The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism - Chapter 630

Chapter 630: 630

“It was alright . Just a bit over a hundred yuan for a box . ” When Wang Yougui said that, he wore a complacent look . For a box of four mooncakes to cost over a hundred, those were definitely some extravagant mooncakes . At the very least, he wouldn’t bear eating them himself . Then he asked Dog Song, “What kind of mooncakes are yours?”

Dog Song chuckled . “I spent a huge sum . I bought the best mooncakes there were . They were made with backyard chicken eggs, imported ingredients, and handmade by a hired chef! Just one box cost more than three hundred!”

Upon hearing that, Shao Min, Zhao Gang, and Xue Zong were astounded . Someone was actually going up the mountain to deliver mooncakes to the monk? For real?

Shao Min could not help but mumble, “There’s no way there’s such a coincidence, right? Could he have heard our complaints and found someone to put on an act for us? This monk cares too much about his face . ”

Xue Zong knitted his brows as well . What Shao Min said wasn’t impossible . After all, young adults definitely cared a lot about face .

Zhao Gang was in no rush to make a conclusion as he said, “Continue watching . ”

Shao Min and Xue Zong were not in a hurry either . They decided to stay a while and watch . Shao Min sneered and said, “I want to see how they will carry out this act! For a monastery like Daming Monastery, dozens if not a hundred devotees gift them mooncakes . Is he trying to make up the numbers with two people? Hmph . ”

Xue Zong and Zhao Gang did not say a word .

“Heh, nice going . You sure are generous . It looks like you’ve made quite a bit of money recently,” said Wang Yougui with a smile .

Dog Song smiled ruefully . “Stop teasing me . It’s also because it’s for Abbot Fangzheng . I wouldn’t bear buying something so expensive for myself . ”

Wang Yougui nodded and said, “Everyone knows very well the reason behind our village’s current state this year . Out of the neighboring villages, none of them were as poor as ours . But this year? Thanks to Fangzheng, our village has really lifted itself out of poverty . We are even starting to become rich . Frost Bamboo has brought us tourism and rural tourism . The bamboo carvings have given us large numbers of orders . All the families are busy, and everyone benefits monetarily from it . It could be said that our village is number one among all the neighboring villages now! It’s necessary we thank him . ”

Dog Song nodded . “That’s right . I was some hooligan in the past . Now, I’m a role model . What I owe him cannot be returned . ”

“Their acting sure is good . ” Shao Min mumbled inwardly .

At that moment, another person came . It was Sun Qiancheng with Mengmeng . Mengmeng was eating a mooncake which she was holding in her hand . Her face and clothes were covered in mooncake crumbs . Her tiny face with baby fat cheeks was ruddy as her two plaints came flowing down . She looked especially adorable . Sun Qiancheng had a huge bag of mooncakes in his hand . Most importantly, Sun Qiancheng had a woman behind her .

Dog Song pricked up his brows when he saw this . He said in a pleasant surprise, “Hey, isn’t this Sister-in-law? Are you back to see Mengmeng for the festivities?”

The woman nodded . “That’s right . I’m back to see Mengmeng . I heard that Qiangcheng changed for the better immensely, that his business was going well, etc . So I came back to take a look . ”

“Haha, so what do you think after seeing it?” Dog Song said with a smile .

“What else? Great!” When the woman said that, she smiled especially happily before continuing . “Before returning, I always thought Qiancheng was bragging, but I never expected our village would be doing so well . This bamboo carving and rural tourism thing really brings great business . How nice!”

The woman had never been to school . Her voice was quite loud, and she spoke rather forcefully .

Dog Song laughed out loud . “I long since told you our village was no longer the same! By the way, Sister-in-law, are you still returning to the south to work after the festivities?”

“What for!? The factory is like an unending grind . I work to exhaustion only to earn two to three thousand yuan . That can now easily be earned here at home . ” The woman rolled her eyes at Dog Song .

Dog Song said excitedly, “So you mean, you’re staying?”

“Yes! I’m not leaving! I’ll stay at home with Mengmeng and Old Sun,” the woman answered candidly .

Wang Yougui, Dog Song, and Sun Qiancheng all smiled . It was very common for families like Sun Qiancheng’s family to have a couple get separated . Many families had the entire family together during the farming season, but once the farm work entered a lull, one of the family members would head out to the factories to work so as to make money for the family . Some would even have the entire family head out to work . Furthermore, once their child left for work or studies, some would rather go out to work overtime daily then return to suffer while working the farms . For a period, the village would have fewer people, especially able young adults, which made the village appear rather desolate .

However, as the benefits which Frost Bamboo and bamboo carvings brought to the village increased, more and more men, women, and children were returning to the villages . Coupled with the apprentices that came from other villages, One Finger Village instantly became quite bustling .

And the one most deeply aware of this was none other than the Village Chief Wang Yougui! He had wished to improve the village into moderate prosperity his entire life . However, with time, the village’s population dropped and just when he was almost in despair, things changed for the better . With the present-day results, Wang Yougui would even chuckle in his sleep . At every village chief meeting or gathering, he would appear especially spirited . He was the envy of many .

