It's terrible. Mr. Lu is too clingy.

The two walked and stopped, and it was already past one in the afternoon when they reached the top of the mountain.

Fortunately, the temple has vegetarian meals, which cost only ten yuan. They are lighter than ordinary home-cooked meals, but not completely oily.

Lu Ci was already hungry and wanted to eat more after eating two bowls of rice, but her stomach was limited, so she could only watch Xie Xingran add a third bowl of rice.

"I think you can have another bowl of rice. In the past, I wouldn't leave the table until I had four bowls." Lu Ci seemed to be addicted to watching the "eating broadcast" and encouraged her to continue eating.

Xie Xingran wiped his mouth with a tissue and said, "I can't eat anymore."

Lu Ci also looked suspicious: "That's not enough? Don't make my stomach smaller."

She glanced at him, not wanting to argue with a hungry "man".

"So hurry up and find the abbot, and exchange it back quickly so that we can each take care of our own stomachs."

Lu Ci also curled his lips, "Okay then."

He walked straight from the front door to the abbot in the backyard without looking around. Xie Xingran had made an appointment in advance, so he could see the person directly this time.

Led by a young monk, they passed through winding corridors and finally stopped in front of a simple courtyard gate.

Young monk: "Please come in, donors."

Xie Xingran and Lu Ci also nodded in thanks, then walked in and saw an old monk in the pavilion on the right.

He sat with his eyes closed, stroking the Buddhist beads on his wrist one by one, with an aloof and detached demeanor.

The two looked at each other, and Xie Xingran was the first to speak sincerely:

"Hello, Master Abbot, sorry to bother you. We are here to visit you as scheduled."

The abbot opened his eyes and then... put on his reading glasses.

Lu Ci also raised an eyebrow. [Monks also wear reading glasses? Don't tell me, this is very modern.]

Abbot: "Amitabha, since we have made an appointment, please take a seat."

After taking his seat, Lu Ci couldn't wait to ask directly, "Master, everyone says you're amazing, so can you tell what's different about us?"

"Amitabha, before I answer your question," the abbot said, looking at Xie Xingran with a secretive look, "could I ask this donor to draw a lot?"

As he spoke, he picked up the fortune stick box on the stone table, shook it evenly, and handed it to Xie Xingran.

Xie Xingran didn't move, seemingly unwilling.

Abbot: "Don't worry, benefactor. This fortune stick doesn't correspond to anything. Just draw it for fun."

In the end, Xie Xingran reached out and carefully pulled out one.

There is a line of words on the label.

But Xie Xingran had no intention of interpreting it. The three words "bad luck" were enough to make her lose her mind and feel uneasy.

Although the abbot said that it does not correspond to anything, no matter what, no one will be happy if they draw a bad fortune.

"How dare you, a lousy fortune stick, touch my hand?" Lu Ci suddenly stuffed the worst fortune stick in her hand back.

Then he grabbed the fortune stick box without any scruples, put it under his nose, and carefully selected a "best fortune stick".

"Snapped--"

He placed the best fortune stick in Xie Xingran's palm.

Lu Ciye: "Here, here you go. Are you happy now?"

Xie Xingran: ...

Meeting her speechless gaze, Lu Ci also raised the corners of his eyes, not noticing anything wrong at all.

"No one believes in feudal superstitions," he preached. "Even if it's true, I've already changed your fate, so just be happy."

Xie Xingran nodded in agreement: "Yes, we must believe in science."

The abbot's old face twitched for two moments.

But soon, he regained his composure and a meaningful smile appeared on his face.

"Amitabha, two donors, if you believe in science, why are you here?"

Lu Ciye and Xie Xingran: "..."

Xie Xingran coughed awkwardly, "Sorry, Master Abbot, we were too presumptuous."

Lu Ci said impatiently, "Master, this fortune has passed. You said you were just drawing for fun anyway. You should answer my question first."

The abbot was not one to dwell on matters. He put the fortune stick aside, rubbed the beads on his wrist again, bowed his head and said "Amitabha" before continuing.

