Chen An had returned to Taixi originally planning to tell Cheng Lele about his actual situation, to spare her from running around and fighting so hard. But Cheng Lele’s words made him temporarily abandon this idea.

One month after Cheng Lele’s return, he began experiencing insomnia again.

From the day he foolishly said “I am willing,” Chen An discovered he’d re-entered the whirlpool of love and lost his reason. He was like iron filings under an invisible magnetic field—involuntarily pulled, struggling desperately but with not a bit of effect. The kind of “superior-subordinate” game he’d previously envisioned—he could barely keep it up anymore, yet didn’t know what to do next.

Chen An decided to go to a temple for spiritual cultivation.

Jingping Temple was located halfway up Siming Mountain in Taixi. This place had beautiful scenery—surrounded by green trees and clusters of flowers and grass. It was said to be a geomantically auspicious location. But except on holidays, there weren’t many worshippers. Apart from morning chanting, it was usually silent.

Chen An had stayed there many times. This time he donated a large sum for incense offerings. The abbot gifted him a string of blessed Buddhist prayer beads, a hand-copied “Diamond Sutra,” and even played chess with him to help him relax.

Because he was an old regular customer, the abbot opened his mouth and said: “Have you let go of your obsession yet?”

The abbot was an old mischief-maker. Chen An suspected he was going to perform that “the cup is hot, naturally you put it down” routine. He ignored him and moved a horse piece.

The abbot continued talking to himself: “Haven’t let go? Then I’ll continue to have incense money from you.” As he spoke, he pointed to the West Hall: “Look, that place—half of it was renovated thanks to that female donor you haven’t let go of. Do you want to consider naming it after her?”

Monks had their own special way of mocking people. Chen An was ridiculed speechless and thought to himself he’d convert to Christianity next time and go repair churches instead.

After playing a few more moves, Chen An asked: “Can you divine for me whether she and I can end up together in the end?”

“Didn’t you win awards in the National Math Olympiad? Can’t you calculate it yourself?”

Chen An continued talking to himself: “If it calculates well, I’ll cover the other half of the renovation costs.”

The abbot moved a chess piece: “This is a pure Buddhist land. Let’s not have such a heavy smell of money.”

Chen An added: “If I get together with her, I’ll regularly bring you several business stars to worship here. Given time, all those seeking wealth will come here. These people usually calculate and scheme constantly, but before Buddha they’re absolutely generous with their spending. Then you won’t have to worry about the West Hall renovation costs—tear it all down and rebuild a magnificent golden new hall.”

The abbot clicked his tongue, somewhat tempted, but frowned: “Didn’t we divine last time? Wasn’t it not very good?”

Chen An said shamelessly: “That’s why I’m asking you to divine again.”

“Will divining again be any different?”

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

“If you have this determination, why stay here? Why not take action yourself?”

“Right now I’m asking you to take action. How did this get redirected back to me?”

The abbot said with a headache: “Then let me think of a way.”

“Good.” Chen An agreed and didn’t plan to continue playing. He prepared to return to his room to work.

The abbot also stood up and asked with concern: “Do you know you seem particularly abnormal and particularly manic this time? Have you considered seeing a psychologist?”

“…”

Chen An returned to his room and began handling official business.

Dong Ping had already sent over a capital usage plan, saying if needed, they could communicate in person.

The investment company had several projects advancing that required his approval.

The board secretary of Feixing Culture went around Tang Xin to confirm the timing of a high-level meeting with him.

Guan Luning sent him the first-half-year edge cloud computing industry report and recommended a project, asking him to find time to review it together.

…

Chen An worked straight through until the early morning hours.

Before falling asleep, he sourly thought that he’d heard that nine out of ten long-distance relationships end in tragedy. Perhaps Zhong Ming and Cheng Lele would have a bad ending. Then he thought heavily that if Cheng Lele knew he still had such thoughts, would she be scared and run away again? When she said “acting foolishly back then,” did it mean she wouldn’t do it again? So could he pester her relentlessly now? Would Cheng Lele give him a chance?

Three thousand Buddhas and boundless Bodhisattvas, on their own turf, listened all night to a mature, steady, elite man’s endless rambling thoughts.