I Snatched the Overbearing President’s Canary [Transmigration] - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: The Jade Buddha

Time seemed to freeze at that moment, with only the flickering light of the fireflies continuing to pulse like a grand, silent symphony.

Just as he was about to suffocate from holding his breath, a physiological reaction jolted He Shenyu awake.

Snapping back to reality, he was so startled that he fell backward, barely catching himself with his hands. His right hand, still holding the phone, was deathly stiff. He pulled it back, fumbling to press the lock button mid-air, not daring to glance at the screen even once.

After taking a deep breath, he looked at the motionless Ning Chen and said, “I… I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Really, it wasn’t on purpose…

Shenyu couldn’t believe something so ridiculous could happen to him. It was too coincidental. He truly had no intention of taking advantage of Ning Chen—besides, given their current relationship, if he actually had such designs, Ning Chen probably wouldn’t have refused him…

But the point was, he didn’t!!!

Shenyu felt utterly wronged. He just wanted to help Ning Chen change his fate and be a normal person. Why did things keep veering off course?

“I know.” Ning Chen looked at him, his expression as calm as a deep well, as if nothing had happened—or as if he were prepared to accept whatever happened.

Shenyu didn’t know whether to praise his resilience or his emotional stability. He looked at Ning Chen, handed the phone back, and repeated dryly: “Ning Chen, don’t mind it. It was just an accident. We’ll just keep interacting like before. Please don’t feel awkward.”

He was terrified that Ning Chen would retreat into his shell again. It had taken so much effort to get Ning Chen to relax around him; what if this misunderstanding ruined everything?

Ning Chen lowered his head as he took the phone, letting out a nearly inaudible sigh. “I understand, Shenyu. You don’t need to worry about it either.”

“Yeah, okay. That’s good. Since we’ve seen them, shall we head back?” Shenyu stood up, brushing the sand off his clothes.

Ning Chen didn’t refuse. He tapped the phone screen, swiped to close the camera app in the background, and then stood up. “Okay.”

The photo had actually turned out beautifully. From a third-person perspective, the two people in the frame looked so well-matched, as if they were the only two left in the world, standing there until the end of time.

Ning Chen offered this objective evaluation in his heart, though he deliberately avoided thinking about who the people in the photo actually were.

On the way back through the quiet night, the image inevitably surged in his mind. Ning Chen traced the edge of his phone; for some reason, he kept wanting to pull it out and look at it one more time. However, since the person beside him remained silent for a long time, Ning Chen refrained from such an obvious gesture.

…

That night, neither had the heart for conversation and went to bed early.

The next day, Ning Chen took He Shenyu out as usual, and they caught many crawfish with a group of local children. That evening, they had invited the kids over to eat, so He Shenyu and Ning Chen spent a long time preparing the crawfish in the afternoon.

Since they hadn’t brought many seasonings from the city, they had to borrow some from the neighbors. By evening, the neighbors had joined in for a meal, creating a warm, harmonious atmosphere.

Shenyu hadn’t expected so many people, but Ning Chen had explained that if he invited the children, the parents would naturally follow, so they were prepared.

“Your cooking is so good!” Shenyu told Ning Chen that night. After a day of eating and playing his fill, he truly felt like he was on vacation and was starting to feel quite at home.

Ning Chen smiled. “I can cook for you when we go back too. Just tell the housekeeper in advance when you want something.”

“Sure, but won’t you be tired with school?” Shenyu had intended to say it wasn’t necessary, but Ning Chen’s cooking was indeed too delicious; his taste buds were tempted.

“It’s fine, not too bad.” Ning Chen truly didn’t mind. He had quit all his offline part-time jobs; honestly, the intensity of his current “work” was nothing compared to before.

“Okay,” He Shenyu nodded.

Ning Chen looked up at the ceiling, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke: “Shenyu, tomorrow I need to wake up early to go to the Pagoda Temple to fulfill a vow. The mountain path is quite difficult. Do you want to stay home?”

“You’re going to leave me here alone? If you’re gone that long, what if I get lost?” Shenyu joked with a smile.

Ning Chen caught his meaning and stopped trying to persuade him. He said softly, “Alright, we’ll go together.”

…

When Ning Chen said “early,” he meant early.

Shenyu hadn’t even finished sleeping when Ning Chen woke him up. It was pitch black outside. He glanced at his sports watch: 4:30 AM.

Seeing he was struggling to wake up, Ning Chen asked again, “Do you want to stay and sleep?”

Shenyu shook his head and pulled himself up by Ning Chen’s arm. “No, I’m going with you.”

Ning Chen brought him his clothes and handed him a windbreaker. “It’s cold in the mountains. Wear a wind-resistant jacket.”

“Okay.” Shenyu accepted the clothes. This jacket was clearly not the one Ning Chen had worn when they arrived; it had the fresh scent of laundry detergent.

As He Shenyu put it on, the oversized jacket almost swallowed him whole. Ning Chen was only about five centimeters taller than him; how could the jacket be this much bigger? He tugged at the collar, feeling a bit out of place, and looked back at Ning Chen, who was packing a bag.

They were wearing identical styles of black windbreakers, looking a bit like members of a secret organization. Ning Chen put on the backpack, tucked the Jade Buddha pendant back inside his collar, and zipped the jacket all the way up to his chin.

“Let’s go!” he said to He Shenyu.

