"You can do it, right."
Wen Zhiyan, hearing the questioning yet declarative tone, moved his wheelchair closer to the elder's stall before reaching out to take the stone he held.
Although the weather was starting to get hot, the stone in his hand emitted a cool sensation, not uncomfortably so.
Wen Zhiyan, with an unreadable expression, looked at the stone in his hand: "Do I have to throw it up for my wish to come true?"
The elder lifted his eyes, perched on his nose: "Sincerity makes it work; disbelief makes it absent."
Wen Zhiyan nodded: "Miao Miao, I'm going to throw something."
"But..."
Those things were hung so high; could Wen Zhiyan really do it?
"The elder said sincerity makes it work, and he also said we are his fated ones. Since we are fated, I can naturally throw it up," Wen Zhiyan said, holding Fang Miao Miao's hand. "If I can't throw it up, it just means he's talking nonsense, and it has nothing to do with us."
Fang Miao Miao: "..."
Could it be explained like that? But thinking carefully, it did make some sense.
Even the elder in the long robe chuckled and shook his head: "Old man, I've been setting up stall here for decades, and this is the first time I've heard you say something like that."
"Isn't it?"
"You kid, don't try to trick me. Everything requires you to do it yourself. What others say doesn't count."
Wen Zhiyan patted Fang Miao Miao's hand and pushed his wheelchair towards the banyan tree.
Fang Miao Miao watched Wen Zhiyan walk towards the banyan tree, then glanced at the elder in the long robe, and followed Wen Zhiyan's pace.
"Why are you following me?"
"I want to follow, so I'm following," Fang Miao Miao said with a smile. "I'll push you, and you can handle the rest."
"Okay."
The banyan tree didn't look tall from a distance, but up close, it was like a large canopy, almost covering everything beneath it.
"Marry the bride, welcome the bride, hang on the banyan tree, for a lifetime."
Young children, seeing this scene, ran around the banyan tree, singing off-key nursery rhymes.
"Yao Yao."
"Go ahead."
Wen Zhiyan looked up at the banyan tree.
Above, red ribbons swayed in the wind.
It felt very comfortable.
Very reassuring.
Wen Zhiyan's grip on the stone tightened.
Then, he slowly stood up from his wheelchair.
Fang Miao Miao instinctively reached out to support him.
"Young lady," the elder in the long robe called out leisurely.
Fang Miao Miao gritted her teeth and finally let go of her hand.
Wen Zhiyan didn't miss the voice behind him.
His Miao Miao was worried about him, afraid he would fall when he stood up.
He knew.
Miao Miao.
His Miao Miao.
Wen Zhiyan's breathing quickened.
If he threw it up, everyone would be happy.
If he couldn't throw it up, he would always find a way to keep his Miao Miao by his side.
As long as his Miao Miao was willing, he would definitely find someone and think of a way to keep his Miao Miao by his side.
With this thought, Wen Zhiyan's heart became as calm as water.
He twisted his arm.
With all his might, he threw the stone in his hand towards the banyan tree.
One second,
Two seconds.
The stone disappeared from the eyes of the onlookers.
Seven seconds.
Eight seconds.
Time flew by.
Nothing fell from the banyan tree.
Wen Zhiyan was stunned, then, like a young man in his twenties, excitedly turned to look at Fang Miao Miao, but without paying attention, he fell back into his wheelchair.
"Wen Zhiyan," Fang Miao Miao ran over.
"I'm fine," Wen Zhiyan, happily, grasped Fang Miao Miao's hand and looked up at her gaze. "Miao Miao, I threw it up."
"Yes, yes, I saw, you're amazing."
"Miao Miao, we can be together forever, can't we?" Wen Zhiyan, for the first time, stubbornly wanted an answer to a question. "Miao Miao."
"We will, we will be together forever," Fang Miao Miao cupped Wen Zhiyan's face with both hands. "Our Wen Zhiyan is so amazing, isn't he? How could I bear to leave our Wen Zhiyan?"
Wen Zhiyan grabbed Fang Miao Miao's waist and pulled her closer, burying his head at her waist, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly: "I did it."
The surrounding children, seeing the two embracing, giggled joyfully.
"You kids, go home and do your homework. Your grandparents will come looking for you here later, and you'll get your palms slapped."
"Hmph hmph."
"Go, go," the elder in the long robe waved his hand. "Hurry home and do your homework. Remember to walk on the path and don't play by the river, okay?"
"Got it."
After the children replied in unison, they reluctantly walked home.
Seeing that the surroundings were quiet, the elder in the long robe sat down contentedly, gazing at the scene of the two embracing with a satisfied smile.
Indeed, it was a beautiful sight, making him involuntarily recall memories of his own wife.
Alas, he hadn't cherished it back then.
The tag he had hung up had fallen with the wind the moment he stopped cherishing it.
"Are you two done hugging?"
Fang Miao Miao shyly retreated behind Wen Zhiyan.
"What's there to it?" the elder in the long robe said casually. "Back then, when I threw something up for my wife, she kissed me right in front of the banyan tree. You hugging is much more reserved than we were."
Fang Miao Miao touched her nose. Were people in the past so bold?
"Wen Zhiyan, right?"
Wen Zhiyan nodded: "Yes."
"Your lot is the best lot I've encountered while tending this stall. As long as you believe in each other and don't mess around, the banyan tree will protect you for a lifetime," the elder said with a smile.
"I..."
The elder in the long robe shook his head: "Remember what I said before: fate is predetermined, everything is already arranged by heaven. Some people travel thousands of miles just to come for you."
Hearing this, Fang Miao Miao's heart leaped. What did he mean by that? Did he realize she wasn't from this world? It shouldn't be. Even if there were powerful individuals in this world, she hadn't done anything wrong, so she should be safe.
With that thought, Fang Miao Miao let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief.
Wen Zhiyan turned, took Fang Miao Miao's hand, stood up from his wheelchair, and bowed slightly to the elder: "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Our divination fee?"
"A meal will suffice."
Hearing this, Wen Zhiyan took out his phone and scanned the QR code beside him.
Alipay confirmed a transfer of ten thousand yuan.
Listening to the mechanical female voice, the elder in the long robe's smile deepened: "Don't worry, I will surely guard your love well."
After they thanked each other again.
Fang Miao Miao pushed Wen Zhiyan and left the place.
The elder in the long robe watched the two figures who had almost become one, nodding with a smile: "This is the first time I've seen such a perfect match, a combination of a harbinger of doom and a wandering soul from another world. Tsk tsk tsk. Oh my, I have new material for my writing. My next book will be based on them."