The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

“Master, you can tell from the smell?” Red Boy asked curiously.

Fangzheng smiled. “How can I not tell having eaten it since I was little?” Then he changed the topic and patted Red Boy on the head. “Good child, it’s show time for you.”

Red Boy looked at Fangzheng with welling tears. “Master, can’t I not do it, please?”

Fangzheng smiled. “Of course you can.”

“Really?” Red Boy asked nervously.

Fangzheng nodded. “Of course, but after we return to the mountain, we should have a good chat. Besides, you aren’t young anymore. It’s time for you to start attending school.”

Whoosh!

A gust of wind stirred up a cloud of dust as Red Boy vanished.

Squirrel looked at Fangzheng in puzzlement. “Master, what’s Junior Brother doing?”

“Your junior brother has recently made attainments in his cultivation. He plans to do more good deeds to accumulate karma. Let’s go. We should take a look as well.” Fangzheng first went into Dog Song’s place, where Red Boy had just run into.

Dog Song’s family had long wrapped the dumplings and was planning on eating them during lunch. The moment they came out, they saw Red Boy rush in. As they were about to greet him, the child picked up a broom and began sweeping. Instantly, dust filled the sky as the poultry protested and the dogs ran… It baffled Dog Song as he thought, “Has this child gone mad?”

Then he looked up and saw Fangzheng entering with Lone Wolf, Monkey, and Squirrel.

Dog Song smiled. “Abbot Fangzheng, what’s happening?”

Fangzheng smiled. “This child wishes to do more good deeds. He will help sweep the yard of any household he passes by. Don’t mind him.”

“Hehe, this child. That makes me feel bad. Abbot Fangzheng, you came just in time. The dumplings have just been wrapped. There are vegetarian fillings. Take some back with you, so you can save some time,” Dog Song said as he prepared to enter the house.

Fangzheng didn’t react, but Squirrel and Lone Wolf’s eyes lit up as they looked with anticipation. Only the working Red Boy was tearing up. A string of curses flew over his head. What the heck? I’m working here and you get the spoils? F**k this sh*t!

At that moment, Fangzheng said, “This was earned by Jingxin. When we return, Jingxin will get the biggest serving.”

The moment that was said, Red Boy’s grievance was instantly halved. But then he saw Monkey run over to pick up a broom while Lone Wolf ran behind with a rake. Even Squirrel jumped onto the ground to pick leaves… Red Boy subconsciously tightened his grip on the broom. This was the tool that fed him. He absolutely couldn’t let those darn bastards snatch it away from him! At that moment, all his grievances were gone, leaving behind the thought: Indeed, Master still treats me pretty well.

Little did he know that this series of actions was something that even caught the instigator, Fangzheng, by surprise. However, he was pleased to see the scene before him. He naturally chuckled. “Wow, all of you are so hardworking. From the looks of it, all of you need to eat more.”

Immediately, all his disciples began working with more diligence.

Fangzheng entered the house and didn’t get Dog Song to take out the dumplings. After all, he still had things to do. Holding the dumplings would only inconvenience him.

Therefore Dog Song said, “Okay. I’ll keep them in the fridge for you then. Come back and take them once you’re done.”

Fangzheng thought about it and found it for the best, so he agreed.

Then Fangzheng got down to business. He came to Dog Song not for his dumplings, but to get him to buy certain things for him. Dog Song naturally agreed.

After his disciples were done sweeping the yard, the poultry were all standing obediently in a row as a result of Red Boy’s threats. After Dog Song watched with incredulity as the poultry ate their meals in a line, Fangzheng and company left.

But the subsequent developments were out of control. He had originally tricked and threatened Red Boy into doing work, but now, all his disciples were like wild ducks in the water. They ran everywhere, entering any house they saw and began working!

It was Lidong, and every family was wrapping dumplings. All of them looked at the hardworking animals with a befuddled look as they subconsciously asked, “Little guy, what are you doing?”

However, none of them spoke. They widened their watery eyes at the wrapped dumplings on the table. Everyone was enlightened as they wrapped dumplings for them amid laughter.

As for Fangzheng, he had long run off. F**k… This is too embarrassing!

Fangzheng went to Chen Jin’s tiny store, which was the only store in the village. As he now had more money, together with the increase in tourists and apprentices, his tiny store had been upgraded to a supermarket. It had all the necessities and even sold a few engraving tools. It even started to resemble a department store.

Chen Jin acted as usual with Fangzheng’s arrival. Take whatever you want. You want to pay? Then I’m not selling!

Fangzheng was exasperated about that, believing that it could not possibly be sustainable like that. Although he had saved Chen Jin’s family, it wasn’t okay to take items and food from him repeatedly. He couldn’t bring himself to do that. However, he would really be lacking them on the mountain if he couldn’t buy them. Therefore he could only take them.

At that moment, his disciples returned, each holding bags of varying sizes. All of them were happily running over. Fangzheng looked up into the sky and cursed. “F**k, I don’t know these bastards!”

Regardless, their spoils had all been earned by the hard work and cute acts that his disciples had displayed, so he had to accept it.

Just as Fangzheng was about to return, Wang Yougui ran over and said that they had business to talk about. Seeing that he had so many dumplings and flour, he asked, “Patron, will it take long?”

The dumplings were raw, and the flour was soft. If those disciples of his took them up themselves, most of them would be gone. If it didn’t take much time, Fangzheng could carry them with him, but he would need to think of another solution if the discussion took long.

Wang Yougui said, “It might take some time.”

Fangzheng said, “Patron Chen, This Penniless Monk will have to trouble you. Can you keep these dumplings in your refrigerator? This Penniless Monk will come back once done, alright?”

Chen Jin smiled. “Look at what you’re saying. No problem, leave them here. I have plenty of refrigerators!”

Hence, Chen Jin took over the dumplings and placed them in a refrigerator. But as a result, many of the dumplings were smashed into a pile. The few of them took some time to split the bags, but as a result, many of the dumplings broke which ached Fangzheng’s heart.

His disciples who were quite pissed with their master’s choice fell quiet when they saw the subsequent scene. They watched silently as Fangzheng dealt with the dumplings.

After dealing with the dumplings, he got his disciples to return to the mountain.

Fangzheng went alone with Wang Yougui.

However, unbeknown to Fangzheng, Lone Wolf and company were given a bunch of cooked dumplings by the villagers while they were on their trip back. All of them carried their dumplings and beamed happily. They had even forgotten about the talk of going to see frozen water bodies…

Now, their minds had nothing about Lidong but food. They kept darting their gazes at the bags in their hands, taking deep breaths to catch a whiff of the fragrance emitting from the bags. They gulped their saliva and unknowingly went faster and faster. In the end, they were even running. This was also because they were in One Finger Village, with no one caring if they ran with bags of all sizes. If they were elsewhere, they might have attracted the police as they looked no different from thieves running away with their loot.