Chapter 75 Traveling Together

The carefully prepared lunch started at 10:00 and ended at nearly 3:00. The late autumn sky was not very hot at this time. During the meal, the host and the guests were very happy. Master Kongkong saw that Lin Ruhai wanted to keep him, so he took the tea and drank it, then stood up and said, "The time has come, the time has come."

Uncle Lin saw that he could not keep Master Kongkong, so he had to stand up together and sighed, "After today's farewell, I hope that I can see you again next spring. Ruhai will never forget the grace of saving your life."

Master Kongkong just smiled and said to Chen Heng who was accompanying him, "Young man, you invited me to Yangzhou City. You should do things from beginning to end, so why not send me off again."

"If I had known that I was here to send you off, I should have called Brother Suzhao as well." Chen Heng felt a little regretful. After all, Xin Suzhao was the real disciple of Master Kongkong. If it weren't for Xin Suzhao that day, he wouldn't even know where Master Kongkong was.

Master Kongkong then turned to look at Lin Ruhai, answering the other party's question while pacing outside: "Saving a life is like a seven-story pagoda. I have already gained merits in front of the Buddha. If Mr. Lin remembers it, wouldn't it be a good thing for me to be remembered in front of the Buddha? Too much merit is not a blessing..."

"...If you really want to thank someone, thank this coincidence." Master Kongkong took the bag from the servant and put on a bamboo hat to protect himself from the sun.

Lin Ruhai followed him closely and smiled when he heard the words: "How do you say this?"

"The child traveled thousands of miles to find the doctor, and asked three questions in the pavilion to eliminate the grudges. The secular body threw away the debt of cause and effect, and chanted "empty" in Hanshan Temple."

The monk stood in the courtyard, looking at the shadowy figures in the attic behind, suddenly clasped his hands together, and chanted "Amitabha".

After leaving the Lin Mansion, there were four people seeing him off. Uncle Lin and Master Kongkong shared a carriage, and Chen Heng, as the middleman, shared a carriage with Miaoyu. For some reason, Master Qingning didn't show up. Daiyu wanted to join in the fun, but it was a pity that Jia Shi didn't let her go out and run around.

The distance between the Lin Mansion and the ferry was not far or near, and the carriage was moving slowly. It was shaking and moving forward, and it bumped the passengers from time to time. Chen Heng was sitting in a corner holding the "Book of Han". A little further away from him was Miaoyu, who was wearing a plain and elegant dress and a lavender scarf.

The noise of tourists on the street was mixed with the sound of tinkling water. The two people were not familiar with each other, and they were speechless when they looked at each other. Although Chen Heng guessed that the other party might be one of the twelve beauties, he had seen many characters in the book now. Even if it was really her, he wouldn't be surprised. Just treat it as a stranger who met by chance and keep his duty.

"I haven't thanked you yet, Mr. Hanshan Pavilion, thank you for solving my teacher's doubts." Miaoyu suddenly spoke out. Her temperament was elegant and she read scriptures all year round. Although he was saying thank you, his tone was very flat.

Chen Heng felt awkward and raised his hand and waved it lightly, "I dare not take credit for it. I think Master Qingning has figured it out in her heart. I just lack a reason to let go of my obsession. It has little to do with what I said that day."

"Young Master, you are so clear about people and things. Do you read Buddhist scriptures on weekdays?"

"I have never read it." Chen Heng couldn't explain his experience in his previous life, so he had to change the subject, "A farmer's boy is not worthy of the title of young master. If Master is willing, just call me Xiaolang."

Miaoyu saw that Chen Heng had no intention of talking, so she didn't say anything more. She was ordered by her master to convey her gratitude. Otherwise, as a monk, she rarely took the initiative to talk to men.

Chen Heng didn't think much about it. Although he and Miaoyu were in the same place now, the latter was not a real nun. She was born with a beautiful face and practiced with hair. Chen Heng couldn't grasp the degree of talking to a nun, so it was best to keep silent.

In addition, Sister Lin told him that although Miaoyu looked about 14 or 15, she was actually only 12 years old, only five years older than herself. (Note 1)

If it was Master Qingning, Chen Heng would be willing to ask a few more questions.

One of them pretended to be dumb, and the other pretended to be deaf. They were silent all the way to the ferry, and then they got off the car. Lin Ruhai and Master Kongkong arrived first, and were already standing at the dock, saying goodbye.

They walked slowly, one in front and one behind. The person in front had the solemnity and elegance of a Buddha statue, holding a Buddhist rosary, and was serious. The person behind, strolling leisurely, also had a bit of Confucian style.

Master Kongkong found it amusing and said to Lin Ruhai, "Look at these two people. Do they look like the boy and girl around Guanyin Bodhisattva?"

Lin Ruhai smiled but said nothing. When Chen Heng came closer, he pulled him to his side and said, "Master, why don't you take another look?"

They both wore wide-sleeved green clothes today, but Lin Ruhai's clothes were more particular in terms of materials and stitches. People felt that they were precious and extraordinary at first glance.

"Hahahaha, that's right, they are now two top scholars." Master Kongkong laughed and nodded. Chen Heng didn't know what they had just said, so he just stood there as a dumb weight.

"Miaoyu." Master Kongkong called the girl to him.

"Uncle Master."

"I read your master's fortune for you last night." Before leaving, Master Kongkong was ready to speak freely and took the initiative to remind the little nun, "The fortune says that you two, master and disciple, should not go north in the future. There will be danger of being destroyed. I'm only telling you this. You have to try to persuade your master, but remember not to mention my name.

If your master knew that I read the fortune, he would definitely be angry and insist on traveling north."

Miaoyu listened silently and nodded and said "OK."

