Qianfo Temple indeed had quite a few lay practitioners who had kept their hair while practicing Buddhism, so Yan Jingshuang was not particularly surprised. She had simply heard that the person before her was the divination master here.
But he had hair……
For a moment, Yan Jingshuang felt somewhat concerned. Could this master perhaps not have completely severed himself from worldly attachments? If so, perhaps he was not very close to Buddha either, and his divination skills would probably be greatly diminished as a result.
Yan Jingshuang considered changing to another Buddhist courtyard.
But before she could think of a tactful excuse to leave, the master spoke again.
“Not…… here for a divination?” His hand rubbing the tortoise shell tightened slightly.
Yan Jingshuang looked through the semicircular opening and saw that the master’s monk’s robe had quite a few patches.
It seemed this place was simply too remote, and the master’s life was not particularly easy.
Yan Jingshuang thought for a moment before saying, “I am here for a divination. I’ll trouble you, Master.”
Perhaps because he knew he would be able to earn some money today, the master’s grip on the tortoise shell loosened slightly. His slender fingers picked up a copper coin and placed it into the shell.
All Yan Jingshuang could see was that pair of hands, so she simply stared at them.
She had to admit that although this master performed good deeds every day, his hands were exceptionally attractive. Even the simple act of picking up a copper coin looked smooth and effortless, resembling the elegant hands of a refined young nobleman appreciating tea or playing a game of Go. There was an air of extreme sophistication about them.
Yet, unexpectedly, just after Yan Jingshuang had finished praising them inwardly, the pair of distinct-knuckled hands before her suddenly trembled. A copper coin fell onto the table with a faint sound.
Although the master quickly picked up the copper coin and continued putting it into the tortoise shell, Yan Jingshuang’s distrust only grew.
This master really was somewhat unreliable.
Then the master began gently shaking the tortoise shell. But no matter how he shook it, he could not get the copper coins out. At that point, Yan Jingshuang’s suspicion that he was unreliable was firmly confirmed.
“Ahem……” Yan Jingshuang cleared her throat.
She had originally intended to get up and leave immediately, but when she saw that even the master’s sleeve was torn, she ultimately could not bring herself to do so.
“I heard that divination masters generally know how to read palms. Why don’t you read my palm first, Master?”
After saying that, Yan Jingshuang extended her hand through the semicircular opening.
The ‘master’ inside froze, his hand still gripping the tortoise shell.
After a long while, he finally placed the tortoise shell to the side. He himself leaned back against the chair, while the hand that had been resting on the table also withdrew, putting a little more distance between it and Yan Jingshuang’s outstretched hand.
Yan Jingshuang did not notice those details. Afraid that the master could not see clearly, she even pushed her sleeve higher, revealing a section of her delicate wrist.
Unlike her ordinary-looking face, her skin was smooth and fair, making it difficult to look away for a moment.
The master inside remained silent for quite some time.
Just as Yan Jingshuang began to think that she had chosen a poor way out, and that perhaps the master did not even know how to read palms, his elegant voice sounded again.
“What would you like to ask about, Benefactor?”
For some reason, the master’s voice sounded lower than before.
Yan Jingshuang thought about the confusion in her heart, but she did not know which category it belonged to. As she pondered, the master spoke again.
“Are you here to ask…… about your marriage prospects?”
Yan Jingshuang froze for a moment. She looked up at the wooden partition that was sealed so tightly, confirming that the person inside could not see her face and would not know that she had broken off her engagement with Ning Mo yesterday.
A hint of puzzlement passed through her eyes, but she still quickly answered, “No.”
“……Mm.”
Perhaps it was merely Yan Jingshuang’s imagination, but the master’s voice sounded somewhat disappointed.
Yan Jingshuang did not think much of it. The confusion in her mind seemed to gradually become clearer, and after thinking for a moment, she said, “Master, there is a path. I don’t know whether I should take it.”
The master paused. “What do you mean?”
Yan Jingshuang continued, “I have an attachment in my heart. The person who gave it to me is someone I despise. I don’t want to use something she gave me.”
As Yan Jingshuang spoke, her fingers trembled slightly.