The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Aiyah!

The baldy tripped and fell to the ground.

The crowd behind him surged forward as a rain of shoes came down on him…

Upon seeing this, Fangzheng secretly stopped his hand seals. With so many people stepping up for him, there was no need for him to take action. Otherwise, he would appear petty… Yes, he was a magnanimous monk who could take all kinds of abuse!

“Is she fine?” Zhang Huihui looked at Duan Liu in concern.

Fangzheng shook his head and said, “She’s fine, but it’s too cold, so she needs to be kept warm.”

“Let her wear my jacket.” After saying that, Zhang Huihui was about to take off her jacket, but it was unfortunately a little too small.

Fangzheng smiled ruefully. “This might not be of use.”

Zhang Huihui also realized that and showed her resignation.

Little Seven immediately said, “There’s me too!” He took off his bottom vest and handed it over.

“It’s not enough.” Fangzheng shook his head.

Just as Fangzheng was wondering if he should carry the lady to a store for some warmth, many hands suddenly offered clothes to him!

These were the members of the group that didn’t chase after the baldy. They took off their jackets and handed them over. As for the baldy, he had returned by now and taken off his jacket as well, leaving him wearing only a tiny vest. As the cold wind blew, he began having goosebumps.

Fangzheng received the clothes of the rest and covered Duan Liu with them. As for Zhang Huihui, she helped wipe the water from Zhang Huihui’s face.

The baldy asked unhappily, “Why didn’t you take mine?”

“Amitabha. Patron, there’s already enough clothes. It’s best you put yours on. It’s not good if you catch a cold.”

“I’m fine! You have taken the clothes from others, so you have to take mine! Simple as that. I need to do this for us baldies. Who says that all baldies are bad!” The baldy chuckled.

When Little Seven heard that, he said with a reddened face, “You? A good baldy?”

Everyone instantly laughed when they heard that.

At that moment, Duan Liu woke up. With a thought coming to him, Fangzheng immediately tapped the spot between Duan Liu’s brows and cast A Golden Millet Dream.

Amid her reverie, Duan Liu seemed to see a familiar door—the orphanage.

After pushing open the door, Duan Liu saw an unfamiliar girl with a familiar middle-aged woman.

“Little Hu, come over. This is Little Ying. You must take care of her in the future, got it?”

Then, the girl was taken away by Little Hu to the side to play.

As she walked through the familiar orphanage and walked up the stairs, a little girl was sitting there, looking out the window. When she saw her, she asked with a smile, “Sister, will there be a moon tonight? Will we be able to eat mooncakes?”

After pushing open the door to the classroom, a bunch of children were playing inside. All of them came forward when they saw her enter and smiled at her.

Upon seeing this scene, Duan Liu’s heart soured.

“Amitabha. Patron, hello.” At that moment a Buddhist proclamation sounded.

Duan Liu was alarmed as she turned around. She saw a monk sitting right at the back of the classroom. He was in especially white monk robes. He had a genial face and was like the mild and warm sunlight in September. He went in front of her and, as though he couldn’t see her, began beckoning the kids to return to their seats.

Little Ying and Little Hu were among the group of children. They sat there listening obediently, reminding Duan Liu of herself.

The monk stood there and said, “Students, let us first congratulate Little Ying for she is blissful.”

Duan Liu was puzzled. How could an orphan be blissful?

Fangzheng said, “Buddha said: ‘Glancing back countless times among the crowd, how many years of cultivation is needed for the exchange of a lifetime of protection?’”

The moment that was said, Duan Liu felt her heart pricked. She was reminded of Pei Liang.

Fangzheng continued. “People who are protected are blissful, but there are more people without protection than those with protection. Therefore, This Penniless Monk wishes to tell Little Ying that bliss isn’t for an individual. It needs to be shared. Being protected by others is blissful, but to protect others and create blissful people is true bliss. Little Hu, do you think you are blissful?”

“Yes!” Little Hu smiled happily as the other children laughed.

“Bliss isn’t for an individual. It needs to be shared? To be protected and to protect others?” These two sentences seemed to strike Duan Liu’s heart. At that instant, she felt as though she saw the doors to the orphanage open…

The next moment, the scene changed. She appeared at a cafeteria, and the children were preparing to have their meals. However, they ate rather simply. There was food, but it wasn’t enough to satiate them. There were side dishes, but there was more soup than dishes.

Upon seeing this scene, Duan Liu felt her heart sour.

When she stepped into the dormitory, the blankets weren’t thick enough, and the heater blew out cold air…

The more she walked, the more her heart hurt. She had experienced all of this and knew how hard it was for this orphanage to operate. It solely relied on kind people who sponsored its operation. Now that she had grown up from the orphanage and had a career, she had a lot more than them. Yet she had never done anything in return.

“Home, is not just a group of people related by blood. Home is about love, sentiment. What has love and sentiment is home. All of you are unfortunate, because you do not have a family tied by blood, but you are also blissful because there are people willing to go through the effort of creating an environment that shelters you. Perhaps they are unable to give you the best, but they have given you something they didn’t owe you in the first place. They helped, gave, and contributed without asking anything in return. That is love!” It was unknown when Fangzheng had appeared beside Duan Liu.

Duan Liu was taken aback as she asked Fangzheng, “Why did you make me see all of this?”

Fangzheng said, “No reason. This Penniless Monk wishes to tell you that some people may be dead, but he still lives on in your heart. If you die, then he will be truly dead. He is your guardian, eternal for as long as you remain alive. Although he did not leave you anything material, he gave you the most precious thing he could. Ask yourself and look at them. Does it give you ideas? Do you wish to do something?”

With that said, Fangzheng left.

Duan Liu looked at Fangzheng’s back and then at the pitiful children before looking at the middle-aged women, teachers, and matron who had brought them up arduously. She suddenly came to a realization. She bowed at Fangzheng’s back and said, “Thank you, Venerable One. I know what I should do.”

With that said, Duan Liu turned around and pushed open the door to the orphanage. She stood on the streets outside and turned to look at the orphanage’s sign. She was stunned.

The name ‘Balmy Orphanage’ had changed to ‘Balmy Home.’

Upon seeing this, Duan Liu smiled. “You gave me a home. I’ll give them a home. You are not only mine, but belong to the entire world. I will spread the love you gave to me.”

The next moment, Duan Liu opened her eyes.

At the same time, she heard an angry tirade. “Monk, why aren’t you listening to us? Get down! Go down! This is an ambulance. You aren’t her family. Even a hero can’t do anything… Go down…”

Then, she saw a pathetic monk’s figure being chased away.

Looking at that back, Duan Liu’s eyes flashed with a look of puzzlement. Could it have been him? But… For some reason, she laughed when she saw this scene.