After Lu Yan finished making his wish, Ning Anmiao curiously leaned over and lowered her voice. "What wish did you make?"
"Wishes won't come true if you say them out loud." Lu Yan said in a soft tone, clearly not planning to tell her.
"You're being so mysterious. I don't even want to hear it." Ning Anmiao pouted when she saw him being so secretive and retorted in a huff.
Lu Yan wasn't swayed by her provocation and really didn't intend to tell her.
Just as they were about to leave, the old abbot called out to them.
"I'm truly fated to meet the two of you. How about we take a step inside the inner temple? I'll perform a ritual for you two, hoping to help resolve your problems."
This was unexpected for Ning Anmiao. Her eyes lit up, surprised and delighted. She reached out and tugged on Lu Yan's sleeve, winking at him.
This was a rare opportunity and shouldn't be missed.
Compared to Ning Anmiao's excitement, Lu Yan seemed much calmer, apparently not very surprised.
The old abbot led the two of them past the main temple and walked slowly along a small path.
He twirled the Buddhist beads in his hand and chanted Buddhist scriptures in a moderate voice, which somehow made people's hearts gradually calm down.
The winding path led to seclusion. As the three of them walked on, it seemed as if they were walking deep into the mountains.
Until the surrounding flowers and plants became more and more lush, and the noisy sounds around them grew fainter and fainter.
"Where are we going?" Ning Anmiao was afraid of disturbing the old abbot. She quickened her steps and whispered into Lu Yan's ear.
Her active approach made Lu Yan feel happy. He looked up at a point not far ahead on the path. Through the gaps in the branches, he could faintly see the corner of an upturned eaves.
"We're here."
The old abbot looked kind and smiling as he looked at the two of them. "Please come in, both of you."
This was a temple that was much smaller in scale than the previous one and also much quieter. There wasn't a single pilgrim in sight.
"This is the Meditation Temple, a place for the monks to meditate and cultivate themselves."
After the old abbot's explanation, Ning Anmiao immediately understood. So this was where the monks rested. No wonder there were so few people.
But she didn't understand why the abbot had brought just the two of them to such a secluded place.
Could it really be as the old abbot said, because they were "fated people"?
Before Ning Anmiao could ask the question in her heart, the old abbot's meaningful gaze fell on "Ning Anmiao". "The two of you have very special constitutions. You're rare people in the world."
Hearing this, Ning Anmiao couldn't agree more.
Of course they were rare. Not everyone would inexplicably swap bodies like they did.
"This female benefactor has a woman's body, but her eyes are as sharp as a man's; this male benefactor is a tall man, but his eyes are full of tenderness."
At this point, the old abbot paused for a moment and said with a hint of teasing. "If it weren't impossible, I would even suspect that the two of you have swapped bodies."
Hearing this, Ning Anmiao was almost shocked to drop her chin.
Since she and Lu Yan accidentally swapped bodies, they had both been trying their best to play their new roles well, and no one had noticed anything wrong so far.
But the old abbot had only met them once and had immediately seen through their situation and casually revealed this secret.
Lu Yan didn't say anything. He just pursed his lips, and his eyes looking at the old abbot became deeper.
The old abbot's eyes had seen too many complicated things in the world. If he could really see their situation, it wasn't really surprising.
However, he was more concerned about whether this old monk could help him and Ning Anmiao swap their bodies back.
This was the most important thing.
The old abbot seemed to have guessed what was on their minds. He pointed to the fortune - telling stick box on the incense table. "Please each draw a fortune - telling stick."
The two of them looked at each other and then stepped forward to draw a stick.
Coincidentally, they both drew the same stick with the same words engraved on it.
"Exchange places, swap yin and yang, and have a good beginning and a good end."
Lu Yan squinted his eyes as he looked at the words.
A good beginning and a good end?
Ning Anmiao also stared at the words on the stick, lost in thought.
The old abbot still smiled as if he had already understood the result of their drawing. "The two benefactors should already have the answer in their hearts now."
Ning Anmiao frowned. Although she knew what the abbot meant, she was still puzzled. "But master, the stick doesn't tell me how to resolve this."
Exchanging places and swapping yin and yang was indeed their current situation, but the reason for having a good beginning and a good end wasn't explained.
"The answer is already on the stick, benefactor." The old abbot replied with a smile, his eyes full of meaning.
Lu Yan thought for a few seconds and then let out a soft laugh. "Thank you, master, for your enlightenment."
Ning Anmiao:?
Looking at the two of them as if they understood everything, Ning Anmiao was completely confused.
Why didn't she understand?
...
When they were leaving, it was still the old abbot who led them out.
Since the Meditation Temple was built deep in the mountains, the path was rough and complicated. If no one led the way, it would be very difficult for them to get out smoothly.
Lu Yan had already noticed this when they came.
When they were about to leave, a fat orange cat jumped down from the eaves of the Meditation Temple and blocked their way without showing any sign of fear.
The big orange cat was round - bodied. It was obvious that it had been well - nourished in the temple, looking chubby and well - fed, with a rich and contented look on its face.
"Big Orange, why are you here again?" The cat clearly knew the old abbot. He called out softly and bent down to gently scratch the cat's belly.
The big orange cat obediently showed its white belly and purred, looking extremely comfortable. It even rolled over happily.
Seeing this scene, Ning Anmiao couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Animals are spiritual, and cats are no exception.
Because of Big Orange's blocking, they had to stop for a while.
The old abbot didn't stop his hand. After scratching the cat's belly, he went to gently scratch its chin.
The cat seemed to be very familiar with him and wasn't afraid at all.
"The temple is a place of tranquility. According to the temple's rules, cats shouldn't stay here for long."
If they shouldn't stay for long, why was this cat so close to him?
"Maybe the master likes cats, so he keeps it by his side?" Ning Anmiao asked.
The old abbot looked gentle, and his eyes were full of love when he looked at the cat, but his Buddhist beads never stopped turning.
"The temple is a place of tranquility. It's not suitable to keep cats." The old abbot said again.
Ning Anmiao was puzzled. "So the abbot doesn't like it?"
If he didn't like it, why did he keep the cat? If he liked it, why did he repeatedly emphasize that it wasn't suitable to keep cats in the temple?
The old abbot looked up and let out a long sigh. "Benefactor, I've kept this Big Orange in the temple for seven years."
"Don't you understand what I mean yet?"
Ning Anmiao was stunned.
Beside her, Lu Yan hung his head and remained silent.