This person really knows how to be reborn!

Chapter 20 A Love Lock

The next day was June 5th. Zeng Cheng slept in for a long time and didn't get up until the sun was high in the sky.

A balance of tension and relaxation is the key to success.

Zeng Cheng understood this principle.

The college entrance exam is in two days, so there's no point in taking more practice tests now. It's better to relax, get into the best mindset, and you'll have a better chance of performing well on the exam.

After getting up, Zeng Cheng found that his elderly mother had made him a loving breakfast before going to work, which was kept warm in the electric cooker. He happily took it out and ate it.

Just after he finished breakfast, Li Xingzhi called to ask him what his plans were for the day.

Zeng Cheng muttered that he didn't have any plans, then asked Li Xingzhi what plans he had.

"Brother Cheng, how about we do a few practice tests?"

"Pfft, I've never seen you this serious before. The college entrance exam is the day after tomorrow, what the hell are you doing!"

"I'm not nervous, even if it's just last-minute cramming, it should at least have some effect, right...?"

Zeng Cheng understood.

Typical pre-exam anxiety.

The college entrance examination is, after all, a major event in one's life, and even someone as insensitive as Li Xingzhi would feel nervous.

"Forget about doing practice problems. I'll take you somewhere that will definitely relieve your anxiety."

"Where to?"

You'll know when you get there.

Zeng Cheng kept everyone in suspense, then arranged to meet Li Xingzhi at the bus stop near the entrance of his residential compound.

Although it is said that "finger techniques are also techniques, and foot techniques are also principles," Zeng Cheng had no intention of taking Li Xingzhi to explore the true meaning of life.

I'm worried that this kid isn't relaxed enough before the exam, but I'm even more afraid that he's too relaxed before the exam.

If you don't like last-minute cramming, then take him to get real help from Buddha.

Zeng Cheng used to be completely averse to superstition.

All the gods and Buddhas in the heavens are illusions. No matter which religion it is, frankly speaking, they are all tools of the rulers.

But he's not so sure now—after all, even something like rebirth can happen to him.

It's not that I've started to believe in religion, but rather that I've developed a greater sense of awe for fate.

Five minutes later, the two brothers met at the bus stop.

After rambling on for a bit, Zeng Cheng's phone rang again—it was Yu Baiwei calling.

After pressing the answer button, Yu Baiwei asked him what his plans were for the day and if he could take her for a walk.

[Well, we can't exactly say that a sect's holy maiden would have pre-exam anxiety, can we? That doesn't make sense!]

Zeng Cheng was somewhat puzzled.

First of all, given Yu Baiwei's consistent top-ten ranking in the province, getting into Tsinghua or Peking University would be a piece of cake.

Secondly, this girl has won several Olympic gold medals, so she can reduce her score by a full fifty points whether she chooses Tsinghua or Peking University.

This was only because Yu Baiwei didn't participate in the national training team due to finding it too troublesome; otherwise, she would definitely have been sent to the national team.

At this time, Zeng Cheng was unaware that a certain noblewoman had long planned to send her daughter to Imperial College London—Tsinghua and Peking University were good, but compared to Imperial College London, a prestigious institution, they ultimately lacked a certain foundation.

If I had known, I definitely wouldn't have guessed it was pre-exam anxiety.

To put it bluntly, Yu Baiwei's participation in the college entrance examination was merely a way to bring her high school life to a complete end; it had no real practical significance.

Suppressing his doubts, Zeng Cheng said to Yu Baiwei, "What a coincidence! I was just about to take Zhiliao out for a stroll. If you're coming, we'll wait for you here."

Yu Baiwei simply uttered two words: "Address".

Half an hour later, a wealthy heiress appeared before the two brothers.

Today, she was wearing a floral dress whose brand was unidentifiable—most likely a handmade piece by an international tailor.

The dress was a bit loose, but it didn't completely cover her curvaceous figure, especially her chest, which was truly eye-catching.

She carried her usual Prada handbag and wore classic GUCCI shoes with a horsebit design. Her skin was dazzlingly white under the sunlight.

She has a cool and aloof temperament, yet she also possesses a dazzling, star-like girlish charm.

Zeng Cheng asked casually, "Didn't your mother forbid you from going out alone?"

Yu Baiwei answered truthfully, "My mother is in London and is contacting schools for me."

Zeng Cheng looked surprised: "Uh, you don't study in China?"

Yu Baiwei nodded: "My mother plans to send me to Imperial College London."

At this point in the conversation, Zeng Cheng said nothing more.

As I said before, one should have self-awareness.

Zeng Cheng felt that the girl's recent infatuation with him was simply because he was the only friend she had ever had since childhood, and because he was particularly good at providing her with emotional support, nothing more.

