On a rainy night, the school beauty knocked on my door and asked for shelter

"I will remember your teachings, Master." Chen Mo bowed respectfully again. "Mom, we should go back now. Let's not disturb your meditation."

Seeing that the old Taoist priest was no longer willing to say anything and was adopting a gesture of seeing him off, Chen Xi knew that today's "fortune telling" had come to an end.

Although she was full of questions about the conversation between Chen Mo and the old Taoist priest, she quickly bowed and said, "Thank you, Taoist priest! Well... then we'll take our leave now. Don't worry, Taoist priest, I will definitely donate this money to the donation box!"

"May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings, faithful believer, please proceed." The old Taoist priest didn't even lift his eyelids, focusing intently on smoking, the wisps of smoke rising and blurring his aged and profound face.

Having achieved his main goal of "calculating a good match" for his son and future daughter-in-law, Chen Xi stopped teasing them.

She stepped forward and said with a smile, "Master, please rest. I apologize for disturbing you. I will come to visit another day."

He then turned to Chen Mo and Su Yuqing and waved: "Let's go, you two little ones, you've received such a great favor from the Daoist today, you'd better live a good life when you get back!"

She couldn't stop smiling, clearly only hearing the "perfect match" she wanted to hear. The subsequent trials and tribulations were, in her eyes, just icing on the cake—the Taoist priest had already said, "This predestined relationship is profound and can withstand the test of time," so what was there to worry about? As for the money? That little bit of money bought her the Taoist priest's golden words and a priceless "Dream-Tracing Jade"—a huge profit!
The three of them slowly descended along the bluestone path they had come from.

The mountain breeze carries the sound of pine trees rustling in the wind, along with the scent of incense and earth, giving a purifying power, as if everything that just happened has been washed away by this natural, clear sound.

Chen Mo remained silent, carrying the small backpack he had brought with him in one hand and tightly holding Su Yuqing's hand with the other.

She was still clutching the slightly cool jade pendant in her hand.

The shock and doubt in his heart did not dissipate, but instead became even more entrenched because of the old man's cryptic words and exquisite rhetoric.

But when he turned his head, he saw the girl beside him with her eyes lowered, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the patterns on the jade pendant with focused attention. Her innocent and devout expression was reflected in his eyes like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples.

"Yuqing?" His voice was deep, his fingertips gently brushing against the back of her slightly cool hand. "What are you thinking about?"

Su Yuqing snapped back to reality, looked up, and met Chen Mo's deep, gentle gaze.

The indescribable throbbing and longing that welled up in my heart from touching the jade pendant had not yet completely faded, and now, enveloped by this warm palm, an indescribable bittersweet feeling surged to the tip of my nose.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin.

Has that fleeting, blurry image in your mind become clearer? No.

But that sense of longing is so real.

In the end, she simply turned the hand that Chen Mo was holding slightly over, allowing the smooth jade pendant in her palm to adhere more firmly between their skin, feeling each other's warmth.

She shook her head and said softly, "It's nothing... I just feel... this jade feels very comfortable to the touch, like... like finding a long-lost... old object."

She paused, her gaze falling on the warm luster of the jade pendant. "I have a... indescribable feeling in my heart, warm, and a little... sour." Chen Mo's heart felt as if it had been gently squeezed by that hand that turned over and by her nasal "sour."

He held her hand tightly, enveloping the jade pendant in his warm palm as well.

"Don't overthink it." His voice softened, carrying a soothing power, yet also a hint of solemnity that only he himself understood. "The Taoist priest is a master, and his words may have a deeper meaning. Since this jade is a gift for you, just keep it safe and wear it close to your body. Consider it... a talisman."

He deliberately used the simple and easy-to-understand word "talisman" in an attempt to dispel the faint confusion and unease between her brows.

"Mmm!" Su Yuqing nodded vigorously, as if she had found a reasonable explanation. The confusion on her face dissipated, and a sweet smile returned.

She carefully placed the jade pendant into her inner pocket and gently pressed it through the fabric. The strange, warm sensation seemed to penetrate the clothing and soothe her heart.

Chen Xi, who had been walking ahead, slowed down and walked alongside the two of them.

Her face still held the joy of a "perfect match," but her eyes also held a hint of shrewdness and curiosity.

"Mo Mo." Chen Xi lowered her voice, gently nudged her son with her elbow, and glanced at where Su Yuqing had placed the jade pendant. "What did the Taoist priest mutter to you about 'the sign of death'? It sounded rather mystical. And that old Taoist priest, it's really strange, giving you such a valuable thing without charging you? I think that jade is of excellent quality, worth at least that much!"

She quietly made a hand gesture, "Do you think... he might have ulterior motives? Or... is he really the kind of reclusive master who doesn't care about fame or fortune?"

Chen Mo looked at the mixture of gossip, excitement, and a hint of businessman's instinctive assessment in his mother's eyes. He was somewhat amused and exasperated, but mostly relieved. His mother had indeed only heard the "good things" she wanted to hear. She regarded the mysterious conversations that touched on his core secrets as just "strange and mysterious" interludes.

As for the value of the jade pendant, it directly touched her "valuation nerve".

"Mom." Chen Mo sighed helplessly, lowering his voice, "It's not our place to speculate about the actions of a master. The Taoist priest didn't accept money, perhaps he really wanted to establish a good connection with us, or perhaps he felt that this jade... should belong to Yuqing. In any case, the outcome is good, and he made sure you heard exactly what you wanted to hear, didn't he?"

Sure enough, as soon as Chen Xi heard the words "most wanted to hear," his face lit up with a smile, and his worries about the value of the jade pendant and his speculations about the Taoist priest's motives vanished instantly.

"Yes, yes, yes! That's the most important thing!" She grinned from ear to ear, looking at Su Yuqing's slender and beautiful back in front of her, becoming more and more satisfied. "Oh my, our Momo is so lucky! Qingqing is such a good girl! The Taoist priest's words are golden, this fate is ordained by heaven! What about a short separation to test one's character? It's nothing! You two have such a good relationship, there's definitely no problem!"

She automatically filtered out all the "bad words," leaving only the most perfect footnotes.

Hearing Aunt Chen Xi's hearty laughter and affirmation of "a match made in heaven," Su Yuqing's ears turned red again, but her heart felt as sweet as if she had drunk honey.

She subconsciously touched the jade pendant in her pocket again, feeling its presence.

The Taoist priest's words, Chen Mo's gentleness, and the aunt's approval... all intertwined, filling her with sweet anticipation for the future and temporarily suppressing the faint sense of unease brought by the jade pendant.

"Alright, alright, stop dawdling!" Chen Xi reverted to her decisive nature, waving her hand and leading the way down the mountain with light steps. "Hurry up and get down the mountain! Mom will treat you to a good meal to celebrate!" (End of Chapter)