Chapter 16: Mountain, Sea I: Forget-Me (1/2)
Recently, a new barbershop called 'Hundred Ghosts' opened nearby.
Business was booming.
It was the start of the holidays and my hair had grown long, too.
I took some time to check out the place.
I was stopped by a shop a.s.sistant upon arriving at the door
”Sir, there's a small rule.”
”Okay, tell me,” I smiled.
”No mirrors allowed inside. That mirror of yours is huge,” he mentioned with a bitter smile.
”Hey, brother. This isn't a mirror. It's how I make a living.”
”A rule is a rule,” he continued, pointing at the cabinet by the door.
Left with no choice, I placed my bagua mirror into the cabinet, mumbling, ”You must know that I'm just curious because this shop is new. Otherwise, I would've turned around by now, understand?”
The shop a.s.sistant nodded quickly. ”So sorry.”
I stepped into a dark room.
There was a stark contrast between the brightness in and outside of the shop.
”Is this place lightproof?” I asked suspiciously.
”Perhaps it's because of the cheap rent. I'm new here, too, and I am not sure why this place is like this.”
One side of the wall was covered with mirrors and the ceiling was decorated with incandescent lights.
The lights seemed very old, though. They were very dim, but I really don't have a problem with it.
I took a seat and the a.s.sistant proceeded to tell me all the shop's best selling points.”The razors our barbers use are imported from Germany,” he explained with a gracious smile.
”Imported from Germany?” I dubiously asked.
”You'll feel a slight breeze when it runs over your hair and absorbs the shaved hair,” he proudly told me.
I looked at the floor and it was extremely clean, not a single hair in sight.
It seemed like the business was doing very good because all the seats were filled with customers.
I just couldn't shake the feeling that something fishy was going on. Things seemed strange around here.
”The barber in charge of your hair isn't here yet,” the a.s.sistant informed me.
Since I wasn't going to get my hair cut just yet, I started chatting with the a.s.sistant.
When I asked about the owner of the shop, the a.s.sistant only gave me a serene smile.
I insinuated that he was being petty about it and it worked.
He told me that this barber shop was only the boss's side business.
He then told me something unimaginable.
”Oh right, you're a Taoist. I just remembered that my interview was in a temple and…”
”And?” I prompted, somewhat apprehensive.
”I found it strange because my interviewer was an old monk.”
I laughed. ”Your boss has a big family and career. Shaolin Temple's. .h.i.t the market so it's not surprising that your interviewer was a monk. I won't be surprised if he could even afford to buy the temple.”
The shop a.s.sistant smiled. ”Aye, when will your Taoist temple enter the market?”
I chose not to be embarra.s.sed although his words got to me.
With a bitter smile, I explained, ”I'm an orphan and I have been living in the temple since I was young. Do you really think there are many Taoists out there? It'd be funny if there's even as many Taoists as there are one-tenth of Buddhists.
”Sorry to bring up your sad past,” he apologized.
I wanted to continue the conversation but the barber walked in.
I looked at him.
He had a fresh and refined face but his hair was scruffy. It was unlike most barbers, whose hair are uniquely shaped and colored.
The barber waved his hand and the shop a.s.sistant left to attend to other customers.
”Bene… Sir, are you looking for a cut or color?” he asked, subconsciously raising his hands close to his chest but quickly forcing them down.
I held back the urge to laugh.
”You were about to call me benefactor right?” I smirked.
It looked like the boss preferred hiring monks. This barber was obviously a monk.
I looked closely at his hairline. It was a wig.
”Uhm, I'm so sorry about that. Habits are hard to change,” he forced a smile.
”I just want a simple cut,” I told him, changing the topic.
”Then please, come this way bene… Sir. I'll wash your hair.”
”Hair wash? I just need a cut. I just want to experience that hair-eating razor. A wash isn't necessary.”
”Oh, it's a rule. Hair must be washed before a cut.”
”You guys have so many rules.” I followed him.
A bucket of clear water was placed before me. They really do things differently here.
He pointed to a small stool.
I sat down and looked at the water surface. ”Other shops use running water. Why are you using still water?”
”This is honey locust water. It's really beneficial for your hair. Since we don't really use shampoo, we use still water.”
”That's not right. I'm smelling something strange.”
”Impossible. It's the smell of honey locust water,” he mumbled.
”Okay, okay. Go ahead, then.”
He took a ladle and poured water over my head.
Having lived in the temple for so many years, I could clearly detect the smell of burning incense.
I held my breath.
Three times.
”You're really not going to use shampoo?”
”It's done. It's how we do it here.”
I followed him back to the main area and to my seat.
There was no salon cape, which was a refres.h.i.+ng change.
The barber took out an electric razor.
It looked no different from a normal razor.
”Is that the correct one?”
”Yes, yes. Just watch.” He shaved a bit of hair off my temples.
Indeed the hair that fell vanished almost immediately.
And I could feel a soft breeze sweeping past my neck.
No mirrors allowed… questionable.
I secretly took out a mini bagua mirror that I kept under my sleeve. It was something I used for self-defense.
With the light reflected off it, I saw a little black-bodied and white-haired ghost around my neck.
I got so frightened it was all I could do not to make any movements.
Is this ghost sucking my essence?
I took a closer look at the ghost but I wasn't able to recognize it.
I hated reading 'Cla.s.sics of Mountain and Sea' the most so it wasn't surprising.
The barber went on with his job, failing to notice what I was doing.
I felt that something wasn't right so I started looking around.
d.a.m.n! There were at least a hundred of this little ghost.