Mo Jiani rushed to Qingfeng Temple as soon as she finished filming, changed into a Taoist robe, and settled down to cultivate in the temple.
During morning classes at Qingfeng Temple, Jiang Tianxin and Xu Zian sit cross-legged in the first row, Luo Chen, Jiang Dong, Mo Jiani, Luo's mother, and Jiang's mother are in the second row, and the remaining young Taoists are in the third, fourth, and fifth rows. Xu Zifan sits on the steps facing them, leading their cultivation.
Although Xu Zifan initially recruited them like easy prey, he never treated them unfairly. The cultivation methods he personally created for them were very suitable for ordinary people, at least allowing them to draw spiritual energy into their bodies, nourish their internal organs, and prolong their lives. If anyone had better talent and progressed quickly, he would create new cultivation methods specifically for them.
During morning prayers, he would set up a spirit-gathering array to make everyone's cultivation twice as effective. Therefore, morning prayers were the time when the Taoist temple was most crowded and the temple was most tranquil.
The Taoist temple is now on the right track and can operate normally even when Xu Zifan is not around. Everyone finds time to cultivate on their own, and when they encounter difficult problems, they ask Jiang Tianxin or Xu Zifan. It is becoming more and more like a Taoist temple with a serious and solemn atmosphere.
The garage in the back is under construction, and the warehouse is filled with more items. Many people seem to be planning to make this place their permanent residence. Those who come to the Taoist temple to seek talismans all feel a sense of peace and tranquility.
But even if they don't go looking for trouble, trouble will always come knocking on their door. Luo Chen invited them to dinner for his birthday. When they arrived, they happened to see that the door to a private room was not closed. Inside were Cheng's father, Cheng Zhuang, a couple, and a young girl.
The young girl lowered her head shyly, while the parents of both sides chuckled and complimented each other. It was clearly a blind date scene, except for Cheng Zhuang, who had a dark expression on his face.
This had nothing to do with them, but when Cheng Zhuang saw Jiang Tianxin, he suddenly stood up, almost knocking over his chair, and said firmly, "I will not get engaged. I only love Tianxin."
Jiang Tianxin looked completely bewildered. "What do you want? What does this have to do with me?"
When Jiang Tianxin's name was mentioned, and they recognized her, they naturally stopped in their tracks.
Seeing that Cheng's father's face was turning ugly, he glanced at Jiang Tianxin, and Xu Zifan, with his keen eyesight, naturally saw the hidden disdain in his eyes. The girl also frowned, openly scrutinizing Jiang Tianxin. The couple looked displeased and coldly questioned, "Brother Cheng, what does this mean? Cheng Zhuang seems very unwilling."
Cheng's father forced a smile. "What does a child like him know? Marriage is a matter between two families, and it's about matching social status. Life is long; we can't let the child be willful. Cheng Zhuang, sit down!"
Cheng Zhuang angrily said, "I said I liked Tian Xin when I was eighteen, and that hasn't changed all these years. You look down on her because her family is a merchant family and because she's a police officer who's always in the public eye, but she's now part of a higher-ups. Her status has improved so much. How is that not a good match? Besides, she's got all the skills in the world. How is she not good enough for our family?"
Xu Zifan and the others' faces turned ugly. Jiang Dong was the first to say, "Cheng Zhuang, are you out of your mind? You don't want to go on blind dates, so why are you using my sister as a shield? She's not even good enough for your family. How can you be so shameless?"
Cheng's father took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Cheng Zhuang, you heard that. The Jiang family doesn't even look down on you. Don't mention this matter again. Sit down."
"No, I absolutely refuse to agree to this marriage today. I've liked Tianxin for many years, you know that!" Cheng Zhuang seemed to have been pushed to the limit, and chose the most blatant way to ruin the blind date.
Jiang Tianxin was in a bad situation, being dragged into the blame for no reason. She was so angry that she took a step forward, about to say something, when Xu Zifan grabbed her hand.
Xu Zifan led Jiang Tianxin directly to the door of the private room, and said with a half-smile, "Mr. Cheng Zhuang always seems to be clueless, causing trouble for others time and time again. Whether you want to go on a blind date or not is your freedom, but don't use my girlfriend as an excuse to reject others. I can't understand your kind of hate-inducing affection."
Furthermore, how come I had no idea that marriage involved class distinctions? Your Mrs. Cheng, who abandoned her husband and children, sold herself, and had an abortion—how noble must she be to have caught Mr. Cheng's eye?
The expressions of everyone in the private room changed drastically, and Cheng's father immediately roared angrily, "How dare you!"
Xu Zifan smiled faintly and said, "There's nothing I wouldn't dare to do. Compared to the two of you who inexplicably dragged the Jiang family into this disdainful behavior, I'm just telling the truth. I heard that Mr. Cheng's mother was also a merchant. Does she know that you look down on merchants like this? In the future, please be careful with your words, or you will suffer the consequences of your verbal misdeeds."
After speaking, Xu Zifan ignored their ugly expressions and led Jiang Tianxin into the private room that Luo Chen had booked. Luo Chen whistled, glanced at the Cheng family father and son, and sneered, "What kind of high-ranking official are you? Do you really think you're the emperor? We Qingfeng Temple people aren't people to be talked about like that."
Xu Zian stepped out from behind him. When the Cheng family father and son saw him this time, their faces turned even uglier. Xu Zifan simply uttered two words indifferently, "Idiot."
The group left one after another, completely ignoring them. An eerie silence fell over the private room. Then, the girl's parents exchanged a glance, suddenly stood up, and said, "I just remembered I have something to do. Let's call it a day and leave now."
