Chapter 78: Nervousness, Palpitations Difficult to Calm
No one knew whether Long Heng was angry or nervous when he’d hastily reached out a hand to support Bai Xiangxiu. He had indeed been startled when she fell, but he hadn’t thought that she’d reach out to hug Song Jiaoyue’s thigh! Although she hadn’t touched anywhere serious particular, her face had still mashed into his leg.
He’d once seen the women of the enemy do something similar with his subordinates. But of course, they had done that on purpose, and he’d only had contempt and despise for their actions, even having the feeling of preparing to watch a good show. But what was with this palpitation now when her body touched another man’s? And what was with this desire to immediately separate the two of them?
He felt that he’d been afflicted with a strange disease, one that he couldn’t pin down the source of. All he knew was that he had to keep a close eye on her in the future, so that she wouldn’t go barreling into some other man’s embrace.
The two of them walked off, one in front of another, and even when they’d taken more than ten paces, Song Jiaoyue remained where he was. Yu Se had to speak softly, “Young master, we should go.”
However, her heart ached slightly. After all, she was the young master’s woman. Even though he wasn’t domineering or lusty in this regard, she was still the one by his side. When she saw how agitated he was by the barest accidental touch of another woman, she still felt the slightest traces of jealousy. So it seems that no matter how hard we try, we’ll never walk into the young master’s heart. This is why he maintains a distance from us and is never besotted with us.
Song Jiaoyue cleared his head and took large strides to catch up to the duo. He hadn’t expected that this little accidental touch would be enough to throw his mind this far out of control. It was as if he was addicted.
As a man, he’d never been so worked up even during the first time he’d slept with a woman. In fact, he was currently acting like a fresh faced kid who’d never known a woman!
Her small hand had been so hot, like it wanted to set his body on fire. I wonder how it might’ve felt to hold her in my embrace? No, he couldn’t think this way! She was his good friend’s woman and a woman his good friend cared about. Song Jiaoyue suppressed the agitation of his heart and quickly walked forward, leading them to the Buddhist hall that the old master was residing in.
The old master was in a wonderful mood today. Although he wore a monk’s robes, he didn’t seem to have a hint of his age about him. It was only that his face was a little too reddened that it made others feel that something might be amiss.
But perhaps he was just glowing with good health!
Bai Xiangxiu didn’t think much as she performed a proper curtsy to the old master and the two grand masters sitting there.
The old master started. At his age, he was well qualified to look back on the sometimes crazy things he’d done in his youth, but he’d never seen a girl with such features. He couldn’t help but nod; no wonder his daughter-in-law kept praising this girl. She did indeed have an excellent appearance.
“Prince Li, is this your Fourth Madame?” Apart from his grandson Song Jiaoyue and a few maids performing the appropriate motions of greeting, Prince Li was the only one exempt from this. Although the old master was senior to Prince Li, the latter’s rank was quite a bit higher than his, not to mention that the old master was retired and resided at home now. Prince Li’s lack of observing the formalities also pointed to their familial relationship.
However, the old master still didn’t care much for him, perhaps due to the aura of violence about him. But Prince Li had chosen his Fourth Madame well. She was as serene as water, demure yet intelligent. Overall, a good child. It was easy to tell with a single glance at her eyes that the trappings of the secular world seemed not to exist in her. Even Grand Master Hui Guang nodded by the old master’s side.
“This is Grand Master Hui Guang from the Eternal Peace Monastery, and this is Grand Master Hui Shou from the Divine Dragon Monastery.”
“Greetings to the two grand masters.” Only Bai Xiangxiu had never seen the two grand masters here, so she paid the proper formalities to them. However, she had a strange idea of hoping that the two masters were some sort of experts that could see how she could return to her world. Therefore, she flicked a look at the two masters when she sat down.
Both of the grand masters were a bit senior in age. Grand Master Hui Guang had a bit of a beard, and Grand Master Hui Shou had a clean and round face. Grand Master Hui Guang smiled faintly, “Would this female patron be willing to enter my monastery?”
“Ah?” Bai Xiangxiu had been waiting for a while for them to say that she was not of this world, but she’d received a… recruitment call instead? This result was so far out of her expectations that she was a bit lost. What do I do now?
Even Long Heng and Song Jiaoyue were stunned. Didn’t they all say that the grand masters were coldly aloof? Why had this one suddenly opened his mouth to want to take a female disciple?
Master Hui Guang spoke, “Patron, you might not know this, but there is a kind of person in this world who is born with an affinity for Buddha. This old monk feels that you are one of those people.”
“Well…” Bai Xiangxiu had felt like her current looks would result in her being tapped to become an entertainer in the modern world, but she’d never thought that she’d be invited to be a nun in the ancient world instead. She was at a loss for words for a moment. For some reason, she snuck a glance at Long Heng and felt that his face was so frosty that he could use it to shoot ice arrows. She had to duck her head, thinking it was best that she paid as little attention as possible to this monk.
However, the old monk had seemed to make up his mind to continue down this path with her. “If this patron is willing, how about you return with me to the Eternal Peace Mountain?”
Long Heng could hold it in no longer, if he did, his woman would be kidnapped and bundled off to a monastery! He slammed a hand down on a table and said in a low voice, “Master Hui Guang, she is already a married woman.”
Yet, Hui Guang’s response was even. “Married? A woman marries when she enters a covenant with Buddha, and where she goes is her home. However, where does the female patron feel is her home?”
Bai Xiangxiu was baffled by the strange grand master’s questioning. She paused and stared at him blankly. The eyes seemed to stare right through her, throwing her heart into disarray. She did indeed not view the Li Manor as her home, and didn’t feel that she belonged in this world, but who would’ve that that this grand master would glimpse it? Or was he just waxing eloquent on the word “married”?
Long Heng only saw the normally gentle Bai Xiangxiu revealing a trace of indecision. She was actually hesitating and even meeting the grand master’s gaze, as if seriously deliberating. His heart spasmed for some reason as a violent aura suddenly exploded from his body, infusing this Buddhist hall with the atmosphere of an asura’s battlefield. 1
Grand Master Hui Guang was unafraid whereas Grand Master Hui Shou chanted a brief portion of Buddhist scripture, and then closed his eyes for further meditation. The old master frowned and spoke, “Prince Li, please cease your anger.”
He was truly afraid that this man would kill both grand masters if he flew into a rage. Bai Xiangxiu also shuddered. She wanted to go home and not enter a monastery, so she ducked her head and spoke docilely, “Many thanks for the grand master’s favor. Since this young girl has married, I follow my husband. And where I have married to is my home.”
Grand Master Hui Guang only smiled faintly. “Why do you speak nonsense? I am willing to explain scripture to you in detail, but I don’t know if there is such a place for me in the Li Manor…”
“Apologies, Grand Master, but the Li Manor is a secular place of the world and is not a place suited for one such as the grand master.” Long Heng spoke through gritted teeth. If he was able to kill, he would’ve surely made his move by now.
“Oh? Then that’s a pity. Why doesn’t the female patron stay for a few more days? I can answer any question for you.” Hui Guang didn’t let up, displaying an unusually resolute attitude.
Long Heng finally could sit still no longer and shot to his feet. This grand master has a grudge with him, doesn’t he?!