The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

He Shuilian looked up. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s been a while since we last saw each other. With nothing to do all this while in the netherworld, I learned many things with Little Xing. Yuan Hai, I’m telling you! We understand a lot of things now!”

Yuan Hai was already satisfied seeing his family. As for whatever He Shuilian had to say? He believed in it fully! He did not doubt her one bit! Yuan Hai smiled in a silly fashion. “There’s even school in the netherworld?”

“Don’t change topics! Yuan Hai, I’m telling you, we are your pride! We also wish that you can be our pride! While you are in the mortal world, you are a father or husband of heroes no matter where you go. But for us in the netherworld, we do not enjoy such glory. Every time we visit the Homeward Viewing Platform, people would ask me and Little Xing what you were doing. We were too embarrassed to tell them the truth. Did you expect us to tell them that you acted mute all day and that you lacked confidence and goals, wasting your life away?”

Yuan Hai turned agape. He realized that he had no means of responding to that accusation.

Yuan Xingxing added, “Dad, you were not like that in the past. Back when the levee was almost breached, you were the one who led the charge. You should be a hero.”

Yuan Hai lowered his head in shame. “But… What can I do? I have nothing…”

He Shuilian continued. “Yuan Hai, the spirits in the netherworld do not compete to see who has more money, but compete to see whose family is living better and happier. Things like how much charity is done, and how much merit is accrued. Or who brings greater hope to the world. All of that will make one enjoy a greater standing. Hubby, don’t disappoint us, alright?”

Yuan Hai looked up at He Shuilian. Having been dejected for two decades, he wished to reject such grand matters, but when he saw He Shuilian and Yuan Xingxing’s looks of anticipation, he swallowed back the words he was about to say.

“Dad! You can do it! You are the best! Back then, you supported me the most. Now, I’ll support you the most! I believe that my father is an upstanding and dauntless man! All the best!”

Yuan Hai looked at Yuan Xingxing’s smile before gritting his teeth and exclaiming, “No problem! I will! For the both of you, I will!”

“Haha, that’s my most beloved Daddy!” Yuan Xingxing smiled.

He Shuilian also smiled, but Fangzheng was close to tears. And the conversation towards the end would only become more emotional. Afraid he would trigger Yuan Hai, he quickly came forward and took a deep breath. “Amitabha. Patrons, it’s time. Time to return.”

“Master, no. I beg you. Let them chat with me a little longer. Just a little longer!” Yuan Hai pleaded.

Fangzheng decisively shook his head. What needed to be said had been said. If it continued, it would be too easy for him to let the cat out of the bag. Hence he said, “Just like how there are laws in the mortal world, so too are there rules between the Heaven and Earth. This Penniless Monk went through great efforts to bring them up. Now that their time is up, they have to return, or trouble will befall them.”

The moment he heard that his family would be in trouble, Yuan Hai immediately stopped begging. He continued looking at the two women with great unwillingness for them to leave. He could not bear with even shifting his gaze away from them for even a second. He watched greedily as he memorized their every move and expression.

Fangzheng’s heart softened when he saw this. However, he still gritted his teeth and made the two women’s figures vanish. There was no other way about it. He really could not continue the act any further!

However Fangzheng did not dispel A Golden Millet Dream. Instead he said to Ouyang Fenghua, “Let’s go.”

“Ah… Ah? We aren’t going to do anything?” Ouyang Fenghua had not entered the dream and had no idea what had happened. All she saw was Fangzheng look at Yuan Hai with a dazy look before this suddenly happened.

Fangzheng smiled. “Indeed.”

Then Fangzheng turned to leave. Ouyang Fenghua looked at Yuan Hai before looking back at Fangzheng. She ended up following, but ultimately could not set her mind at ease. She planned on taking note of Yuan Hai in the future…

By the time Yuan Hai woke up, he discovered that there was no monk or child around him. He was along the immutable Dong River.

After a long while, Yuan Hai got up and bowed in every direction. “Thank you Buddha for showing me your powers. Thank you for enlightening me. I have wasted half my life away, but I now know what I should do!”

After Yuan Hai returned to the village, he took the initiative to gather contacts before heading out of the village to work.

Ten years later, a Yuan Hai Hope Primary School was born. Yuan Hai became the first principal of the school, as well as its first teacher. When he was first interviewed by the media, everyone asked him what drove him to earn money so crazily and whether it had really been for the Hope Primary School. Yuan Hai humbly smiled. “It’s because I want to make my wife and daughter proud.”

Everyone was at a loss. Did Yuan Hai have a wife and daughter?

…

Fangzheng declined Zen Master Sunglow’s exhortations to stay when he departed Sunglow Monastery. He, along with Red Boy and Ouyang Fenghua, prepared to embark on their return journey.

However when they passed by Tanzhong City, Red Boy refused to leave.

Upon seeing this, Ouyang Fenghua said with a bitter smile, “Why does this rascal have such a good memory? I was planning on buying you clothes at Black Mountain City since I’m more familiar there. Whatever, I’ll buy you your clothes here. Let’s go shopping!”

With that said, Ouyang Fenghua set off with Red Boy. Fangzheng, having nothing to do, followed.

Ouyang Fenghua inquired the location of the shopping district before they took a public bus and went over. It was because it was convenient and cheap. After all, Ouyang Fenghua was not especially wealthy either.

When the trio boarded the bus, there were quite a number of seats. Fangzheng casually chose a seat by the window. As for Ouyang Fenghua, she sat on the other side with Red Boy.

The bus set off and people began boarding the bus at the second stop. By the third stop, all the seats were taken up except for two seats in the corner of the last row. Just as the driver was about to close the door and drive off, an old granny ran over with a thirteen-year-old boy. She shouted from afar, “Wait! Wait! Wait!”

The granny was quite brave as she ran in front of the bus while waving her hand, afraid that the bus would drive off.

The helpless driver had no choice but to open the shut doors again.

The granny boarded the bus panting, but she did not forget to help her grandson up while grumbling, “I told you to be faster, but you had to take you own sweet time. We nearly missed this bus.” As she spoke, the granny took out two yuan and stuffed it into the coin machine.

The boy moaned, “I was rather fast… You were just faster.”

“Of course! I’m fit as a fiddle despite my age!” the granny said smugly. With that said, she swept the bus and when she saw there were only seats at the back, she immediately frowned. Her gaze swept once again as she looked at each and every person. Her thoughts were a mystery.

Fangzheng thought nothing of it. There were seats behind and the granny could sit there, so it had nothing to do with him. If there were no seats on the bus, he would naturally give up his seat.

However, someone suddenly stood beside him.

Fangzheng looked up and saw the granny looking sternly beside him. She did not say a word, but she kept staring intently at his bald head.

Fangzheng looked at the seats behind, but the granny was unmoved.