Cheng's father couldn't utter a single word of pleading; he was too ashamed! He could already imagine how people in the industry would view him in the future, how they would laugh at him for marrying a wife who had abandoned her husband and children, sold herself, and had an abortion. He would never be able to hold his head up again!
Cheng's father, his eyes bloodshot, slapped Cheng Zhuang hard across the face. "Are you happy now?! Just because of a woman! You, you..."
Cheng's father couldn't catch his breath.
Cheng Zhuang fainted, and he no longer had the chance to talk to Jiang Tianxin. He could only ask the driver to take his father to the hospital.
Jiang Tianxin's face flushed as Xu Zifan held her hand the whole way. Upon entering the private room and seeing that Xu Zifan hadn't let go, she whispered, "Master..."
Xu Zifan closed the door behind him, then turned around and pulled her into his arms, saying softly, "I wasn't lying just now. I want you to be my girlfriend, Xin Xin. Will you?"
Jiang Tianxin leaned against the door, her face flushed, and stammered, "Why?"
"I like you," Xu Zifan leaned close to her ear, his voice so gentle it could melt water, "It just so happened that I met you, that I just so happened that I got to know you, that I just so happened that I like you, that today is the perfect day to confess... all these coincidences together make up our destiny."
Xin Xin, you'll meet many people you like in your life, and only when all of them accumulate will you want to be with them. I like you, do you like me?
Jiang Tianxin bit her lip and subconsciously replied, "I like it..."
Xu Zifan chuckled, reached out and pulled her into his arms, kissing her on the cheek. "Then let's stay together and make today our anniversary."
Jiang Tianxin's heart pounded wildly; the spot where his lips had touched hers burned intensely. She hesitated, reaching out to hug her boyfriend back, when suddenly there was a knock on the door, followed by Jiang Dong's voice, "Brother Fan, Xinxin, um..."
Jiang Tianxin immediately withdrew her hand, her face flushed, and lowered her head. Xu Zifan smiled, let go of her, and took her hand again to open the door. "Come in."
Jiang Dong was struggling with Luo Chen's hand covering his mouth. As soon as he was free, he immediately complained, "Luo Chen, what are you doing?" After saying that, he saw Xu Zifan and Jiang Tianxin's hands clasped together, and his eyes widened. He pointed at them and stammered, "What are you doing?"
Xu Zifan raised their clasped hands and waved them at them, "Didn't I just say? This is my girlfriend, please sit down."
Xu Zifan led Jiang Tianxin to find a seat, and Xu Zian spontaneously sat on the other side of his brother, looked at Jiang Tianxin curiously, and asked, "From now on, should I call Sister Tianxin'sister-in-law'?"
Jiang Tianxin's face remained flushed, and she didn't know how to respond. Her mind was still blank. Then she heard Xu Zifan laugh beside her, "Xiao An is so smart. She'll be your sister-in-law from now on."
Sensing his brother's good mood, Xu Zian, despite his young age, loudly proclaimed, "I wish my brother and sister-in-law a long and happy life together, a lifelong union, many children, and a blissful life."
Xu Zifan, Luo Chen, and the others burst into laughter. Mo Jianni sat down next to Xiao An and asked him, "Where did you learn all this from?"
Xu Zian scratched his head and laughed, "What I said on TV yesterday was right, wasn't it?"
Xu Zifan's "Yes!" made Jiang Tianxin blush and avoid looking at him. Xiao An even said "May you have a son soon!" What's the meaning of that?!
Jiang Dong sat down, still dumbfounded. He hadn't even realized how the abbot had become his sister's boyfriend. When did this happen? The abbot had stolen his sister's boyfriend right under his nose, and he hadn't even noticed? Recalling Luo Chen's jokes in Hai City, he suddenly realized that he, the older brother, wasn't even as observant as Luo Chen. He was utterly devastated!
Feeling dejected, Jiang Dong drank quite a bit of alcohol, purely to bolster his courage. After getting drunk, he kept telling Xu Zifan to treat Jiang Tianxin well, and at the end, he said that his sister was incredibly lucky to have found such a good boyfriend, which made everyone laugh and cry.
Jiang Tianxin looked at Xu Zifan, who was patiently answering Jiang Dong's questions, feeling as if she were still in a dream. She had only realized she was in love with Xu Zifan when she went out on business alone last time. Those days away made her understand the meaning of longing for someone for the first time, and she had worked tirelessly to dismantle the human trafficking organization. She never expected that so soon after, Xu Zifan would confess his feelings to her, and they would be together.
Thinking back to how they met feels like a dream. Last time, he trapped her to tease her, making her laugh foolishly all day. This time, he trapped her again, but to make her his girlfriend.
After so many twists and turns, they stayed together, and she rediscovered her true self in front of him.
She truly hoped that things could continue like this, and that they could walk together happily ever after.
Luo Chen slapped the table excitedly and said, "Let's continue! Today is not only my birthday, but our boss and Xin Xin also became a couple. It's a double celebration, so we have to continue! Let's go to the bar and have some fun!"
Jiang Dong immediately stood up and responded, "Yes, I want to drink more! I'm happy because Brother Fan is my brother-in-law! No, I'm not happy because my sister has been kidnapped! I'm not happy! I want to drink until I'm drunk!"
Xu Zifan pulled Jiang Tianxin up with a smile, "Let's go, let's have some fun today as a celebration." As soon as he finished speaking, his eyelids twitched, as if something was about to happen. He looked up and saw that the two brothers had already walked away arm in arm. He raised his eyebrows and followed them.