Son, “Mom” Will Back You

After Gu Nian had stepped out of the temple, she received a text from Jiang Xiaoqing. Jiang Xiaoqing had included in a text a diagram of the place and a crooked drawn path.

And the caption that said: [I am waiting right here. Hurry up and come meet me.]

Gu Nian responded with a smiley face and stretched languidly under the sun. She walked toward Jiang Xiaoqing following the "map".

Walking on the bluestone slab paved path inside the temple area and wrapping around the aged, ancient trees, tall and short strangers walked past her. Gu Nian basked herself in a screenwriter's sensation and arrived at her destination as indicated by the map.

Jiang Xiaoqing was bouncing up and down up on a couple of steps waving at Gu Nian from a few feet away.

Gu Nian smiled, recollected herself from her trance, and walked toward Jiang Xiaoqing.

"Oh my, I have waited forever for you. That was one long line to say your prayers." Jiang Xiaoqing walked up and immediately put her arm around Gu Nian's and started dragging Gu Nian toward herself.

"It's wasn't that bad today……" Gu Nian was baffled by being dragged by Jiang Xiaoqing. "Where are you taking me?"

Jiang Xiaoqing turned her head excitedly, "I've asked around before you got here. It was said that Doaci Temple's fortunetelling is very accurate. Many come all the way here from other cities or provinces for their fortunetelling."

"Fortunetelling?"

"Uhuh! Over there. Look! Look!"

"……"

Jiang Xiaoqing came to a stop with Gu Nian in her arm and Gu Nian looked in the direction that Jiang Xiaoqing was pointing at.

The doors to this hall were open and a various number of crowds were going in and out of each of them.

Behind each door was a long table and behind each table with a bagua simple on its table cloth sat a Taoist priest. All of them were dressed in robes, linen shoes, and have crescent-moon crowns on their head.

Photo: Taoist priest outfit. Can't find one with the crescent-moon crown. This one will have to do.

Jiang Xiaoqing listed them all out for her. "You can ask them just about anything: career, marriage, wealth, health. You name it; they got it."

Gu Nian looked around.

Seeing her reaction, Jiang Xiaoqing asked dubiously, "Don't you come here monthly? How do you not know this?"

Gu Nian nodded, "Oh. I normally just put down my incense and take off."

"Wow, what a waste. C'mon, c'mon. Let's go give it a try."

Photo: To give you an idea. You grab something like that, ask a question, shake until one falls out of the container. Then bring it over to a priest for interpretation.

Source:

Gu Nian hadn't had a chance to turn her down before she was dragged forward by Jiang Xiaoqing. By the time they got to the bottom of the stairs, Jiang Xiaoqing was troubled, "The woman who told me about it said only to ask about one thing. Otherwise it might affect the outcome of it. What do you think we should ask?"

Gu Nian said helplessly, "I am not that interested in this……"

"Oh, c'mon. We are here already, might as well give it a try."

Gu Nian wasn't as lively as Jiang Xiaoqing was. "You go ahead. I will wait for you here."

Jiang Xiaoqing wouldn't let her go. "Why not give it a try? I can use some companionship."

Gu Nian hesitated for a little while then, looking around to make sure there wasn't anyone close to them, before she turned back and said helplessly, "I really don't believe in these things."

"……?"

Jiang Xiaoqing and Gu Nian looked into each other's eyes.

Jiang Xiaoqing looked at her, dazed, and finally asked, "Why are you here if you don't believe in it?"

Gu Nian thought about it some. "It's a psychological thing. I feel that I am giving my precious son my best wishes. He was very distant back then and this was the only approach that I can go with. It has become a habit after a while."

Jiang Xiaoqing slapped her forehead. "Your love for Luo Xiu was truly deep."

Gu Nian lifted her head proudly.

Neither one of the two noticed that a young Taoist priest stopped in his track after Jiang Xiaoqing had finished talking. He stopped after a few more steps and turned to look at the two of them.