Chapter Ten

  The next morning, Yu Xuan was woken up by Xia Yun at dawn. After washing and dressing in a daze, the group drove to Jiuhua Mountain at 3:30.

  Because Xiaobai wanted to sit in the front passenger seat, Yucai had no choice but to still sit with Xiayunyun together, and as soon as they got on the car, she fell asleep again.

  "Have we arrived?" Yu Cai asked drowsily, struggling to open her eyes.

  "Not yet," said Qishu Fan as he got off the car and swapped seats with He Qi.

  Yu Cai gazed at Qi Shu Fan with a sigh of emotion, this guy had guts, letting these high school students bully him around!

  Outside, the sky had already brightened up, but He Qiu started driving clumsily, and soon forgot this and that, just like Yu Cai when she first learned to drive.

  After a sudden brake, Xia Yunyun also woke up and saw the situation, wanting to try it out. Qi Shufan surprisingly smiled and agreed. Yu Cai looked around and thought that Qi Shufan had deliberately found a secluded road for them to test drive. With such great patience and tolerance, she wondered why Qi Shufan was at odds with him. Was it just because he didn't have time to accompany him?

  After messing around for half an hour, He Qi was really tired and had to reluctantly let Xia Yunyun take over. Xia Yunyun was a bit more timid, although clumsy, but she wouldn't be as eager to show off like He Qi, and instead drove more steadily. Ji Shu Fan started teasing them, saying the boys couldn't even compare to the two girls, making He Qi even more frustrated, shouting loudly that they had to learn how to drive quickly so they could see.

  When Xia Yunyin was tired and asked for a rest, Qi Shu Fan seemed to say casually, "Try it out, do you want to try too?"

  "Not needed," two words without a hint of hesitation and emotion.

  Yu Cai hurriedly said, "A Shi, you try too! We've all tried it, maybe we can help the boys save some face!"

  He Qi and Xia Yun also chimed in, and only then did Ji Shi nod.

  Xie sat down in the driver's seat, and Qi Shu Fan couldn't help but laugh, saying "Xie is Xiao Cai's student, I'd better not steal Xiao Yu teacher's rice bowl".

  Yu Cai hastily declined, but unfortunately lost again to the old fox and reluctantly sat in the passenger seat.

  Since I just got my driver's license, I still remember the coaching method. At first, the coach didn't let me start the car and teach at the same time, but instead, he taught me how to shift gears smoothly while looking straight ahead, and practiced coordinating hands and feet. Then, he carefully explained again the things to pay attention to when using the clutch and steering wheel, before letting me slowly release the clutch and start the car.

  His driving skills are very good, and he doesn't seem to be nervous at all. With Yu Cai's training just now, he can already coordinate his hands and feet well, so the car is stable on the road. Although it's not as good as Yu Cai's yesterday, it's still pretty good.

  He Qi immediately said it was not his own poor performance, but rather the poor teaching of Ji Shu Fan.

  Qibook thought he was just letting them have some fun and didn't mean to teach them seriously, after all they were only high school freshmen, still a few years away from adulthood. But Yucai once again exceeded his expectations, so he could only sigh and say, "Indeed, Little Yu teacher is professional, Xiao Cai, how did you know this?"

  "I saw an article online that teaches people how to drive," Yu Cai was even more nervous than when she was driving herself, after all, she was sitting in the instructor's seat, with full responsibility for safety!

  "Just take a look and you'll know how to teach, Teacher Xiao Yu is indeed awesome."

  "This is the teacher's basic professional quality, um, don't talk to me, Xiexi, hold the steering wheel steady, yes, relax, don't stiffen your body," Yucai's hand gently patted Xiexi's shoulder, and Xiexi unconsciously relaxed his stiffened back.

  The start of the prayer release gradually entered a state, and Ice Sculpture Face also had a hint of excitement.

  Yu Cai's mouth curled up, and she smiled lightly, "Doesn't it feel wonderful? It's completely different from taking a car ride. The first time I drove, I felt like I was riding a roller coaster."

  Qī shì zhī piān guò tóu wēi wēi hàn shǒu.

