written in a bold, freehand style.

—— Guess?

Gu Huaizhi chuckled, added a line, and tied it back onto the branch.

—— 

Su Wan didn’t have the habit of taking an afternoon nap, and having just finished lunch, she couldn’t sleep at all.

She took Mo Chen with her and wandered around the Taoist temple.

“Did you tell Gu Huaizhi that today is my birthday?” Su Wan suddenly had an absurd thought, and wondered if Gu Huaizhi had specifically returned to the capital to celebrate her birthday.

“I didn’t say anything,” Mo Chen waved his hands repeatedly, denying it.

“When is his birthday?”

“Mid-Autumn Festival.”

As soon as Mo Chen finished speaking, he felt he had made a mistake.

Sure enough, he saw Su Wan smiling like a little fox, looking triumphant. Feeling guilty, he broke out in a cold sweat and awkwardly explained, “We need to know our employer’s details.” Hence, they knew Gu Huaizhi’s birthday.

Su Wan didn’t pursue the matter further. She touched her chin, and thought that if Gu Huaizhi were to take the provincial exam, he would have to celebrate his birthday in the examination hall.

She wondered if she should celebrate his birthday in advance before his exams.

Suddenly, Su Wan moved her nose, catching a strong medicinal fragrance.

The scent was very familiar; she had smelled it on Emperor Jing before.

Her curiosity piqued, Su Wan followed the scent.

She arrived at a courtyard and saw the Taoist priest they had encountered earlier, coming out of the door.

Su Wan’s heart skipped a beat. She smiled slightly and said, “Taoist master, what a coincidence to meet you here.”

Jiu Yu nodded slightly and discreetly closed the door, as if to block the medicinal fragrance from escaping the room.

“This area is where fellow Taoists reside. Are you lost?” he asked, his gaze unintentionally falling on Su Wan’s face, as if he were seeing someone through her.

“I’m just wandering around to help with digestion,” Su Wan replied. She noticed his scrutiny and touched her face. “Do I look like someone you know?”

Jiu Yu replied frankly, “You resemble my younger sister. Our parents died when we were young, and I brought her to the capital to escape the famine, but we got separated.”

Su Wan was taken aback, not expecting this reason. She awkwardly said, “It seems we are indeed connected by fate.”

“Fate?” Jiu Yu repeated, and found it interesting. He smiled lightly, and the crimson teardrop mole on his face seemed to come to life, adding a touch of allure to his appearance. He took off the bracelet from his wrist and placed it in Su Wan’s hand. “A gift for someone connected by fate.”

Su Wan subconsciously caught it, and noticed the characters “Jiu Yu” carved into the beads.

A flood of memories surged into her mind, causing her pupils to contract and her expression to turn astonished.