As she walked, she passed by a wood carving shop. Her gaze was unintentionally drawn to the craftsmanship displayed inside. She stopped and looked in, confirming her interest before stepping inside. The shop was small and decorated in a rustic style. A young woman wearing an apron sat at a table, using a tool to carve a small piece of wood. Agnes noticed that her fingers were calloused, likely from long-term use of the tools. The table was covered with tiny wood shavings and several intricately carved animals, each one lifelike and very cute.
“Miss, would you like to buy something as a souvenir? What’s your zodiac sign?” The woman looked up and smiled. “These are all hand-carved by me, each one unique.”
Agnes, who loved traditional culture, was very fond of such small items. She found them meaningful. Artisans like this were rare, relying solely on passion to persevere, which was admirable and deserving of support.
Without asking about the price, she inquired, “Do you have any kittens?”
“Kittens?”
“Yes, I would like a kitten.”
The girl thought for a moment and shook her head. “I don’t have one now, but I can carve one for you. It will take some time though; is that okay?”
“Sure,” Agnes agreed readily. She was there to relax and had no urgent matters to attend to.
The girl picked up a piece of wood and began carving immediately. “Do you have any specific requirements for the kitten? You can tell me, and I’ll try my best to meet them.”
“No requirements; just carve it as you see fit,” Agnes said, not wanting to add pressure. “I like kittens; as long as it looks like a kitten, it’s fine.”
The girl smiled at her before starting the carving. “Alright then, I’ll get started. You can sit over there; it will take about an hour.”
“Okay.”
So, with Agnes keeping her company, an hour passed…
A lifelike wooden kitten emerged in the artisan’s palm. She carefully refined its edges and corners. It wasn’t easy; the carving required precise control of strength.
Agnes watched the entire process, full of admiration.
After finishing the carving, the woman put down her tools and washed her hands. She then took out some paint and added pink to the kitten’s ears, coloring its nose and mouth as well.
It looked even more realistic now.
She then painted some brown stripes on its body, making the kitten incredibly cute.
Agnes paid $100 for the wooden kitten. Holding it happily in her hands, she wore a long-lost smile on her face; this was the biggest reward of her trip.
After a simple lunch alone, she noticed a temple on a nearby mountaintop. The golden eaves caught her attention.
She checked her phone and confirmed it was indeed a temple.
She climbed hundreds of steps alone until her legs felt weak but finally reached the top. Facing the wind at the summit, she gazed at the temple with reverence and walked inside with a sincere heart.
Experiments are dangerous, even if only one in ten thousand times.
So she secretly prayed for his safety in the temple. Kneeling devoutly before a Buddha statue, she prayed and made wishes for him, also donating money into the donation box.
On the high-speed train back to Arkpool City, she took out her phone and opened Instagram. To her surprise, there were dozens of interactions on her posts from Aunt Jane’s account.
Curious, she checked further and saw that Aunt Jane had liked many of her previous posts and left comments: “Agnes, don’t stay up late; take care of yourself.”
As Agnes stared in astonishment at these messages, Jane sent another text message: “Bubu, come over for dinner tonight; Grandma wants to see you.”