The whole family is insanely eavesdropping on my thoughts Chapter 541
Chapter 541: The Bodhisattva Weeps
“Come, let’s go inside and light an incense stick.”
“By the way, where is Yu Zhou?” Shi Yun held her daughter’s hand, and all the weariness of the past days vanished upon seeing her.
Lu Chao Chao listened to the rhythmic sound of the wooden fish from the temple and felt a deep peace within her heart.
She pursed her lips and giggled. “Him? He doesn’t dare come up.” He was afraid the Bodhisattva might bind him and take him away.
“He’s waiting at the foot of the mountain, so don’t worry, Mother.”
Shi Yun lightly patted her daughter’s hand. “I want to return to Northern Zhao. I’ve never been away from home for so long. I heard your third brother is about to take the imperial exam again, and there’s hope he might claim the top scholar title once more.”
Two top scholars from the same family—what an honor.
“As for your second brother, he probably wants to marry Miss Wen. He’s waiting for me to return and arrange it…” She sighed mid-sentence.
“By tradition, your eldest brother should be married first. Alas, your eldest brother has had a bitter fate… unable to find a good match.”
He had achieved fame in his youth and was engaged to the Jiang family.
When his fiancée fell into the water, he risked his life to save her.
Yet Miss Jiang, terrified, hid behind a rockery and let him fall into the water instead. Even so, Lu Yan Shu never resented her.
But what she should never have done—what was unforgivable—was breaking off the engagement to be with Lu Jing Huai, the son of a concubine.
That was nothing short of a betrayal.
Now, Yan Shu’s heart was like still water, and marriage for him would be difficult.
“Mother, marriage is a matter of fate. Eldest Brother will find his happiness. Don’t worry so much…” Lu Chao Chao leaned against her mother, unwilling to let her overthink.
Shi Yun smiled and nodded.
The temple was crowded with worshippers that day. The two of them lit their incense and bowed in prayer before the large incense burner outside the main hall.
“May this child in my womb be born safely. May this child… be kind and compassionate, upright and honorable, with a heart that cherishes all living things.” A mother and child are connected; deep down, she likely had her own premonitions.
She reverently placed the incense into the burner, pressed her palms together, and bowed once more.
Just as they turned to leave, surprised murmurs arose behind them.
“Oh no, the incense stick snapped! That’s a bad omen—quickly, bow and pray!”
“It was fine just a moment ago, but in the blink of an eye, it broke cleanly!” The villagers offering incense were frightened and fell to their knees, praying for peace and safety.
Shi Yun’s heart skipped a beat. She paused and turned back.
“Mother!”
She wavered, her legs giving out almost completely. Fortunately, Lu Chao Chao and Rong Che caught her in time, preventing a fall.
Rong Che understood immediately—this was Shi Yun’s incense.
“I’m fine, just tired. My legs gave out for a moment.” Not wanting to worry her daughter, Shi Yun immediately turned and walked toward the grand hall.
Rong Che was deeply distressed but utterly helpless. He regretted everything. If only he could, he would have taken her place in bearing this child.
Inside the grand hall, incense burned fervently as Shi Yun knelt devoutly before the Bodhisattva. She pressed her hands together and bowed her head in prayer.
There were several other kneeling villagers beside her on adjacent prayer mats.
Shi Yun’s heart thudded uneasily. Strange…
In the past, whenever she came to the temple, she felt serene. But today, she felt as though she feared the Bodhisattva’s gaze.
The Bodhisattva statue remained the same, yet its eyes, once filled with mercy, now seemed sharp as blades. She dared not meet its divine visage, an inexplicable panic rising within her.
“Ah!!” A piercing scream rang out behind her.
An elderly woman stood frozen in horror before the altar. Then, as if madness had taken hold, she collapsed to her knees, kowtowing desperately.
“Bodhisattva, forgive us! Have we done something wrong?”
“Please, quell your anger, Bodhisattva!”
The people turned toward the commotion, and the old monk ringing the bell suddenly stood up.
The usually serene and smiling monk had turned deathly pale.
The prayer beads in his hand snapped, spilling onto the floor.
“Quickly, summon the Abbot!”
“The Bodhisattva weeps blood—this is an omen of great disaster!”
Without hesitation, the monks all dropped to their knees. In an instant, the entire grand hall was filled with kneeling worshippers.
Rong Che supported Shi Yun and knelt along with the crowd. But Shi Yun’s face was ashen, her unease reaching its peak.
Before long, hurried footsteps echoed from outside the hall.
The Abbot took one look at the statue and solemnly chanted, “Amitabha.”
“It is tears of blood.”
“The Bodhisattva weeps—does this mean a great calamity is coming?” someone whispered.
The Abbot questioned the young monks about those present in the hall and then had everyone else leave the temple grounds.
“The temple has matters to attend to today. I ask all benefactors to descend the mountain.”
Once the crowd had dispersed, only a few individuals remained in the hall.
Each was asked to draw a divination stick and state their prayers. Before long, only Lu Chao Chao’s family remained.
Shi Yun clutched Rong Che’s hand so tightly it hurt, but he endured it in silence, whispering words of comfort.
“Madam, may I ask you to draw a divination stick?”
Cold sweat dotted Shi Yun’s forehead as she knelt before the prayer mat. Her hands trembled as she held the bamboo cylinder of sticks.
“Mother, don’t be afraid!” Lu Chao Chao saw her mother’s distress and knelt beside her, placing her chubby hands over her mother’s.
Together, they shook the bamboo tube.
At that moment, Shi Yun seemed to find an anchor, and much of her fear dissipated. This sense of security—no one else, not even Rong Che, could provide.
The tube swayed, and soon, with a crisp sound, two tightly stuck bamboo sticks fell to the ground.
The young monk picked them up and gasped, “It’s twin divination sticks.”
The two sticks were firmly pressed together. With a slight nudge, they separated easily.
The Abbot furrowed his brows as he read the inscription.
“It is a dire omen.”
Shi Yun’s heart tightened, but before she could speak, the Abbot continued, “Yet the other stick is the most auspicious.”
“Life and death coexist.”
“Madam, your unborn child…” The Abbot glanced at her abdomen before quickly averting his gaze, as propriety dictated.
“This child is of great significance.”
“If left unchecked, they could bring great disaster upon the Three Realms.” The Bodhisattva’s blood tears were an undeniable prophecy.
Shi Yun’s strength drained from her body. She had suspected something, but hearing it confirmed shattered her.
“I…”
“I have lived my life with a clear conscience. Why must I suffer this?” She collapsed into Rong Che’s embrace, sobbing uncontrollably.
“I’m sorry, Brother Che. This child…”
Rong Che, eyes red, shook his head. “No, Yun, you have done nothing wrong. The fact that you chose me again is already my greatest blessing. I will support whatever decision you make.”
He held her tightly, regretting everything. If only he had known…
He would have taken sterilizing medicine long ago.
To have found and married her again in this lifetime was already a miracle.
He had made up his mind—once they returned to Northern Zhao, he would take the medicine himself. Never again would he let Shi Yun endure pregnancy.
As for asking her to take contraceptives, that thought had never crossed his mind.
But now, the child was already eight months along. Shi Yun’s body could not withstand much more. What was he to do?
The Abbot shook his head and sighed. “Benefactor, do not despair.”
“Had it been only the dire omen, this child would undoubtedly be a harbinger of calamity.”
“But the twin divination sticks mean there is a path to salvation.”
“This child has a fated adversary.”
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation