Chapter One: The Bodhisattva We Used to Worship Together

  I was born at noon on the 17th day of the fifth month in the lunar calendar, which corresponds to June 14, 1976, in a small town in Hubei Province.

  At that time, the country had just begun to implement the family planning policy. However, in the first few years, it was mainly based on persuasion and did not force anything. "Priority admission to kindergarten, priority admission to school, priority participation in work!" These three points were a kind of encouragement or reward for the people who responded to this policy at the beginning. Thanks to my parents' blessing, I had the good fortune to join this group. At that time, everyone was not used to saying "only child". More often than not, the neighbors around me were accustomed to calling me "special protected child"!

  The idea of valuing boys over girls still exists to this day, let alone back then. Logically speaking, having a son should be a joyful occasion for the family. Indeed, my parents were overjoyed. They even took all the grain coupons they had managed to save up and exchanged them for rice, flour, fruit, and eggs - scarce commodities at the time. They were preparing to host a grand banquet on the day of my full moon celebration!

  The full moon wine was very lively, and at that time, our house was still a bungalow. A large room, with a cloth curtain in the middle to separate it, the inside of the curtain was the bedroom! The outside of the curtain near the door was the living room! Neighbors and relatives from all directions came on the day. Families who were better off gave 50 cents as a gift. Families who were not well-off would grit their teeth and give one or two mao (one-tenth of a yuan). I vaguely remember that at the time, my second uncle, to celebrate the birth of the eldest son and grandson of our old family, went up the mountain and dug out a large tree stump, sold it in town for 10 yuan. Then, without hesitation, he stuffed the 10 yuan into his brother's, also my father's, pocket!

  10 yuan was a huge sum of money at that time. Have you ever had steamed meat with rice? At that time, a full bowl only cost 20 cents. The 20-cent steamed meat with rice was enough for a family of three to enjoy.

  The atmosphere was joyful, and my mother was also smiling when she received the red envelopes. There were several tables of wine and food at the entrance of the house, and the guests were eating with gusto, their faces flushed with happiness. And I, curled up with my legs exposed, showing off my boyhood, was happily urinating on my little sister's body! Of course, these are all things that my father told me later. At the time, I had no idea what was going on.

  Life is full of disappointments, and this sentence makes sense. While everyone was still eating to their heart's content, a Taoist priest appeared out of nowhere, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light as he gazed at the sumptuous feast on our table. Of course, the title "Taoist priest" was also something my father used many years later. At that time, this Taoist priest had already become my master and had been traveling in the immortal realm for many years. According to my old man, when he first saw this tattered and worn-out figure, with eyes fixed greedily on the feast and his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, he still managed to put on a dignified and elegant demeanor, like a true Taoist master. His first impression was two words: "Fake Master!"

  This profession of fortune-telling is something that everyone should know about. Nowadays, if you're lucky, you might still be able to see one or two of them on the street corner, holding hands with young women and pointing out the way of life! At the very least, even if they don't have any young women in tow, they can always grab hold of a couple of middle-aged ladies. The speaker's spittle flies everywhere as he talks, while the listener nods along in agreement.

  After dragging on for half an hour with ambiguous words, the expenses for these two days have been settled. If luck is a bit better, if there's a wisp of smoke rising from the ancestral tomb, maybe this month's expenses will be taken care of by others. Of course, the premise is that you must make them happy. If you keep saying those unlucky words, there won't be any money, but saliva and shoe soles are very likely!

  With the idea that a guest is a precious gift, although Father was not pleased with this Taoist priest, who was my master, he still invited him to sit down with a forced smile.

  "The Daozhang, today is my puppy's full moon day, can you help take a look?" After the old Dao drank three rounds of wine, my father, for some reason, carried me in front of him and asked him to take a look at my face. Later, I guessed that perhaps my father didn't want the old Dao to eat and drink for free, so he thought about asking for two auspicious phrases to celebrate."

  "Hmph! Let me take a look!" He raised his eyes, which were covered with eye discharge, and glared at me. The old Taoist stood up, belching after drinking.

  "On the day of Ding You in Jia Wu month, Bao Chen year, at noon! According to reason, the eight characters of Bao Chen year Jia Wu month Ding You day are not bad. Although one's life is not easy to become rich and noble, it can still be warm and safe! However......" The old man's hope for a few auspicious words was shattered as soon as Lao Dao opened his mouth."

  "What's wrong? Just say it straight out." The old man asked in a trembling voice, while secretly regretting it in his heart. "I knew this Taoist priest was ungrateful, he can't even say a auspicious phrase, saying that he shouldn't have gone to offend him!" This was the old man's most genuine inner thoughts at that time.

  "But the problem is that you, young master, were born at noon. In the year of Bingchen, it belongs to the dragon, and the dragon is in charge of water! People born at noon are like a raging fire in the sky, no different from a dragon swimming in shallow waters. Your life will probably not be very smooth. A dragon swimming in shallow waters will be teased by shrimp, and a tiger falling into a flat land will be bullied by dogs. If things go well, you might barely make ends meet. But if they don't, I'm afraid your future will be one of separation from wife and children, and a life of downfall!" The old Taoist seemed to not see the anger in Old Dad's eyes or the hostile expressions of the guests, and continued to "speak the truth"! And as for me, according to Old Dad, at that time I was also very rude, curling up my legs and revealing small, cicada-shell-like weapons, and peeing a stream of childish urine right onto the old Taoist's face!

