Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Chapter 25 Teasing Miaoyu

Once inside the temple, Jia Lian and the others finally understood why Panxiang Temple didn't allow outsiders to enter.

This is hardly a temple; it looks more like the garden of a wealthy family.

Pavilions, terraces, towers, rocks, trees—everything you could want. Even the stone path in the middle was paved with white flagstones, and if you looked closely, you could see patterns engraved on them.

Even Daiyu exclaimed in amazement, "This temple is truly different from others."

Panxiang Temple did not appear as small as the old nun had described; in fact, it was quite spacious and tranquil.

Apart from the occasional sight of a nun, not a single person could be seen.

An older nun led a younger nun, diligently showing them around the various temples and halls, carefully explaining the origins of the Buddha statues at each location.

Soon we arrived at the most magnificent hall – the Mahavira Hall.

Daiyu wasn't particularly religious, but having no other way to mourn her mother, she followed Buddhist rites and prayed devoutly in the main hall.

Jia Lian went outside and had his servants carry in the two baskets of copper coins that he had prepared beforehand, so that he could make an offering.

Such a bold move even surprised the abbot of the temple.

For the sake of the money, the host immediately decided to grant Daiyu a "good fortune".

It's really just a complicated set of blessing procedures, its value lies in its mystery and solemnity.

Seeing Daiyu's distressed expression, wanting to refuse but unable to, Jia Lian felt inexplicably happy.

Seeing that Daiyu wouldn't have a moment to spare, he didn't bother waiting outside the hall and started wandering around aimlessly...

He searched several nearby palaces but still couldn't find the aloof woman ranked sixth among the Twelve Beauties. Finally, Jia Lian couldn't help but grab a passing nun: "Do you know where Miaoyu lives?"

The nun, who rarely saw a man, was completely at a loss when she was suddenly grabbed by such a handsome man.

When he asked about Miaoyu, she didn't answer. She just uttered a Buddhist chant and ran off quickly.

Left with no other choice, Jia Lian was about to return when he suddenly heard melodious zither music coming from behind the mountain.

Jia Lian followed the sound and indeed found a small pavilion in the mountains in a more beautiful place, from which the zither music was coming.

Jia Lian found a perfect spot and looked towards the pavilion.

Sure enough, a young woman was seen sitting gracefully in the pavilion, gently playing a zither.

She was graceful and elegant, with an ethereal air. The white veil that partially covered her head could not conceal her long, black hair, which cascaded down and spread across the wide bench. She wore a black robe, pure white and spotless, without a trace of any other color.

Although Jia Lian couldn't see her face clearly from his direction, he knew from her figure and attire that she was an exceptional woman.

And it's highly likely that it's Miaoyu.

He wanted to find a different angle so he could see Miaoyu's face more clearly, but he accidentally kicked a rock, which rolled down the hillside with a loud noise.

"Who's there?"

Upon being discovered, Jia Lian no longer hid. He jumped down from the rocky hill, walked to the middle of the stone path, and cupped his hands, saying, "I was drawn here by your enchanting voice, young lady. If I have offended you, please forgive my abruptness."

At this moment, the woman in the pavilion also got up and walked to the edge of the pavilion. When she saw that it was a young man, she was immediately surprised and said, "Nonsense, we never receive outsiders here. How did you get in?"

As they spoke, he remembered that Jia Lian had come down from the rocks behind him, and knew that this man must have been spying on him from up there. In his mind, he immediately categorized Jia Lian as a lecherous rogue.

Fearing that Jia Lian might be a philandering thief who had scaled the wall to break in, she was already filled with dread and wanted to leave as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, the pavilion was built halfway up the mountain, and the direction Jia Lian was in was the only way down. In their haste, they had no other choice but to leave before Jia Lian could make any rash moves.

Jia Lian observed her behavior and expression, and couldn't help but touch his face.

I don't know if I have a bad guy written on my face, or if Miaoyu is just too timid. It's just a greeting, why is she so scared?

Seeing Miaoyu quickly descend the steps, clearly not wanting to pay him any attention, Jia Lian decided to offer an explanation.

Little did Miaoyu know that he had been watching his every move. When she saw him raise his hand, she was so frightened that she stepped on the edge of the bluestone steps and cried out as she was about to fall.

Fortunately, she was very close to Jia Lian at that moment, and Jia Lian quickly took a step forward and firmly wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Let me go, you lecher!"

Miaoyu, still shaken, found herself lying in the man's arms. A large, hot hand was pressed against her fair waist, making her heart race. Without thinking, she struggled and cursed, her slender hands striking Jia Lian.

