Shi Luohan's eyes seemed to be covered by dark clouds and gradually dimmed.
It was self - evident who the evil star referred to.
Song Wanchu never really believed in ghosts and gods. Getting a good fortune stick and hearing some auspicious words could only cheer her up for half a day. When she heard inauspicious things, she didn't take them to heart.
She squinted slightly and caught a fleeting look of cunning in Taoist Qiu's eyes.
"Brother, let's go hang our wish notes."
She pulled Shi Luohan and was about to leave.
Taoist Qiu waved mysteriously at them. "Do you want to hear the way to break the bad omen?"
Shi Luohan was intrigued. "Is there a way to break it?"
"Come, come. Let the old Taoist tell you in detail."
Taoist Qiu looked like a real immortal, with a sharp look in his eyes. He was very convincing in appearance. Shi Luohan knew that he was highly skilled in martial arts, so he trusted him completely.
However, Song Wanchu frowned, full of suspicion.
She suspected that Taoist Qiu and Liang Yuzhou had colluded. They deliberately said something inauspicious just to spoil their mood.
Taoist Qiu carefully examined Shi Luohan's face and pondered for a moment.
"Mr. Shi, your face is broad and upright. Your forehead is wide. You have the face of a great general. You are also very capable. You are by no means a small fish in a shallow pond. When the opportunity comes, you will surely make great contributions on the border, becoming a well - known figure. You will be like a dragon entering the sea or a roc spreading its wings. Your future is boundless.
And your fated person is a princess from a foreign land. You two met each other in your early years, but due to various coincidences, you missed each other for several years. In the future, you will surely recognize each other and renew your marriage bond."
Shi Luohan stared at Taoist Qiu in surprise and couldn't come back to his senses for a long time.
What on earth was he talking about!
It made a bit of sense to say that he was capable and would make great contributions. He ranked second only to Liang Yuzhou in the military imperial examination, and the emperor once appointed him as a third - rank general, but he declined because he had no interest in officialdom.
But saying that his fated one was a foreign princess was pure nonsense!
He didn't know any foreign princess at all, let alone having a reunion with her.
Out of respect for Taoist Qiu, he said nothing and just gave an embarrassed smile.
Taoist Qiu was quite satisfied with his own speech.
He stroked his beard deliberately and pretended to be profound.
Song Wanchu looked at him with a meaningful look in her eyes. When Taoist Qiu met her gaze, he felt inexplicably flustered.
He still sat upright, looking calm, like a wise old man who had seen through the world.
"Brother, let's go."
The two took paper and pens from two little Taoist boys and wrote their wishes with their backs to each other.
The rule was that one's own wish must not be seen by the other, otherwise it would not come true.
When hanging the wish notes on the tree, Shi Luohan seemed a bit absent - minded. His eyes were heavy, and there was a faint look of worry between his eyebrows.
"Brother, you don't have to believe what that old Taoist said. He's just making things up."
Song Wanchu's tone was very casual. Shi Luohan was so startled that his hand trembled.
Everyone, including Grandma Chu, treated Taoist Qiu with great respect. Only Wanchu seemed to look down on him.
Yesterday, Taoist Qiu had specifically asked her how the date - paste cloud - slice cake tasted. Song Wanchu had already had some doubts in her mind.
After hearing his confusing explanation today, her suspicion was confirmed.
This old Taoist was singing in chorus with Liang Yuzhou.
Liang Yuzhou's methods were not only despicable but also childish.
Song Wanchu smiled softly at Shi Luohan. "Brother, I don't believe in fate. I believe in myself. Whether it's a good marriage or not is not decided by a fortune stick. It's up to us."
The worry between Shi Luohan's eyebrows faded a lot.
He didn't expect that Wanchu, a delicate girl, was more determined than him.
As the saying goes, it's easier to go up the mountain than to go down.
The Chu family members walked much slower on their way down the mountain than on the way up.
They didn't feel the steepness of the mountain on the way up, but now when they were going down, they suddenly realized how rugged the mountain path was.
Shi Luohan patted his shoulder. "Wanchu, let me carry you on my back."
In front of so many people, Song Wanchu felt a bit embarrassed.
But looking into Shi Luohan's gentle and smiling eyes and thinking of her own determination,
she nodded. "Okay."
Shi Luohan had practiced martial arts all year round. His shoulders and back were broad, and his steps were steady.
Song Wanchu felt extremely secure on his back.
However, her heart was in turmoil.
She looked back at the ancient locust tree full of wish notes.
The wish notes fluttered in the wind.
Liang Yuzhou stood on the top of the mountain, watching the figure he had been longing for lying obediently on Shi Luohan's back.
His eyes were bloodshot with rage.
He had once had Wanchu. They should have stood hand in hand in the bright sunlight.
But he had lost her.
Now he could only watch her being held in another man's arms while he could only hide in the dark corner, letting the vines of jealousy and regret grow and entangle him tightly.
The scar on his chest ached faintly, and there seemed to be a smell of blood in his breath.
He came to the ancient locust tree and tore down Shi Luohan's wish note.
It read: May I see Wanchu every day and be happy every year.
He sneered and tore it into pieces and threw it away.
Then he carefully took down Song Wanchu's wish note.
In her delicate and neat small regular script, it read: In this lifetime, never see each other again.
Liang Yuzhou felt as if his internal organs were being twisted. His vision went black.
A sweet and fishy taste welled up in his throat, and a few drops of fresh blood splashed on the red paper.
The bloodstains spread, blurring the ink marks.
Taoist Qiu was startled and rushed over in a hurry. "Hey, hey, hey, is it really that serious? What did Miss Song write to make you so angry?"
Liang Yuzhou seemed to have lost his soul. Taoist Qiu muttered and took the wish note from his hand, reading it softly. "I want to try to like Brother?"
Liang Yuzhou's eyes were as cold as if they had been soaked in ice water. He snatched the wish note back and found a small line of words on the back.
It was as if his chest had been cut open, his heart dug out and whipped repeatedly.
After a long time, he laughed hoarsely. "Wanchu, she wrote this on purpose for me to see!"
She knew him well and knew that he couldn't resist looking at her wish note.
Even the sachet she had tied for Shi Luohan with her own hands was deliberately shown to him.
She was using this way to tell him her determination.
She wanted to forget him completely.
But Wanchu underestimated her position in his heart and his determination to win her back!
Did Wanchu really think that by stimulating him like this, he would give up?
He swallowed the blood in his mouth. His face was as cold as ever, and he walked down the mountain step by step.
...
The Chu family bid farewell to Taoist Qiu and left the Songhe Taoist Temple. They were going back to the city.
Grandma Chu left three thousand taels of silver. Taoist Qiu told the little Taoist boy to accept it and thanked them solemnly.
As soon as the guests left, he took the silver note from the little Taoist boy and smiled happily.
"Inform everyone. Buy three pigs tonight and let the disciples have some meat."
"Also, buy me two pots of good wine."
"Go to the best pharmacy in the city and get the medicine according to the prescription I wrote."
On the way back to the city, Song Wanchu took a carriage alone.
Shi Luohan still rode his horse and followed.
Grandma Chu deliberately arranged Song Wanchu's carriage at the end of the team.
She wanted to create an opportunity for Song Wanchu and Shi Luohan to whisper to each other so that others couldn't eavesdrop.
Halfway through the journey, the procession suddenly slowed down and stopped.
"What's going on up ahead?"