Chapter 44: An Accidental Encounter with Lady Dong at White Cloud Taoist Temple

The next day, Liu Xiaoli accompanied Liu Yifei at home as she practiced for *The Story of a Noble Family*.

Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan took Chen Zehan to the White Cloud Temple to visit his grandfather.

Speaking of the White Cloud Temple, its history was extraordinary.

Its predecessor was the Tianchang Temple of the Tang Dynasty, built by the Tang emperor to worship Laozi. Later, the Tianchang Temple was destroyed by a fire, rebuilt, and renamed the Taiji Palace. At the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, Qiu Chujie of the Quanzhen Sect was granted residence in the Taiji Palace by Genghis Khan, and the Taiji Palace was renamed the Changchun Temple. In the early Ming Dynasty, the Changchun Temple was rebuilt and renamed the White Cloud Temple, a name it retained to this day.

Today, the White Cloud Temple had already become a famous historical and cultural site in the capital.

Every day, an endless stream of tourists visited the White Cloud Temple to sightsee, worship, and draw fortune sticks.

Those who had been there all said that the fortune sticks of the White Cloud Temple were miraculous!

Moreover, the White Cloud Temple was a place of seclusion amidst the bustling city, located just outside the Xibian Gate in the Xicheng District. The transportation was extremely convenient.

The old man had left his good grandson a token to make it easy for him to enter and exit the White Cloud Temple.

Therefore, after the father and son arrived at the White Cloud Temple and showed the token to the Taoist priest in the inner courtyard, they were led through a private inner passage.

Winding paths led to secluded places, the Taoist gates were surrounded by deep foliage, the mountain light delighted the birds' natures, and the reflection in the pond emptied the hearts of men.

Entering the inner courtyard of the White Cloud Temple felt as though one had been isolated from the outside world, instantly refreshing and uplifting the spirit.

However, after being led to the destination, the old man was nowhere to be seen in the room.

"Uncle, where is my grandfather?"

Chen Zehan looked around and asked the Taoist priest with some confusion.

"Master brother has probably gone to the front to help interpret fortune sticks again."

In the Taoist tradition of Huaxia, priests often addressed each other as master brothers.

It seemed that the old man indeed had some connections with the Taoist gate.

"Interpreting fortune sticks? Is it fun?"

Chen Zehan asked with a curious expression.

Hearing this, the Taoist priest smiled, though it was hard to explain it to Chen Zehan.

"Taoist priest, if possible, could you take us to have a look?"

Chen Siyuan also smiled and said.

"Then follow me!"

The Taoist priest nodded and led the father and son outward.

After leaving the inner area, it was like stepping out of deep, ancient mountains and into a bustling metropolis.

Tourists sightseeing, believers drawing fortune sticks—all manifested the myriad states of human life.

Chen Siyuan also spotted the old man helping someone interpret a fortune stick.

However, the woman having her fortune interpreted by the old man gave off a strangely familiar feeling.

Chen Siyuan led Chen Zehan forward.

As they drew closer, the view became clear.

As fate would have it!

This woman turned out to be Dong Jie, the future female lead of *The Story of a Noble Family*.

At this time, people's biggest memory of Dong Jie should be that "bride" who held hands with Nicholas Tse on the 2000 Spring Festival Gala.

Although Dong Jie had won the Best Newcomer Award at the 2001 Huabiao Awards for her role in *Happy Times*, her fame was not as high as one might imagine.

Chen Siyuan stood not far away and listened for a while.

He discovered that Dong Jie had come to the White Cloud Temple to draw a career fortune stick, and the one she drew happened to be the absolute top fortune stick.

Even without knowing its meaning, just seeing that it was the top fortune stick brought a beaming smile to her face.

The old man, putting on the air of an enlightened master, interpreted the fortune stick for Dong Jie.

With just a few sparse words, the old man had already seen right through Dong Jie.

Clearly, they were ambiguous and profoundly mystical words, yet they made Dong Jie bloom with joy.

This was the absolute top fortune stick of the White Cloud Temple!

She, Dong Jie, was going to make it big!

"In just these few days, a benefactor will come to elevate you!"

