Returning to Infancy with my Nemesis - Chapter 73

Girls are indeed more sensitive when it comes to emotions, and their intuition is often accurate.

With Jiang Tian’s reminder, Tang Mian finally realized what was happening.

Why did Fu Shizhao suddenly suggest coming to Yangchun Temple, a place known for its accurate matchmaking?

 Clearly, in this life, Tang Sheng and Jiang Tian’s relationship was going so smoothly, and they were already considering marriage, so they didn’t really need any external force to push them.

Instead of going to the temple, it would have been better to go somewhere else that could have enhanced their relationship, and it would have been more fun too, considering temples are solemn places. If it was because Fu Shizhao had someone he liked… everything suddenly made sense.

Fu Shizhao had someone he liked, and he wanted to pray for their relationship in the temple. So, he suggested coming to Yangchun Temple that day. On the surface, it seemed like he was praying for Tang Sheng and Jiang Tian’s relationship, but in reality, it was because of his own selfishness.

He calculated for so long to accurately throw that coin into the well, he must’ve really liked that person. But who could Fu Shizhao have liked?

Was it the class monitor who always did homework with him and often asked him math questions? 

Or was it the girl next door who, in just half a semester, wrote him a love letter every week? 

Or perhaps it was the boy who loved music as much as he did and wanted to perform together at the New Year’s Eve party…

Tang Mian bit his lip, his eyes burning as he looked at Fu Shizhao, feeling a myriad of indescribable emotions, all muddled up. Tang Mian credited his inner discomfort to the fact that Fu Shizhao hadn’t told him about having someone he liked.

Fu Shizhao naturally noticed Tang Mian’s gaze and vaguely denied, “No, Jiang Tian, don’t tease me.”

He couldn’t let Tang Mian overthink things, but he also couldn’t let him not think at all. It was difficult to strike a balance, and he couldn’t guarantee that he could control it well.

He indeed had someone he liked, and suggesting to come to the temple, along with all the subsequent actions, was for that person.

And the person he liked was right beside him.

He couldn’t let this person realize it so soon because he still had a very important secret that hadn’t been discovered. This person needed to think carefully after discovering this secret, whether they really wanted to be with him in his entirety.

He planned everything seamlessly, but he had no confidence in the most crucial part. Success or failure, the decision lies entirely in this person’s hands. Jiang Tian smiled after hearing this and didn’t say anything further.

Teenagers in puberty were like this, keeping their thoughts tightly guarded, and not easily accessible to others. She couldn’t be entirely sure, but it was just a casual question based on Fu Shizhao’s serious expression.

Tang Sheng also observed for a while before trying to drop the first coin.

Jiang Tian’s gaze was fixed on the coin, and when she saw it successfully reach the bottom of the well, she exclaimed “Wow,” grabbing Tang Sheng’s sleeve as if she wanted to jump for joy right then and there.

Tang Mian’s mood improved considerably, and he didn’t continue to press Fu Shizhao with his eyes.

In this life, Tang Sheng and Jiang Tian would grow old together.

Couples around the wishing well cast surprised or envious glances at them, fiddling with the coins in their hands, eager to try it out themselves.

Such places and things were based on belief—if you believed, they existed; if not, they didn’t. Everyone was just there to seek some happiness.

Having received good blessings, the four of them didn’t linger around the well and continued to walk towards the deeper parts of the temple.

The temple wasn’t actually that big. Tang Mian had been here once in his past life, so he had some vague impressions of the place.

But he still remembered how his brother had slipped and fallen in the same spot where he had just walked with Jiang Tian earlier. Though he was bundled up thick for winter and didn’t break the skin, he found a bruise forming on his wrist when he got back home.

This time there were no more slips.

Somehow, Tang Mian felt a little better.

But during the next activities of seeking fortune sticks and lucky bags, Tang Mian’s mood plummeted again. Fu Shizhao deliberately avoided him when seeking fortune sticks and writing lucky bags.

Or rather, it wasn’t just him; Fu Shizhao avoided everyone, including Tang Sheng and Jiang Tian, who were too occupied with their own items to notice.

Even though Tang Mian didn’t have a habit of peeking at others’ belongings, he felt very displeased seeing Fu Shizhao deliberately evading and guarding against him. Who cared to see what he wrote anyway?

But Jiang Tian’s words from earlier kept echoing in his mind. Did Fu Shizhao really have someone he liked?

As Tang Mian wrote down his own wishes on a piece of paper to put in the lucky bag, he discreetly glanced at Fu Shizhao standing not far away.

Fu Shizhao was wearing a loose black down jacket today, making slight rustling noises as he moved. He was currently bent over, writing very seriously.

Tang Mian felt even more uncomfortable.

If he had someone he liked, he would definitely tell Fu Shizhao because they were good brothers, and it was normal for good brothers to inform each other when they liked someone. But if Fu Shizhao had someone he liked and didn’t tell him, it made Tang Mian very uncomfortable.

It even reminded him of some things that happened in his past life.

In the beginning, he had secretly approached Fu Shizhao at school, cornering him behind the stairwell door of the teaching building, asking him what was wrong. Fu Shizhao didn’t answer, just moved to the side, grabbed his backpack, and left in a hurry, as if afraid he would follow.

Tang Mian blinked quickly, shaking off the jumbled thoughts in his mind. Maybe Fu Shizhao was just too embarrassed to tell anyone. This situation was quite different from those in his past life.

