At this moment, Tan Linyuan resembled a divine Buddha capable of guiding Nan Yu through life's maze.
His tone was as calm as a still lake. "I have no prior obligations with Miss Nan. There's no reason for me to shield her from disasters."
What he meant was clear: he saw no need to protect someone who was a complete stranger to him.
Qu Jiaran let her eyelids droop. "Can't you do it for my sake?"
"However, Fuchen will return to Jiangcheng tomorrow," Tan Linyuan said unhurriedly, then shifted the topic. "How about having Miss Nan become Fuchen's disciple? That way, she'll have someone to take care of her in the future."
Qu Jiaran, clearly familiar with the situation, blinked and made the decision on Nan Yu's behalf. "I think it's a great idea!"
If Nan Yu could enter the Buddhist order and become Fuchen's disciple, she and Tan Linyuan would be considered fellow disciples. Then, it would be perfectly reasonable for him to protect her.
On this point, Qu Jiaran and Tan Linyuan were in perfect agreement.
Nan Yu suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with confusion.
Who was Fuchen?
Qu Jiaran looked surprised. "Yuyu, haven't you heard of Fuchen?"
Nan Yu shook her head.
After her surprise, Qu Jiaran patiently introduced Fuchen to Nan Yu.
In Jiangcheng, Changuang Temple was regarded as the most spiritual temple. As a result, it boasted the most vibrant incense business, with pilgrims coming in an endless stream.
Apart from its reputation for fulfilling wishes, the temple was also famous for the highly respected Master Wenjing, a Buddhist sage who was well - versed in both traditional Chinese studies and Buddhist doctrines. Master Wenjing spent most of his time in meditation at the temple and rarely showed himself in public.
The only well - known information related to him was his two disciples.
His eldest disciple was, of course, Tan Linyuan, who had been sent to the temple for cultivation since he was five. The second disciple was a young boy Tan Linyuan had saved during a meditation retreat in the mountains with Master Wenjing.
The boy was an orphan, with no family name or given name.
He was about the same age as Tan Linyuan, and Master Wenjing named him Fuchen.
After Master Wenjing passed away, Fuchen began to travel around. He rarely returned to Changuang Temple.
Qu Jiaran was clearly satisfied with this decision. "Nan Yu, just follow Linyuan's suggestion. Then he'll be your uncle - master, and I'll be your aunt - master!"
... Nan Yu couldn't understand why Qu Jiaran was so eager to be related to her.
It was as if she was determined to tie Nan Yu to her side.
Now that they had found a solution, Qu Jiaran left happily. Before leaving, she specifically reminded Nan Yu not to let her wound get wet.
"I couldn't resist last time, and now I have a scar," Qu Jiaran said, showing Nan Yu the scratch on the back of her hand. "It was when Yuuyu scratched me."
Nan Yu lowered her eyes, looked at the scratch on Qu Jiaran's hand, and then uncomfortably shifted her gaze.
She felt something strange inside.
It was as if Qu Jiaran had done this on purpose to make her feel guilty.
Or perhaps it was just a misperception caused by her habit of being on guard.
...
After Qu Jiaran left, Nan Yu was too lazy to beat around the bush with Tan Linyuan. She directly confronted him in an accusatory tone. "What on earth are you up to?"
Did he go through all this trouble just to make her become his junior brother's disciple?
There must be a catch.
Tan Linyuan's expression remained unchanged. His eyes, like deep mist, stared at her. "It's you who miscalculated."
Under his intense gaze, Nan Yu felt a bit awkward. "I don't understand what you're talking about."
"You're smart enough to apply your knowledge and use the resources around you to achieve your goals," Tan Linyuan gave a fair evaluation.
Nan Yu was stunned and held her breath for a moment.
Tan Linyuan was so good at seeing through people's hearts.
To be more precise, he could see through her thoughts.
But then Tan Linyuan quickly dashed her hopes. "But you shouldn't be over - smart."
Nan Yu pretended not to understand. "I don't understand what Uncle means."
"Do you think your acting skills are that good?" Tan Linyuan glanced at her and said bluntly. "You want to use Qu Jiaran as your backing to restrain the Shen family and delay your wedding as much as possible."
"Then, as long as I find an opportunity to intervene and get all the information I need, you'll have more bargaining chips and a better chance of not marrying Shen Yanche."
He hit the nail on the head.
She had tried so hard to hide her intentions, but he still saw through her plan of using his and Qu Jiaran's status to gradually break free from the control of the Shen family.
Being so easily exposed, she felt a sense of defeat.
Tan Linyuan took a step closer to her. Dressed in white and black, he looked cold and aloof. He leaned in and whispered a warning. "Qu Jiaran's father is a politician, and her mother is no ordinary person. Do you really think she can be a reliable backer?"
Nan Yu paused. She hadn't expected Tan Linyuan to tell her this.
The daughter of a political and business family had to be cautious about many things. Even the people around her had to go through multiple rounds of screening.
That's why Qu Jiaran needed her parents' permission even to go to the temple to pray. It wasn't just because she was physically weak; her status was the key factor.
No wonder he said she was stupid.
"Moreover..." Tan Linyuan's gaze dropped to her injured elbow. His breath was gentle. "Moreover, Qu Jiaran isn't really as innocent as she seems."
Nan Yu's back stiffened involuntarily.
What did he mean by "isn't really as innocent as she seems"? Did he refer to her using Qu Jiaran or the things between her and him?
She looked panicked, and her tone became urgent. "What exactly do you want to say?"
Tan Linyuan was so close that he could almost touch her earlobe with a slight bend of his head. He curled his lips, with a hint of a smile in his voice.
He said, "I just want to remind you - "
Nan Yu looked up and met his gaze, staring directly into his eyes.
In the quiet hospital corridor, the only sound was the occasional beeping of medical instruments.
His gaze was equally calm, like the tranquility and depth that came after transcribing countless scriptures and witnessing the chaos of the mortal world.
"It's better to rely on yourself than on others; it's better to rely on me than on yourself."
His voice was deep, like the evening bell in a temple.
Nan Yu's heart skipped a beat. Her chest was filled with a complex and indescribable emotion.
She watched as he stepped back and turned away.
In the end, she didn't ask.
...
The next day, Nan Yu met Fuchen, the second disciple of Master Wenjing, as Qu Jiaran had described.
Upon meeting him, Nan Yu thought Fuchen looked more like a Buddhist disciple than Tan Linyuan.
Fuchen had shaved his head, wore a monk's robe, and held a string of Buddhist beads. With a kind and benevolent face, he always said "Amitabha," which made people feel a sense of awe.
Tan Linyuan was to preside over Nan Yu's initiation ceremony today, so he also wore a monk's robe. He was a bit taller than Fuchen. His eyes were cold and indifferent, as if he saw everything in the world.
One thought could make a Buddha.
One thought could make a demon.
Looking at Tan Linyuan, Nan Yu suddenly thought of this saying.
It seemed to fit him perfectly.