Chapter 151
That evening, Shen Youlin and Yu Shu returned to their little residence. Just as they had finished showering and were about to go to bed, they heard the bodyguards downstairs yelling.
"What's all the ruckus?!" Shen Youlin burst out of the door, standing in the hallway and gesticulating angrily. "I just got my lady into bed!"
"...Boss, we caught a few sneaky Taoists in the woods nearby," Chen Sheng, the head bodyguard, said, pointing to the dimly lit area where a few Taoists were being held against the wall by the bodyguards.
Another bodyguard chimed in, "According to our observations, these people have been here more than once, frequently lurking around the residence, especially more often at night and in greater numbers."
Shen Youlin admonished them earnestly, "Be gentle with these monastics. Don't manhandle them like that. Just tie them up with ropes and throw them in the woodshed. Let the old nun come pick them up herself tomorrow."
Yu Shu asked softly, "Are we really going to lock up those girls overnight?"
"Of course not, you'll see. That old Taoist nun will be here soon."
Indeed, ten minutes later, the old Taoist nun hurried over but was stopped by the bodyguards downstairs.
Shen Youlin cuddled with Yu Shu and teased her for quite a while. After about ten minutes, he finally allowed the bodyguards to bring the nun upstairs.
On the sofa, Shen Youlin and Yu Shu were wearing sleepwear. Shen Youlin held Yu Shu and whispered sweet nothings to her, putting on the act of a debauched ruler, completely ignoring the old Taoist nun standing nearby.
Yu Shu played along as the beguiling consort. Although they had not discussed this beforehand, they instinctively reached a consensus—whoever needed to save face, the other would fully support.
When they felt they had carried on enough, Yu Shu spoke first, "It has been so long, but I don't know how to address you."
"This poor monk's Dharma name is Wuchen."
Yu Shu said, "Oh, Venerable Wuchen, may I ask what brings you here this late at night?"
She was feigning ignorance.
Wuchen's expression grew troubled. "I've come for the sake of my errant disciples. I hope you two will be gracious."
Shen Youlin clicked his tongue. "You say it as if I'm the one being unreasonable. It was your disciples sneaking around my residence first. You know how precious everything I have here is. Who knows if your little disciples have impure thoughts or intentions?"
"Absolutely not!"
"Then tell me, what were they doing here? Why do they keep coming to my place? Do I have Immortal Pills or True Scriptures here?"
Wuchen's face contorted into a knot. "This is a matter of heavenly secrets that cannot be divulged."
Shen Youlin said, "Then your disciples will have to stay in the woodshed for a few days until my people can check if anything is missing. Only then will I release them."
Wuchen hesitated for a moment, as if steeling his resolve, then looked at Yu Shu. "Good lady, let me say this first—don't blame me. As long as you bless my disciples with good health, I will tell you."
Yu Shu's intuition told her that Wuchen was putting on an act, just so she would offer that blessing. But since this matter was harmless, Yu Shu did as he said and recited the blessing.
She had already guessed the reason behind it all, which might have something to do with her own extraordinary luck.
After Yu Shu finished speaking, Wuchen said, "Good lady, you must have guessed it. They came for your auspicious destiny, hoping to share in your good fortune."
Yu Shu asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"You must have felt it yourself—your destiny is extraordinary. Everything goes your way, and wealth comes rolling in. Your original fate was one of poverty and misfortune, but after a sage's guidance, it has become immeasurably noble."
A sage? Yu Shu suddenly thought of the old man who had told her to buy a lottery ticket.
"Bullshit!" Shen Youlin spat. "Who are you trying to fool with all this mystical crap? A toad dreaming of soaring like a bat? She's had good fortune? She was kidnapped just last month!"
Wuchen looked at him helplessly. "Her blessings are far-reaching, but no match for your ominous solitary star."
"Me? An ominous solitary star?" Shen Youlin pointed at himself in disbelief. "You stinky old cow, don't spout nonsense. Which of your eyes saw me as an ominous solitary star?"
"Both of them," Wuchen replied calmly, then asked Yu Shu, "Weren't you kidnapped because of him? Haven't you repeatedly fallen ill or been injured, even facing mortal danger, all because of him?"
Upon reflection, it was true. She had suffered a stomach ache from Shen Youlin's anger, injured her nose because of his prank, and faced the avalanche, the car bomb, and the kidnapping—all because of Shen Youlin.
Shen Youlin also realized this, his expression darkening ominously. "Are you saying that by being with her, I'll cause her to... experience misfortunes?"
"Your ominous solitary star has been dissolved by her auspicious destiny. From now on, when you encounter danger, it will turn auspicious. If you had not met this good lady, you would have been disfigured and crippled by an accident, living the rest of your life in misery."
Shen Youlin clung to Yu Shu in fear. To be both disfigured and crippled, living a life worse than death—how tragic for him!