  Translation:

  He nodded slightly.

  When the prayer was over, the priest found that nobody had paid any attention to his vehement protests, so he let Yu Zai go. Yu Zai, who had been itching for a fight all along, went away gleefully.

  After all the trouble, they took a detour and arrived at Jiuhua Mountain after 8 pm. The group ate some noodles at the foot of the mountain and started climbing up. The entire body of Jiuhua Mountain is composed of numerous middle-sized mountains, low mountains, and hills with varying heights, shapes, and sizes. Climbing was not tiring, but Chi Shu Fan was the kind of person who would enter every temple he saw and worship every god he encountered. He didn't buy incense or candles, just threw paper money into the donation box one by one. Yu Cai watched him with a mixture of shock and amusement, thinking to herself that he should also donate some to himself, which would be doing a good deed too!

  The scenery of Jiuhua Mountain is still quite good, with a solemn and peaceful atmosphere. Adding the occasional bell and drum sounds from the temple, as well as the chanting voices, Yu Cai also finds it quite enjoyable.

  At noon, several people stayed in the temple to eat a vegetarian meal. After lunch, Qi Shu said he wanted to attend the Buddhist Dharma Assembly and asked a few high school students if they would like to go with him. Xiao Bai Lian exaggeratedly shouted, "Uncle Qi, you're not serious, are you? Two hours, it's so boring!"

  "Hey, if you're getting impatient, just go take a stroll around and be careful. We'll meet back here in two hours."

  Xiao Baizui's eyes darted back and forth, clearly plotting something mischievous. Ji Shu Fan couldn't help but chuckle and pat him on the shoulder, "He Qi, among these few people, you're the biggest troublemaker. I'll leave them to you; if anything goes wrong, it's all on you!"

  Xiaobai immediately patted his chest and guaranteed, "I'll go with you to listen to the Buddhist meeting".

  Qishu looked at her in surprise, Yu Cai smiled faintly, "I've heard it before, I'm curious, but also a bit tired, too lazy to walk around".

  Xiaobai's eyes started rolling again, "Hey, Xia Yunyun, you go listen too. Two men and one woman, isn't it inconvenient for you to follow us?"

  "Alright, I've handed him over to you. If he bullies Yunyun again, take good care of her for me. If she's not happy, I won't forgive you first!"

  Xiaobai's face spat out his tongue, pulling Ji Shi to run away, Xia Yunyun also followed. Yucai turned around and entered the Buddhist hall, pretending not to see Ji Shu Fan's gaze full of interest.

  Under the premise of an economic society, the spread of Buddhism has also begun to keep pace with the times. The old monk who seemed to have a somewhat immortal and elegant demeanor was talking about some superficial Buddhist principles, supplemented by some interesting Buddhist stories. Listening to it wasn't dull at all, but as he went on to the second half, the tone gradually changed. At first, it sounded like he was encouraging people to do good deeds and accumulate virtues, but upon closer listening, it turned out that he was unapologetically advertising himself, asking people to donate incense money. Yu Cai listened for a while before becoming impatient, and unknowingly fell asleep. When she woke up, the Buddhist lecture had already ended, and a group of people were orderly going to pay their respects to the old monk one by one, and then leaving. Of course, most of them would put a few Mao Zedong notes in the merit box at the door. Yu Cai felt a pang of disgust in her heart, thinking that even if the Buddha and Guanyin really pitied the people of the world, this compassion had long been polluted by humans and lost its original nature.

  Ji Shu didn't rush, and saw Yu Cai sleeping, so he sat in his original position waiting. Yu Cai looked around and found that if they lined up to see the great master, they would have to wait at least half an hour. Feeling bored, she yawned and said, "Let's not wait anymore?"

  "He's already here, just wait a moment."

  Yu Cai seemed to smile but not quite, "I didn't expect you to be so sincere".

  Qí shū fán jǔ jiān, "yǒu shí hòu xiǎng piàn zì jǐ yě bù shì nà me róng yì de, yǒu yī gè kàn qǐlái dào gǔ xiān fēng de rén bāng zhe wǒ yīqǐ piàn, bù hǎo?"

