"Then let’s go take a look at that big bell," he said with a smile, "I’ve heard the fortunes there are quite accurate, why don’t we draw one too?"
Alice Conley pursed her lips, and after a while said, "Alright, let’s go there in a bit."
Might as well indulge herself a little, on this New Year’s Day, spending it with him!
————
The Thousand Lotus Temple on New Year’s Day was quite bustling, with far more people than Alice Conley had imagined, and so of them were devotees coming from nearby cities, eager to offer incense here for the new year.
Because there were so many people, Alice Conley had to stay close to Dorian Howards as they walked.
Over by the big bell, there were indeed a fair number of visitors, and of course, so would stop to pray to the bell. After seeing the bell, Dorian Howards suggested, "How about next New Year’s Eve, we co here to listen to the bell ringing in the new year?"
Alice Conley said nothing. Next year... what would happen between her and him?
Dorian Howards continued speaking, "Alright, it’s settled then!"
Hey hey, she hadn’t agreed to that! But before she could protest, he was already pulling her along to pray at the temple and then draw fortunes.
Alice Conley drew a ’Great Fortune,’ but Dorian Howards drew a ’Misfortune.’
Alice Conley’s brow furrowed imdiately, feeling that it was too ominous, so she quickly pulled Dorian Howards to find the fortune-teller to ask how to resolve it.
Although Alice Conley wasn’t particularly superstitious and knew such fortune-drawing was, frankly, just a matter of odds, the thought of it involving Dorian Howards was like having a stone stuck in her chest.
On the contrary, Dorian Howards didn’t seem to care much about the misfortune he had drawn.
The fortune-teller, predictably, spouted a bunch of nonsense and inevitably suggested that they buy so local Talisman Paper or auspicious sachets, claiming that placing these in certain spots at ho would resolve everything.
Seeing the prices weren’t too steep, Alice Conley took it upon herself to buy a bunch for Dorian Howards and stuffed them into his arms.
Dorian Howards raised an eyebrow, looking at the little girl before him. Surprisingly, this little girl seed quite steeped in superstitious beliefs, "Do you believe in this stuff?"
"Of course not," Alice Conley replied.
"Then why did you buy them?" he asked again.
"Just buying so peace of mind," she said, "Like the fortune-teller said earlier, placing them in the room you frequently stay in is surely better than doing nothing at all," Alice Conley explained.
Dorian Howards gazed at her thoughtfully, and suddenly smiled, "So, are you worried sothing might happen to ?"
She was at a loss for words, "I... I just..."
"Just what?" He stepped closer to her, bent down, face nearing her face, and those dark eyes staring intensely at her, "Alice, in your heart, there’s always been a place for , right?"
Alice Conley’s face turned a bright red, feeling overwheld from his probing gaze.
It was as if all the feelings she had suppressed had been entirely uncovered by him.
She wanted to refute, to say it wasn’t true, but under his gaze, she felt so... powerless...
Just then, her phone rang. It startled her, as if she had found a lifeline, she quickly pulled out her phone and pressed the answer key.
As a result, a roaring voice imdiately ca from the other end, "Alice Conley, where have you gone for soy sauce? Everyone at ho is waiting on your soy sauce!" It was her family’s Empress Dowager’s lion’s roar technique!
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