A whirlwind marriage with a high-ranking official: Lights out, don't force me to take the initi

Abbot Guanchen looked up and met Ye Wenxi's gaze in silence.

"Hello, Abbot." Ye Wenxi greeted him politely.

Guan Chen didn't speak, but just quietly observed her, his eyes unusually deep, as if he was pondering something unfathomable.

"Wenxi, I'll wait for you outside," Zhang Yunxia said softly.

"Okay, sure!"

Ye Wenxi sat down somewhat awkwardly on the futon next to her.

"Esteemed benefactor, is there something on your mind that you are not able to understand?"

Ye Wenxi paused, scratched his head, unsure where to begin. Should he ask about fate? What was the reason? The words stuck in his throat, unable to escape for a long time.

She sighed softly, then spoke in a low voice.

"Abbot, there are many such sayings in Buddhism: 'One flower, one Bodhi; one leaf, one world.' It means that even the smallest thing contains a vast universe, and a single cause or a single thought can become an entire world."

"I don't understand deep Zen principles; I've only heard of them."

Ye Wenxi looked up at Abbot Guanchen.

"Abbot, if that's the case... can a person's thoughts truly create a world?"

Abbot Guanchen looked at Ye Wenxi with a faint smile, his expression peaceful yet profound.

"Benefactor, this is a profound Buddhist principle, and it is certainly true."

"However... is your confusion truly limited to these Zen sayings?"

Ye Wenxi fell silent. If everything in this world was real, why did she always feel that she was living in the shadow of a predetermined plot, unable to break free?

"No..." Ye Wenxi nodded gently. "Abbot, I know your physiognomy is extremely accurate, and you can see through many things that ordinary people don't. What do you think of me?"

Ye Wenxi looked up at him, her tone carrying a hint of confusion, but also a trace of expectation.

Abbot Guanchen held a Buddhist rosary in his hand and slowly twirled it. He closed his eyes and concentrated, as if observing her fate and destiny.

Ye Wenxi thought he was pondering, but Abbot Guanchen remained silent for a long, long time. She waited until she could no longer hold back and tentatively spoke in a soft voice.

"Abbot?" she called softly.

Guan Chen suddenly stopped spinning the prayer beads in his hand.

"Benefactor, I cannot fathom your karma," Guan Chen said calmly.

"Abbot, is it that you can't see it, or that you can't say?" Ye Wenxi's heart tightened, and he asked the most crucial question.

Abbot Guanchen's hand, which was twirling the prayer beads, suddenly stopped. He remained silent for a moment, gazing intently at her. He looked at Ye Wenxi, whose eyes were full of trepidation and anticipation, and slowly took a breath. Then, as if relieving some of his burden, he gently sighed out the breath that had been weighing on his heart.

He then got up under Ye Wenxi's bewildered gaze, walked to the table by the window, and opened the drawer.

He took out paper and pen and wrote something on them.

"My benefactor, there is only one word I can say to you."

Ye Wenxi took the paper and saw that it had only one character, "业" (ye), written in vigorous and powerful ink.

But the word "light" only made her more confused and bewildered. She was about to say something.

'Knock knock knock—'

There was a gentle knock on the door of the meditation room.

"Come in," Abbot Guanchen replied calmly.

A handsome young monk carefully carried in two cups of hot tea on a tea tray.

"Master, benefactor, please have some tea."

The young monk placed two cups of hot tea in the middle of the table, preparing to turn and leave.

"Yuanzhen, could you see this benefactor out for me?" The young monk and Ye Wenxi were both taken aback. Yuanzhen immediately understood and gestured for Ye Wenxi to proceed.

Ye Wenxi clutched the piece of paper with the character "业" (ye) written on it, her heart filled with doubt. She slowly stood up, carefully put the paper away, and gave Abbot Guanchen a deep look before finally deciding not to ask any more questions.

"Abbot Guanchen, thank you for your guidance today. I apologize for disturbing you." Ye Wenxi bowed respectfully and followed Yuanzhen out.

Zhang Yunxia waited under the corridor not far away, occasionally peeking out towards the meditation room. When she saw Ye Wenxi come out, she immediately hurried over to greet him.

"Finished talking?"

"Um."

"Let's go back then."

"it is good."

The two walked side by side to the parking lot outside the courtyard. Lu Weidong closed his eyes and dozed off in the car for a while. Hearing footsteps and seeing them arrive, he reached for the car key, turned his head, and asked, "Are we going straight back or somewhere else?"

"Let's go back to the military region." Ye Wenxi opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat, her voice still a little dazed.

"Okay." Lu Weidong replied, skillfully turning the steering wheel, and the car slowly drove out of the temple, heading down the winding mountain road.

A moment of silence fell over the car. Zhang Yunxia, ​​sitting in the back seat, quietly observed her.

Lu Weidong focused on driving, occasionally glancing at the two in the rearview mirror. Seeing that Ye Wenxi seemed preoccupied, he didn't initiate a conversation, but instead tried to drive as smoothly as possible.

Ye Wenxi gazed at the trees rushing past the window, the wind ruffling her hair. She frowned slightly, clutching the paper tightly in her hand.

What exactly is "karma"?

Abbot Guanchen refused to say it explicitly, only giving her this one word. Was he trying to tell her that those interferences, those inexplicable controls, and the feeling that she always felt like she was living in the shadow of the plot were all related to this one word?

Or perhaps... karma can break free from the established constraints, escape the shackles of the plot, and help her break free from her predicament?

The aroma of tea had not yet dissipated in the meditation room when Yuanzhen stood quietly in Guanchen's meditation room.

"Master, what can I do for you?"

The abbot glanced at him, his tone calm yet carrying a deeper meaning:

"You're usually the most proper person; you never just barge in when I'm meeting guests. Why are you suddenly bringing tea today?"

Yuan Zhen paused for a moment, then whispered:

"I...I don't know what happened. When I walked into the corridor just now, I felt that Master and that benefactor might need a cup of tea, so I brought it in without thinking."

Abbot Guanchen sighed softly, gazing at the darkening sky outside the hall, and spoke after a long while:

"Yuanzhen, starting today, I will be in seclusion for a year. During this year, I will not tell fortunes for outsiders, nor will I see any visitors. The affairs of the temple will be temporarily handled by the head monk."

Yuanzhen suddenly looked up, his face full of surprise: "Master, why?"

"Master, this won't do! This is a huge matter! There are so many believers inside and outside the temple; I have to give them an explanation!"

Guan Chen frowned, but didn't speak directly.

He thought for a moment, then lowered his voice and tentatively asked:

"Is it related to that female benefactor from earlier? Master, did you... discover something, and are you going to punish yourself for it again?"

Abbot Guanchen remained silent for a moment.

Having been by his side for many years, the child is observant and has noticed some clues.

This matter shouldn't be discussed much, but Yuan Zhen has a heavy responsibility, and he really can't explain it without clarifying it.

Abbot Guanchen finally spoke softly, his tone slow and deliberate:

"That's right..."