Shenyu nodded. They got into the car and followed the navigation for about an hour until they reached the foot of Pagoda Mountain. Ning Chen had He Shenyu park in the lot and asked if he wanted to eat something. Since it was so early, He Shenyu had no appetite and declined.

Ning Chen looked up at the road leading up the mountain. “Then let’s go. We’re heading up.”

Shenyu looked at the winding mountain road. “Can’t we drive up? Isn’t there a road?”

Ning Chen hesitated before answering, “They say walking up is more sincere. I’ve always walked up with my mother.”

“Alright, let’s walk…” Shenyu didn’t argue. Although he was a materialist warrior, he was here as a companion. It was just a hike. He had climbed Mount Tai with his roommates in college; surely this mountain wasn’t higher than that?

“Okay.” Ning Chen led the way with his backpack.

The first stretch wasn’t bad. There were other people heading up the mountain, and the sound of chatter kept the atmosphere from feeling lonely.

By the time they reached the mountainside, the crowds had dispersed. There was no one around, and since the sun hadn’t risen yet, He Shenyu suddenly felt a bit creeped out. He quickened his pace and grabbed Ning Chen’s arm.

Ning Chen stopped and looked back. “What’s wrong? Tired? Want to rest?”

Shenyu shook his head and huddled closer. He whispered, “Ning Chen, are there wolves here?”

“Huh?” Ning Chen was stunned for a rare moment. Then he reacted and smiled. “I heard stories when I was little, but I haven’t heard of any since I grew up. Don’t be afraid.”

Shenyu nodded, comforting himself: “Right, this is Bodhisattva’s territory. Surely we’ll be protected?”

Ning Chen looked down, reached out, and held his hand. He smiled and said, “I’ll protect you.”

“You?” Shenyu looked up at him. “You can fight a wolf?”

Ning Chen chuckled. “I can run while carrying you on my back.”

“I’d rather pray to the Bodhisattva then. How long could you run?” Shenyu imagined the scene—on this mountain path, if he actually tried to run, Ning Chen would probably drop dead from exhaustion.

Ning Chen smiled and didn’t push the topic further, continuing to lead him forward. After a while, he asked, “Does Shenyu believe in the Bodhisattva too?”

“If it protects me, I’ll believe it,” He Shenyu joked.

Ning Chen smiled back. “Actually, I don’t believe either.”

This surprised He Shenyu. After all, Ning Chen wore that Jade Buddha twenty-four hours a day; he had assumed Ning Chen was a devout Buddhist.

He hesitated but asked anyway, “Then why do you always wear that Jade Buddha?”

Ning Chen looked toward the mountain peak and sighed softly. “Because my mother got it for me. I’ve worn it since I was a child. She won’t let me take it off.”

The morning mist in the mountains began to seep into their clothes, though luckily their windbreakers held it off. Ning Chen led He Shenyu upward step by step, his pace slow and steady. In a calm voice, he began to tell the story.

When he was eight, his father died in a car accident. He understood nothing back then, and his mother was pregnant with his brother. His mother managed the funeral while heavily pregnant, and shortly after, his grandmother passed away from grief.

Only his mother and Ning Chen were left. When October came, his mother gave birth in the hospital, but his brother was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at birth and had to live in an incubator.

Ning Chen didn’t understand then, but as a math teacher, his mother was a person of cold logic and reality. Yet the series of misfortunes broke that strong woman. She tried everything, wanting only to ensure her one healthy elder son would not be touched by further disaster.

So, after her postpartum recovery month, she took eight-year-old Ning Chen to Pagoda Mountain. Back then, the paths weren’t as good as they are now. A woman who had just given birth and a young child performed the “three steps, one bow” ritual all the way up the mountain path, from dawn until dusk, simply to beg for the Bodhisattva’s mercy and protection for Ning Chen to live a life free of illness and calamity.

The monks were moved by her. When they reached the top, the abbot gifted them a Jade Buddha that had been consecrated in the main hall for years, charging only for the processing fee.

Ning Chen, rubbing his aching knees, had knelt blankly before the Buddha and accepted the pendant as the abbot placed it around his neck. From then on, the Jade Buddha never left his person.

Once, while playing in the river, he nearly lost it. His mother made him kneel for an entire morning until she found the Buddha in the river, soaking wet. As she put it back on him, she said hoarsely, “Chenchen, Mom can’t handle anything else happening to you. Do you understand?”

Ning Chen cried and nodded. Since then, he never dared to take it off. Strangely, he indeed had the best health in the family, rarely even catching a cold over the years. He didn’t know if the Bodhisattva was truly watching over him.

Finishing the story, Ning Chen pulled the Jade Buddha from his collar and looked at it under a streetlamp.

“So, Shenyu, I don’t believe in Buddha, yet I don’t dare not to believe. After all these years, I’m used to wearing it. Once the string broke and I didn’t wear it for a morning; I felt restless until I went home at noon to re-thread it.”

Shenyu gazed at the Jade Buddha and reached out to touch it gently. Knowing these details and remembering how, in the original novel, Fu Hengzhan threw this very Jade Buddha off the corporate building, shattering it into pieces, He Shenyu felt like he couldn’t breathe.

No wonder Ning Chen had almost jumped after it. The original novel hadn’t explained it so clearly; hearing it from the person involved made He Shenyu feel even more suffocated.

He looked at Ning Chen silently, unable to find the words to speak for a long time.