CHAPTER 328: CHAPTER 113: LIKE A TURTLE IN A JAR

Su Ziceng strolled alone along a smooth mountain path. After being granted permission to enter Chuyun Grand Shrine, she was forced to part ways with the female exchange student.

Ever since the news about "Yellow Love" being sold abroad became known to the public, more and more people started coming to Chuyun Grand Shrine to admire what was referred to as a "Divine miracle" in the jewelry world. To avoid disturbing the normal pilgrims and to purify the visitors’ minds, Divine Palace of Chuyun Grand Shrine proposed that everyone visiting must walk around the shrine alone, as after receiving the baptism of the Divine Light, they naturally would be led to view Yellow Love.

Su Ziceng had no choice but to follow the instructions of the Shrine and visit Chuyun Grand Shrine alone. She didn’t even know she was fortunate. If she didn’t possess an Eastern face, like the blond, gray-eyed person from Orleans, she would have also had to accept the additional command to bathe and abstain from meat.

Walking in the shrine with continuous stone lanterns surrounded by shade, Su Ziceng’s heart also calmed down, and she carefully appreciated the famous Shrine.

From its outward appearance, built relying on the mountain’s trend, Chuyun Grand Shrine resembled an ancient noble residence, only with many years of incense worship, it had an added divine majesty. Su Ziceng also saw the famous Shimenawa that shelters marital ties; under this thick rope, it is said that tossing a coin onto the rope—if it stays without falling—supposedly brings good luck.

The giant rope, its original color long faded, with a diameter of forty to fifty centimeters, was hanging in mid-air, awaiting for pilgrims to toss their marriage coins.

Initially, Su Ziceng merely watched, but under the meddling of some enthusiastic Japanese tourists nearby, she couldn’t help but start fumbling for coins as well.

As she fumbled for coins in her pocket, her mind was foggy. They say sincerity brings divine response, yet currently, she couldn’t even clearly decide on which individual to think about while tossing the coin. When her hand withdrew from the pocket, she realized shockingly there were two coins in her palm—Su Ziceng hesitated for a moment, it seemed even the gods could not clear her confusing doubts, she just closed her eyes and threw them upwards forcefully.

The coins’ metallic luster sliced through the air above the beige rope, the round coins tossed high and landed successfully on the rope. People around cheered, completely oblivious to Su Ziceng’s embarrassed expression. Unexpectedly, both were successful, only further mingling the images of Pello’s smile and Hang Yishao in her mind.

"Damn it, now is not the time to think about this," Su Ziceng was in turmoil and didn’t care to pay attention to the Shimenawa anymore, and continued to move deeper into Chuyun Grand Shrine.

After more than half an hour, one of the coins fell from the rope, hitting the ground with a dull sound.

Compared to Su Ziceng’s pleasant tranquility, it was much worse for Orleans—a few days of bathing and chanting Buddha had not calmed his restless temperament, on the contrary, Orleans had never walked so much mountain road before. The smooth path that Su Ziceng perceived, under his feet, turned into an endless, repetitively rugged road.

He couldn’t remember how many times he cursed the difficult mountain road nor how many times he complained about the sparse breakfast which left him lacking in strength.

It took him a whole morning to finish walking around what he derogatorily referred to as a broken temple, not to mention the prior breakup with the interpreter who mentioned that there would be guides leading him there.

On the road, there wasn’t a single living soul in sight, Orleans could only blame himself as he wanted to quickly finish the journey without even clearly looking at the basic direction signs. At that moment, he had already strayed from the main path, entering the outskirts of Chuyun Grand Shrine. Without proper guidance, he might end up walking until dark without ever finding the main path.

On the mountain road, the wind swept down a ground full of old winter leaves, Orleans looked around and saw a figure approaching from a distance.

"hello?" Orleans, tired and sleepy, just wanted to find someone to talk to, discarding the cursed ’Yellow Love’ from his mind.

The figure came closer and closer, and the anxious expression on Orleans’ face quickly turned into one of amazement.

The figure was a woman. Her skin was even fairer than Westerners, with red lips, and as she walked, her supple waist swayed from side to side.

Orleans had never seen a woman like her before; just standing there, she could take a man’s breath away. The strange woman smiled, revealing her shell-white teeth, her eyes looking somewhat panicked, as if the wild forest mountain had spooked her.

With a buzzing sound, Orleans felt blood rushing to his head, his mouth dry and his tongue tied, the brusque "hello" from before instantly gone. His tongue stuttered in French, unable to find the right words.

"Hello," the strange woman calmed down before him, seemingly noticing his nervousness, she even took the initiative to extend her hand.

Her hands were beautiful too, Orleans noticed; as delicate as jade, his gaze unintentionally shifted to the bare skin visible beyond her dress. Thinking of what lay beneath the tight dress, Orleans swallowed and hurriedly took her hand. The next moment, he was taken aback; she could speak French.

Wen Maixue nodded amicably, but Orleans’ clinging hand and his unsettling gaze made her feel somewhat repulsed.

But she suppressed these feelings. Pello had mentioned that Olson once lusted after Tina’s beauty, and the men in the Olson family almost couldn’t resist women from the East. Orleans was no exception, and the real drama was just beginning.

With a beauty by his side, Orleans no longer felt the mountain path was difficult. Now he wished the trail were longer; that way, the woman with a voice sweet as a skylark’s song would continue walking with him.

Wen Maixue was well-prepared; she even thoroughly researched Orleans’ fondness for hobbies like hunting and skiing. Their conversation flowed smoothly until they reached the main shrine; by then, Orleans was thoroughly captivated by her.

When he heard that this oriental lady wanted to part ways, Orleans became even more anxious, "Miss Wen, will I have the opportunity to see you again?" This heir of the pleasure and women-loving Olson family still didn’t realize, that she was waiting for him to ask this exact question.

"There will be opportunities in the future," Wen Maixue extended her hand again. Orleans eagerly took her hand and kissed it, "On behalf of the Olson family, I look forward to our next meeting, Miss Wen."

He believed, just as no woman could resist the temptation of diamonds, no woman could resist an invitation from the immensely wealthy diamond empire of the Olson family. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation.)