Chapter Twenty-One: The Original Plot Has Been Disrupted

"You don't need to worry about me. Go play with the other young ladies and do whatever you like."

"But Mother told me to stay with you more."

"No need, really. I'll just sit by myself in a corner."

"But..."

"No buts!" Wei Ruo finished, and without waiting for Wei Qingwan to say anything else, she vanished in a flash.

Wei Qingwan failed to catch up with Wei Ruo, her expression dull and forlorn. She couldn’t understand Wei Ruo’s intentions, but vaguely sensed that Wei Ruo truly disliked her, avoiding her at every turn.

Wei Ruo, for her part, had no interest in pondering what Wei Qingwan was thinking. Having shaken her off, Wei Ruo began searching for a route.

First and foremost, the meditation rooms at the back were absolutely off-limits. The male protagonist was currently residing in a meditation chamber on the rear mountain of Fahua Temple.

Today, to accommodate the visiting ladies, Fahua Temple had closed its doors to other pilgrims, but the man staying in the rear mountain chamber was an exception. He had moved in days earlier, and his special status was kept secret by the temple, so Madam Qian and the others had not been informed.

Under normal circumstances, that meditation chamber was far from the main temple, and the visiting women were unlikely to encounter him.

But the author was determined for the heroine and hero to meet, and so this supporting character—herself—became a powerful catalyst.

Because the original character had performed poorly earlier, embarrassing herself in front of everyone, and then overheard others praising Wei Qingwan, comparisons only deepened her wounds.

Additionally, the original character felt that what Wei Qingwan now possessed should have been hers, doubling her fury. Driven by jealousy and rage, she deliberately led Wei Qingwan to the rear mountain, intending to find a secluded spot to exact her revenge.

In the end, the male protagonist residing in the meditation chamber came to their rescue—hero saving the beauty, scholar and maiden, a tale of romance born from the encounter.

How to describe this plot? As a supporting character, she was certainly qualified—her means of vengeance both clumsy and feeble.

Now, Wei Ruo had two objectives:

First, to avoid Wei Qingwan and not be in her company. She had no intention of harming Wei Qingwan, but to prevent fate from intervening, it was best not to see her at all.

Second, to avoid the male protagonist. In the original story, the supporting character actually met her end at his hands. Wei Qingwan, as the gentle, soft-hearted heroine, remained kind, but the male lead was not so forgiving. He never showed mercy to those who tried to harm his beloved.

Wei Ruo wandered about and finally settled under a ginkgo tree behind the Hall of Guanyin.

The trunk of the ginkgo tree was thick—several Wei Ruos together could not encircle it. In spring, its fan-shaped leaves were a lush green, tiny fans hanging from every branch, a beautiful sight.

Wei Ruo leaned against the sturdy trunk, closed her eyes, and rested.

The sunlight was gentle, the shade beneath the tree cool, and a light breeze stirred—perfect conditions for a little nap.

"What are you doing here all alone?"

A voice suddenly broke the tranquility, interrupting Wei Ruo’s solitary daydream.

"Daydreaming," Wei Ruo glanced at Xie Ying, then closed her eyes again.

"Why don’t you go play with them?" Xie Ying asked.

"I don’t care for their conversations."

"So what are you interested in?" Xie Ying pressed.

Question after question forced Wei Ruo to open her eyes and face Xie Ying squarely.

The young lady was about the same age as her current body—her face clear and rounded, with a hint of boldness between her brows.

"Why are you so curious about me, Miss Xie?" Wei Ruo wondered. The Xie family’s daughter ought to be a sought-after companion—why was she not off playing with the others, but instead chasing after her with questions?

"No, I’m not interested in you. I’m interested in the spot you’re sitting in."

"The spot I’m sitting in?"

"This ginkgo tree is my preferred place to hide away for some peace and quiet, and you’ve taken it. If you aren’t particularly attached to it, could you let me have it? I’d like to be alone here. Of course, if you promise not to bother me, I can allow you to stay as well."

So, a kindred spirit!

Wei Ruo smiled, "I quite like it here, too. I won’t disturb you—let’s each take a side. The trunk is so thick, we won’t even see each other."

"That’ll work," Xie Ying accepted the proposal and went to sit on the other side of the ginkgo.

Both leaned against the trunk, each on their own side, neither bothering the other.

Time passed unnoticed, until suddenly a clamor rose, waking the two who were enjoying their stolen leisure beneath the tree.

Wei Ruo and Xie Ying lifted their heads, then peeked around, exchanging glances.

Their expressions were nearly identical—hazy with sleep and tinged with hesitation.

Hesitating whether to go over.

"What do you think happened over there?" Xie Ying asked.

"Should we go see?" Wei Ruo replied.

"Maybe... we should just stay put. Whatever it is, it probably doesn’t concern us," Xie Ying suggested.

"Let’s stay put," Wei Ruo agreed.

Their thoughts aligned perfectly—both wanted to remain lazy, so they lay back down.

Wei Ruo and Xie Ying, content beneath the ginkgo, had no idea that chaos had erupted ahead.

The ones involved were Wei Qingwan and Qian Zhilan, the county magistrate’s daughter.

After Wei Ruo left her, Wei Qingwan found Qian Zhilan—they were close friends.

Qian Zhilan, as the magistrate’s daughter, usually looked down on the other young ladies of Xing Shan County—the county registrar and deputy were all her father’s subordinates, and only Wei Qingwan’s family held similar rank.

She respected Xie Ying, but Xie Ying didn’t reciprocate and refused to play with her.

Wei Qingwan and Qian Zhilan wandered through the temple, admiring the scenery. At first, they simply strolled within the temple grounds, but Fahua Temple was not large, and soon they had seen it all.

That was when Qian Zhilan discovered a quiet path by the small west gate and pulled Wei Qingwan along.

After walking for a while, they came upon a meditation chamber surrounded by lush flowers and trees, a scene straight out of the poetry: "A winding path leads to a secluded spot, where the chamber is deep amidst blossoms and foliage."

Qian Zhilan led Wei Qingwan toward the chamber.

As they approached, a man dressed as a servant shouted at them, forbidding them from coming closer.

Qian Zhilan revealed her identity and rebuked him, reminding him that Fahua Temple was reserved for them today and no outsiders were allowed inside, ordering him to leave at once.

But he paid her no heed, so Qian Zhilan dragged Wei Qingwan back to her mother, exaggerating her account of the suspicious stranger lurking by the meditation chamber.

Madam Qian, hearing her daughter’s tale of a suspicious man sneaking about, promptly sent people to search the area near the chamber, causing quite a commotion.

The temple abbot, learning of Madam Qian’s actions, rushed over to intervene, and revealed a piece of news that left everyone deeply astonished.