Exposed

The manure bucket was empty, but the smell was still strong.

Wei Dansheng put down the carrying pole. Perhaps realizing the smell on his body, he did not step forward.

Looking from afar, the atmosphere between Xi Cui and Wu Huaifei indeed seemed somewhat ambiguous.

Wu Huaifei instinctively took half a step back.

This single step back only made the situation clearer.

Xi Cui met Wei Dansheng's gaze, sighing softly in her heart.

He had a gentle appearance, but his possessiveness was extremely strong.

Facing Wei Dansheng's smiling gaze, Xi Cui asked, "Why is the Young Monk here?"

"I am returning from the fields, and saw the Benefactor and Lady Wu from afar, so I wanted to come and say hello." Wei Dansheng smiled and said, "But have I disturbed you and the Lady?"

Xi Cui was about to speak, when Wu Huaifei suddenly opened her mouth: "There is no disturbance, Young Master Gao was only helping me."

She spoke to shield Xi Cui.

Xi Cui was slightly startled, not expecting Wu Huaifei to help her.

Wu Huaifei continued: "Why doesn't the Young Monk step forward to speak?"

Seeing Wu Huaifei speak up for Xi Cui, Wei Dansheng was also startled.

But he quickly recovered, smiling as if nothing had happened: "The smell on me is foul, I dare not approach. Let me return to bathe and change my clothes, then I will come to assist you and Benefactor Gao."

Wei Dansheng was very tolerant of Wu Huaifei.

When facing her, the distance on his body seemed to vanish, replaced by a moderate warmth. Just looking at his words and actions, he indeed possessed the gentle and considerate temperament of a second male lead.

But Xi Cui had accidentally taken Gao Qian's script, which made things a bit difficult.

Watching Wei Dansheng's departing back, Xi Cui thought uneasily.

She always felt that Wu Huaifei's words just now might make Wei Dansheng's feelings toward her even more complicated.

Wei Dansheng did not like her.

She could tell.

If someone of ambiguous gender had an ambiguous relationship with the person they liked, they would probably also feel uncomfortable.

After Wei Dansheng left, Xi Cui did not want to stay here any longer either, so she took her leave of Wu Huaifei.

As for whether he went to help Wu Huaifei afterward, Xi Cui had no idea.

In the following days, she spent her time copying Buddhist scriptures or helping to clean the guest hall. Although life was a bit dull, it was considered leisurely.

Wei Dansheng came to lecture on scriptures to her as usual, but instead of improving her relationship with him, her relationship with Wu Huaifei improved a lot.

Only, since then, Xi Cui always felt that Wei Dansheng treated her even more coldly.

After all, whenever they walked together, she would always "coincidentally" appear, turning their world of two into a world of three.

Wei Dansheng still smiled, but he did not actively speak to her, directing every word toward Wu Huaifei.

Wu Huaifei was smart and had no interest in Wei Dansheng, so she pushed the conversation back to Xi Cui.

...

The scene was as dry as a desert.

Xi Cui was also helpless in this situation.

Her time was limited. Wei Dansheng did not actively contact her, and she could not passively allow time to be wasted in vain.

Weighing both sides, she could only choose to take the initiative.

Even if Wei Dansheng was cold to her, Xi Cui did not mind.

The most important thing was to clear the path and establish a relationship with Wei Dansheng first.

As for what that relationship was, she did not care.

A love-rival relationship was also a deep relationship.

It was said that one does not fear a thief stealing, only a thief remembering. Who knows, when Wei Dansheng kept keeping her in mind, he might accidentally fall in love with her.

Under Xi Cui's deliberate actions, it seemed that every day at Kongshan Temple, the image of the three of them walking side by side could be seen.

At dusk, in a bizarre atmosphere, the three strolled along a small path.

On the way, another monk called out to Wei Dansheng, saying that Abbot Shan had business with him.

Wei Dansheng was in charge of the recording room of Kongshan Temple, also known as the secretary.

A secretary needed to have quick thinking, be well-versed in both Confucianism and Buddhism, and have good expression skills.

