Chapter 218 - This Life (1/2)
“Master, you and the other Buddhist cultivators have lived beyond the world for so many years. Have you ever thought about returning?”
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“Amitabha. Master, there is a great merit out here waiting for you. It’s all up to you.”
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“I’m here because of selfish motives, but I do feel pity for the others.”
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Sitting in the tearoom, Lin Luoran talks with Master Puji with sincerity. Puji looks kind and nice. Lin is sure that he must have been moved. Back in time, when Buddhism was prosperous, the Buddhist cultivators almost had the world.
Lin Luoran doesn’t belong to any schools so she has no problem with the compet.i.tion between the Buddhist and the Taoist cultivators. The Taoist pursues perception and Reiki, and the Buddhist pursues faith and will-power. The Taoist and the Buddhist are so different that they should not even try to suppress each other.
Today, the world of cultivation has declined and the Reiki in the world are little. Lin Luoran can’t understand why the Buddhist cultivators still choose to do closed cultivation. If they pursue will-power, how can they have faith when they do nothing practical?
After the tea, the conversation is over. Zhixiu walks Lin Luoran out. When the door behind the bronze bell closes, Lin Luoran is not sure whether she has persuaded Puji or not.
Under the bodhi tree, Puji walks out of nowhere and makes a bow to Zhixiu.
Wind blows. Zhixiu catches a falling leave of the bodhi tree and smiles,
“Puji, what she said is reasonable. We should do what she asked us to do.”
Puji hesitates. Later, he nods and says yes.
Lin would be so surprised if she were here. Puji is in the same generation with Master Mu and he acts so respectfully to Zhixiu, a young monk. This is so strange.
Nevertheless, Lin Luoran is already flying in the mountains. There are not many people who can sense her cultivation in this area, so there is no need to hide.
She is going to Mount Putuo and Mount Jiuhua.
Lin is not going to Mount Emei, which is the nearest sacred place of the Buddhism to the R City. Mount Emei is so close to Mount Qingcheng and Lin Luoran doesn’t want to go anywhere around Huizhu.
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“This is the material I translated. Please give them to Miss Lin.”
Rong Donglin gives a stack of paper to Ms. Lin. He can’t hide the tiredness in his eyes.
Both Mr. and Ms. Lin think highly of Rong. He always works hard and earnestly. Also, he gets along well with Luodong. Ms. Lin knows that Rong barely rests during the last a few days and there are so many blood shots in his eyes. However, Lin Luoran is not at home, so Ms. Lin feels inappropriate to keep Rong here. She takes the papers and sends him out.
The minute Rong steps out of Lin’s house, his cellphone rings. It is Yan Feng. Yan calls to ask him to go and visit Cai Liang’s girlfriend, who is in hospital.
The girl was bitten by a snake days ago and she is still in a coma in hospital. Rong has visited her once. Cai Liang has been in the hospital for days, waiting for his girlfriend to wake up. Hence, though Rong is quite sleepy right now, he can’t turn down Yan Feng’s invitation.
When he is thinking of which bus he should take, Lin Luodong shows up at the door.
Luodong says, “Donglin, where are you going? Can I go with you?”
Rong pats Luodong on his shoulder and asks, “Have you finished your homework?”
Luodong nods. Rong Donglin always gives Luodong the freedom to do what he wants to, so Luodong is sure that Rong will let him follow this time.
The two of them walk out of the lane, heading to the bus stop.
A red snake is hiding in the dark at the bus stop. When the door is closed, it jumps up to the roof. The sunlight in the afternoon makes it uncomfortable. The snake hisses and huddles itself up.
The red snake has been hiding near Lin’s house for quite a while. It doesn’t dare to come any closer because of Goldie. Now, it feels that the waiting is worthwhile.
Lin Luodong and Rong Donglin talk and laugh on the bus.
Mr. Lin comes back home and can’t find Luodong. He asks his wife, “Where is Luodong? He has been asking me to take him out to play for days. I think I have the time to take him to the square later.”
Ms. Lin goes to Luodong’s room and finds n.o.body there. Then she looks around in the front and the back yard. She starts to panic because Luodong is not here.
“Did he go out with Rong Donglin? It’s dangerous outside. What should we do? I must go out to find him.”
Mr. Lin is also worried, yet he comforts his wife, “They can’t be so unlucky. The city is large, and the chance of them being hurt by the snake is low. Rong Donglin is thoughtful. He will send Luodong home later.”
Ms. Lin is still anxious, but she stops worrying so much. However, for the next two hours, Ms. Lin feels that her eyelids keep twitching as if something bad is going to happen.
Certainly, Lin Luodong knows nothing about the concerns of his parents. He is young but thoughtful. He buys some fruits and gifts along the road to see Ruan.
Luodong knows that Ruan was bitten by a snake. There are some other patients who share Ruan’s incident. Luodong gets afraid when he sees that Ruan’s face look dark.
Families of other patients are crying in the hallway, so are Ruan’s parents. Luodong sympathizes their pain.
He wonders where the snake comes from and why it is so dangerous. Nevertheless, Luodong believes that his sister must be able to kill the snake. He wants to call his sister and asks her to help Ruan at least to catch the snake. In the meantime, Luodong doesn’t want to bother his sister because she may be doing something more important. Besides, perhaps his sister can’t do anything to help. Luodong hates to disappoint Ruan and her family. As a result, Luodong doesn’t bring his sister up.