Chapter 178: A Fated Marriage

Wen Jingxing asked Song Wanning in return, "Then what are you going to write?"

Leaving his subtle scheme entirely untraceable, the cameraman instantly shifted his focus onto Song Wanning.

Song Wanning thought for a moment, picked up the writing brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote a few bold and flourishing characters—*May you be accompanied by someone for the rest of your life.*

Her handwriting bore no trace of a young girl's delicate style; instead, it possessed a sweeping, effortless grandeur akin to flowing clouds and moving water.

When Wen Jingxing first saw this blessing written by Song Wanning, he was momentarily taken aback.

Shortly after, he offered a compliment, "A-Ning, your calligraphy with a brush is truly beautiful."

Song Wanning felt a modest swell of pride, "I practiced it specially."

"Why would A-Ning practice this when you had nothing to do?"

Song Wanning paused, nearly letting slip the truth, "Just nothing better to do usually, so I practiced casually."

Quickly changing the subject, she urged, "Let's go toss this quickly, Jingxing."

She tied two red silk ribbons to both ends of the golden lock. The material of the lock was quite unique—its surface extremely smooth and with a bit of weight to it, presumably designed so that tourists could toss it onto the tree more easily.

Knowing she didn't have much physical strength, Song Wanning handed the golden lock to Wen Jingxing after tying the ribbons.

Standing beneath the tree and gauging the weight of the object in his hand, Wen Jingxing gave it a seemingly casual toss.

With a crisp whoosh, the golden lock, along with the red silk ribbons, vanished from sight.

The interior of the peach blossom tree was densely foliated, so even though Song Wanning stared intently, she had no idea where the golden lock had landed.

Wen Jingxing gently pinched the back of Song Wanning's neck, forcing her to lower her head, and said, "Go ahead and make your wish. Didn't the little monk say the higher it is tossed, the more likely it is to come true?"

Obediently closing her eyes, Song Wanning actually counted down thirty seconds in her heart before opening them again.

Even though she had transmigrated into a book and experienced such metaphysical phenomena, Song Wanning knew very well that wishes are realized through one's own efforts, not merely by making them.

Whatever she wanted to accomplish, she would take it step by step in that direction!

Once the task was completed, the two of them were free to roam the temple grounds.

There were numerous games and scenic photo spots for young couples, alongside stalls selling all sorts of matching couple accessories.

Song Wanning flitted about like a little rabbit, exploring, eating, and playing throughout the temple, while the little monk tagged along behind her the entire time.

It was only after traversing the entire temple that Song Wanning realized—why was there only a single young monk here?

The little monk informed her, "There are only my grandfather and me here."

Just then, Song Wanning heard an elderly voice calling out, "Xiao Mi, Xiao Mi..."

Hearing this, the little monk replied, "Grandpa Sha, I'm right here!"

Following that, Song Wanning saw an elderly monk with a face full of wrinkles, a completely white beard on his chin, and wearing a coarse white hemp robe emerge from the crowd.

He walked over, squatted down to pat the little monk's head, and asked, "Xiao Mi, your meal has gone cold and you still haven't come back to eat. Did you encounter something fun?"

The little monk nodded and pointed at Song Wanning, "This big sister is so nice! I showed her the way, and she treated me to candied haws, twisted crullers, and flaky pastries..."

The elderly monk raised his head to look at Song Wanning, his gaze instantly shifting to Wen Jingxing.

Then, holding the little monk's hand, he said to Song Wanning, "This child is mischievous; he must have troubled you, Benefactor."

Song Wanning actually quite enjoyed playing with the child, "Not at all, he's very endearing. How should I address you, Elder?"

"Forms of address do not matter; you may simply call me the Old Monk."

The old monk spoke in a rather scholarly manner, yet he reached out to take Song Wanning's hand right away. Seeing that Wen Jingxing made no move to stop him, Song Wanning did not pull away and followed the old monk's steps.

Not until she was led to a quiet spot did the old monk glance at the cameraman. Song Wanning turned to look as well.

The cameraman: ...

Shortly after, he silently hoisted his camera and vanished.

Once everyone else had left, the old monk asked, "May I ask what the Benefactor's name is?"

"My surname is Song, and my given name is Wanning."

"In which year were you born?"

"I am twenty-three this year."

"I see..." the old monk responded meaningfully, then continued, "You and I share a certain affinity. Xiao Mi is usually very shy around strangers, yet he spent so much time with you today, so I shall offer you a word or two."

Seeing that the other party intended to speak of mystical and inscrutable matters, Song Wanning felt no impatience and instead smiled, saying, "Alright."

"Did you run a high fever in your childhood, or perhaps encounter some exceptionally major hardship?"

Hearing the old monk ask this, Song Wanning's initially casual mood instantly turned vigilant.

"Yes."

She answered truthfully nonetheless.

"Have you recently experienced some extraordinarily major event, one that even endangered your life?"

Song Wanning wanted to ask: does dying of illness once count?

Before she could reply, the old monk continued on his own, "It would seem you still have another trial to face."

"Can't it be avoided?"

"Rest assured, Benefactor, fortune favors the kind, and nothing major will happen."

Since the other party had put it that way, Song Wanning set her mind completely at ease and asked him, "Elder, how do you know all of this so clearly?"

"Calculated."

"How do you calculate it? Can you also calculate financial fortune? When you calculate, do you know the specific details, or is it just a general idea?"

What worried Song Wanning the most was whether her identity as a person from another world would be discovered.

The old monk's footsteps paused, "No."

"What cannot be done?"

"Heavenly secrets must not be divulged."

At that moment, Song Wanning abruptly said, "If you won't tell me, then I'm leaving."

As she spoke, she purposefully quickened her pace.

The old monk hurried to catch up, "Walk slower! I haven't finished speaking." His dignified elder persona instantly shattered.

Only then did Song Wanning stop in her tracks, turn around, and say to the old monk, "And yet you spoke to me in such a secretive manner."

She had figured out long ago that Wen Jingxing and this old monk knew each other.

They had actually tried to trap her with such talk here, but after being played with by her like this, their true colors were instantly exposed.

"Fine, it was indeed that child Jingxing who entrusted me to do this. But I didn't want to come today; it's just that Xiao Mi wouldn't return and kept staying by your side. I suppose this must be the will of heaven."

"What did he entrust you to do?"

"To calculate... to calculate your romantic fate." The old monk rubbed the bridge of his nose, then added, "I calculated for him before and told him he was destined to be alone for the rest of his life. He didn't believe it, but later facts proved that indeed it was so. Now he suddenly wants me to calculate it for you. To be honest, I can't say for sure either; all outcomes lie within your own hands."

"Calculate mine? Then what you calculate might turn out just like his, or perhaps even worse than his."

Song Wanning glanced at the old monk's bald head; the old man calculated with astonishing accuracy.

In the book, Wen Jingxing's ending was indeed to grow old in solitude.

The old monk added, "Before I saw you, I thought so too. But after seeing you, I no longer think that way."

Song Wanning's eyebrows instantly furrowed, "What does that mean?"