The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

“You are even laughing!? Ahhh, I want to kill someone!” yelled Ding Yu.

Fangzheng smiled. “Patron, calm down. It isn’t over yet. Don’t be in a rush to make conclusions. Besides, them being together was all thanks to you. Isn’t it a bit unreasonable that you are now blaming This Penniless Monk?”

“I don’t want to be reasonable now, I want to roar! I want to shout! I want to jump around screaming!”

“Go ahead. Roar and shout. Just jump. We will watch you do so.”

Ding Yu nearly spat blood from anger.

Meanwhile, Wang Lun had already run to Ding Yu’s place. He had the keys to her place, and the moment he opened the door, he discovered her luggage bags still at home. He heaved a sigh of relief but immediately had an idea come to him. He smiled. “Silly girl. After being so tired and busy for so long, it’s time I give you a little surprise…”

Over at the restaurant, Fangzheng and Red Boy walked out of the restaurant after finishing dinner. Ding Yu turned back to look at the familiar streets and let out a long sigh. She whispered, “If only… Time could slow down.”

“Even if it slowed down, he would still be leaving with her,” said Fangzheng.

“Venerable One, are you so bad at reading people? Can’t you not speak? It’s no wonder you became a monk. You wouldn’t find any girls even if you weren’t a monk!” retorted Ding Yu angrily.

Fangzheng: “…”

Red Boy immediately laughed crazily when he heard that. He hurriedly said, “Sister Ding Yu is right! But, Sister Ding Yu, if time slowed down, it doesn’t seem… like anything would really change.”

“I don’t know either. I just feel a little unwilling to let go… Perhaps as long as this day doesn’t pass, or if I don’t receive his message, I can continue deluding myself and continue leading my days in a haze,” mumbled Ding Yu.

Fangzheng and Red Boy exchanged looks, feeling sad for Ding Yu. Ding Yu’s love was very pure, so pure that she had dedicated herself to it. Yet she had found it enjoyable despite the tiresome work. She neither wished to monopolize, nor did she wish to vie for it. She only had pure thoughts of protecting something, but in the end… She had apparently lost everything. If Fangzheng and Red Boy had not come, Fangzheng had no idea how it would have ended. Although they were not exactly clear how things would end yet.

The few of them walked along the streets, in no hurry to return to Ding Yu’s place. Ding Yu deliberately did not mention the matter. Clearly, she was really stalling for time.

However there was always an end no matter how long it took. Time never halted for anyone. Finally, the trio arrived at Ding Yu’s doorstep.

“Venerable One, the both of you can make do and stay here for the night. I’ve rented this place for a year. If you have nowhere else to go, you can stay for another half a year,” said Ding Yu.

Fangzheng shook his head. “This Penniless Monk came out traveling to experience the world, so he won’t be staying at any single place for long. Patron, it’s best you stay here by yourself.”

“By myself? I’m leaving today. How can I still stay?” Ding Yu shook her head and opened the door. But she was left dumbfounded the next instant!

She saw candles lining the room which formed a tiny path. The path extended into the middle of the living room as the candles formed a huge heart. There were roses everywhere in the room—on the sofa, coffee table, tv set… And standing behind the candles was a silly-looking man. He held a bouquet of lilies in his hand as he coolly extended his hand, pressing down on the play button of an antique recording device. Then…

“The clock above the window sill goes tick-tock

Outside the window, the rain goes pitter-patter

I watch

the guitar covered in dust

but the string of love has loosened.

in the vase.

I’m that weeping lily

I bid the soil farewell

and that’s the price of loving you…”

“Uh, why is it that song, Weeping Lily? Such a sad song doesn’t suit the mood,” Red Boy mumbled.

Suddenly, a huge hand extended out and dragged Red Boy away. It wasn’t time for them to be third wheels, as the remaining time all belonged to Ding Yu and Wang Lun.

“You… This… Me… What’s happening?” Ding Yu stood rooted to the ground.

“Nothing. Miss Ding Yu, I shall now officially announce that you are my girlfriend from today forth!” said Wang Lun domineeringly.

Ding Yu was stunned as she yelled, “What? Do you think it’s up to you? Based on what?”

“Just based on…” Wang Lun stared at Ding Yu intently as he walked over, and his domineering stance made Ding Yu cower a little. She retreated, and in two steps, reached the wall!

Wang Lun stood in front of Ding Yu, almost sticking close to her. He whispered, “Based on my love for you!”

“Ah… Ah?” Ding Yu was dumbfounded as she turned slightly agape. She was unable to say a word.

Fangzheng and Red Boy stood downstairs as Red Boy asked, “Master, what do you think the two of them are doing upstairs?”

“A child shouldn’t ask such inane questions.”

“Aren’t you curious?”

“Nope.”

“Why aren’t you leaving if you aren’t curious?”

“Do you know where to head next?” returned Fangzheng with a question.

“…”

At that moment, there was an angry roar. “Wang Lun, you son-of-a-bitch! I went to all that trouble and tired myself endlessly, throwing all my allowance into it, and you tell me you lost the girl you almost won over!? Take this!”

“Ah!”

…

“How fierce…” Fangzheng could not help but sigh.

“It’s quite okay,” said Red Boy.

“Have you seen someone even fiercer?”

“Yes,” said Red Boy in thought.

“Who?”

“My mom! One swipe of that fan of hers, and it can take years before my dad runs back…” said Red Boy with a sigh.

Fangzheng rolled his eyes. He highly suspected that it did not take Bull Demon King a few years of running, but that he gallivanted outside for all those years! What a naive poor kid…

“Ding! Congratulations. You have completed another mission. You have aided in bringing a couple together on Double Seventh Festival. It’s a deed of great merit. As the saying goes, one would rather destroy a temple than a marriage. It’s quite a considerable amount of merit. Do you want to have the draw?”

“Let me think about it first,” said Fangzheng. He wished to save up the merit to exchange for a drum.

But if he did not draw with a chance at hand, he felt his heart itch…

At that moment, Red Boy sighed. “Master, tell me, why can’t monks get married? I think that having a wife like Sister Ding Yu should be quite comfortable right?”

Fangzheng raised his hand and rapped Red Boy. “Kid, what do you know?”

“In terms of age, I can be your ancestor—” Before Red Boy could even finish his sentence, he saw Fangzheng looking like he was about to recite the scriptures. He immediately shut up.

Only then did Fangzheng say, “Mortals cultivate to become Buddha in order to escape the Six Tenets of Samsara and not become part of the Five Elements. As for marriage and having children, that is a matter regarding humanity. By engaging in those actions, one is being a part of humanity. As such, how is one to escape the Six Tenets and transcend to become Buddha?”

“Master, I believe you, but you have nothing here. Deities and Buddhas don’t work, so what’s the point of cultivating the Six Tenets? The Buddha you believe in is only goodness, nothing like one of the corporeal Buddhas. Besides, the look in your eyes betrays you. You definitely have your own theories.” Red Boy had long seen through Fangzheng. Fangzheng was in no way your typical monk. At the very least, his theories were different from many monks’ and Buddhist teachings.