Wei Zonglin wanted him to enter officialdom, so he had always trained him according to Confucian standards. Therefore, Wei Dansheng was well-versed in both Confucianism and Buddhism. Moreover, his regular script was very beautiful. In recent years, the documents in the temple had been recorded with his assistance.

With Wei Dansheng called away, only Xi Cui and Wu Huaifei were left.

She had come here to conquer Wei Dansheng, while Wu Huaifei had come to treat Zen Master Shan.

Zen Master Shan's illness had just improved not long ago when it suddenly worsened a few days ago. Wu Huaifei had been flipping through medical books day and night, worrying too much and feeling depressed. This was why Wei Dansheng had brought her out for a walk to relax.

With Wei Dansheng gone, this task fell onto Xi Cui.

Xi Cui comforted her, telling her to relax, and slowly walked with her along Kongshan Temple.

At the same time, a familiar pilgrim arrived at Kongshan Temple.

It was the wife of the eldest son of the second branch of the Gao family, Gao Ze, the eldest sister-in-law, Madame Li.

Some time ago, after revealing her relationship with Gao Ze to Xi Cui, although she appeared reasonable on the surface, only she knew the pain in her heart.

Married to her husband for three years, their love had been deep, but who would have thought Gao Ze would change his mind so quickly.

After returning to the Gao family, Madame Li yearned day and night, but seeing her husband cold and uncomprehending, she felt even more depressed, which was why she returned to Kongshan Temple.

Hearing that Kongshan Temple was very efficacious for marriage, she wanted to bow before Guanyin, praying for Guanyin's mercy to make her husband change his mind.

She climbed the stone steps, just happening to run into Xi Cui and Wu Huaifei walking toward the mountain gate.

Seeing the graceful figure in front of the mountain gate, Xi Cui stopped her steps, almost thinking she had seen wrong.

Was that Madame Li?

She had seen Madame Li the moment she opened her eyes, and Madame Li was very concerned about the Gao family siblings, so no matter what, Xi Cui would not mistake her.

This figure and appearance, other than Madame Li, there was no one else.

But why did she come to Kongshan Temple?

Xi Cui's heart pounded, and in a single breath, hundreds of thoughts flashed through her mind.

Could her sneaking out have been discovered?

No... that was impossible. Xi Cui calmed down and thought, the Gao family didn't care about Gao Yiyu at all, which was why she dared to leave.

Before leaving, she had greeted them, with a legitimate reason. Unless she did not return for a month, the Gao family would certainly not discover this.

Wu Huaifei had never met Gao Yiyu, so she mistook her for Gao Qian, but Madame Li would not. Even if she wore male clothing now, Madame Li would certainly not mistake her for Gao Qian.

Madame Li glanced over subconsciously. Xi Cui quickly lowered her head, trying to reduce her presence, wanting to quickly pass by.

But her stature was too tall. When passing by someone, it was hard not to attract attention.

The welcoming monk was familiar with her face. Seeing her and Wu Huaifei now, he smiled politely and greeted: "Benefactor Wu, Benefactor Gao."

This time, Madame Li looked directly over. Xi Cui could not hide even if she wanted to.

Both sides of the mountain gate were dense forests, with very few people walking here.

Worried that being discovered by Madame Li would make it hard to explain, Xi Cui could only slip into the forest on both sides.

"Young Master Gao?"

Wu Huaifei did not expect her action. As she suddenly stepped forward quickly, Wu Huaifei cried out to call her back, but seeing Xi Cui running faster and faster, she did not think much and quickly gave chase.

However, Wu Huaifei's cry finally attracted Madame Li's attention.

When she looked over, she only saw Xi Cui's hurried figure.

"Second Brother?"

Madame Li was a bit confused.

Was that Second Brother just now? But before she came out, she had clearly seen Second Brother go to his office.

The figure and appearance had some similarities to Second Brother, but not quite.

Madame Li asked the welcoming monk: "Who was that?"

The welcoming monk was surprised: "That was Benefactor Gao. Why is he in such a hurry?"

"Which Benefactor Gao?"

"Of course, it is Benefactor Gao Qian."