Chapter 853 : Drawing a Fortune
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Chapter 853: Drawing a Fortune
Chen Fan didn't interfere much with the plaza project in Yinzhou.
However, he had privately discussed with Zhou Wangchao, asking him to visit the three plazas that Wanda had already opened.
They would follow this model.
Zhou Wangchao was a smart person. Once Chen Fan said this, he immediately understood Chen Fan's plan.
So he decisively took people to visit the three stores that Wanda had already opened, then designed the drawings, made revisions, and finally submitted the final draft to Chen Fan.
After Chen Fan agreed, the project began breaking ground.
At the construction site, various large machines were busy, and workers wearing safety helmets were coming and going.
The main structure's basic form had already taken shape, and now all that was left was the not-so-technical part of building upwards.
Wearing a safety helmet and holding Su Ruochu's hand, Chen Fan inquired after finishing the tour.
"Can it be completed and opened by the end of the year?"
Zhou Wangchao nodded, "No problem. If everything goes smoothly, it will definitely meet the completion standards before November or December."
Chen Fan nodded, "As long as it opens before the Chinese New Year, it's fine."
"Also, don't forget one thing, have people contact major businesses in advance, try to get them to move into the mall early, tell them that the first batch of businesses moving in can enjoy various rental discounts. You can discuss and come up with specific rules later."
After leaving the construction site, Su Ruochu softly remarked.
"I originally thought the project here was just building a large mall, I didn't expect the construction site to be so big, it's completely a small commercial circle."
Chen Fan joked, "After completion, this place will become the commercial center of Ningbo."
"I'll bring you to see when it opens."
"Alright. You guys just focus on your own business this afternoon, we'll go around by ourselves. If there's nothing else, we'll head back tomorrow morning. Su Ruochu also needs to start school."
During lunch, Chen Fan asked if there were any interesting places nearby.
Zhou Wangchao was a workaholic, all his energy was focused on work, so for these things, he could only look to Xu Qiuci.
Xu Qiuci pondered, "There aren't many attractions here, for historical sites there's Dongqian Lake, and two famous temples, Tiantong Temple and Asoka Temple."
Hearing this, Chen Fan immediately understood Su Ruochu's choice.
Since they started dating, this girl basically worshipped at every temple they came across.
Sure enough, Su Ruochu curiously asked, "Which of these two temples is more famous?"
Xu Qiuci explained, "Actually, they're both very famous, and both have a long history. Tiantong Temple is known as the Buddhist Kingdom of the Southeast, said to have been built during the Yongkang years of the Jin Dynasty."
"I've been to this temple, it's surrounded by verdant peaks, the halls are resplendent, the scale is magnificent, the architecture is exquisite, even by national standards, it's one of the best."
"As for Asoka Temple, although I haven't been there, I've seen introductions. This temple was built during the Taikang years of the Western Jin Dynasty, covering an area of 80,000 square meters, with over 600 halls, pavilions, buildings, and pavilions, equally grand in scale and exquisite in architecture."
"Oh right, there's also a sarira stupa inside. The temple also preserves a large number of famous people's authentic works. Stone tablets by Su Shi, Emperor Gaozong of Song, Emperor Qianlong's personal plaques... It has a strong cultural atmosphere."
Xu Qiuci immediately became interested and suggested to Chen Fan, "Why don't we go to Asoka Temple?"
Chen Fan smiled and said, "It's up to you."
So in the afternoon, Chen Fan drove Zhou Wangchao's car straight to Asoka Temple.
The two started from the foot of the mountain, climbing up step by step, sightseeing and enjoying themselves along the way.
It was around 5 pm when they finally made their way to the Main Hall.
The light of the setting sun shone on the golden glazed tiles of the Main Hall, creating a resplendent scene that added a touch of mystery.
Seeing this scene, Su Ruochu was somewhat entranced.
After a good while, she said to Chen Fan.
"I want to go worship Buddha and offer incense."
"Do you want me to accompany you?"
Su Ruochu shook her head.
Chen Fan nodded, "Alright then. I'll wait for you outside."
"Mm."
Su Ruochu handed her hiking stick to Chen Fan, tidied up her clothes, and then devoutly stepped into the Main Hall.
Chen Fan, on the other hand, wandered around the courtyard alone.
In the corner of the courtyard stood a large Wisteria tree. According to the sign posted on it, this tree was over a thousand years old, and like the temple itself, had become a historical relic.
The trunk was very thick, surrounded by wooden railings.
However, the drooping branches around were full of red cloths and small wooden plaques.
They were covered in writing.
Chen Fan idly looked through a few, finding that most of the contents were about praying for blessings and making wishes.
Some were praying for their families, while others were praying for love, career, or college entrance exams...
If it were in his previous life, Chen Fan, as a firm atheist, would have naturally scoffed at all this.
But in this life, Chen Fan had become very devout towards temples.
Asking a young monk nearby, he learned that red cloths were 2 yuan each, prayer plaques were 5 yuan each, and ink and brush were provided free of charge.
It wasn't expensive.
Chen Fan took out money and bought a prayer plaque from the young monk, walked to the side, picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and thought for a moment.
On one side of the wooden plaque, he wrote: Health and longevity for parents.
Then on the other side, he wrote: Marry Su Ruochu, show her the fireworks of the world, and appreciate the thousands of stars in the sky.
After writing, Chen Fan put down the brush, picked up the wooden plaque and gently blew on it. After the writing had dried, he looked up to choose a spot, then stood on tiptoe to hang the prayer plaque.
Meanwhile, inside the main hall, Su Ruochu was following the senior monk's guidance, completing the incense offering step by step.
After offering incense, she stepped back a few paces. Su Ruochu slowly knelt on the cushion in front of the Buddha, respectfully kowtowing three times.
Standing up, with hands clasped, she silently made her wish to the Buddha.
After all this, Su Ruochu once again respectfully kowtowed three times before standing up, ready to go out and meet Chen Fan.
As she was passing the entrance of the main hall, an old monk suddenly spoke.
"Would the patron like to draw a fortune?"
Su Ruochu asked curiously, "Master, does the temple still offer fortune-telling for people?"
The old monk slowly said, "People in this world have many troubles, they come to the temple mostly to seek solutions and spiritual comfort."
"Drawing fortunes is just a form of psychological Q&A, it's not about the means, but the process. If you believe, it exists; if you don't believe, it doesn't."
After hearing the old monk's explanation, Su Ruochu instead believed he had real skills.
So she stepped forward to inquire about the price of fortune-telling. Then she paid and, following the old monk's guidance, picked up the bamboo tube and gently shook it.
Clatter.
A bamboo slip fell out of the tube, landing on the ground with a crisp sound.
Su Ruochu bent down to pick up the bamboo slip, looked at it, then handed it to the old monk.
The old monk squinted at the characters on the slip. He slowly spoke.
"What does the patron wish to ask about?"
Su Ruochu hesitated for a moment, then softly said.
"Marriage fate."