The Red Thread of Fate - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“Even if you’re looking to burn some incense and pray for protection, shouldn’t you go to a more famous temple?”

“This place…”

Chen Yan looked around, hesitant.

No surprise there-the place I’d brought her to didn’t exactly have booming incense offerings.

“The famous ones charge admission.” I raised an eyebrow. “Besides, it’s nice when the place is quiet-”

“Makes it easier to get things done.”

She blinked. “Get things done?”

I nodded gravely.

After confirming there was no one else around, I stepped forward.

In a few quick motions, I tied the red thread onto the Mountain God Statue.

Chen Yan: “…”

Her eyes were wide, her expression screaming: I don’t get it, but I’m impressed.

I clapped my hands, satisfied.

“All set.”

I’d barely turned to leave when a hazy male voice drifted into my ear:

“You never burn incense day to day, but the moment there’s trouble you come to me to fight it out?”

My steps paused.

I swept my gaze around. No one.

Chen Yan, on the other hand, acted like she hadn’t heard a thing.

She was still mumbling, “Beibei, are you sure this is okay?”

“Won’t the Mountain God get mad?”

Mad…

Yeah. What I’d done really did seem a bit much.

After thinking it over, I turned back and cupped my fists toward the statue.

“If there’s trouble, you fight first. I’ll come and-uh-‘serve you’ later… with incense.”

Chen Yan went quiet again.

“That ‘later’… isn’t that kind of… inappropriate?”

I knew exactly what she meant.

After wrestling with it for ages, I finally headed over to the incense stall beside the temple.

After a round of haggling with the vendor-

I spent one yuan… out of the hundred yuan I’d just picked up… to buy a single stick of incense.

I lit it and placed it into the incense burner.

It stood there on its own.

Lonely. Shaky.

Chen Yan couldn’t bear to look; the corner of her mouth twitched.

“I mean-other people offer a whole bundle, and you’re doing one stick…”

I fixed my gaze ahead and said solemnly, “You don’t understand. It’s the thought that counts.”

She rolled her eyes.

“You just want to save the money to buy food for the kids at the home again.”

“Such a miser, but with the fate of a big spender.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Pot calling the kettle black.”

“The Director told me the other day you sent her money-”

Chen Yan pouted and cut me off.

“Come on, come on. It’s almost dark.”

I laughed softly and followed.

Behind us, the incense flickered, the smoke drifting-deliberately or not-toward the Mountain God Statue.