To Chen Siyuan's surprise, the old man finally dropped a concrete statement!

"Thank you, Taoist priest! Thank you, Taoist priest!"

By now, Dong Jie believed it implicitly and expressed her gratitude repeatedly.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that he should help the old man round out his words; he couldn't let him ruin his reputation in his twilight years.

Thus, he took out his phone and made a call to Li Dawei.

"Mr. Chen."

The phone on Li Dawei's end rang twice before it was answered.

"Director Li, here is the thing. I just saw someone at the White Cloud Temple who feels a lot like Leng Qingqiu."

"Oh? Is she someone from the industry?"

Li Dawei sounded rather excited. Chen Siyuan had already thoroughly impressed him earlier, so he still placed a lot of trust in Chen Siyuan's eye for talent.

"She's that bride who held hands with Nicholas Tse on the 2000 Spring Festival Gala, I think her name is Dong Jie?"

"Dong Jie? Why didn't I think of her! Mr. Chen, thank you so much! If you hadn't reminded me, I almost would have forgotten about her. She is indeed a great fit for Leng Qingqiu. I'll have someone contact her for an audition right now!"

Li Dawei had indeed changed quite a bit. Regardless of how sincere those words were, Chen Siyuan enjoyed hearing them!

"Whether to use her or not is entirely up to Director Li's discretion. I just happened to catch a glimpse of her here at the White Cloud Temple today, so I thought I'd mention it."

Chen Siyuan certainly wouldn't let Li Dawei think he was trying to force someone into the cast.

Having been a lawyer for so many years, he naturally wouldn't leave behind any incriminating handles.

"I understand. Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Chen!"

When the call ended, Chen Siyuan unexpectedly discovered that Dong Jie was standing not far away, looking at him with a hint of surprise.

Clearly, she had overheard something.

However, the time and place were not right, so Chen Siyuan simply smiled and nodded at Dong Jie before turning and walking away.

After Chen Siyuan left, the astonishment in Dong Jie's heart went without saying.

She had drawn an absolute top fortune stick, just finished having her fortune interpreted by an eminent master in the temple, and then heard someone mention her name.

This man didn't sound like a fan of hers at all.

Yet he was actually recommending her to a director???

Dong Jie had a strong urge to follow him and ask for a clear explanation, but after all, she felt a bit too shy.

Dong Jie was still a bit too innocent at this time.

However, Dong Jie had already memorized the man's appearance.

If a production crew really contacted her in the next couple of days, then the benefactor who would elevate her, as mentioned by the real person just now, must be this man right before her eyes!

Dong Jie left the White Cloud Temple in a somewhat absent-minded daze.

The moment she stepped out of the White Cloud Temple, her phone rang.

It was an unknown number, but Dong Jie still answered it.

"Hello, who is this?"

"Hello, are you Dong Jie?"

"Yes, and you are?"

"I am the casting director for *The Story of a Noble Family*, my last name is Wei. The production team of *The Story of a Noble Family* would like to invite you to participate in an audition for the female lead, Leng Qingqiu. Do you have time?"

The words from the other end of the line left Dong Jie stunned instantly!

It was actually *The Story of a Noble Family*!

During this period, rumors about *The Story of a Noble Family* were flying thick and fast in the industry.

And those auditioning for the female lead, Leng Qingqiu, included top-tier female stars like Zhao Yanzi!

She never expected that *The Story of a Noble Family* would actually invite her to audition for the female lead!!

Instantly, Dong Jie thought of the man from just moments ago.

With just a single phone call, he could make the *The Story of a Noble Family* production team arrange a female lead audition for her. It seemed he really was her benefactor!

Dong Jie had an impulse to run back into the White Cloud Temple and demand a clear answer.

In the end, she suppressed it.

Audition first!

"Director Wei, I have time. Should I come over for the audition right now?"

"Yes, I'll text you the audition location later, you can just come right over."

"Alright, thank you, Director Wei."

"Then that's settled."

The call ended.

Dong Jie glanced back at the White Cloud Temple, the corners of her lips curling up slightly.

*Ding-dong.*

A message had arrived.

Dong Jie took a quick look, then hurriedly hailed a taxi and left the White Cloud Temple behind.