Jia Lian grabbed her hand, feeling very dissatisfied.

If he hadn't come to her rescue, with such a high step, this beautiful woman's delicate body would have been ruined if she had fallen straight down. Even if she hadn't broken any bones, she would have been completely disfigured.

How can you not feel even a little bit of gratitude?

With this in mind, how could Jia Lian possibly let her go?

Moreover, with her warm fragrance in his arms and her slender, smooth hands, Jia Lian couldn't help but feel a playful and teasing thought.

He deliberately pressed Miaoyu's body closer, and chuckled as he looked down, "Heaven is my witness, it was clearly you who threw yourself into my arms, so why are you cursing me? If I were truly a lecherous rogue, do you know what would happen to a beauty like you in my arms?"

Jia Lian deliberately let out a mocking laugh.

Miaoyu immediately dared not make another move. She looked up at Jia Lian, her pretty face inexplicably flushed with a deep blush.

Jia Lian was almost completely stunned.

Indeed, the contrast is the most captivating. One second she is a pure, aloof, and unapproachable cold beauty, and the next she transforms into a beautiful young woman in her boudoir. I'm afraid no man could resist this feeling.

Jia Lian was definitely not a man of few desires. He didn't even realize that in order to control Miaoyu's hand, he had pressed it right against her heart. He suddenly lowered his head and kissed her luscious red lips, then quickly pulled away, deliberately smacked his lips, and said with a wicked smile, "Not bad, not bad, fragrant lips and teeth, sweet aftertaste."

Miaoyu felt a coolness on her lips and had no time to react before Jia Lian had already let her go.

"you……!!"

She stood there, speechless, covering her mouth and staring wide-eyed.

From childhood to adulthood, she had hardly ever seen any men, and her knowledge of matters between men and women came mainly from books. She never expected things to turn out like this...

She was kissed by a complete stranger?

In an instant, shame, anger, and even more helplessness surged into my heart!

She had no idea how to react.

Should she shout loudly and have someone come in and catch this lecher? However, if people found out that she had been harassed, wouldn't she be ridiculed and slandered? This was something she, who prided herself on her purity, absolutely could not tolerate, so this idea was immediately ruled out.

Jia Lian found the changes in Miaoyu's expression quite amusing. Seeing that she had clenched her embroidered fists, he laughed and said, "You probably can't beat me, so don't waste your energy. If there's nothing else, I'll be going now. Goodbye."

"Don't leave!!"

Although Miaoyu didn't know what to do, she certainly didn't want Jia Lian to leave like this, otherwise wouldn't she have been bullied for nothing?

Jia Lian ignored her completely and simply turned and left.

He's not a real womanizer, so what's the point of staying any longer? What if he gets arrested as a hooligan and Lin Daiyu finds out? Wouldn't all the goodwill he'd built up be ruined?

Therefore, he ran very fast, and in the blink of an eye, he disappeared, leaving only the little nun Miaoyu standing there in a daze.

……

It wasn't until Jia Lian had been gone for quite some time that Miaoyu returned to her nunnery, looking utterly dejected.

No further accidents or suspicious people occurred along the way, which made her feel both fortunate and disappointed.

Sitting blankly on the golden nanmu wood chair, I pondered what had happened before, unable to let it go for a long time.

From the time she could remember, she basically spent her life in the nunnery. Apart from her father occasionally visiting her, she never saw any other men, let alone got close to any other men!

But today, not only was she hugged by a man, but he also grabbed her hand and kissed... kissed her lips...

This was a feeling she had never experienced before, and it made her uneasy.

While feeling uneasy, she thought to herself, "The other person shouldn't be a flower thief!"

Otherwise, given her appearance, the other party would never have let her go so easily...

But if he wasn't a thief, why would he do such a thing to me?

Unable to figure it out, she immediately found her maid and asked, "Did anyone come to the temple today?"

The maid thought for a moment and said, "Just now I heard others talking about 'sharing money,' and also about some great philanthropist coming. It must be true that someone has arrived."

Miaoyu's eyes lit up, and she immediately sent her maid to inquire. After a while, the maid returned and said, "It's a young lady from a prominent family. Her mother has died, and the abbess is personally presiding over the funeral rites for her in the main hall in front."

How could it be a young lady? Could it be her attendant?

The thought that the person who had taken liberties with her might be a servant made Miaoyu's face turn ugly.

"Go and stand guard in front. Once the master has finished the ritual, have her invite that young lady in and tell her I want to see her."

After much deliberation, Miaoyu decided to investigate thoroughly, at least to find out the man's true identity!

At that point, should she ask her father to teach him a lesson for her, and then make another decision?

……