"My two benefactors, before this, and from now on, you must not disclose this secret to anyone else, or you will be punished by heaven."

Lu Ci was also stunned. Make a declaration to others?

Does it mean that they told each other's most trusted family members about their soul swap?

Could it be that the abbot really saw through it?

Xie Xingran's eyes suddenly lit up, and he asked anxiously:

"Master Abbot, do you have any solution for the problem between us?"

The abbot looked over the two of them, his gentle eyes narrowed into a smile.

"A match made in heaven will resolve itself in due time."

Hearing this, Xie Xingran and Lu Ciye both looked a little confused. A good, good fate? Or was it made in heaven?

Lu Ciye: [Are you trying to fool us? ]

Xie Xingran: It’s possible.

Lu Ciye: [Is this person a monk? Could he be the reincarnation of Yue Lao?]

Xie Xingran: Very likely.

Lu Ciye: [Is God idle? Why is he randomly pairing up with someone else?]

Xie Xingran: That’s right.

Lu Ciye: [Were we single in our previous lives, hindering the matchmaker's performance? So, in this life, we're swapping souls, trying desperately to pair us up to pay off the debt.]

Xie Xingran: ...

Maybe we were both single in our previous ten lives, and became the stubborn ones in Yue Lao's marriage book.

—

After leaving the courtyard, both of them remained silent, not even looking at each other.

Maybe it's embarrassment, doubt, or unwillingness.

Lu Ci also fell silent in his heart.

As a result, when they reached the stairs and were about to go down the mountain, Lu Ci became excited again.

"Xie Xingran, please carry me for a while."

Xie Xingran frowned and looked at him, wanting to refuse. It was just the beginning and he was asking her to carry him on his back. There must be a way to be lazy.

But Lu Ci didn't give her any words to refuse, and spoke out his own twisted logic in one breath:

"I'm asking you to carry me now for your own good. By the time I can no longer hold on and ask you to carry me, your strength will have been depleted by half. If you continue to carry me, won't that only add to your burden?

It would be better if you carried me at the beginning when your stamina was full, and then when your stamina was almost as much as mine, I would walk with you. This way, it would be easier for both of us."

In fact, Xie Xingran's brain had been insufficient since the beginning, and now after listening to his set of words, he agreed without thinking for long.

The trick worked and Lu Ci happily jumped on her back. However, he seemed to realize that his outward emotions were too excited, so he pursed his lips to restrain them.

Xie Xingran squatted down, carried him on his back, and walked down the mountain effortlessly.

The two of them tacitly agreed not to mention that matter. What good or bad fate? In real life, there are still many things to consider.

The road down the mountain is still the same one, and it is much quieter than the way up.

"You should come down and walk by yourself." Xie Xingran said.

Although it was going down the mountain, which was relatively easy, she still felt tired after carrying the weight for an hour and a half, no matter how good her physical fitness was.

Not to mention that the sun was extremely scorching at this time. Even though Lu Ci was fanning her to block the sun, her forehead was still covered with fine beads of sweat.

Withdrawing his gaze from the distant scenery, Lu Ci did not want to come down and said:

"Can you recite it for a while longer, just for a little while?"

His tone was coquettish, but she inexplicably sensed a hidden loneliness.

Xie Xingran glanced sideways, but ultimately decided not to force him down.

Besides, she knew her body well. Even though she was only halfway there, it was enough for her to drink a pot.

Lu Ci also put his arms around her neck, pressed his cheek against her strong back, and lay there lovingly.

I didn't realize it before, but now my back is as warm and broad as my dad's.

Xie Xingran didn't know why he was thinking of his father, and had no intention of eavesdropping, so she continued walking without making a sound.

[It's been a long time since I've been carried like this. I miss it so much. If my dad were still alive, I wonder if he could carry me again?]

If only Dad were still alive...

[…It would be nice if I could never grow up.]

It would be nice if I could never grow up... Xie Xingran had the same thought.

At this moment, two lonely hearts in different situations collided for the first time, praying for the same wish.

——I wish I could never grow up.