She's a princess who was born with the whole world at her fingertips. Does she really need him? She might forget about him soon after she gets abroad.

Zeng Cheng was unaware that just moments before, Yu Baiwei had been arguing with her mother on the phone.

She made it clear to Chen Danqing that she did not want to study in the UK, but wanted to stay in China.

Chen Danqing was naturally very angry.

As a result, the mother and daughter had their most intense argument in eighteen years.

Half an hour later.

Looking at the long, winding stone path before him and the ancient temple hidden deep in the mountains, Li Xingzhi's expression was a mix of amusement and exasperation: "Brother Cheng, so you brought me here to worship Buddha? Isn't that feudal superstition?"

Zeng Cheng waved his hand: "What's all this superstition? Sincerity is key. Let's go, let's go up the mountain."

It takes about half an hour to walk from the foot of the mountain to the top.

The three of them wound their way up.

Many other students in the group were also high school seniors who were cramming for exams at the last minute.

The roadside was full of small vendors, selling not only mountain products but also many quirky little trinkets.

Upon arriving at the mountain gate, Yu Baiwei stopped in front of a stall.

There were probably over a hundred locks on the wooden table.

She blinked her big eyes and asked someone, "Is this a love lock?"

Zeng Cheng nodded: "Yeah, what's wrong?"

Yu Baiwei then asked, "Can friends engrave their names on it?"

Zeng Cheng wasn't sure either, and hesitantly replied, "Probably...it's possible?"

"oh."

Yu Baiwei nodded and then said nothing more.

Li Xingzhi began to mutter, "Brother Cheng, I'm dying of thirst. Shall we go buy some water before we go burn incense?"

Zeng Cheng chimed in, "Then Zhi Liao, you go buy water, I'll go buy incense and candles, Yu Baiwei, you just stand here and don't move."

Yu Baiwei nodded first, then added, "I want to eat oranges."

Zeng Cheng: "..."

In 2009, the "Orange Flower" meme had clearly not yet become popular.

In other words, Yu Baiwei simply wanted to eat oranges.

But to Zeng Cheng, it sounded like—we're just friends, yet she wants me to be her father?

Should I agree to her, or agree to her, or agree to her?

It's so hard to choose.

Five minutes later, the two brothers had finished buying their things and returned to the same spot.

The beautiful Yu stood gracefully at the mountain gate, clearly obeying Zeng Cheng's instructions—to stay where you are and not move.

However, there was one thing that puzzled Zeng Cheng—all the locks on the wooden table at the love lock stall were gone, and the stall owner was nowhere to be seen.

Puzzled, he asked Yu Baiwei a question.

Yu Baiwei's eyes darted around strangely: "Um, I don't know either."

Zeng Cheng didn't take it seriously and handed her half a peeled orange: "Here, I've tasted it, it's quite sweet."

Yu Baiwei took it and began to eat it happily.

She rarely eats oranges.

Why do I suddenly want to eat this today?

This goes back to someone's speech at the rally that day—I gave her a truckload of oranges, but she just happens to like apples. If she doesn't like something, she doesn't like it, and no matter what I do, she just doesn't like it. It's not like I was moved at all.

Zeng Cheng, that girl named Xia Ning didn't like the truckload of oranges you sent, but I can like them.

The three of them went up the stone steps into the temple.

From the temple gate to the main hall at the top of the mountain, there are more than ten places where you need to offer incense, and the whole process is complicated and lengthy.

After offering incense and praying to Buddha, the three reappeared at the temple gate at dusk.

Even now, students continue to flock to offer incense.

"Let's go, let's go down the mountain."

Zeng Cheng waved his hand.

"Brother Cheng, look!"

Li Xingzhi suddenly pointed to the osmanthus tree with the love lock hanging at the temple entrance.

Zeng Cheng looked over and was stunned.

There were hundreds of locks hanging on the tree.

The set consists of two swords, each engraved with the characters "虞" and "曾".

Zeng Cheng quickly realized what was happening and turned to look at Yu Baiwei.

"Um, you just... bought all those locks?"

Yu Baiwei nodded with a slight blush, then asked hopefully, "Zeng Cheng... in that case, we'll be friends for life, right? Even if I go abroad to study at university and can only see you once or twice a year."

Zeng Cheng felt a tingling sensation in his heart. Looking at the magnificent sunset, he earnestly promised her, "Yes, we will be good friends for life."

After saying that, he couldn't help but sigh.

He thought the princess owned the whole world, but the princess thought she only had him.

The new green card hangs on the branch, fallen leaves spill over the wall.

Life is a journey against the current; some get off early, while others linger at the final destination.

The wind blows by, and every encounter will eventually end in parting.