At Bai Xi Temple, pilgrims swarmed like a tide. Wang Jianhua held Xia Ziyu’s hand tightly, afraid she might get lost in the crowd.

It wasn’t quite appropriate for two university students to visit a place associated with feudal superstition, but Anqing County was backward. The county didn’t even have a movie theater, let alone an “ice skating rink” where young people from the capital enjoyed themselves. There weren’t even places for cultured dating, like libraries.

Grandmother Xia said Bai Xi Temple’s incense was particularly effective, so she asked Xia Ziyu to burn incense on her behalf and take the opportunity to go out with Wang Jianhua. Xia Hongxia wanted to come too, but Grandmother Xia, wise with age, wouldn’t let her interfere with Xia Ziyu’s chance to deepen her relationship.

Though Wang Jianhua had been an educated youth in Dahe Village for several years, he’d never visited Bai Xi Temple. Upon arriving, they discovered a temple fair, and he accompanied Xia Ziyu around. Xia Ziyu was particularly considerate, not letting Wang Jianhua spend money on this and that. Fortunately, the items at the temple fair were cheap – a cotton candy was enough to make Xia Ziyu beam with joy. Wang Jianhua held Xia Ziyu’s hand, saying they looked like newlyweds.

Xia Ziyu blushed, pulled her hand away, and walked up the hillside: “Grandmother asked me to burn incense for her.”

Wang Jianhua stood there smiling, then followed her up.

Wang Jianhua never believed in these things, so when Xia Ziyu burned the incense, he waited at the temple entrance. When Xia Ziyu came out, she smiled at him: “I know you don’t believe in these things, but I’d rather believe they exist. This difference comes from our different upbringings – you can’t dislike me for it.”

“I respect your customs.”

“Actually, besides burning incense for Grandmother, I lit one for myself too, praying for Uncle and the others to be rehabilitated soon, so they won’t suffer like this anymore.”

Wang Jianhua fell silent. The Wang family’s troubles couldn’t be solved by burning incense and worshipping Buddha. But he appreciated Xia Ziyu’s intentions.

After dating Xia Ziyu for six months, she proved to be a girlfriend without flaws. Before the Wang family’s misfortune, Wang Jianhua might have been pickier, choosing someone more to his liking, but given his family’s situation and the fact that Xia Ziyu didn’t look down on him, he had no position to be picky.

In Wang Jianhua’s mind, Xia Ziyu’s only shortcoming was her family background, but through her efforts, she managed to escape her rural environment. Compared to the city girls Wang Jianhua used to know, Xia Ziyu’s self-improvement and gentle magnanimity made her even more outstanding.

A surge of emotion welled up in Wang Jianhua’s chest, and he almost blurted out “Let’s get married after graduation.” He had just called out “Ziyu” when a familiar yet strange figure entered his line of sight.

“Xiaolan…”

Despite the cold weather, she wore a down jacket that, far from making her look bulky, accentuated her long neck, slender waist, and long legs, which were wrapped in jeans, moving with light, sprightly steps. Her small pointed face and expressive eyes now sparkled with vitality, though Wang Jianhua couldn’t forget their previous accusatory gaze.

He knew Xia Xiaolan couldn’t have had anything with Zhang Erlai from the neighboring village – Zhang Erlai had been pursuing Xia Xiaolan, and Wang Jianhua had even saved her, which led to their relationship. But at that time, he had to make an issue of it to make Xia Xiaolan give up on him.

What choice did Wang Jianhua have?

After that impulsive night, he woke up with Xia Ziyu beside him, the room reeking of alcohol, both of them unclothed – he had to take responsibility for Xia Ziyu! What made it worse was that Xia Ziyu was Xia Xiaolan’s cousin. He had been secretly dating the younger sister, planning to announce it after getting into university, but unexpectedly ended up with the elder sister instead.

Xia Xiaolan naturally couldn’t bear this blow.

Wang Jianhua had no solution.

