The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

“Are we just going to wait? This is way too excruciating.” Although Red Boy still wished to escape, he unknowingly thought himself as a member of One Finger Monastery after spending so much time there. He also began putting One Finger Monastery into his considerations. One Finger Monastery was just too small, and even if other monasteries were small, they still contained the essentials. In contrast, One Finger Monastery was greatly lacking. Everyone wanted their side to be good, and he was no different. Now that a bell tower was being constructed, he was naturally overjoyed and extremely eager.

“This is already not bad. Only through the help of the villagers do we see such an effect. If not for the villagers helping, it would be even slower. I estimate that it will take at least a week before the construction of the bell tower can actually begin,” said Fangzheng.

“But it’s impossible for everyone to help every day, right? I guess that the number of people will decrease tomorrow, and there will be no one the day after tomorrow,” grumbled Red Boy. To him, being able to help once was already pretty rare. The kind of nice people who would help daily would likely be very few in number. At the very least, he had never seen many people like that in the world he came from.

Lone Wolf, Squirrel, and Monkey did not say a word, but they implicitly agreed. Fangzheng was the same. No one had a better solution. Although everyone wished upon the stars to finish constructing the bell tower, the mountain path remained treacherous, and the amount of stone was great. It was not simple to do it in one go.

The next day. Luo Yang was still sleeping. He was a foreman, and there was no need for him to do the laborious task of moving the construction materials. All he needed to do was ensure that the engravings were done properly nearer to the end of the construction. Yesterday, as a huge group of villagers had volunteered to help, he felt embarrassed to sit idle and watch the villagers do all the work. Therefore he had helped carry some of the stone, and now… He did not even wish to move. From his point of view, it was not bad that the villagers were willing to help for a day. It was impossible for them to come every day.

And yet, Luo Yang heard the engines of motorcycles and tractors at dawn. There were even the voices of people bragging. There was even the sound of cars. Immediately following that, music was played through the sound system. There was a din outside as he turned vexed. He cursed angrily. “What’s all this noise so early in the morning?”

Luo Yang crawled out of bed, and he realized that all the workers were already no longer in bed. Master Ma was leaning on a window, watching.

Luo Yang asked, “Master Ma, what are you looking at? Where’s everyone.”

“They went to do work. I’m watching the commotion. There’s so many people. I wonder what they are here for?” Master Ma was an old carpenter, and he was skilled in various engraving techniques from ancient times. He was also advanced in age, so he could not partake in laborious tasks. A large number of the workers were there to move the bricks, stone, and wooden planks. They were paid by the amount they moved. The more they moved, the more they earned; therefore none of them skived. They set off at dawn.

Apart from the room they were in, there were other rooms with workers in them. Some of them were like Master Ma. Many of them had only just woken up.

“Look. Hehe. It’s really quite a motley of people.” Luo Yang was puzzled as well. He wore his clothes and ran out. He stood by the door to watch the commotion.

He saw vehicles of all sizes pass by as they headed for Mt. One Finger.

Luo Yang was puzzled. What were those people coming there for? At that moment, a motorcycle passed by him. Luo Yang stopped the motorcycle and asked out of curiosity, “Brother, which village are you from?”

“Backriver Village. Why?” asked the man.

“What are all of you here for? And why are there so many people? I even see some car plates from the county city,” asked Luo Yang.

“Don’t you know?” asked the man in astonishment.

“What should I know?”

The man smiled. “A wealthy person donated a bell tower to One Finger Monastery. However One Finger Monastery isn’t easily accessible. Bricks, stone, and wooden planks can’t be transported up with machinery. One Finger Village is lacking in manpower. Someone sent a notice to seek help on our WeChat group. Everyone came to help.”

“Oh… All of you are here to help?” Luo Yang was confounded. What was going on? Wasn’t it said that no one would help the second day? What was up with the monk? Why was he so influential?

“That’s right. Master is the benefactor of many people in our Backriver Village. Sixteen people came from our village. There’s also people from Daliu Village and Hongyan Village. I wouldn’t say there are many more, but we should have a bit over a hundred people.” With that said, the man smiled. “Alright, I have to get going. I need to give my help. Let’s talk another time.” With that said, the man was about to drive off.

Luo Yang subconsciously asked, “Brother, what’s your name?”

“Zheng Jiaxing!” Zheng Jiaxing waved his hand and left.

Luo Yang scratched his head. He was truly puzzled, and he couldn’t sit still. He informed Master Ma, and the both of them rushed to the construction site. Master Ma mumbled, “I’ve lived for so long, but the last time I saw a similar scene where everyone volunteered to help was decades ago. Back then… Hehe, although we were poor, everyone was united. The drive everyone had… I haven’t seen it in decades. To be able to see it again today, heh heh. It’s great.”

“Are monks these days so influential?” asked Luo Yang.

“This not what any ordinary monk can do. Many big monasteries might not even be able to find so many volunteers. Look at all of them. Their faces are beaming. It doesn’t look like they are working. Instead, it looks like they are here for a celebratory feast or waiting for money to be handed out. I dare say that we have belittled the young monk. He is someone with true ability. If he had not benefited all these people, no one would answer the call for help. That’s how people are. If you are nice to everyone, everyone will be nice to you. On the contrary, someone who only wishes to benefit at the expenses of others, hehe.” Master Ma curled his lips and did not continue.

Luo Yang fell deep into thought.

When the duo arrived at the construction site, they were stunned once again. They saw Wang Yougui holding onto a loudhailer on a soil mound. He was shouting loudly, “Everyone, please ensure your safety. The mountain path is dangerous. If you are out of strength, rest midway. We have lots of people. There’s no need to be in such a rush!”

“Also, women do not need to do the laborious work. We have lots of men. All of you can rest!”

With that said, he immediately met with denouncing cries from the women.

“Wang Yougui, you old bastard. What did you say? Are you looking down on us? Did you forget who stuffed you into the pig’s pen when you were little?” shouted a burly woman.

There was a series of boos as Wang Yougui blushed red from embarrassment. He hurriedly said, “Li Cuihua, don’t create a fuss for nothing! I’m just showing my care and concern for women! If you really wish to help, help wash the vegetables. We are here to build the bell tower for the monastery today. There will be no meat dishes, only vegetables. Vegetables are hard to wash, so make haste. Don’t keep chattering away here.”

Li Cuihua spat in disapproval. She gave no hoots about Wang Yougui’s title as village chief. She beckoned her hand as she led a group of women to wash the vegetables.

Wang Yougui continued shouting, “Newcomers, please report to my left. Listen to the instructions of the foreman. Do not rush up in a disorderly fashion!”

There was a huge group of people standing beneath Wang Yougui. They were panting as they carried the wooden planks, bricks, and stones up the mountain.