Asking someone for a favor and treating them to a meal is an age - old social convention.
After Nan Yu finished speaking, she was still thinking about where would be a suitable place to take Tan Linyuan. A cold laugh came from the other end of the phone: "It's so unoriginal."
Nan Yu: "..."
Eat it if you like, or leave it.
She endured the urge not to blurt out these four words. Her tone was obviously gritted with annoyance: "Then may I ask how Mr. Tan would like me to express my gratitude?"
The voice on the other end of the phone was calm and composed. "What are your plans for this afternoon?"
Nan Yu was stunned. This afternoon?
She actually had no other plans for the afternoon. Her original plan was to go home and rest, and then wait for news from Wen Ying.
"Currently, I have no plans." She replied.
"Go back and change into more convenient clothes. I'll pick you up in an hour." His voice came floating over casually.
Although it was just a casual remark, it set off alarm bells in Nan Yu's heart.
For the recording of the program today, she did dress a bit more formally, but it wasn't a banquet - level evening dress. It was still suitable for normal social occasions.
Moreover, he specifically told her to "change into more convenient clothes".
What did he mean? Why did she need to change into more convenient clothes?
"Convenient" for what? To put on or to take off?
Nan Yu couldn't bear to think any further.
She almost blurted out her doubts, but her rationality told her that this was Min Jie's phone; and maybe it was still on speaker mode.
Following the principle of "the more you say, the more mistakes you make", she finally swallowed her doubts and simply replied "Okay".
She didn't know if Min Jie had heard it or not, and if she did, would she misunderstand her?
Even if there were misunderstandings, there was nothing she could do. Tan Linyuan had come to the company so conspicuously, investing and injecting capital. Even if she tried to explain, it would be useless.
Nan Yu tried to comfort herself. Anyway, Min Jie was on her side. She was very proper in her behavior. As her manager, she wouldn't go around spreading rumors. Tan Linyuan's public persona was that of a Buddhist disciple. He couldn't be a man with a chaotic private life...
... Forget it. Just let nature take its course.
After hanging up the phone, Nan Yu took a taxi home.
She stood in front of the wardrobe and thought for a while. Based on her previous encounters with Tan Linyuan, she inclined to the meaning of "convenient to take off". So she chose a woolen dress and a long, thick windbreaker. She casually put up her hair in a bun and leisurely glanced at the time.
There were still twenty minutes left, which was enough time for her to put on a light makeup.
But she didn't plan to do so. After all, she wasn't very interested in dressing herself up like a gift just to please that big cat.
Yes, Tan Linyuan was that big cat.
At the appointed time, Nan Yu's phone rang on time. Looking at the caller ID, it was indeed Tan Linyuan.
She took a deep breath, then neatly walked out of her house, opened the car door, got in, and buckled up her seat - belt.
In the driver's seat, Tan Linyuan turned to look at her. Noticing her outfit, he sized her up for a moment. "I told you to dress more conveniently, and you just wear a dress?"
"… Otherwise?" Nan Yu felt a bit guilty. "Isn't a dress convenient enough?"
It was both easy to put on and easy to take off.
"Well, it's white too." Tan Linyuan said in a calm tone. "When we're cleaning up later, don't ask me to compensate if it gets dirty from the dust."
Wait a minute...
Cleaning?
Nan Yu's mind went blank. Only then did she belatedly realize something.
What he meant by "convenient" was just the literal meaning!
Seeing her increasingly flushed face, Tan Linyuan said playfully, "Maybe I didn't express myself clearly, but what I meant was that I hoped Miss Nan could dress more conveniently so that she could help me clean the temple later."
Clean the temple?
So it wasn't what she thought...
Nan Yu was silent for a few seconds. Her face was even redder than before. Her eyes blinked uneasily, and her voice stammered, "I... I'll go back and change my clothes now. Wait for me for ten minutes!"
She almost fled in a hurry. When she closed the car door, she heard the man's very low - pitched laughter.
Needless to say, he must have guessed what she was thinking.
It was over. She had really made a fool of herself today!
After changing into a pair of long pants, Nan Yu got back in the car. Her earlobes were still a bit hot. "… Let's go."
Tan Linyuan didn't continue to dwell on the previous topic. He just gave her a meaningful look before sitting up straight and getting ready to drive.
At first, Nan Yu thought Tan Linyuan was taking her to Changuang Temple. But as the car drove up the mountain, Nan Yu realized -
They weren't going to Changuang Temple, but to Jing'an Temple.
That was the desolate and almost - abandoned temple that Tan Linyuan had taken her to that night.
Last time, they just sat outside the steps. But today, Tan Linyuan took her inside to visit.
Jing'an Temple during the day was completely different from how it looked at night.
The entrance of the temple was piled up with dead branches and fallen leaves. The vermilion wooden door had lost its paint, revealing the original color of the wood.
One could tell that the walls used to be snow - white, but now they were grayish - white, looking extremely dilapidated.
Tan Linyuan led her in. The scene inside was even more desolate.
Jing'an Temple wasn't very big. If it weren't for the plaque hanging at the entrance and the incense burner in the yard that was visible at a glance, this place would be just like an ordinary mountain household.
The overall structure was still similar to that of a temple, with Buddhist imagery and Zen meaning everywhere.
Tan Linyuan turned to look at her. "This place hasn't been cleaned for about half a year. Your task today is to clean it up."
Nan Yu was a bit distracted. It took her a long time to react, and her expression was blank.
Tan Linyuan said in a flat tone, "If you're not willing, you can pay in other ways."
Nan Yu suddenly looked up and glared at him fiercely.
However, this glare had no deterrent power. It was soft, more like coquetry: "I'm not unwilling to clean."
Her eyes turned to the main hall in the center of the temple, lost in thought: "I always feel like this place looks familiar, as if I've been here when I was a child."
This feeling was so faint that Nan Yu always thought it was just an illusion.
Tan Linyuan's gaze passed over her face. He said indifferently, "In the early years, many dignitaries in Jiangcheng came here to meet Master Wenjing. It's possible that your parents brought you here too."
His judgment was quite credible.
Regardless of whether it was out of the mentality of doing good deeds and accumulating virtue, the rich would more or less show a kind and compassionate side.
Believing in Buddhism had become a tool for these wealthy people to build a charitable persona.
Moreover, her father had been obsessed with antiques in the early years. It was very likely that he had also had dealings with Master Wenjing.
However, Master Wenjing had passed away more than ten years ago.
The events of ten years ago were already blurry in people's memories, let alone things from childhood.
Nan Yu decided not to trouble herself anymore. She quickly started to fulfill her obligation and began to clean the temple.
Even though she was from the Nan family, Nan Yu wasn't a pampered young lady. After studying abroad for a long time and struggling for the past few years, she was very skilled at doing chores.
First, she swept up all the dead branches and fallen leaves in front of the temple hall, cleared the open space, then carried out the offering tables and cushions from the main hall, cleaned them, and put them in the sun to dry to prevent them from getting damp.
Fortunately, the sun was good today, Nan Yu thought.
Tan Linyuan wasn't so heartless as to just watch her clean all by herself. He went into the main hall and swept the dust off the Buddha statues.
This was something only Tan Linyuan could do.
Standing in the main hall, his eyes were cold and expressionless, showing no emotion or warmth.
He had no real feelings for the plants, tables, and chairs here.
This wasn't a Buddha hall that saved all sentient beings.
It was a purgatory that had dragged him into the abyss.