To make a clean break, he had said those hurtful words. After that day, he and Xia Ziyu had left early to report to university, and he hadn’t seen Xia Xiaolan for half a year. Who would have thought they’d meet again in such an unexpected situation? After six months, Xia Xiaolan seemed to have moved past her previous hysterical anger. A thin, dark-skinned young man accompanied her, looking particularly energetic.

Wang Jianhua’s mind was in chaos.

His feet had unconsciously stepped forward when a hand held him tightly.

Xia Ziyu’s face was white as paper. “Jianhua, I suddenly feel unwell… my chest feels tight. Can we rest in the temple for a while?”

Wang Jianhua had lost his ability to think clearly. He didn’t notice the flaw in Xia Ziyu’s words – if her chest felt tight, why go into the temple where there were even more pilgrims?

Xia Ziyu’s voice had startled Wang Jianhua back to reality.

He didn’t know how to face Xia Xiaolan either.

If Xiaolan saw him with Ziyu, wouldn’t she make a scene? On this New Year’s Day, at the temple fair, Wang Jianhua didn’t want to be pointed at and called a heartless man.

“Come, I’ll help you inside and ask the monks for some water.”

Ziyu probably hadn’t seen Xiaolan, right?

They couldn’t go down the mountain now – Xiaolan was coming up the steps toward Bai Xi Temple, and being taller than Xia Ziyu, he was probably the only one who had seen Xiaolan. Wang Jianhua was somewhat grateful now that Xia Ziyu’s discomfort came at such a convenient time, allowing him to calm down first and think about how to handle this situation with minimal negative impact.

Xia Ziyu kept her head down. If she hadn’t held onto Wang Jianhua just then, this man would likely have walked toward Xia Xiaolan as if possessed.

What did he want to do by rushing over there?

Xia Ziyu not only recognized Xia Xiaolan but also saw Liu Fen and the others.

She didn’t recognize the dark-skinned young man next to Xia Xiaolan, but from his gaze, she could tell he liked Xia Xiaolan. This wasn’t surprising – Xia Ziyu was used to seeing how men looked at Xia Xiaolan, who was born with a face that naturally attracted men.

This kind of beauty was purely heaven-sent. Xia Ziyu had once felt very unbalanced about it – what she had to work hard to achieve, Xia Xiaolan could get with just a beckoning finger! However, after successfully getting into university, being with Wang Jianhua, and seeing her parents open a small restaurant with improving living conditions, that sense of imbalance gradually shifted… but Xia Xiaolan hadn’t, as she had hoped, become mired in a miserable life. Whenever Xia Xiaolan wanted, she could easily change her life.

How could someone’s hundred percent effort not match another’s sixty percent – just because of a face?

Xia Xiaolan could easily get help from men just because of that face. Not only had Wang Jianhua tutored her, but after entering County No. 1 Middle School, others had taught Xia Xiaolan too, awakening her supposedly stupid brain! No – she just didn’t want to admit that Xia Xiaolan had always been quite intelligent. In primary school, Xia Xiaolan’s grades were even better than hers. She couldn’t let Jianhua and Xia Xiaolan have close contact. The dark-skinned young man beside Xia Xiaolan wasn’t as tall and handsome as Jianhua – wouldn’t Xia Xiaolan try to pursue him?

Xia Ziyu and Wang Jianhua were truly a match – both harboring their thoughts but making the same choice.

“Xiaolan, are you thirsty?” Liu Fen asked, thinking she was tired as Xiaolan’s eyes gazed thoughtfully ahead.

“No, no, we’ll head back after burning the incense, right?”

The crowd in front of Bai Xi Temple was packed like sardines in a can. Xia Xiaolan caught sight of two familiar figures that looked like her accomplished university student cousin Xia Ziyu and future brother-in-law Wang Jianhua.

Could it be them?

Xia Xiaolan knew she would have to face these two eventually, but hadn’t expected this “reunion” so soon. However, shouldn’t they have mocked and ridiculed her upon seeing her? Why did they seem to flee in panic?

It must have been her imagination.

Or perhaps the young couple could only see each other in their eyes and hadn’t noticed her at all.