  "Is there a solution?" As soon as the old man asked this, he had already handed me over to Xiaogu's hands. Clenching his fists and flushing with anger, he glared at Dao Long. If you dare to utter another word of disrespect, I will surely beat you down! Since the idea of beating someone up arose in his heart, the old man's words also automatically removed the respectful title for Dao Long.

  "Hmm! Got it!" The old Taoist also seemed to have sensed the killing intent of Lao Die, wiped away the remaining urine on his face with his hand, and nodded very refreshingly in his tattered Taoist robe!

  "How is it solved?" The old father seemed unwilling to let go of Lao Dao easily and pressed forward to ask.

  "It's said that a person's life is predetermined by heaven. The calamities you're supposed to suffer, you can avoid for a while, but not for a lifetime." The old Taoist stroked his greasy beard and said so. He spoke halfway through, feeling the old man's murderous aura grew even stronger, and hastily stopped speaking!

  "That's it, today is the day of destiny, and I must meet this child. It must be that heaven has taken pity on him and wants to use my hands to eliminate the calamity from his body. In that case, I will follow heaven's will and take him as my disciple. When he turns 10 years old, I will bring him traveling around the world to accumulate good karma, day and night reciting scriptures in front of Sanmao Zhenjun's throne, perhaps we can change his fate, who knows! The old Taoist paused for a moment before continuing. However, when mentioning Sanmao Zhenjun, his face suddenly became serious. But at that time, the old father didn't know that Sanmao Zhenjun was the ancestor of the Maoshan sect and mistakenly thought it was Sanmao Zhenjun. The Three Pure Ones' father knew, but whenever he mentioned Sanmao, he would become tongue-tied. Moreover, he even mistook Sanmao for Sanmao."

  "You stinky Taoist, I was kind enough to let you drink with me, but in the end, your unlucky words made me unhappy. Now, you're actually setting your sights on my son? Thinking of abducting him to become a Taoist? First, ask if my fist agrees or not."

  The old man had been a worker in the steel mill for half his life, and he was strong. After saying that, without waiting for Lao Dao to explain, he grabbed the front of his robe and swung a big fist at him.

  "Master, please stop!" The old Daoist's face was punched and he looked at Lao Da in terror, shouting "Master, stop!"

  "Don't hit me anymore, oh no, it's my fate! It's my fate!" The old Taoist endured a few punches and saw that the old man had not yet shown any intention of stopping. He simply gave up struggling and only used his hands to protect his face, allowing the old man to continue hitting him. However, his mouth did not stop, and while crying out in pain, he continued to shout "it's my fate" repeatedly.

  After the old Taoist was beaten by his father for several punches, he was rescued by the guests who came to drink. It's not that these people had a grudge against the old man, but they were afraid that the old man would beat the Taoist to death. At that time, killing someone required paying with one's life, and debts also had to be repaid with money.

  In the end, it was still Mother's kindness that prevailed. She saw the Taoist priest leaning against our outer wall, staring at Father with a terrified expression, his face also bruised and battered. Mother couldn't bear to see this, so she had several of our uncles invite the old Taoist, who would become my future master, into our home. They even brought out some red and blue medicinal ointment from our household supplies to treat his wounds. However, with that red and blue paste on his face, he looked even more disreputable.

  "The Taoist priest's words were as good as a slap in the face to my husband, and I had to apologize for him. But my son is the only bloodline of the Lou family now, and he's the eldest son and grandson. The Taoist priest's words today made my husband angry, and it's understandable. After the old mother calmed down a bit, she began to reason with him. Of course, I polished up this conversation later. How many housewives back then could speak such elegant words?"

  Actually, according to my father's recollection, at that time, my mother's original words were like this: "You this Taoist priest, today our family has a happy event, my husband saw you pitiful and kindly kept you for dinner and drinks. You're good, still saying those messy words to make people uncomfortable. My husband didn't beat you to death, that's already your luck. If you plan to report to the public security, then take back the wine and meat you ate earlier and exchange them for grain tickets with me. If you don't report to the public security, tonight I'll invite you again, and this matter will be settled like this, how about it?"

  "Hmm! Today, I'll take a beating from you and drink your wine, it's all fate. Report to the officials, I'm determined not to go." The old Taoist gently stroked his injured area, twitching his face at his parents, second uncle, third uncle, fourth uncle, fifth uncle, as well as his older and younger aunts.

  "Hmm, I suppose you're a sensible Taoist. I won't hit you for nothing, come stay for dinner and have some wine tonight!" The old man patted the old Taoist's shoulder in satisfaction, seeing that he was willing to let things go.

  "However, I think the young master's body seems a bit weak. To make him grow strong and become a useful talent for the four modernizations, I still suggest you burn more incense. Of course, whether you believe it or not is up to you. Whether to burn incense, worship Buddha, what incense to burn, what Bodhisattva to worship, it's all up to your thoughts." The old Taoist looked at me who was still in swaddling clothes, hesitated for a moment, and finally took the risk of being beaten again to say these words.

  I don't know whether my mother believed in all the gods, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas or not, but I do know that from then on, she took me to bow at every temple, Taoist shrine and nunnery in our hometown. My mother was a traditional, kind-hearted woman. The old saying goes: "Believe and you will be saved; don't believe and you won't." She wore out countless pairs of shoes doing this. And I, too, was held in her arms as we bowed to countless Bodhisattvas.