Huayu: Starting with binding the front desk

After the two left the temple's dining hall, Wang Zhe's discomfort had lessened.

"The pickled cabbage in the vegetarian noodles is really delicious," he said casually.

Zhang Jingyi turned her head to look at him and asked, "Are you feeling better now? Do you want to rest a little longer, or go for a walk?"

"It's alright, let's go for a walk."

At first, he strolled around the commercial area in front of the temple with Zhang Jingyi, but as they walked, he vaguely sensed that something deep inside the temple was attracting him.

He walked quickly in front of Zhang Jingyi and turned into a small door on the side.

Zhang Jingyi noticed he turned the corner and quickly followed him. "Wang Zhe, where are you going?"

"There's not much to see up ahead, it's all just shops selling handicrafts, let's go check out the back." He made up an excuse and continued walking inside.

Zhang Jingyi whispered a reminder: "But it seems like tourists aren't allowed to go in here..."

"What's wrong, Little Blackie? Are you scared? Nobody's stopping you, what are you afraid of?" Wang Zhe grabbed her arm and continued walking deeper into the area.

He had a vague feeling that the answer he was looking for was inside.

"I'm not scared. If we get found out later, we'll just say we got lost, two little kids..."

Before she could finish speaking, the two stepped through a small door and saw a little monk standing there, looking at them expressionlessly.

Zhang Jingyi felt a little embarrassed and unconsciously hid behind Wang Zhe.

Wang Zhe was not surprised. Looking at the little monk, he had a feeling that the other party was waiting for him.

As expected, the young monk put his hands together and said calmly, "Please follow me, benefactors."

Without hesitation, Wang Zhe followed the little monk further inside. Zhang Jingyi was a little nervous, but with Wang Zhe holding her arm, she had no choice but to follow him.

The young monk led the two to a secluded meditation room. He stepped aside to make way for Wang Zhe and said, "Please come in, benefactor. My master is waiting inside."

Wang Zhe nodded and was about to push the door open and go in.

When Zhang Jingyi was about to follow him inside, the little monk gently stopped her.

"Female benefactor, please follow me."

Zhang Jingyi subconsciously looked at Wang Zhe.

"Don't worry, it's alright." Wang Zhe gave her a reassuring look, not revealing his own feelings that it was these monks who led him here.

We live in a society governed by the rule of law, and this temple is a tourist attraction, so Wang Zhe had nothing to worry about.

Zhang Jingyi nodded gently after receiving his comfort, and went to the side room next door with the little monk.

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As Wang Zhe entered the meditation room, he smelled a faint sandalwood fragrance, which completely calmed his previously unsettled mind.

He saw an old monk sitting upright on a prayer mat, his eyes slightly closed, looking like a high-ranking monk, but he was not impressed and thought he was just being pretentious.

Wang Zhe didn't stand on ceremony and went straight to the futon opposite the old monk, where he sat down cross-legged.

Silence fell in the room. He didn't rush to speak, wanting to wait for the old monk to speak first.

Wang Zhe stared at the old monk for a long time, but the monk never opened his eyes, as if Wang Zhe did not exist.

After a while, Wang Zhe finally couldn't hold back any longer and slowly spoke up: "Master, did you call me over because you have something to say?"

The old monk slowly opened his eyes, looked at Wang Zhe in front of him, and said calmly, "Do you have any doubts?"

Wang Zhe met the old monk's eyes and felt as if he were being seen through, but he still shook his head.

"no."

The old monk seemed to have expected this, and without pressing further, slowly asked, "Young benefactor, do you believe in the doctrine of cause and effect?"

"I don't understand."

"All things arise from causes and conditions are empty of inherent existence; when conditions come together, they arise; when conditions disperse, they cease to exist."

Wang Zhe remained silent for a moment, then said sincerely, "Master Chef, I really don't know what you're trying to say. Can we speak Mandarin?"

The old monk shook his head and chuckled, then changed his tune: "I am not the same person I was before; my true nature is one."

"I still don't understand."

The old monk, who had been sitting upright, swayed imperceptibly, as if his years of meditation had been suddenly struck by a blunt object.

He leaned forward slightly and finally said something that Wang Zhe could understand.

"Are you still the same person you were before?"

This time, Wang Zhe was stunned. Had the old monk really seen through it, or was he just pretending?

He looked into the old monk's eyes and answered very seriously: "I am who I am, and that has never changed."

Upon hearing this, the old monk slowly withdrew his gaze and gestured towards the door.

"Please return, benefactor."

Wang Zhe felt completely bewildered.

