Reunion

Gao Qian possessed a handsome appearance, a tall stature, and a noble demeanor, attracting many gazes as he walked.
He did not speak much, but he knew a great deal. Knowing that Xi Cui had never been to this place, he would explain anything she saw, his explanations remarkably simple, at most a few sentences, sometimes even shorter, just two or three words. For example, upon seeing a Buddha statue in a hall, he would tell Xi Cui which statue it was.
"Second Brother knows so much about these things."
"I don't know much, but I often spend time with paternal grandmother, so I remember them."
"Paternal grandmother" referred to his grandmother. In Da Liang, she was often called "paternal grandmother."
Xi Cui had merely asked casually, not expecting Gao Qian to answer.
"So that's how it is. No wonder among all the siblings at home, paternal grandmother dotes on Second Brother the most."
The speaker was unintentional, but the listener took it to heart.
Gao Qian seemed to misunderstand her meaning, suddenly falling silent for a long time before finally saying, "Don't overthink it, paternal grandmother likes you too."
A hint of unease appeared on his handsome face.
What was he thinking? Xi Cui was exasperated.
Could he think she felt resentful or dissatisfied with Old Madam Gao's favoritism?
Xi Cui knew in her heart that even if she explained, he wouldn't listen.
She thought for a moment and simply decided not to explain.
Firstly, she was too lazy to explain; secondly, letting him misunderstand like this was also good.
Although a bit mischievous, when Gao Qian misunderstood, his heart would become more uneasy, and he would treat his little sister with more care.
Normally, Gao Qian would not believe this at all, but seeing Xi Cui donate a little incense money, he was utterly unprincipled, praising her with an unchanging expression, "Accumulating some merit is good. In the cycle of karma, if one plants good seeds today, one will naturally reap good fruits later. Second Sister has a good heart."
When Xi Cui wanted to donate some money, Gao Qian, with his long legs, stepped ahead of her and tossed a coin into the merit box.
Xi Cui said, "Second Brother, how can one's act of donating incense money to accumulate merit be done by another?"
Gao Qian replied, "Your monthly allowance is not much; you shouldn't waste it here. You and I are siblings, connected by blood; siblings are one, without distinction between us."
Though he said this, the next time Xi Cui expressed her desire to donate incense money, he no longer snatched it from her. Instead, he simply tucked the money pouch from his sleeve into Xi Cui's hand.
Weighing the money pouch in her hand, it felt quite heavy.
"I didn't bring much money out today. If you find it's not enough, you can ask me directly," Gao Qian said in a low voice. "I have a monthly stipend, but I don't use it for anything."
Suddenly rich, she didn't know what to do.
Other brothers bought cosmetics and shoes and bags for their sisters. With Gao Qian, it turned into casually giving her money to donate incense, as much as she liked.
Xi Cui was speechless for a moment. She didn't know whether to sigh at how good it was to have money, or to inwardly curse the rich as detestable.
"Still not enough?" Gao Qian secretly observed his sister's expression, a look of apology on his face. "My apologies, Second Brother didn't bring much money out to offer incense today. After we return, I will give you more."
"Enough, enough!" Xi Cui quickly shook her head.
How was she supposed to spend this pouch of silver?
Donating all of it for incense seemed a bit wasteful.
Xi Cui felt a pang of heartache over money.
But on second thought, this was originally an absurd world in a book. If she could come back to life, then this money was just like game currency, wasn't it? She couldn't take it back to reality, so saving it here was useless.
However, even virtual money, she couldn't bear to spend. Game money still required effort to accumulate bit by bit, or to earn real money to obtain.
Unexpectedly, her feelings for the people here were not as genuine as her feelings for money. Xi Cui felt a little ashamed.
Returning the money pouch directly didn't seem very good. Xi Cui deliberately tossed some silver fragments into the merit box in the hall, and only then returned the money pouch to Gao Qian.
Gao Qian's expression stiffened slightly; he wanted to say something, but didn't know how.
