104: Chapter 104 Water Street and Iron Statue Temple

Su Ye looked at Silly Gu, who was eating the hot pot with great delight, and a strange thought couldn't help but arise in his heart.

The girlfriend he had found when he didn't have money before wasn't as pretty as she is now, nor did she have as good a figure, but she was after his money, and back then, he was a pure-hearted simp.

Now that he has money, his girlfriend is both pretty and wonderful, and she is also understanding and doesn't care about his money; he is now a scu... ahem, a patient with fragmented heart tissue.

Gu Qingyan chewed the food in her mouth like a hamster, and feeling Su Ye's gaze, she looked up and asked Su Ye with eyes that seemed like those of a college student:

"What's wrong?"

Su Ye patted Silly Gu's little head:

"It's nothing, you eat, take big bites."

Silly Gu swallowed the food in her mouth and picked up a few pieces of beef for Su Ye:

"Oh, this place really tastes quite good, you eat quickly too."

After saying that, she lowered her head and buried herself in eating.

Su Ye chuckled slightly. Why was he thinking so much?

Don't look back at the past, don't look forward to the future; all he needed to do was enjoy the present.

The meal didn't end until two in the afternoon. Su Ye looked at Silly Gu, who was leaning against the car seat and rubbing her little belly, and said:

"Do you want to go somewhere to walk around and digest?"

Gu Qingyan placed her hand on her lips, thought for a moment, and then said:

"Then let's go to Tiexiang Temple for a stroll."

Su Ye started the car and slowly pulled out of the parking space while asking:

"Qingyan, do you believe in Buddha?"

Gu Qingyan shook her head:

"I don't, but my grandmother does. I plan to bring my grandmother here to visit in a while, so I'm scouting the location this time. Besides, I heard that Tiexiang Temple Water Street is quite nice, and I haven't been there yet."

"Alright, wherever you say we go, we go."

Tiexiang Temple Water Street is located in the core area of the Source Cluster in the Gaoxin District of Chengdu, Sichuan Province. It is a distinctive cultural commercial district with the theme of "water," expanding outward from Tiexiang Temple. Tiexiang Temple was founded in the 18th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty and was built to enshrine an iron-cast Buddha statue of Sakyamuni discovered while digging the ground.

The weather in Chengdu today was quite nice; there was a certain drop in temperature, thick clouds blocked the scorching sun, and the air humidity was fine. According to the weather forecast, there would be a heavy rainstorm tonight.

Su Ye naturally took Gu Qingyan's little hand and walked into the Water Street. Now, his relationship with Gu Qingyan was somewhat like a couple's, but they hadn't confessed to each other yet; however, doing intimate actions had already become a habit.

At the entrance of the street, a tall memorial archway stood majestically, with an ancient charm permeating through the flying eaves and brackets. Gu Qingyan couldn't help but exclaim:

"This archway is so spectacular!"

Su Ye smiled, pointed at the exquisite carvings on the archway, and said:

"This was built based on the prototype of the Jinshi archway from the 15th year of the Jiaqing reign; both the lines and the craftsmanship are exquisite."

Gu Qingyan looked at Su Ye with some surprise:

"Su Ye, you know this too?"

Su Ye seamlessly turned off the screen of his phone, which he had just used to search for detailed information about the Water Street.

"I read some relevant information about the Water Street before."

Gu Qingyan nodded seriously:

"Su Ye, your current achievements must be closely related to your usual hard work."

People who are richer and more powerful than you are working even harder than you; how are ordinary people supposed to live?

Su Ye puffed out his chest slightly: That's right, the achievements I, Su, have today are all thanks to my hard work.

The two stepped into the Water Street. The stone path under their feet wound and twisted, bearing all kinds of traces that seemed to be left by time. Although Su Ye knew this was done later, it didn't prevent it from blending perfectly with the surrounding style.

The buildings along the street in the Western Sichuan style were arranged in a scattered and orderly manner; with green tiles and white walls, and carved wooden windows half-hidden, they created an antique atmosphere.

Gu Qingyan curiously leaned close to a window. Beside a table near the window, an old woman was focused on embroidering Shu embroidery. Silk threads shuttled through her hands, and lifelike flower and bird patterns gradually emerged on the embroidery cloth.