Master Kongkong was still worried after all. He only glanced at Miaoyu up and down to hide the worry in his heart. He smiled at the other two people seeing him off and said, "Chen Xiaolang, don't you have anything to say to me?"

Chen Heng stood next to his uncle and smiled, "Master is a person with profound blessings. No matter how much I say, it can't compare to a green lantern in front of the Buddha. I wish you master..."

Chen Heng looked around and saw people rushing on the pier, passenger ships rising and falling in the tide, and a touch of silk blush on the sparkling lake.

"Catch the east wind, carry the sunset, and find your own home in front of the Buddha."

"Okay, okay." Master Kongkong smiled and nodded, and continued to him, "Su Zhao has a careless temper and is anxious when things happen. But he is sincere. If he encounters any difficulties in the future, I hope Chen Xiaolang will come to rescue him."

Chen Heng was stunned when he heard this. He didn't know what difficulties Xin Suzhao could encounter that he, a farmer, could rescue. However, he still said bluntly: "Master, don't worry, Brother Su Zhao and I hit it off instantly and have known each other for a long time. We will definitely live up to our friendship."

Hearing this, Master Kongkong nodded again, looked at Lin Ruhai, clasped his hands and said, "Master Lin, just send it here." On the way here, the two people talked about the same thing in the carriage.

"Okay, Master, walk slowly. We will meet again next March."

Master Kongkong said goodbye to Chen Heng and Miaoyu one by one, waved his sleeves for the last time, and walked towards the passenger ship under the sunset on the wooden plank.

The three of them waited for a while, until the boatman untied the rope and left the shore, then they each returned. Seeing that this place was not far from the academy, Chen Heng simply suggested to Lin Ruhai to go home directly. He felt that it would be inappropriate for him to ride in a carriage with anyone when he went back, so he might as well take the opportunity to run around.

"Okay, don't forget to show me your strategy." Lin Ruhai did not refuse, and just drove away with Miaoyu in a car.

Looking at the people leaving in two places, Chen Heng stood on the pier, listening to the sound of the tide, and suddenly felt the comfort of the vast sky. He smiled brightly, took the book in one hand and clasped the other behind his back, and walked towards the academy in the distance.

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"Yu'er, what are you looking at?"

Mrs. Jia walked to her pavilion with a plate of cut fruits. Her beloved daughter was leaning on the railing at the moment. The bright sunset was shining on the child, which made Mrs. Jia more and more fond of it.

Daiyu, who was in a daze, let out a soft cry of surprise. When she turned her head and saw the smiling Jia behind her, she couldn't help but said, "Mom, Yu'er didn't think about anything."

"But you want to go out to play again?" Jia asked knowingly.

Lin Daiyu chuckled lightly, neither feeling embarrassed that her thoughts were exposed, nor did she explain herself aloud.

Jia was in a dilemma herself. She thought whether she should advise her daughter to stay at home, or let the child be like a boy and go wherever she wanted. After thinking about it, she felt that it would be easier to give her father a headache.

"When your father comes back, how about asking him to take you on a night outing at Bao'an Lake?"

"Mom, are you serious about this?" Lin Daiyu was very happy. She had not been out for a long time since her brother was critically ill.

Jia Shi smiled and pulled her to sit down in the pavilion, and put the fruit on the table, "If you finish it obediently, mother will tell your father."

"This..." Lin Daiyu looked sad and said bitterly, "Yu'er should study at home."

Jia Shi laughed and said, "Don't be weird. Didn't your brother also tell you that you should eat more fruits? You promised well at that time."

Lin Daiyu imitated someone's giggle and pretended she didn't hear it.

"You, you." Jia had no choice but to tap her daughter's forehead and sighed, "I don't know what she will be like when she grows up."

The little girl was overjoyed when she heard this and put her hands on her eyebrows, "She must be as beautiful as my mother."

"Then the mother will be old."

"Amitabha." Lin Daiyu has played a lot with Miaoyu recently, and imitated Miaoyu's clasping hands, "Then Yu'er, please ask Buddha to let Yu'er grow slower."

"Bah, bah, bah, you know it's nonsense. Be careful of Buddha's blaming."

Lin Daiyu was immediately dumbfounded by Jia's performance, "Mom, I just recited Amitabha, I'm afraid it won't be easy."

The two women stayed in the pavilion until Lin Ruhai came home, and then they told each other what happened in the pavilion. Lin Ruhai listened with a smile, and after dinner, she took Lin Daiyu out of the house quietly without telling Jia.

The father and daughter played on the street until late at night, and the process goes without saying.

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As soon as Chen Heng returned to his dormitory, his classmates were already reviewing their homework intensively. It will be November in two days, and the college exams are coming again. This time, even Xin Suzhao stayed still and read.

As soon as they saw Chen Heng, they all picked up questions that they couldn't solve and asked the person from Class A for verification. Three or five people surrounded Chen Heng in the middle. After the candle provided by the academy was extinguished, Xue Biao took out the candle he bought.

A group of people studied together late into the night, and then fell asleep in a sense of loss.

After two days of this, the November exam came and ended as scheduled.

As the last autumn leaves slowly fell, Class A recruited five more people, but unfortunately, none of the people in Chen Heng's room were among them. Only Xin Suzhao got a C grade, which was considered a small improvement. There was not much difference in the results of the others.

The day after the exam ended, the academy announced that this year's studies would end on December 15th. Young students can write letters to their families in advance and ask their families to arrange a time to pick them up.

Chen Heng was shocked to realize that the Chinese New Year was coming soon.

I originally wanted to describe more in places like "Salt and Iron Theory", but I think it's unnecessary. After all, everyone is reading a book, and the experience is the most important.

By the way, we will put it on the shelves next Wednesday, hahahaha