Chapter 23 Touching the Bones
"What are you doing?"

Jiashan's clear brown eyes narrowed slightly, but his tone was calm and composed.

Xu Shanshan put her hand on the back of his hand, thinking that if she told the truth at this time, she would be suspected of asking for a beating, so she made up an excuse.

"I'm very good at bone-reading fortune-telling, and I want to tell your fortune."

When the benefits of the charlatan become apparent, taking advantage of him is no longer called taking advantage, that is called bone-reading, which can predict wealth, fortune and misfortune.

Jiashan once again resumed his solemn appearance, lowered his eyebrows and glanced at her "restless" hand.

Not only did she touch him, she also kneaded and pressed him, using different degrees of force and speed. He felt a warmth and comfort spreading from the places of contact, which he was not used to.

"Mt. Sumeru may be high and wide, but it will eventually disappear. The ocean may be deep and vast, but it will eventually dry up. The sun and the moon may be bright, but they will soon set in the west. Life is impermanent and ephemeral, so there is no need to worry too much about it."

"I haven't learned such profound thoughts yet, but I do know how to repay a favor. You've worked hard to copy books for me, explain Buddhist principles, and enlighten my mind. I will use the skills I've learned to share some of your worries."

Her eyes were peaceful, and her long black hair fell on her shoulders like silk, making her look so holy and mysterious, without a trace of filth or evil thoughts.

It is the perfect example of the word "hypocritical" taken to the extreme.

Jiashan is rarely one to reject other people's kindness, especially when her eyes and tone are so sincere...

Is she really the same Xu Shanshan?

Can a person really change completely from the inside out into a different person?
Jiashan often finds itself in this dilemma.

Maomao: "... Shan, he actually believed such a ridiculous excuse. You are just bullying honest people!"

Xu Shanshan: "The bone-touching was real, and the use of the Word Spirit caused too much damage and consumption. By the way, I also absorbed some of his abundant vitality. This is not bullying, at most... it can be considered as being taken advantage of."

Maomao: “…” Is there any difference?

"Good man, this is not good." She looked a little serious, and a little puzzled, just like someone who was deliberately being mysterious before committing a crime.

Jiashan didn't care about his future destiny, but he was moved by her expression at this moment. She could even plan a city without changing her expression, but when she touched his bones at this moment, she frowned and looked serious.

He calmed down and said, "It's okay. Everyone dies..."

But before he could finish, Xu Shanshan said seriously: "Just feeling the hand bones is not accurate enough, good man, we have to add the skull."

Jiashan was stunned and refused subconsciously: "Actually..."

"Offended."

She did not allow him to be refused and reached out her hand to touch his face, very gently, as light as a feather, bringing a slight chill wherever it passed.

He stared at her focused expression in amazement, his voice hoarse and he didn't know what to say.

Then, she increased her strength, and the action changed from caressing to delicate exploration, fitting his facial features, contours, and bones. The temperature gradually rose, and the warmth from her fingertips was transmitted to his heart through the skin.

He tightened his grip and pulled her hand down: "Okay."

"Good man, don't be afraid to seek medical treatment. Just feel my shoulder blade again..."

Jiashan said decisively: "Let go."

On the other side, when the three officials learned that Jiashan had successfully brought Xu Shanshan back to Shangqiu, they hurried over, but as soon as they stepped into the Buddhist hall, they saw a scene that shocked them.

I saw that Jiashan, who had always been polite and followed Buddhist etiquette and was not interested in women, was being pressed down by Xu Shanshan!

From their point of view, there was no doubt that Xu Shanshan took the initiative. She "used both hands at the top and the bottom". One was powerless to resist and struggle, while the other was committing... violence like a beast?

They took a deep breath, their rage stuck in their throats, unable to be relieved until they released it.

"In broad daylight, what are you doing... How can this be disrespectful?!" Duke Hai was the first to attack.

Even though they are an engaged couple, but... they are too impatient. Can't she... can't she wait until the wedding day?

"Mr. Fu, Mr. Nong..." Although Jiashan felt at ease inside, he felt a little uncomfortable at this moment.

When Xu Shanshan heard someone coming, he didn't rush to leave, but instead helped Jiashan, who was stiff, to straighten his tangled monk's robe on his chest.

"Well, Master Jiashan, you have a unique bone structure and are born with Huagai. You are born with Buddha bones. You are destined to... have a deep connection with Buddha and an extraordinary life."

When Jiashan heard her speak these words seriously, his doubts were immediately dispelled.

It turned out that she was not joking, but was really touching his bones.

She looked at him. His bright eyes were like two clear springs, without any worldly air.

"Good man, become a Buddha. Don't care what others say. Just cultivate to achieve the right result and fulfill your long-cherished wish."

The clear morning sun shining in from outside the door was warm but not dazzling, and it brushed over her body like a layer of soft golden edge. The blended atmosphere exuded a tranquil breath.

He slowly lowered his eyelashes, unknown emotions surging in his eyes, and it seemed as if there was a long-lasting depression in his chest that he let out with a long sigh.

"Ah."

Maomao: "... Shan, a lot of vitality is flowing into your body. Maomao has found a pattern. The higher his favorability towards you, the more you can gain from him."

-

After Xu Shanshan had "eaten her fill", she was no longer affected by the "fragrance" from Jiashan.

She stood up. Today she was wearing a plain silk dress, with thick eyebrows and long eyelashes, and a rejuvenated complexion, which added a bit of natural attraction to her dark pupils, and also a kind of inexplicable sense of oppression that made people feel uncomfortable.

She turned around and glanced at the three officials' faces. After a careful examination, she said, "There is a mark carved between their brows and dark clouds covering their heads, which indicates that a disaster is about to happen. It seems that you are in big trouble."

The three officials all looked dark: "..."

The prediction is so accurate, is it just a guess, or is she cursing everyone she meets?

"Yesterday was the full moon day, and the hexagram came true. Today, you asked Master Jiashan to invite me to the Tang family. Did you make a decision and want to read the hexagram again, or do you want to interpret the hexagram?"

The three officials were all shocked and confused at this time.

They were sure that Chen Wangqian’s visit to Tang’s house at night yesterday did not leak any information.

But she seemed to understand it clearly, and her confident look made them unable to tell whether it was true or not.

Mr. Fu looked deep in his eyes and asked tentatively, "What do you say when you read the divination again? What do you say when you read the previous divination?"

Xu Shanshan said: "My rule is that in order to interpret the hexagram and ward off disasters, one must take away an extremely important thing from the person who interprets the hexagram, and the price of fortune-telling varies from person to person."

"Something extremely important?"

Mr. Nong thought she wanted money, so he looked her over and took off a jade pendant from his waist. This item was also very valuable. He asked, "Is this okay?"

Xu Shanshan shook his head: "If I want to save your Tang family from this crisis, I'm afraid I have to take one thing from each of you three gentlemen."

Fu Gong was too lazy to guess and asked directly: "What do you want?"

As for money, the Tang family has plenty of it. They are not worried that she will have an appetite, but they are worried that she will not be able to eat enough and will eat herself to death.

She said, "You three will each live ten years."

The three officials were shocked.

"What did you say?!"

　Jing seems to have forgotten to announce the release of the product, hahaha (awkward), never mind, let’s just follow our first order and look to the sky.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)