Chapter 132 Extra The Ancient Temple

Chapter 132 Extra: The Ancient Temple

When I was pregnant with Huan Huan and Xiao Yu, I often found myself consumed by immense panic. Having never experienced such a thing, fear swallowed me whole like a bottomless pit.

I frequently dreamt of my mother. In my dreams, she wore a wisteria-colored gown. Though I had never seen her, I knew she was my mother. I tried to call out to her, "Mom."

She reached out to me, "Xiao Qiu."

"He has taken good care of you," she said, her eyes slightly moist as she looked at me, perhaps recalling my father.

"Father is very loving towards me, Mom."

Mother gently stroked my head, and I couldn't help but speak to her about my belly. "Mom, my belly is so unusually large. I'm so scared. Were you this scared back then?"

"Yes, I was both scared and full of anticipation. But when you finally arrived, I felt utterly fulfilled and without regret." Mother still looked young, appearing to be about my age, yet her expression already held that sacred motherly tenderness. Thinking of the unusual size of my belly, I frowned. "Mom, why is my belly so big? Other women at this stage of pregnancy aren't nearly as large. I'm very worried something might happen to the baby."

At this thought, tears welled in my eyes.

"Xiao Qiu, don't be afraid. Mother will watch over you for a safe delivery."

Mother's figure gradually grew faint and transparent. I tried to embrace her but grasped only air.

"Xiao Qiu, did you have a nightmare?"

Above me was the indigo-colored gauze canopy. Xie Yan held me, gently patting my back. His voice was soft. "What did you dream about? Tell me. Speaking it aloud will make you less afraid."

"Xie Yan, I dreamed of my mother." I clutched his arm, eager to share the details of my dream.

"Did your mother seem well?"

"She was well. She said she would bless our child and keep them safe."

"Tomorrow, I will take you to Kaifu Temple to pray for our child and light an eternal lamp for your mother."

"Okay."

The next day, it was drizzling, but Xie Yan and I still left the palace.

Kaifu Temple is a millennium-old sanctuary nestled among the mountains, where incense smoke perpetually rises. Devotees who visit say that making the ascent on foot shows the utmost sincerity. I decided to do the same, but halfway up, I was struck by sharp abdominal pains. Xie Yan immediately wanted to take me back to the palace, but I stopped him. "Sincerity is what truly matters, Xie Yan. I'm just too tired. Let me rest for a while."

The rain continued to fall, and those ascending the mountain were sheltering in a pavilion. Many came to speak with Xie Yan and me.

Among them was a barefoot monk who approached me and said, "Why go to such lengths, benefactor? If your heart is sincere, the gods will surely sense it. As long as you revere the divine in your heart, why cling to the mere formality of ascending the mountain?"

I deeply agreed and finally accepted Xie Yan’s suggestion to take a palanquin up the mountain. As we waited for the abbot in the main hall, the same barefoot monk entered, soaked from the rain. He smiled and said, "This humble monk's Dharma name is Jieyuan. I pay my respects—"

"We are traveling privately. There is no need for such formalities, Abbot."

Xie Yan stopped him from bowing.

Puzzled, I approached Jieyuan and asked a few more questions. "Abbot, do you think my belly might be abnormal? Why is it so large?"

"Honored one, your destiny is one of nobility, though you must undergo some trials. The child in your womb will naturally overcome difficulties and turn misfortune into blessing."

"That is reassuring."

I had heard that the abbot of Kaifu Temple was extremely accurate in his predictions. His words finally set my heart at ease. I wanted to discuss the eternal lamp for my mother with him, but the abbot instead turned to Xie Yan and said, "Benefactor, what you asked us to arrange has been taken care of."

I turned to Xie Yan in confusion, but he only smiled without speaking.

The abbot led us to the inner hall. Above, three thousand eternal lamps glowed brightly, incense smoke spiraled upward, and the sound of sutra chanting filled the air. The hall was lined with eternal lamps, each clearly inscribed with my mother’s name. Tears welled in my eyes as I turned to look at Xie Yan.

"A-Yan, thank you."

"Between you and me, there is no need for thanks."

He gently wiped the tears from my face.

As Xie Yan and I were descending the mountain, we encountered a woman making her way up. She stared at my belly for a long time before asking, "Are you expecting twins?"

"Twins?"

"Yes, your belly is larger than normal. It looks like twins."

As soon as she finished speaking, the drizzling rain suddenly stopped, and a curved rainbow appeared in the sky. Fatedly, all the doubts in my heart vanished with her words.

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