Did the old monk realize that he was a reincarnated person?

He got up and walked to the door, then suddenly turned back to the old monk with his eyes closed again, and asked earnestly, "Master, where do I pay the money?"

The old monk lost his balance once again and quickly waved his hand gently to shoo people away.

"Someone in your past life already paid for it."

Seeing that the old monk didn't want to say anything more, Wang Zhe didn't ask any more questions and turned to leave.

"You really thought you'd met a highly virtuous monk..."

Inside the meditation room, the old monk's eye twitched almost imperceptibly.

Not long after Wang Zhe came out, Zhang Jingyi also came out from another room.

The young monk led the two back the way they came, escorting them all the way to the visitor area in the front yard.

He put his hands together in prayer and said to Wang Zhe, "My master has one more thing to say to you, benefactor."

"Keep your heart unchanged and act in accordance with your true nature."

Wang Zhe looked at him, clasped his hands together, and said sincerely, "You really don't need me to donate any incense money? I understand, Buddhism is about karma, not money..."

Where is the donation box?

The young monk was clearly still learning, for his voice lacked composure and instead sounded somewhat flustered as he said, "Benefactor, my master has already said that the female benefactor has paid."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and ran to the backyard, afraid that Wang Zhe would pull him aside and ask him more questions.

Wang Zhe turned his head and looked at Zhang Jingyi with disbelief, saying, "You gave them money?"

Zhang Jingyi quickly shook her head: "No, apart from the entrance fee and vegetarian noodles, I didn't spend any other money. It only cost twenty yuan in total."

Wang Zhe fell into a brief silence.

The old monk said that someone in his previous life had paid for it.

The young monk added that Zhang Jingyi paid for it.

Could it be... that Zhang Jingyi came here to ask for something on his behalf before his rebirth?

In their past life, the two had little contact after high school. They only met briefly at a few parties, exchanging nods and greetings.

"What's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell again?" Zhang Jingyi saw that he was standing still and gently punched him.

"It's nothing, I just remembered something." Wang Zhe snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head.

Who cares about anything else? Anyway, he's still Wang Zhe, not anyone else.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Jingyi asked curiously.

Wang Zhe put his hands behind his back and walked slowly toward the temple gate, shaking his head as he went: "The Buddha said, it cannot be spoken."

"Tch~ So mysterious."

Zhang Jingyi quickly caught up with him and grabbed his arm. "I almost forgot, this is for you."

Wang Zhe watched as she took out a string of Buddhist prayer beads from her bag; the dark brown beads gleamed with a warm luster in the afternoon sunlight.

Before he could even ask where it came from, Zhang Jingyi had already grabbed his wrist and carefully put it on him with her head down.

"When did you buy it?"

"Given to me by that master just now."

Zhang Jingyi examined the bracelet on his wrist and nodded in satisfaction: "It suits you quite well."

"Twenty yuan plus a free bracelet, what a bargain!" Wang Zhe also took a closer look and realized that it wasn't the kind of stuff sold at street stalls near the temple.

"Don't take it off unless necessary," Zhang Jingyi earnestly instructed again.

Wang Zhe nodded and then asked, "By the way, what did you and that master chef talk about?"

Zhang Jingyi mimicked him by putting her hands behind her back, slightly raising her chin, and letting her ponytail sway behind her head. She said with a hint of smugness, "As the Buddha said, it cannot be spoken."

In the afternoon, the two strolled around the temple's commercial area for a while.

Before leaving, Zhang Jingyi picked out a red string for Wang Zhe at the distribution center to keep him safe and tied it to his other wrist as a birthday gift.

Wang Zhe then put "two hundred coins" into the donation box, just to buy peace of mind.

He vaguely sensed that his rebirth might indeed have some inexplicable connection with Zhang Jingyi and this ancient Kaifu Temple.

……

In the evening, Wang Zhe and Zhang Jingyi parted ways, and Wang Zhe returned to his own home.

Xu Ying immediately noticed the new bracelet and red string on his wrist and pulled it over to examine it closely.

"Where did you go on vacation? You even decorated it!"

"Kaifu Temple. A birthday gift from a classmate."

As Wang Zhe spoke, he took a small box out of his pocket and handed it over, saying, "I also got you something to keep you safe."

Xu Ying took the box, the curve of her lips conveying a meaningful smile.

"Male or female classmate?"

"Mom, where are Wang Chiran and Tian Xiwei?"

Seeing that he was changing the subject, Xu Ying rolled her eyes at him, but didn't press the matter further.

"They went out to buy you a cake."