Nan Yu nodded, acting no different from usual. "Next time I see them, I'll buy you a bunch."
Qu Jiaran laughed carelessly. "Nan Yu is so good to me."
The progress of their rehearsal was faster than expected. Qu Jiaran was really good at playing the violin and she and Nan Yu were very compatible.
In Qu Jiaran's own boastful words, the two of them could even hold their own music concert directly.
After the rehearsal, Qu Jiaran pestered Nan Yu to go shopping with her.
"No, thanks. I have something to do today." Nan Yu refused without hesitation.
"But you're my only friend." Qu Jiaran pouted and started to act coquettishly. "Nan Yu, just accompany me this once. You can buy whatever you want today. I'll foot the bill."
Nan Yu wasn't swayed. "Weren't there quite a few friends at your birthday party last time?"
"Those people don't matter." After Qu Jiaran said this, she suddenly seemed to realize something. "Nan Yu, are you jealous because you think I have too many friends?"
...
In the end, Nan Yu still didn't agree to go shopping with Qu Jiaran.
She wasn't interested in shopping, especially not in shopping with Qu Jiaran.
Besides, she really had something to do.
She was going to Changuang Temple today.
It wasn't Sunday, but she still hadn't finished copying the Buddhist scriptures Tan Linyuan had asked her to copy last week.
She had heard from the little monk that Tan Linyuan wouldn't be at the temple on Wednesday afternoon. This was the perfect opportunity for her to go and finish copying the remaining scriptures.
Ever since the incident at the cemetery last time, she had felt more and more repelled by Tan Linyuan.
Although she still didn't understand why Tan Linyuan had said that outsiders weren't allowed in the meditation room, yet she could still go in and out at will, she didn't ask any more questions.
These were all insignificant little things and she didn't really care.
She took a taxi to Changuang Temple. First, she burned three incense sticks, then she made her way to Tan Linyuan's meditation room with ease.
The bamboo in early spring was still green, full of vitality in the sunlight. The stones were also brightly lit, and the smooth parts refracted the light, emitting more colors.
Nan Yu slowly walked to the door of the meditation room. As expected, the door was tightly closed, which proved that Tan Linyuan really wasn't at the temple today.
She skillfully squatted down, took out a copper key from under the doormat, unlocked the door and walked in.
It wasn't strange that she knew where the key was hidden. After all, Tan Linyuan hadn't tried to avoid her when he unlocked the door before.
The meditation room smelled faintly of incense ash and burning incense.
Nan Yu sat on the cushion in front of the meditation table, crossed her legs, held her breath and picked up the writing brush.
After copying so many Buddhist scriptures recently, Nan Yu had gradually learned a lot of Buddhist knowledge and had new understandings and experiences in this regard.
Tan Linyuan had asked her to copy five Buddhist scriptures every week, but he hadn't specified the content, so she copied according to her own wishes.
Today, she planned to copy the Ullambana Sutra to pray for the souls of her deceased parents.
The meditation room was quiet. As she copied and chanted the scriptures, her heart gradually became peaceful and serene.
The Buddhist scriptures really did have an edifying effect. Her impetuosity and confusion were smoothed out at this moment, and her body and mind became calm.
The suffering and sadness seemed to gradually fade away, allowing her to stop dwelling on them.
Nan Yu had to admit now that copying scriptures was really a good way to purify the mind and cultivate one's character.
Of course, it would be even better if she wasn't forced by Tan Linyuan.
She didn't feel the passage of time in the meditation room. She could only judge the approximate time from the shifting of the sunlight coming in.
After finishing copying the last Ullambana Sutra, she closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.
It was as if all the turbid air in her body had been exhaled, and she felt extremely relaxed all over.
She stretched her body. As soon as she looked up, unexpectedly, her gaze met Tan Linyuan's cold eyes.
Nan Yu: ... Didn't they say he wouldn't come to the temple today?
The little monk's information was inaccurate.
Tan Linyuan had come silently, as if he had just appeared, or as if he had been standing there watching her for a long time.
And Nan Yu, who had been concentrating on copying the Buddhist scriptures, was completely unaware.
"You..." Nan Yu trembled and the writing brush in her hand shook violently. She subconsciously opened her mouth and said one word, but swallowed the second half of the sentence back into her throat.
She had wanted to say "Why did you come back suddenly?", but that would have betrayed the little monk, and she wouldn't be able to get information from him next time.
She couldn't do such a thing as crossing the river and then demolishing the bridge.
Nan Yu's mind raced, and finally she blurted out the second word: "...Hi."
Hello.
Tan Linyuan stood there, his eyes calm. "I'm not fine."
Nan Yu: "..."
She didn't really care why he wasn't fine. Anyway, she had finished copying the scriptures, so there was no need for her to stay any longer.
She simply stood up. "Uncle Tan, I've completed the copying task you assigned me last week. I won't bother you anymore. Goodbye, Uncle Tan."
Tan Linyuan closed the door. "Do you think this is some place where you can come and go as you please?"
Nan Yu stood still. "Uncle Tan didn't say I wasn't allowed in this place."
She was very precise in her words.
He had said that other pilgrims weren't allowed in, but he hadn't explicitly prohibited her from entering.
Tan Linyuan glanced at her. "I didn't say you weren't allowed in, but I also didn't say you could come and go at will."
Nan Yu said boldly. "Just because you didn't say it doesn't mean it's not allowed. If Uncle Tan explicitly prohibits it this time, I won't do it again next time."
Since the accident in her family, the most useful skill Nan Yu had learned was to be a bit of a nuisance.
Facts had proven that it was indeed effective.
Tan Linyuan showed no reaction, but the corner of his lips twitched. "But Miss Nan, what you're doing is against the law."
"What law have I broken?"
"Attempted burglary."
... He really knew how to apply what he had learned.
It seemed that since they hadn't seen each other for a long time, the feeling of being heartbroken had faded a bit. Nan Yu pursed her lips and finally didn't feel too much hostility towards him. "To avoid bothering Uncle Tan, I'll leave now."
She was in a turbulent mood and deliberately emphasized the word "bother".
Actually, Nan Yu usually talked to him like this, with a bit of politeness in her words, using words like "disturb", "offend", "disrespect" to deliberately annoy him.
But today, Tan Linyuan could clearly tell that her "bother" carried her own emotions.
He lifted his eyelids and looked at her. "When have I ever thought you were a bother?"
Then he added. "You've bothered me quite a few times. If we really count, this time isn't a big deal."
These words took on a different meaning in Nan Yu's ears.
She curled her fingers and forced a smile at him. "Yes, I've always bothered Uncle Tan and made you feel headache. You probably wish you could kick me far away."
"I owe Uncle Tan for what happened last time. It was my thoughtlessness. I won't make the same mistake again." The more she said, the more uncomfortable she felt, and her heart started to ache.
This pain wasn't psychological, but a real physical pain.
Her angina hadn't flared up for a long time, but now it just had to act up and make her look bad.
Tan Linyuan looked down at her, genuine confusion in his cold eyes. "Which 'last time' are you talking about?"