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

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

"That's right..."

"The lady who is here today is no ordinary person."

Yuanzhen frowned, holding his breath as he listened intently to his master continue.

"Her life was originally clearly predetermined, with her rise and fall, life and death, all set in stone. But unknowingly, through her acts of charity, she repeatedly interfered in the destinies of others, and her karmic burdens grew heavier day by day."

"A person's life is inherently insignificant, but the more people who care about her and benefit from her, the greater her weight in this world, and the deeper her foundation of blessings. So heavy that... even her originally predetermined fate can no longer bind her."

"Presumably, Zhang Yunxia was influenced by her. In addition, Zhang herself was kind-hearted and did a lot of charity. The two of them were entangled in karma, which is why they both deviated from their original destiny."

Yuanzhen was confused again. It seemed that this opportunity was obtained by the female benefactor through her own cultivation and good deeds. Master had not done anything out of line, so why should he punish himself?

Abbot Guanchen slowly opened his eyes and spoke in a calm tone: "However, the most crucial and dangerous tribulation of her life has not yet arrived. This tribulation is destined to be experienced and cannot be avoided. If she can overcome it through her own cultivation and good deeds, she will be completely free and unbound from then on."

"If she can't get through this, everything will go back to the old ways. Whether she can get through it depends entirely on how pure and profound the karma she has accumulated is."

The abbot gently closed his eyes: "Today, I gave her the word 'karma'."

"Originally, I thought that this single word was nothing more than a revelation of heavenly secrets. But just this one word has led you to inexplicably break into the meditation room to deliver tea and interfere with this matter. This shows that her destiny is too important, and even this one word has already disrupted the predetermined fate of heaven and earth."

"As a monk, one should observe without speaking and know without uttering words. Since I have mentioned this word, I have overstepped the boundary and broken the precept. I will punish myself by going into seclusion for a year, not observing appearances or receiving guests. This is both a form of repentance and an attempt to uphold the bottom line of cause and effect, so that I will no longer easily interfere with her destiny."

After hearing this, Yuan Zhen was stunned for a moment, then knelt down and clasped his hands together.

"Yes, disciple understands. I will go and hang up the sign announcing the abbot's seclusion and inform visiting pilgrims that the abbot is in seclusion for quiet cultivation."

Guan Chen nodded, closed his eyes, and the prayer beads in his hand began to spin again.

-----------------

The car drove off the mountain road and onto the main road.

The streets were bustling with traffic, a stark contrast to the tranquility of the Zen temple. Yet, this liveliness did nothing to dispel the confusion in Ye Wenxi's heart.

Zhang Yuexia finally couldn't help but ask softly, "Wenxi, how did your talk with the abbot go? Did he say anything that could comfort you?"

Ye Wenxi sighed softly.

"It seems...not."

Lu Weidong glanced at her in the rearview mirror. He had only assumed that he was accompanying Zhang Yuexia to Qingning Temple today, and he didn't know that Ye Wenxi was going there with something on her mind.

The lingering melancholy in her eyes made him instinctively tense. Was it related to her past? To the secrets she was unwilling to discuss?

Ye Wenxi stared at the scenery rushing past the window for a long time in silence before suddenly speaking:

"Sister Yunxia, ​​what is 'karma'?"

Zhang Yuexia paused for a moment, then asked, "Which industry?"

"The 'ye' in 'homework'," Ye Wenxi said.

"Oh, you mean the karma that Buddhism talks about, the karma of karma."

"Actually, it's not that mysterious. To put it simply, karma is a person's words and deeds, their thoughts, choices, words spoken, and attitudes towards others," Zhang Yunxia explained.

After Zhang Yunxia finished speaking, seeing that she looked preoccupied, she couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong? Is it related to this?"

Ye Wenxi gently shook her head, her brows furrowed tightly: "I don't know..."

She understood the meaning of "karma," but she had no clue what to do next.

Today, the abbot's words implied a sense of refraining from further discussion. She guessed that the other party didn't not want to talk, but rather couldn't say more.

