Vegetarian Meal
There was a fairly well-known Buddhist temple in the suburbs of City A. Since many people online said it was quite effective for making wishes, Su Yuning decided to go check it out.
She turned down many invitations and went alone, riding her electric scooter to the subway station, then taking the subway for 40 minutes before finally arriving at the destination.
It was a day off, so there were quite a few people visiting. Su Yuning endured the blazing sun and waited in a long queue before finally getting in. Before coming, she had thoroughly researched and went straight to the hall she was interested in.
The main purpose of this hall was to ward off evil and dispel disasters.
Perfectly suited to her needs.
To show sincerity, she also bought a box of incense. Following the guide, she lit the incense and made her wish. Taking advantage of the fact that there weren’t too many tourists yet and there was still space and time, she quickly knelt on the cushion, closed her eyes, and made her wish.
She clearly stated her name + home address + ID number + wish + time for fulfillment, one by one. Worried that the Buddha above might not remember her ID number and mix it up, she even took out her ID card and placed it in front of her before starting to pour out her troubles:
“Dear Buddha, have I attracted some kind of evil lately? I always feel like something’s off. Recently, so many people, both men and women, have been flocking to me, saying it was love at first sight.
I used to fantasize about such scenarios, but what girl hasn’t dreamed of something like this? If it were just one or two, that would be fine—I’d happily accept it.
But suddenly so many have appeared, and it just feels creepy.
Dreaming of a pie falling from the sky, I never expected the heavens to drop such a huge one on me. I don’t have the ability to handle it.
It’s like picking up money.
If I find a hundred yuan on the roadside, I’d dare to spend it. But if I find a billion… who would dare touch it?
And each one of them is too perfect!
They all look like the male and female protagonists from the comics I read.
I feel a bit inferior, like I’m not good enough for them.
I don’t need others to tell me—I know my own worth. And if they say they like me today, maybe their eyes are just bad. What if I actually agree, and one day their eyes suddenly get better and they don’t like me anymore?
For people like them, if they see an ex-girlfriend like me, who could be considered a black mark in their history, wouldn’t they get angry and try to silence me?”
Muttering to herself, she accidentally said too much without realizing it. Mainly, she had been holding it in for a long time and truly didn’t know who to talk to.
Anyway, the Buddha is compassionate. Even if she talked a bit too much, He wouldn’t blame her.
Thinking this, Su Yuning felt at ease and continued with her eyes closed.
“Zuo Xingyan is too violent—I’m always afraid he’ll hit me; Lu Ji is too delicate—standing next to him makes me feel like a hero from Liangshan; Meng Zhizhuo, a player, not worth considering; Lin Shuiqing, a pretty girl, but our values don’t quite align… Sigh, I just want to find a normal, ordinary boyfriend—or girlfriend would be fine too.
Someone not too tall or short, not too fat or thin, mentally stable, doesn’t smoke or drink… Or even a copy of myself would work. I just want an ordinary, simple relationship. Why is it so hard to find someone?”
The more she talked, the faster her words came, and she couldn’t stop. Just as she was getting worked up, someone tapped her shoulder. An older woman asked, “Young lady, you’ve been making wishes for so long. Aren’t you done yet? It’s my turn.”
“Oh, okay! I’ll be quick!”
Su Yuning hurriedly added her final wish: “I hope those people can return to normal.”
With that, she picked up her ID card, stood up, and made room for the older woman.
Turning around, she saw someone standing not far away. Su Yuning showed a startled expression and instinctively glanced toward the Buddha statue.
White shirt, casual pants, a gleaming wristwatch, and a carefree, roguish smile—it was Meng Zhizhuo.
She didn’t know when he had arrived or how long he had been watching her.
“What, not happy to see me?” He walked up to Su Yuning in a few steps, looking down at her with a gentle, doting smile. “What wish did you make so earnestly?”
Su Yuning thought: A wish to cure your illness.
She figured the Buddha might have just heard her wish and hadn’t started working on it yet, but it would take effect gradually.
Still, if all these people became normal, she might not have another chance to admire such a handsome face up close. She should take advantage of this time to look a little longer.
His eyebrows were well-shaped, his eyes bright, his lips rosy, and he looked full of vitality—clearly very healthy.
His hair was also thick and black, each strand gleaming with the luxurious sheen of meticulous, money-backed care.
These rich kids always had such good hair. It seemed they had no worries about hair loss or balding.
And though she’d heard Meng Zhizhuo had many women, she’d never heard of him suffering from kidney deficiency or weakness, so she could infer his health was excellent…
Her thoughts drifted further, and she couldn’t help glancing toward Meng Zhizhuo’s lower back, as if she could see his kidneys through the thin fabric of his shirt.
How on earth do these people maintain themselves so well?!
Meng Zhizhuo, who had initially been pleasantly surprised by his beloved staring at him, now felt as if her gaze might bore a hole through his clothes. He tensed his abdomen, cleared his throat, and changed the subject:
“What made you suddenly think of coming to the temple? I’ve heard it’s very effective here. Many people go to buy a bracelet after making a wish, and they look lovely on girls. Want to go take a look?”
Su Yuning was tempted and nodded. “Sure.”
As they walked outside, she looked around and couldn’t help asking, “Do you believe in this stuff?”
Meng Zhizhuo glanced down at the top of her head with a smile. “No.”
“Oh, so you came with someone else? Where are they? We could go together.”
“The person—” Meng Zhizhuo drew out his words, “is right in front of me.”
Their eyes met.
Meng Zhizhuo gazed at her affectionately.
Su Yuning looked away, acting as unromantic as a block of wood. “Oh. Let’s go then.”
Behind her, Meng Zhizhuo seemed to sigh.
But he wasn’t discouraged. It was his first time pursuing a girl and not succeeding right away, and he found the experience rather refreshing. Moreover, just being around Su Yuning made the air feel sweet and satisfying—a kind of happiness he was addicted to, willingly and helplessly.
Before coming, Su Yuning had done her research and had a rough idea of the bracelet prices. She planned to buy a cheap one for herself, but when she arrived, she saw that all the pretty ones were expensive. There were indeed affordable options, but she didn’t like them.
“980 yuan for one…”
Su Yuning’s eyes were glued to the display case, reluctant to look away.
That wealth-attracting bracelet was truly beautiful!
But if she actually bought it, she’d be losing money instead.
980 yuan—that was almost a thousand!
Su Yuning stared at it for a long while before reluctantly pulling her gaze away. “Let’s go! No more looking!” After all, no matter how much she looked, she wouldn’t buy it anyway!
Meng Zhizhuo glanced over there, his gaze shifting without a word, then raised his hand to pat her head. “Want to go eat the vegetarian meal? It’s free.”
Su Yuning’s eyes lit up: “This place offers free vegetarian meals?! How come I never heard about it?”
“Only regulars know about it. Come on, I’ll take you to eat.”
Meng Zhizhuo smiled at her charmingly, his affectionate peach-blossom eyes sparkling brightly.