Gu Qingyan was watching, a bit mesmerized. Su Ye asked softly:

"Do you want to go in and take a look?"

Gu Qingyan was a bit conflicted; she really wanted to go in and take a look, but she was afraid of disturbing the old woman.

Su Ye, however, had no such concerns. He first reached out and tapped the window sill lightly to avoid startling the old woman.

The old woman didn't look up immediately but finished the last two stitches before raising her head. It was a face filled with the marks of time but very kind, and a pair of slightly cloudy eyes looked at the handsome man and beautiful woman in front of her.

Su Ye took the lead, grinning to reveal a mouthful of big white teeth:

"Grandma, can we come in and take a look?"

The old woman smiled slightly:

"Feel free to look around, just don't break anything."

After saying that, she lowered her head again and started on her unfinished Shu embroidery.

Su Ye led Gu Qingyan and pushed open the wooden door; the room was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood.

Gu Qingyan admired the exquisite Shu embroidery works one by one, but she was very well-behaved and didn't touch them with her hands, occasionally exclaiming in admiration.

After Su Ye quickly scanned through his phone, he walked behind Gu Qingyan and explained the embroidery techniques, color combinations, and history and culture of Shu embroidery to her.

When leaving, Gu Qingyan picked out a handkerchief embroidered with twin lotus flowers and bought it. Her cheeks turned slightly red, and with her little head lowered, she said softly to Su Ye:

"I think this handkerchief is very pretty, I'm giving—giving it to you."

Su Ye took the handkerchief, looked at it, then solemnly folded it and put it into his pocket, and smiled:

"Does this count as a token of love you're giving me?"

Gu Qingyan looked up at Su Ye and said seriously:

"This doesn't count. I've already agreed with the boss; I'll come back later, and Grandma will teach me. When that time comes, I'll give you one that I embroidered myself."

Su Ye smiled and helped Gu Qingyan tuck her hair behind her ear:

"Alright, Xiu'er—"

After saying that, he walked toward the outside.

Gu Qingyan was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly followed:

"Su Ye, don't think I can't tell—"

Su Ye held Gu Qingyan's hand and stepped onto the bluestone steps.

The stone lions on both sides of the temple gate were peaceful yet majestic, and the bronze bells on the eaves were blown by the evening breeze, ringing softly as if someone were chanting sutras in one's ear.

Su Ye turned his head and introduced it to Gu Qingyan:

"This Tiexiang Temple is a building from the Ming Dynasty."

Gu Qingyan looked around; there was indeed a sense of historical accumulation.

Su Ye continued to talk about the origin of Tiexiang Temple:

"When they were digging the foundation that year, they unearthed an iron Buddha statue, which is how this Tiexiang Temple came to be."

Gu Qingyan smiled and said:

"That's really quite legendary."

Su Ye shrugged and spread his hands, smiling lightly:

"You have to create some kind of gimmick, right? Without a gimmick, how do you promote it? Without promotion, who would know about you, right?"

Gu Qingyan gave a "Mm" of acknowledgment. Her gaze fell on the plaque at the temple gate; the three characters "Tiexiang Temple" had somewhat mottled paint, but they revealed a tranquility accumulated over time.

In the incense burner in front of the Mahavira Hall, the incense was burning, and the blue smoke drifted straight up, only to be blown into wisps by the wind in mid-air. Su Ye went to the side to request some incense and lit it with a lighter.

He handed one bundle to Gu Qingyan, kept one for himself, and said softly: "You need to hold it with both hands and raise it to your brow."

Gu Qingyan followed his example, holding the incense with both hands clasped together. Her fingertips trembled slightly, and she held them very tightly, as if this would make her wish more effective.

Su Ye bowed first, then inserted the incense into the burner. When he turned around, he saw Gu Qingyan with her eyes closed, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and her lips moving gently, as if she were expressing some wish.

When she opened her eyes, Su Ye smiled and asked: "What did you pray for?"

Gu Qingyan's cheeks flushed slightly, and her movement of inserting the incense into the burner slowed down: "If I say it out loud, it won't be effective."