Lin Pingzhi, looking radiant, walked slowly out of the room with a shy and blushing Yue Lingshan. Ning Zhongze remained alone, sitting quietly in the guesthouse of Shaolin Temple. She watched her daughter and Lin Pingzhi depart, a complex, indescribable emotion swelling within her.
Ning Zhongze’s gaze fell upon the empty bed, and her thoughts drifted back to that morning. She recalled how, before leaving, Yue Buqun had carefully tucked something into his bundle. At the time, she had been seething with anger over the previous night’s events and had merely watched from the sidelines, paying little mind. Now, remembering the conversation between Yu Canghai and Ren Woxing, Ning Zhongze felt a sudden jolt.
She stood up abruptly, determined to examine the bundle herself. Approaching the bed, she gently unfastened the cords. Layer after layer of fabric was peeled away until, at last, a kasaya was revealed. Ning Zhongze’s breath hitched. Her eyes widened, fixed intently on the characters inscribed upon the garment.
Chapter 164