The car drove all the way to Po Lin Monastery.
The majestic architecture blended traditional and modern elements, and the Buddha statues were solemn and sacred.
Looking up at the towering Buddha statue and meeting its eyes, Rong Yu felt a momentary wave of dizziness.
Old Master Ji spoke up, "Countless people come to Po Lin Monastery every year. As long as you are sincere enough, your wishes will come true. Mom, what do you want to pray for?"
Rong Yu smiled but did not answer.
What to pray for...
Of course, she wanted to pray for Yingbao to be safe and sound, for everything to go smoothly, and for him to live a long life.
There were too many tourists. The three of them waited in line for quite a while before finally reaching the very front. They knelt down, closed their eyes, and pressed their palms together.
Rong Yu was silently praying in her heart.
Suddenly, she felt a huge shadow looming over her head. She abruptly opened her eyes and met a familiar face. It was actually Sheng Qingyan.
He was bending over, his glassy eyes quietly watching her.
"Excuse me, who are you?"
As soon as Old Master Ji opened his eyes, he saw a tall, large man standing condescendingly in front of his mother. That face was almost pressed against his mother's face.
The distance was a bit too close.
The old man reached out and pushed the person away.
When he saw that face, he paused. Wasn't this the young man who came to the Ji family to look for his mother at the beginning of the year?
This young man had left a deep impression on him.
"Yan'er, where did you go, Yan'er!" Old Madam Sheng's voice was tinged with panic. "Yuan'er, hurry and find your older brother. If he's lost, I might as well die with him!"
Rong Yu immediately turned around and, across a large crowd of tourists, waved her hand. "Old Madam Sheng, Sheng Qingyan is over here."
Sheng Ciyuan supported Old Madam Sheng and dashed over in a single stride.
The old madam checked on Sheng Qingyan, breathed a sigh of relief, and looked at Rong Yu. "Miss Rong, why are you in Hong Kong City too?"
"Grandmother, I mentioned it to you briefly. Miss Rong is with me, representing Hua Xia in the International Physics Competition." Sheng Ciyuan looked at the few people beside Rong Yu. "Hello, Old Master Ji. Hello, President Ji. I am Sheng Ciyuan, this is my grandmother, and this is my older brother."
Old Madam Sheng stepped forward and smiled. "Old Master Ji, this is our first time meeting. It's a pleasure."
Old Master Ji shook his head. "It's not our first time meeting. About twenty years ago, when your Sheng family's eldest young master was born and held his one-month-old celebration banquet, I happened to be on a business trip in Jingcheng and had the honor of attending the banquet. However, there were too many people at the time, so it's normal that Old Madam Sheng doesn't remember this."
Old Madam Sheng indeed did not remember. She spoke up, "Another day, when Old Master Ji visits Jingcheng, please be sure to let us know. Our Sheng family will definitely host you warmly. I won't exchange too many pleasantries today. I still have to take Yan'er to see the Master and let the Master take a good look at him."
Old Master Ji glanced at Sheng Qingyan, his gaze carrying a trace of sympathy.
Such a fine person, how could he be abnormal...
His sympathy had just overflowed a little bit when it came to an abrupt halt, because he saw that Sheng Qingyan had actually grabbed his mother's hand.
Ji Zhiyuan cursed inwardly.
Whenever someone sent his great-grandmother roses, the old man would stomp his feet in anger for half the day.
Now, a grown man was holding his great-grandmother's hand in broad daylight and in front of a crowd. The old man was probably going to explode.
The current old man was no longer the calm and measured head of the family he used to be. Under his great-grandmother's doting, he was becoming more and more unreasonable... He was genuinely a bit afraid that the old man would jump up and punch Sheng Qingyan right in the face.
Old Master Ji indeed had that intention.
However, just as he clenched his fists, he met those clear, indifferent, glass-like eyes. He felt as if he was suppressed by some invisible force and was completely unable to move.