During Tang Mian’s mental attempt to convince himself, Fu Shizhao finished writing on the piece of paper, placed it in the lucky bag, and walked towards Tang Mian.

Tang Mian hurriedly folded the piece of paper and stuffed it into the lucky bag, sealing the bag shut.

On the paper were three words he had casually written while lost in thought earlier – “Fu Xiaogou”, written in a crooked manner, with the middle word twisted into a knot, barely distinguishable without careful examination. There were also some squiggly lines drawn beside it, representing the chaotic and frustrated thoughts in his mind. It vaguely depicted the silhouette of a dog with a swollen bump on its head and a band-aid, showcasing the owner’s messy and angry state of mind.

Since Tang Mian wasn’t seeking marital fate, he didn’t draw a fortune stick, and only bought a lucky bag for the festive atmosphere.

Luckily, Fu Shizhao didn’t see what was written on the paper when he returned. By then, Tang Mian had already closed the lucky bag. Tang Mian lowered his eyelids nervously.

Anyway, he wasn’t seeking any marital fate, so the contents of the lucky bag didn’t matter to him. He couldn’t care less about what was written or drawn inside. Soon enough, Tang Mian lifted his head confidently.

Why should he feel guilty?

It was Fu Shizhao who was hiding something from him. If anyone feels guilty, it should be Fu Shizhao.

Tang Mian spoke up directly, pointing to the lucky bag in his hand. “What did you write in there? Seems like you’re keeping a secret about someone you secretly like.”

He hadn’t dared to ask Fu Shizhao properly in his past life, but this time he didn’t want to continue keeping it to himself. He had to get to the bottom of it.

“Nothing, just afraid you’d laugh at me,” Fu Shizhao chuckled, lightly rubbing the surface of the lucky bag with his thumb.

The lucky bag was embroidered, with distinct patterns on the surface.

“What?” Tang Mian was puzzled.

Fu Shizhao glanced down at the lucky bag in his hand, then met Tang Mian’s gaze again, continuing to explain. “It’s a lucky bag for the marital fate of cats and dogs.”

There was a hidden meaning in this sentence, implying something deeper, but also leading the interpretation deliberately.

Tang Mian was slightly stunned, easily led astray by Fu Shizhao’s words. Automatically, he interpreted “cats and dogs” as snowballs and cotton candy.

Indeed, he and Fu Shizhao had joked about snowballs and cotton candy before.

There was no way around it; the bond between Snowball and Cotton Candy was just too strong. Every time they met, they stuck together and licked each other’s fur.

Several times they took Snowball and Cotton Candy out for a walk, and Cotton Candy would obediently curl up on Snowball’s back, not moving at all, even briefly dozing off. This was a clear display of trust, perhaps because they were also there, or perhaps because Snowball provided a sense of security.

Tang Mian had even joked about taking Snowball and Cotton Candy’s wedding photos.

In the “wedding photos,” Snowball wore a bowtie suit, while Cotton Candy wore a white wedding dress, with a red background commonly used in wedding photos – surprisingly, it looked quite authentic.

They even got matching dog tags and cat tags for Snowball and Cotton Candy.

Although it wasn’t clear if there was really such a bond between the two fluffy creatures, both families had long accepted this “marriage.”

If Fu Shizhao was indeed writing a blessing for the little cats and dogs… that would make sense.

If Tang Mian caught sight of it, he would indeed tease him a bit, but not to mock him, but rather to find it amusing and childish, and perhaps to laugh along with him. This incident could be considered water under the bridge.

The lucky bag needed to be sealed with a needle and thread, and the monks at the temple provided them with a needle and thread box.

Tang Mian watched as Fu Shizhao carefully sewed up the lucky bag in his hand, and his heart, which had been hesitant to speak, finally settled down. He still had some doubts.

Doubts about whether Fu Shizhao was lying.

But now that things had come to this, there was no chance to investigate further. Anyway, if Fu Shizhao really had someone he liked, Tang Mian would be able to tell in the future.

At least this time, Fu Shizhao didn’t ignore him like he did in the past life. Even if it was just an excuse, it was much better than the traitor from the past life who couldn’t even bother to come up with an excuse.

On the way back from the temple, Tang Mian fell asleep.

Perhaps it was the cold on the mountain, coupled with the warmth of the car’s heater, Tang Mian couldn’t resist the drowsiness that crept over him. With still about half an hour of driving from the foot of the mountain to home, Tang Mian decided to simply fall asleep.

He leaned against Fu Shizhao as he slept.

At this moment, he didn’t care about maintaining any distance from Fu Shizhao or pondering about anything else. What distance to maintain anyway?

He and Fu Shizhao couldn’t possibly be like Mu Zichen and Fu Jiacao. At least, not with this incarnation of Fu Shizhao.

Tang Mian startled himself with his own thoughts, but the drowsiness was too overwhelming for surprise to dispel it. Snuggled against the comfortable warmth of Fu Shizhao’s loose down jacket, Tang Mian closed his eyes tightly.

Fu Shizhao’s hands were tucked in his pockets, feeling the slight sway of Tang Mian’s hair against his neck. His fingers lightly traced the patterns on the lucky bag. Would the little cats and dogs be happy forever? He had drawn a very auspicious lot this time. The slip of paper with the fortune was also placed into the lucky bag.