The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

But a squirrel’s squeaking instantly attracted the woman’s attention the next moment. She looked up and saw a squirrel poke its head out. Then, it waved his fist in a very anthropomorphic manner. It looked like it was saying: “What are you shouting for? I’m not giving you any!”

The woman was dumbfounded. Was this even still a squirrel? Has it turned into a demonic spirit?

Looking back at the white-robed monk, he did not appear angry. Instead, he smiled. “Have you thought things through? If you continue hustling, This Penniless Monk will also hustle. This Penniless Monk’s rice is precious. Ever since Monkey came, I see the bottom of the rice bucket more often… This Penniless Monk is still wondering where to scrimp some food from. That is truly a problem…”

The next moment, the woman’s eyes turned into a blur. Squirrel had jumped onto Fangzheng’s shoulder and held two large-sized pine nuts. It had watery eyes as it charmingly stuffed the pine nuts into Fangzheng’s hand. He was a clever one. The rice bucket was something he had to look at daily. He knew how much rice was left. He also knew that Fangzheng was not joking. There truly was not a lot of rice left.

Fangzheng smiled when he saw this. He beamed. Although it was only two pine nuts, he gave a satisfied smile from the bottom of his heart. It was not fake in any way and it was pure.

The woman looked at Fangzheng’s smile and then Squirrel. A confused look flashed in her eyes. Was there a need to be this happy because of two pine nuts? Why am I smiling as well? The actions of the monk and squirrel exuded a relaxing feeling. It was not weighed down by trifling matters of the mortal world. It was purely the joy of being able to eat. That purity left her envious.

At the same time, she rubbed her eyes, trying to determine if she was hallucinating. She pinched herself and felt pain… It was not a dream!

Finally, the woman could not help but ask, “Venerable One, can you understand this squirrel’s words?”

Fangzheng patted Squirrel on the head and smiled, “The heart can communicate with all beings.” His words sounded abstruse as though he was giving affirmation and disclaiming at the same time. Fangzheng could not answer certain questions directly or there would be no way to explain. He was lazy, so obviously he would sweep it under the carpet if at all possible.

The woman fell into deep thought before seemingly coming to a realization. She stood up and bowed at Fangzheng. “Venerable One, thank you for your advice.”

Fangzheng was stunned. Even this was called advice? His only intention was not to be bombarded with penetrating questions… Indeed, the liar was sometimes pure. It was the person being lied to that had too many complicated thoughts.

Fangzheng pressed his palms together and bowed, “Amitabha. Patron, it’s not early. The sky is already dark. It’s best you descend the mountain early. The mountain’s winds are strong and it’s cold at night.”

Fangzheng did not lie. It was the beginning of spring, the coldest period in the northeast. Although there was sunlight and the snow was beginning to melt, it absorbed most of the heat. Therefore, the cold was biting one when the wind blew. It was not as simple as the dry cold in the first month of the year.

The woman noticed that Fangzheng’s eyes looked pure and untainted. He spoke sincerely and was in her best interest. She had not heard words with the pure intent of caring for her wellbeing in a very long time. The more she heard, the more likely it was to have a little baggage.

Upon coming to this realization, the woman decided to test the monk again. She calmly took off her sunglasses. She believed that Fangzheng would know her face. He might even scream. At the very least, he would be surprised and excited! She was confident that she had the capability of doing so! It was not because she was pretty but because she was famous! She enjoyed fame around the world!

However, after the woman took off her sunglasses, she did not hear so much as an exclamation from the monk. He remained calm like he was looking at an ordinary person. Perhaps it was not even a person. It was like a tree… a flower… or a blade of grass!

That feeling made the woman feel like she was being belittled. Although she had always yearned to find a quiet place to escape to where no one knew her, her pride made her feel aggrieved when she faced a person who apparently did not know her at all. How aggrieving. He did not even know her! Did this guy not go on the Internet? Does he not watch television? Does he not read the news? Does he not chat with others?

She did not know that the only thought Fangzheng had when she took off her sunglasses was: “It looks like she’s not mentally ill. At least, she can still be treated.”

If the woman knew his thoughts, she would most likely explode from anger.

The woman took a deep breath and asked, refusing to have her beliefs shaken. “Venerable One, do you not know me?”

Fangzheng shook his head without hesitation. “Nope.”

The woman felt like vomiting blood. If it were anyone else, she would be certain that the other person was deliberately teasing her. But the eyes of the monk in front of her were just too pure. He did not look like he was lying at all.

Fangzheng did not involve himself with the secular if he could help it. Besides, he really did not know the woman. He naturally appeared extremely calm. Furthermore, the System was watching him. He could not hit up chicks or marry. Also, his marriage goals were always one of simplicity. The woman in front of him was just too pretty. It made Fangzheng feel like he was hallucinating. It did not feel real or certain, therefore, he did not have any such thoughts. With such a thought process, how could his eyes be anything but pure?

The woman took a deep breath and looked at the slow but adorable monk. She suddenly felt like laughing. There was actually sure a pure person in present-day society. Could she think of it as having picked up a treasure? She did not suspect that Fangzheng was acting. In terms of acting, she did not believe that anyone could act so long in front of her without making a mistake. Furthermore, no matter how good one’s acting was, they would be hiding some of their emotions and not empty them to become so pure and bright.

Therefore, the woman suddenly had a thought. Should she tease the monk?

With that thought, the woman squeezed a smile, “Let me give you a hint. My surname is Li. Do you have an impression?”

With that said, the woman gave a few standard smiles. Fangzheng continued staring at her blankly despite her smiling till her face turned numb.

She did not know that although Fangzheng’s partner goal was that of an ordinary person, what he wanted was still an ordinary person! To have such a beautiful woman suddenly coming so close to him and smiling at him in so many ways, he was left dazed. It was not because of her looks even if her beauty was stifling and her smile even more so. The reason for Fangzheng’s daze was that he was pondering a question.

The woman had come to his mountain late into the night, come close to him, and constantly smiled. Fangzheng could not shrug off the thought that the woman resembled the demonesses of the ghost stories he heard from the villagers during his childhood. Should he act like the Monkey King, Sun Wukong and shout, “Demoness, are you not showing me your true form?”