"Yan'er!" Old Madam Sheng said loudly. "How many times have I told you? You must be polite. Politeness must come first. Let go, hurry up and let go!"
Sheng Qingyan understood, and a trace of grievance surfaced on his lips.
He slowly let go of her hand.
Rong Yu felt secretly surprised in her heart.
She actually really disliked any physical contact from people she was unfamiliar with.
Yet, she surprisingly didn't feel the slightest aversion towards Sheng Qingyan.
Moreover, when he looked aggrieved, she actually felt a hint of pity.
She spoke up, "Forget it, I'll go with you to see the Master. It's a good opportunity for the Master to take a look at me too."
Old Madam Sheng laughed. "Then let's go to the backyard together."
This Master had a great reputation in Hong Kong City. Many wealthy businessmen and celebrities might not even be able to book an appointment a month in advance. It was only because Old Madam Sheng had arranged it early on that they were able to meet him so quickly.
Compared to the front courtyard, which was full of tourists, the backyard was much quieter. The group was led into the inner hall.
The light inside the hall was dim, and the scent of sandalwood was so thick it almost felt tangible. A Master sat cross-legged on a futon, his eyes half-closed, a string of ebony prayer beads slowly turning in his hands.
Regardless of whether they believed in these things or not, as soon as they entered this place, a sense of piety naturally arose in their hearts. The group pressed their palms together and bowed to the Master.
Old Madam Sheng led Sheng Qingyan forward. "Master, do you remember that we came here over ten years ago? At that time, Master said that in the child's zodiac year, his destiny would change. Can you see any changes now?"
The Master suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze burning like a torch as he looked straight at Sheng Qingyan. "Of the three ethereal souls and seven corporeal souls, he is missing one ethereal soul, Taiguang, and one corporeal soul, Fushi. He needs a serendipitous encounter to retrieve them. The serendipity has already appeared; it just depends on whether he can grasp it."
Old Madam Sheng's face was full of excitement. "I hope Master can guide us. Where is this serendipity?"
The Master shook his head. "The secrets of heaven must not be revealed."
As his words fell, he was about to close his eyes.
Suddenly, he turned his head, his wise eyes looking towards Rong Yu. "You?"
Old Master Ji shuddered and subconsciously shielded Rong Yu behind him.
In a place like this, he felt an inexplicable sense of panic.
This Master seemed to possess genuine abilities, and he was afraid the Master would see through something... He had crossed seventy years to reunite with his mother, and they had only been together for a few short months...
The Master abruptly stood up and walked straight towards Rong Yu.
Old Master Ji did not yield an inch.
Sheng Qingyan, who had been standing silently beside Old Madam Sheng, also suddenly walked over and blocked the Master's path.
The Master suddenly smiled. "The relatives of this benefactor must be a family that accumulates good deeds and widely practices hidden virtues... As the saying goes, a family that accumulates good deeds will surely have abundant blessings. This is heaven rewarding diligence, the result of cause and effect."
Rong Yu was startled in her heart.
Her biological father and blood brothers had all thrown themselves into the battlefield and died heroic deaths.
Her biological mother was a military doctor who, in order to save the soldiers, was blown away by an explosion, leaving no remains.
Her husband, Ji Zheng, was a soldier who, in order to protect the intellectuals meticulously cultivated by Hua Xia, was shot and fell into the sea to his death...
Her beloved family members had dedicated their entire lives to this country, accumulating hidden virtues. Was this why she had the fortune to be reborn seventy years later?
"Destiny is determined by heaven, but fortune is created by man." The Master sighed and looked at Old Madam Sheng. "Although destiny is hard to change, performing good deeds and accumulating virtue can change one's fortune. I offer these words to Old Madam Sheng."
Old Madam Sheng repeatedly expressed her gratitude. "Thank you for your guidance, Master."
The Master returned to the futon and closed his eyes.
Old Master Ji only then realized that, despite the early spring season, he had broken out in a cold sweat from shock...
