This temple had not been visited in a long time. Most of the monks had either passed away or returned to secular life. The once-thriving incense offerings had quickly ceased as the people left, and the temple gradually fell into decay, becoming a forgotten ruin.
Ordinary people could not endure the lonely and bitter life here. It was unclear what mindset that old monk had to stay behind—perhaps it was a devout faith in Buddha, or perhaps it was a disdain for the clamor of the secular world.
Many things in the temple were dirty and rotting, but the incense burner in front of the Buddha statue was surprisingly clean. A handful of black soil sat in the pale yellow burner, holding three sticks of incense that were half-burnt.
“Luo Ming, do you believe in Buddha?”
“Not really. I’m not interested in Buddhist and Taoist Doctrines or anything like that.”
“Then why did you come to worship?”
“My aunt believes in this a lot. She used to bring me here every year, asking Buddha to bless my studies and help me pass the Gaokao smoothly.”
Luo Ming tidied her clothes and took three new sticks of incense from the side. After lighting them, she held them between her fingers, raised them to her eyebrows, and bowed up and down.
White smoke rose from the tips, obscuring the girl’s face. Her dark eyes were as still as an ancient well, and her expression was as calm as water, devoid of any devout faith.
That woman, who was always smiling, had believed in Buddha her entire life and spent her days doing good deeds to accumulate merit, yet her end was a death caused by a man-made disaster. She had been barely in her thirties—pitiful… and tragic.
Only the weak needed these unrealistic fantasies. Immortals, gods, and Buddhist laws could not give one what they wanted; everything one craved had to be seized with one’s own hands.
This was the conviction Luo Ming firmly held. For the sake of the boy she cherished as much as her own life, she could be unscrupulous and give her all.
Naturally, someone like her could not be—and did not need to be—protected by such noble and righteous gods.
Luo Ming finished her three bows and offered the incense. A faint smile returned to her face. Gu Yu turned around and looked out the door, where fine raindrops were falling from the gloomy sky.
The snow outside was being stripped away and eroded by the raindrops. The chaotic curtain of rain soon intensified, and the pitter-patter of raindrops hitting the ground became overwhelming.
“Oh no, I didn’t check the weather forecast. I’m sorry,” Luo Ming said, bowing her head obediently with a face full of apology and guilt.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s not your fault. Let’s wait for the rain to let up a bit before we run back together.”
“Okay.”
Fortunately, the old temple did not leak, keeping the curtain of rain outside. The two of them walked to the door and sat on the long threshold, looking out at the fierce rain, unable to help feeling a bit worried.
“Luo Ming, which university did you just ask Buddha to help you get into?”
“Actually, I don’t know. I just want to do my best. I even prayed for you too. Gu Yu, you’ll definitely get into Linyang University.”
“I don’t really believe in that stuff, but thanks anyway.”
“So, will your first choice be Linyang?” Luo Ming turned her head to look at him, casually asking the question that concerned her the most.
“Yeah. Linyang University is very good. I’ll be satisfied if I can just get in.”
“I believe in you. You can definitely do it.”
“Thanks.”
Their conversation was slowly drowned out. The old trees in the forest rustled loudly in the fierce wind, mixing with the sound of rain into a chaotic symphony. The heavy rain lowered the already cold temperature. The air became damp and chilly, carrying the scent of mud and grass on the wind.
Luo Ming rubbed her hands together and breathed some warm air into her palms. The thin strands of hair at her temples were blown behind her ears, revealing her delicate, pale face.
“It’s a bit cold. Let’s sit closer.”
“Do you want me to give you my jacket?”
“It’s only a little cold. It’ll be fine if you just sit closer, Gu Yu.”
“Will that make it warmer?” Gu Yu eliminated the remaining distance between them, pressing against Luo Ming’s shoulder and snuggling with her.
Luo Ming didn’t answer but asked instead, “Gu Yu, are you cold?”
“I’m not cold. I’m wearing quite a lot.”
“Then I’m putting them in?”
“What? *Hiss…*”
A sudden wave of icy cold, like being touched by ice cubes, spread across his abdomen and waist. The girl’s delicate palms had reached under his clothes, pressing against the warmth of his skin.
Luo Ming squinted and gave a charming, innocent laugh. “Hehe, is it cold? Do you want me to take them out?”
“No need. Once your hands get warmer, it won’t feel cold anymore.”
“Then are your hands cold, Gu Yu? You can put them in my clothes too.” Luo Ming’s smile was crafty, making it impossible to guess her thoughts. “But you can’t put them just anywhere, or I’ll bite you.”
“I won’t do that. I’d be acting like a rogue. Don’t make jokes like that.”
“I’m being serious… Then can I put my hands wherever I want? Will you call me a female rogue, Gu Yu?”
As she spoke, her palms began to roam. Her soft little hands slid over Gu Yu’s abdomen and waist like vipers. The warmth of the boy’s body had already warmed her hands, and she couldn’t bear to let go of the delicate texture of his skin.
“I don’t mind. If you like it, you can do as you please, although… it really does feel a bit like a female rogue.”
“But I’m your girlfriend now. How can you say that about your own girlfriend?” Luo Ming lightly pinched the soft flesh at his waist. “As my boyfriend, you can do the same.”
“No, no. I’m just a temporary boyfriend. It wouldn’t be appropriate.”
Gu Yu waved his hand in refusal. A flash of obvious frustration crossed Luo Ming’s eyes. His obedience and sense of propriety had become an obstacle. The constraints of morality and etiquette ruined her plans, and an impulse welled up within her—a poisonous snake flicking its tongue as it stared at its prize.
“Gu Yu, I heard Zhao Xin and the others say that all boys have their own… fetishes? What’s yours?”
“I don’t know. I don’t have anything I’m particularly fond of…”
“Then do you want to try touching them and see? Maybe… you have a Foot Fetish.”
Luo Ming stretched her leg toward him a bit. Her slender calf was wrapped in tapered sweatpants, its thin silhouette tracing a highly aesthetic line. The edge of a white cotton sock peeked out from under the pant leg. “Too bad I’m not wearing stockings. Though, I’ve never actually bought those things.”
Gu Yu glanced at the girl’s calf, and ripples formed in his heart. “If I tell the truth, can you promise not to get angry?”
“Yes, I promise. Go ahead.”
“Actually, Sister Qianxin often wears stockings. I’ve seen them many times, so I’m definitely not a foot fetishist.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Luo Ming immediately pulled her hands out from Gu Yu’s clothes. She threw her arms around his neck, leaned her head in, and bit down hard on the boy’s neck.
A sharp pain traveled through his nerves. Gu Yu endured it and asked, “Didn’t you promise not to get angry?”
“I regret it. Gu Yu, you really know how to make a girl angry. Mentioning another woman while on a date… Are her legs really that good-looking?”
“I was just telling the truth. You already know my emotional intelligence isn’t high, so just bear with me.”
Luo Ming let go of Gu Yu’s neck and stroked the prominent tooth marks she had left. She licked her lips, and though the impulse to cause trouble subsided slightly, she still wasn’t satisfied.
“But I’m still very angry. Gu Yu, what… what should we do about it?”
Gu Yu looked into Luo Ming’s dark eyes. Deep within them was a blurred chaos, and the girl’s face was written with a playful longing.
He hesitated for a few seconds before leaning in and kissing Luo Ming’s lips.