  Translation:

  Qishu Fan shrugged, "Sometimes it's not easy to deceive oneself. With someone who looks like a Taoist immortal helping me cheat, isn't that great?"

  Yu Cai was speechless for a moment and could only reluctantly accompany him in his bitter wait.

  "Master!" Qi Shu Fan made eleven bows.

  "'The donor is polite,' the old monk returned the courtesy, smiling as he looked at Yu Cai, 'This young donor fell asleep halfway through, could it be that you are dissatisfied with what this old monk has said?'"

  Yu Cai didn't expect the old monk to be so sharp-eyed, and he asked directly, feeling a bit embarrassed for a moment. Qi Shu Fan bowed again and smiled, "Children are impatient, Master forgive me".

  "The donor is polite, this little donor has a fate with my Buddha. If you have free time, the donor can bring the little donor to get close to my Buddha more often," said the old monk, turning around and whispering a few words to the small monk beside him. The small monk hesitated for a moment before trotting away quickly.

  "Thank you for your guidance, Master."

  Yu Cai, who had been an atheist since childhood, didn't show any signs of turning to theism after experiencing such a strange thing. However, she still had a glimmer of hope in her heart, wishing that she could meet someone like those female protagonists in novels who had encountered mysterious and powerful figures, and receive some kind of mysterious prophecy. So when this seemingly extraordinary person said that she had a connection with Buddha, Yu Cai asked tentatively, "Master, do you have anything special to say to me?"

  The master smiled mysteriously, and naturally, the master's smile was too mysterious, so Yu Cai pondered for half a day without being able to figure out its specific meaning. She asked again, "Can the master show me my fortune?" And by the way, predict that the beauty will win the world.

  "All living beings have no fixed appearance, how can this old monk help you see your fortune?"

  Yu Cai gritted her teeth, Master, you're just pretending, right?

  At this time, the little monk ran back again, respectfully handing a small wooden box to the old monk. The old monk opened the wooden box, and a refreshing fragrance wafted out, but it was a black wooden Guanyin.

  The old monk picked up the wooden Guanyin and was about to hang it around Yucai's neck, but Yucai subconsciously took two steps back, only to be held by Qishu Fan, "Xiao Cai".

  The old monk successfully hung the wooden Guanyin on Yu Cai's neck, smiled with satisfaction, raised his right palm, and murmured a Buddhist mantra, "The young donor has great fortune but a light life, may Buddha bless him abundantly."

  Yu Cai pouted, don't think that sending a worthless piece of wood can fool me. Qi Shu Fan thanked her again and pulled Yu Cai towards the door, of course not forgetting to throw a thick stack of RMB into the donation box before leaving.

  Yu Cai walked for a while with a sullen expression, then suddenly stopped in her tracks. "How much money did you just stuff inside?"

  "Five thousand".

  "Five thousand?! Ugly words stuck in her throat, she plopped down on the corridor by the road, "Indeed, it's still a scam, indeed those who believe in the so-called 'fate' that comes out of nowhere are fools!"

  Qishou patted her hair and laughed, "He said so, you just believe it, among so many people, he only cheated you, you don't have fate, who has?"

  Yu Cai glared at him indignantly, "Since he chose me to deceive you, what kind of fool are you?"

  Qishu Fan laughed but didn't answer, Yu Cai took down the Guanyin statue, looked it up and down for half a day, then sniffed it in front of her nose, "It smells strange, I don't know what kind of thing was added to it".

  He stuffed it into his pocket and said to Qishu, who was about to cry with laughter, "Wear it well."

  "It smells so good, there must be a lot of chemicals inside, how can it be worn close to the body?"

  "The incense is weak," "That's made from agarwood, it's natural fragrance, not some chemical substance."

  "'Agarwood?' Yu Cai was very skeptical, 'Even if it's agarwood, there's no way it would be fragrant to this extent, right?'"

  Qishu Fan was completely powerless, "You just wear it well, it won't harm you".

  Depressed and shrugging shoulders, then hung around neck, okay, the legendary agarwood!