Chapter 31: Does This Bow Between Us Count as a Wedding Bow?

Chapter 31: This Bow of Ours—Does It Count as a Wedding Vow?

Pei Yuhuai probed, "Men are often faithless, but there are devoted ones too. Venerable Nun, why must you spend your days burning oil lamps before Buddha?"

This remark truly crossed the line, and coming from a profligate's mouth, it sounded more like a cheap flirtation.

Venerable Nun Nianzhen's expression shifted slightly, and she hastily intoned, "Amitabha," her voice growing cold: "This is a sacred place, sir, please mind your tongue."

With that, she quickened her pace, distancing herself from Pei Yuhuai.

"..."

Pei Yuhuai knew he had asked too much, awkwardly scratching his head and not pursuing her further, while silently mourning Pei Rongjing's fate in his heart.

His sighs and head-shaking were painfully obvious to Lan He.

"Does the Young Marquis have designs on the nun?"

Lan He's sudden remark made Pei Yuhuai jump. He shook his head repeatedly: "No, no, how could I?"

"Why not? The Venerable Nun has not yet taken full vows, and she's as beautiful as a flower. With all your probing, what are you after?"

"Hey—don't look at me like that." Pei Yuhuai said quietly, "She's a nun, after all. How could I have such thoughts? Stop that nonsense."

With that, he quickly distanced himself from Lan He and hurried after Venerable Nun Nianzhen.

To apologize.

To Lan He, it was even more unbearable to watch.

So he really had no feelings for a nun?

Wasn't he himself a monk? Was Pei Yuhuai saying he had no feelings for him...

Lan He's gaze darkened as he watched Pei Yuhuai walk away.

Pei Yuhuai forced himself to ignore the gaze boring into his back, following Venerable Nun Nianzhen into the front hall, where they offered incense together.

Lan He followed behind.

Venerable Nun Nianzhen led them inside, and the two knelt side by side before the Buddha and bowed three times—whether sincerely or not, who could say.

Pei Yuhuai, dressed in monk's robes, faced the Buddha again. This time, he felt none of the strange fear from before, but rather a sense of peace, as if he had come home.

He rose, stuck the incense into the burner, and bowed again.

That done.

Venerable Nun Nianzhen said, "Masters, you may wander the temple grounds. I have business to attend to down the mountain, so I'll leave you to it."

"Please, go right ahead, Venerable Nun."

"Wait." Pei Yuhuai called out to her, "Venerable Nun, you're going down the mountain?"

"Indeed."

"Then, could you go to the capital? Could you have someone deliver a message to the Marquis's residence, saying I'm safe and will be back soon?"

With that, Pei Yuhuai patted himself down but found not a single coin. He had to pull off a jade pendant and hand it over: "I don't have any money on me. Take this, Venerable Nun—you can pawn it."

Venerable Nun Nianzhen nodded slightly: "No need. I'm heading to the capital anyway, so it's no trouble to stop by the Marquis's residence. Please await good news, sir."

"In that case, thank you, Venerable Nun. Forgive my earlier nonsense; please don't take offense."

"Amitabha. Buddha is merciful. No need to dwell on it, sir."

"Good, good. Thank you, Venerable Nun."

Pei Yuhuai watched until her figure disappeared entirely, then slowly looked away.

Turning around.

He ran straight into a pair of pitch-black eyes—cold, damp, staring at him without expression.

Pei Yuhuai stepped back.

Why was that so creepy?

Lan He pressed his palms together and said flatly: "The temple has many halls of worship. I know them well. If the Young Marquis has nothing better to do, come with me and pay respects at each one."

He walked ahead, and though puzzled, Pei Yuhuai followed.

They reached the Guanyin Hall.

It was still early, and there were only a few worshippers scattered about.

"This is the Guanyin Hall, housing the Bodhisattva Guanyin. Most come to pray for a good match and children, and some for safety. Come, bow with me."

As he spoke, Lan He had already readied the incense and handed it over.

Pei Yuhuai took it and looked up at Guanyin.

Guanyin looked back at him.

"Pei Hang, kneel."

Lan He's voice was right at his ear. Pei Yuhuai glanced at him, and his legs went weak as he knelt on the cushion.

Lan He's gaze was deep as he knelt beside him, and they bowed together.

"Zen master, does this bow of ours count as a wedding vow?"

A whisper tinged with amusement brushed against his ear. Pei Yuhuai heard it, his mind buzzing, and he answered almost instinctively: "This is a sacred place; we mustn't be improper."

The moment the words left his mouth, Pei Yuhuai looked up in alarm and saw Guanyin's compassionate face gazing down on all living beings.

And he was one of them.

Pei Yuhuai was both shocked and frightened. Why had he said that so instinctively? That was clearly something only a monk would say.

Why did it roll off his tongue so easily, as if he were the one devoted to Buddha?

"Lan He..."

Pei Yuhuai looked at Lan He uneasily, then down at his own robes—could it be that he revered Buddha so much that he'd unconsciously slipped into the role?

"May Buddha protect us."

Lan He stood and reached out his hand to him, just as Pei Yuhuai had once reached out to Lan He in front of the Princess's residence.

"It's alright, get up."

Pei Yuhuai looked at him, his mind in turmoil, sliding his hand into Lan He's palm, his breathing quickening uncontrollably.

His body burned like fire, hot and unbearable.

The drug's effect hit fast and hard.

Neither of them knew how they'd ended up in the back hall, or who had pulled whom. Behind the Guanyin statue, Pei Yuhuai pressed Lan He against the Buddha's golden body.

The monk's robe on him felt like a warning, a rebuke.

It stung the eyes.

But now, the robe was just cloth, plain and in the way. Hands shaking, Pei Yuhuai undid Lan He's robe, revealing the white underlayer.

Lan He didn't resist, just watched with a dark, unreadable look.

He knew the poison was stronger this time.

In under fifteen minutes, Pei Yuhuai was drenched in sweat, his body burning, desperately needing something to ease the ache.

Thud.

He threw himself at Lan He, slamming into the golden statue with a dull thud, startling the worshippers out front.

Just a curtain, a few steps away.

He could still hear the worshippers murmuring clearly, thinking Guanyin had appeared, and they kowtowed with even more fervor and devotion, their heads thumping against the floor.

Pei Yuhuai shut out all those familiar sounds.

He tore at the fine robe fabric, grabbed it, crumpled it, and shoved it down to his waist.

"I, I want..."

Pei Yuhuai stammered out what he wanted, the last shred of sanity telling him not to alert the people outside, so his movements, though urgent, were also cautious.

At the last second, Lan He suddenly grabbed his hand, pinning it above his head, and stared hard into his eyes.

"Pei Hang, remember this: you provoked me first, you forced me first, you pulled me here, and you're the one who got frisky in front of the Buddha."

Lan He coaxed, his voice low and smooth: "Pei Hang, do you remember all that?"

Pei Yuhuai, nearly in tears from desperation, nodded frantically: "I remember, I remember, I forced you."

"Very good."

Lan He gave a satisfied peck on the corner of his mouth and quickly slipped a pill between his lips.

Pressing his lips shut, he made him swallow.