His little sister had endured much hardship before. She should have been cherished as a precious jewel, adorned with gold and jade, cared for and raised in a fox-fur embroidered cloak.
But today, she didn't even dare to spend a little money.
Dissatisfaction was evident on his face. He pursed his lips, his expression growing colder, a hint of ferocity. He didn't know who he was angry at.
Out of pity for his little sister, he had tried his best to compensate.
"Paternal grandmother donates thousands of taels of incense money at a whim. There isn't much money in this pouch; you take the rest. Don't be polite with me." He said stiffly, returning the money pouch to Xi Cui, then strode out of the hall door.
Xi Cui looked at his retreating back, then at the money pouch in her hand, and could only persistently follow, trailing Gao Qian to donate money, from the main hall to the side halls.
Each time she tossed money into the merit box, Xi Cui felt exactly like a child scattering money, her whole body radiating golden light, with two large characters "rich" carved on her forehead.
This behavior of hers and Gao Qian's was unmistakably like that of nouveau riche, quickly attracting the attention of others, who all whispered about these two luxuriously dressed young men and women lavishly throwing money around.
Even the monks, whose minds should be as calm as water, couldn't help but turn their heads to look at them once or twice.
This was truly not a good way to attract attention.
Xi Cui felt that she and Gao Qian were like the foolish sons of two landlords.
The Gao family indeed owned much fertile land, so in a way, that statement was not wrong.
Just as Xi Cui was about to step out of the great hall with Gao Qian, two junior monks suddenly approached from outside the hall.
One was a little taller, the other a little shorter.
The shorter junior monk, with hazy eyes, smiled and said to his companion, "I heard it and was also startled. I wonder which two generous patrons have donated so much money."
The taller one had a slight limp in his left foot and a string of prayer beads on his wrist. As he walked, he resembled a sparse green bamboo. Every movement was graceful, like brilliant light, the moon, and green mountains embracing him.
His appearance was like a gentle woman, yet without any hint of femininity.
The limping young monk smiled and said, "With such generous patrons, we should indeed be moved and remember them."
Xi Cui's steps immediately halted; she stiffened on the spot.
"Di Yu?"
Gao Qian's voice sounded beside her ear, but Xi Cui seemed to hear nothing.
The young monk and the novice monk walked closer and closer. The monk's robes gently fluttered in the wind, and as he walked, his shoes were so clean they seemed untouched by dust.
It was Wei Dan Sheng.
Xi Cui would not mistake him.
She had searched high and low, only to find him without any effort.
His appearance hadn't changed much from when he was ten, only his features had matured, shedding some worldly dust and gaining more of an expansive, pure aura.
His eyebrows were long and distant, his lips pale and thin.
Like smoke drifting across a forest, distant undulating mountains, vague and ancient.
The small, skinny boy, curled up in dirty urine, had grown into a graceful young man.
Before, he rarely smiled; he always kept his gaze lowered, silent, and kept everyone at a thousand-mile distance.
But now, his eyes held a faint smile, a truly earth-shattering change compared to his time on Biao Er Mountain.
It seemed he had fared well after leaving Biao Er Mountain.
The novice monk said, "Martial Uncle speaks wisely. If we meet them, I must personally thank these two patrons."
"Di Yu?"
Xi Cui regained her composure. "I'm fine."
Wei Dan Sheng and the novice monk had already reached the front of the hall. He looked up and noticed Xi Cui and Gao Qian standing outside the hall.
His gaze lingered on Xi Cui, still holding a faint smile, his eyes looking at her no differently than at anyone else.
Xi Cui had been a little tense, but now she breathed a sigh of relief. She pulled Gao Qian's sleeve, stepping aside to make way for Wei Dan Sheng and the novice monk.
Wei Dan Sheng glanced at her, then paused and smiled. "Thank you."
Xi Cui replied, "It's nothing."
Watching Wei Dan Sheng and the novice monk enter the hall together, Xi Cui withdrew her gaze.
Wei Dan Sheng did not recognize her.
This was natural; her appearance now was completely different from her time on Biao Er Mountain.