After all, her trajectory in this world is unique. As the female lead, every move she makes affects the people around her and her future.

Lu Weidong kept glancing at her silently in the rearview mirror the whole way, but didn't ask any questions and just drove quietly.

Time flew by, and before Ye Wenxi could react, the car had already entered the military area. The two first dropped Zhang Yunxia off at her doorstep, and then drove back to their own home.

As soon as they came to a stop, Lu Weidong looked at her and said, "Come on, change your clothes and shoes."

"Where are you going?" Ye Wenxi asked, puzzled. "Aren't we home already?"

"It's still early, let's change our clothes first, and then go straight to the cafeteria for lunch. I'll take you for a walk in the mountains this afternoon," Lu Weidong said.

"Huh? We have to climb a mountain?" Ye Wenxi frowned subconsciously.

"Isn't hiking good? You should get some exercise. The weather's warming up, so it's a good opportunity to get you moving." Lu Weidong said casually, "You're either sitting at your desk or staying indoors all day. Getting more exercise will increase our 'battle duration'."

Ye Wenxi glared at him, but she understood that he was trying to cheer her up by using different methods.

Anyway, I'm in a really messy situation right now, so going out with him to clear my head might be a good idea.

Lu Weidong changed into a pair of military rubber shoes, while Ye Wenxi pulled out a pair of clean white Warrior sneakers, put on some light clothes, and prepared to go out with him.

The two quickly ate a bite of food in the canteen, and the jeep sped out of the military region.

Ye Wenxi: "Is this place far?"

Lu Weidong: It's not far. We often do training exercises in this mountain.

Ye Wenxi's eyes widened: "You're going to take me on a field training exercise?"

"Ah, otherwise how can I train my body?" Lu Weidong said matter-of-factly.

In April, the Northeast had long since shed the chill of winter, and the snow on the mountain next to the military region, which was used for training exercises, had melted completely.

The hillside was covered with a layer of newly sprouted grass, dotted with tiny wildflowers that had just bloomed, yellow and white, sparsely scattered on the dirt road.

The wind was cool and gentle, neither dry nor cold. The afternoon sun slanted down, warming me and the air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and grass.

Ye Wenxi followed Lu Weidong up the slope step by step, initially feeling only a sense of comfort.

A cool breeze caressed my face, dispelling much of my anxiety. The mild temperature made me feel relaxed, and as I walked, I felt much lighter.

The mountain path looks gentle, but it's uphill every step of the way, requiring no effort at all.

About half an hour later, her steps became heavier and her breathing became erratic, and she could no longer keep up with Lu Weidong's pace.

"I'm so tired... Let's take a break..." Ye Wenxi leaned over, supporting herself on her knees, panting heavily, with a thin layer of sweat on her forehead.

Normally, Lu Weidong would have stopped to help her up or even carried her on his back, but today he only glanced back at her, his tone steady and firm: "Hold on a little longer."

After saying that, he didn't stop and continued walking uphill.

Ye Wenxi was startled and quickly straightened up: "Wait for me!"

She gritted her teeth, dragged her aching legs, and hurried after him, her voice slightly panting:

"Slow down..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Weidong slowed down a bit, but he still didn't stop, his figure remaining not far ahead of her.

We walked for another half hour.

Ye Wenxi looked at the dirt road, feeling both tired and helpless: "How much longer do we have to walk...?"

"I won't tell you." Lu Weidong turned his head to look at her, raising an eyebrow slightly with a hint of mischief, but his steps didn't falter.

Ye Wenxi's eyes widened, and she glared at him, panting, "Are you deliberately torturing me today? What if I can't walk anymore?"

Lu Weidong then stopped, turned around and stood on the slope, looking down at her.

He looked down at her, his tone steady: "If I said there were ten minutes left, you could hold on; if I said there were three hours left, you'd want to give up?"

"There is only one road up the mountain. Once you get to the top, you can only go all the way to the bottom."

As he spoke, he casually put his hands on his hips, his posture firm and sharp, his eyes unusually resolute:

"Don't even think about going back the way you came. If you dare to retreat, I'll drag you back."