Food: Randomly set up stalls, even the little guy is drooling.

A completely shaved head silently peeked out from the side gate of Kaiyuan Temple.

The head was round and full, clearly the result of long-term exposure to Buddhist incense offerings. The owner of the head didn't look very old, with a slightly round face and a pair of sharp eyes that quickly scanned the square like a scout.

His gaze swept over several elderly men and women practicing Tai Chi, across the empty square, and finally landed on Lu Feng's barbecue stall.

His nose twitched twice, a hint of surprise flashed across his round face, but he quickly withdrew it.

However, it took less than a minute.

"Squeak." The old side door was pushed open, and the bald man carefully walked out, glanced inside a few more times, and then carefully closed the side door.

"Cough cough."

Lu Feng was engrossed in grilling skewers when he heard a soft cough and realized someone had come to his door.

The newcomer was dressed in a grayish-blue monk's robe, was slightly plump, had a shiny bald head, and was holding a long broom made of thin bamboo branches.

"Amitabha." The monk's voice was neither loud nor soft, exuding the composure of someone detached from worldly affairs. "You look somewhat unfamiliar, are you Mr. Lu, the one who rented this stall yesterday?"

Lu Feng had just finished grilling several skewers of fiery beef and quickly put them into the insulated box on the cart, replying, "It's me, it's me. May I ask your name, Master?"

"My Buddhist name is Haichi."

"Eat as much as you want?" Lu Feng asked, puzzled.

Hai Chi explained, "This humble monk belongs to the Hai generation. No, it's because I'm obsessed with the delta—or rather, because I'm serious about my work—that my master gave me the character 'Chi' (痴, meaning obsessed/obsessed). You can just call me Hai Chi."

"Greetings, Master Haichi." Lu Feng didn't hear clearly because he spoke too softly. But why was this Master Haichi always glancing at my oven?

"I smelled a faint aroma at the temple just now, so I came to check it out." Hai Chi's eyes drifted to the grill. "Oh? It's actually Fiery Beef?"

"Does the master also know about Fiery Beef?"

"I've seen it at the night market stalls." Hai Chi took two deep breaths of the aroma, his nonchalant demeanor no longer feigning indifference. "Yours smells quite nice."

"Master, do you mean you want to buy two skewers?" Lu Feng asked in surprise. "Aren't monks supposed to abstain from meat?"

Hai Chi's eyes widened immediately. "Monks are human too! Haven't you heard the ancient saying, 'Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but Buddha remains in the heart'? A monk's practice is in the heart, not the mouth. If one is attached to appearances, how can one cultivate Buddhist principles?"

He paused, then spoke with even greater earnestness, "Benefactor Lu, what you're saying nowadays is called a stereotype. You're attached to appearances. In this day and age, we monks also have to work and study scriptures, which is very physically demanding."

Hai Chi brandished the broom in his hand. "Experts have also said that protein is the basic substance of life. Therefore, timely supplementation with high-quality protein is also very important."

These words, full of classical allusions and in a way that kept up with the times, left Lu Feng completely stunned.

This monk doesn't look much older than me, yet he has a whole set of theories. How narrow-minded! As long as people are willing to buy my kebabs, who cares if he's a monk or not?

Thinking this, Lu Feng immediately said, "Master Haichi is very insightful! Would you like a few skewers?"

Hai Chi nodded in satisfaction. This stall owner had finally been won over by my Buddhist teachings; he was quite insightful. He glanced at the insulated box on the stall, which was still emitting a pleasant fragrance.

He asked, "Benefactor Lu, how much is your Fiery Beef?"

Lu Feng perked up and quickly replied, "Five yuan a skewer."

Hai Chi's chubby face twitched. "How much? Do you think I've never eaten 'Fiery Beef' before? Aren't they usually sold for 20 NTD a bunch at the night market?"

Lu Feng knew this question would come up, so he explained, "Five yuan a skewer, twenty skewers in a hand, that's one hundred yuan."

"One hundred dollars?!" Hai Chi's voice rose eight octaves. "Just this little bit of beef, one hundred dollars? Benefactor Lu, what kind of business are you in? You might as well just rob our temple."

He pointed with anguish to Kaiyuan Temple behind him, "The cheapest group-buying deal here is only 9.9 yuan for a stick of incense, and 19.9 yuan for fortune telling, plus three sticks of incense for free!"

"You could have just robbed our temple, why did you have to offer us a skewer of grilled meat instead?"

"Master, please let me explain..." Lu Feng picked up a beef skewer. "Look, this beef is genuine free-range Wuling Yellow Cattle from the mountains. We only use the tenderest tenderloin, it's absolutely great value for money! And these skewers are made of premium Mengzong bamboo, which gives them a subtle bamboo aroma when grilled, adding flavor to the skewers. This is definitely not a blatant overpricing!"

Hai Chi looked at Lu Feng and felt a sense of kinship. He had met a kindred spirit; what did it mean to learn how to package oneself? This was it!

He hadn't heard much about the Wuling Yellow Ox, but he knew about the Mengzong Bamboo.

It's just moso bamboo! But he's an expert; he can tell at a sniff that this kind of moso bamboo, which emits a faint bamboo fragrance, must be the finest of the fine. Using it for kebabs? That's an absolute waste.

This Mr. Lu doesn't look like a normal person. He rented a stall that no one has ever rented before, and he's selling kebabs at the temple gate early in the morning, using such expensive ingredients! Is he some rich kid here to experience life?

Hai Chi smacked his lips. "It's really expensive, but the food is really good. This aroma is the first time I've ever smelled anything so delicious in all the years I've eaten barbecue."

He looked at the lone stall in Lufeng, suddenly remembered something, sighed, and softened his tone.

"Enough, enough, everyone has their struggles." Hai Chi's face showed a compassionate expression. "You've supported the Buddhist cause, how could I let you lose everything? Monks are compassionate, their duty is to save all sentient beings. And you, Benefactor Lu, are also one of these sentient beings. If I don't save you, who will?"

The more he spoke, the more he felt his moral standing was elevated. "Helping others is helping yourself, and it's a way to build good karma. Besides, if I don't go to hell, who will? I ate some meat skewers, but I saved Benefactor Lu's business. It's also a form of spiritual practice!"

"I admire you more than anyone else." Lu Feng's lips twitched as he listened, but he had to hold back, though he couldn't help but complain in his heart.

This monk is amazing! He spoke so eloquently and righteously just to get a skewer of meat; I was almost moved by his words.

"Very well, Master Haichi, what you say makes perfect sense! How many skewers would you like?"

Hai Chi thought that it smelled so good, and the taste couldn't be too bad, but it was indeed a bit expensive. "I'll just have two skewers first."

Lu Feng took out two skewers of freshly grilled, still sizzling hot, beef from the insulated box and handed them over.

Hai Chi stared at the grilled skewers in front of him, which were emitting an even richer aroma of spices, and couldn't help but swallow hard.

All my previous thoughts vanished, leaving only my most primal desires in my eyes.