When Dog Song asked, it turned out Sun Qiancheng was also there to deliver mooncakes .

Zhao Gang mumbled . “It looks real . ”

“What do you mean real? If that monk Fangzheng is as awesome as they said, would only a few people from such a huge village come? I think it’s just an act,” said Shao Min .

Just as she finished her sentence, Dog Song exclaimed, “Aiyah! Chen Jin, you came too? Don’t tell me you are here to deliver mooncakes?”

“Obviously . Fangzheng saved our entire family . I naturally have to gift him some mooncakes for the festivities,” joked Chen Jin with a rebuking tone .

Shao Min fell silent . Chen Jin’s family was huge . It was a family of five comprising of Chen Jin and his wife, his son, daughter-in-law, and his grandson . It didn’t look like an act .

“Could that monk really… have such a high standing among the people? He’s not some fake monk?” Shao Min’s heart weighed with her doubts .

At that moment, Zhao Gang patted Shao Min’s shoulders and gestured into the distance .

Shao Min looked over and saw that a huge group of people were coming out of the village . All of them carried bags of various sizes . They carried fruits, beverages, vegetables, and snacks . Although they all carried something different, there was one thing in common . Everyone had a gift box of mooncakes! And the packaging definitely didn’t look cheap!

When these people came, Dog Song and company greeted them one after another . Everyone began chatting and indeed, everyone was there to gift mooncakes to Fangzheng . The reason why they didn’t head up the mountain early in the morning was that they were busy with their farm work back home . As it was autumn, there was more farm work . Even during a festival, they needed to finish their work .

Upon hearing all of this, Shao Min wore a bitter look . If one or two people could be said to be actors, it was clearly impossible for so many people to be acting . Who would invite so many people to put on an act for three people!?

Shao Min suddenly realized that she might have made a mistake . Her assumptions had made her misjudge and maligne the monk .

When Xue Zong saw Shao Min’s state, he hugged her gently and whispered, “These are all villagers from One Finger Village, and it’s like they’re all family . So, it’s normal that they share a good relationship . Besides, you were doing it out of good intentions . Just don’t be too rash in the future . ”

Shao Min nodded slightly . She did feel a little better when she heard that they were villagers and were akin to family . This meant that Fangzheng’s influence wasn’t that great . It was still focused on a single village . This reduced the blow inflicted on her . After all, offending an unknown monk was different from offending a famous master .

But the moment that was said, more people came from a distance .

“Hey, isn’t that Zhao Baolin’s family from Hongtang Village?”

“Hehe, isn’t that the prince of anti-gambling from our neighboring village?”

“Haha, I see Fatty and Monkey again . Those two guys have changed cars again!”

“Professor Jiang and his disciples are here too! I thought they returned for the festivities and wouldn’t be coming . But here they are with gifts . Man, this will be a blast . ”

Everyone chatted as names after names were thrown out . Xue Zong and Shao Min blushed in embarrassment . They had really belittled Fangzheng .

Especially when Xue Zong saw Guan Xiangfeng walking behind Jiang Zhou, his brows pricked up even higher . “I think I see Guan Xiangfeng from the Guan family there? Why would this guy who always has his nose up in the air be here? I heard that he has been studying bamboo carving from a master… Could it be?”

“Isn’t Jiang Zhou our province’s famous carving master? Why is he here too? And he’s here to gift Abbot Fangzheng mooncakes?” Zhao Gang exclaimed in surprise .

If the ones from before were villagers, it would only prove that Fangzheng was a good person . But with these people appearing, it accentuated Fangzheng’s standing immediately! It implied that he was definitely a master; if not, why would another master come bearing gifts?

Having seen this, Shao Min’s eyes were wavering . She finally gritted her teeth and rushed straight for Guan Xiangfeng .

“Eh? Shao Min, why are you here?” Guan Xiangfeng was stunned when he saw the young woman appear suddenly .

“Let me ask you a question . What’s with the bodhi tree on the mountain? Won’t it die from the cold during winter?” Shao Min went straight to the point .

Guan Xiangfeng had been in the village for quite a while, so he naturally knew the situation of One Finger Monastery very well . He laughed . “Die from the cold? Stop kidding . That tree has been on the mountain for years . It froze to death once but suddenly revived last winter . Its leaves are luxuriant, even more luxuriant than the old trees grown natively in the northeast . It’s one of the huge miracles of One Finger Monastery . ”

“Really? You aren’t lying to me?” Shao Min asked with her face flushed red .

“Why would I? Everyone around here knows that . You can ask anyone if you don’t believe me . I’m telling you, Abbot Fangzheng is a master! An otherworldly master . His carving skills are even better than my master’s . We are even learning bamboo carving from him . ” Guan Xiangfeng was fully convinced by Fangzheng’s abilities and revered him greatly .

His words were also heard by Xue Zong and Zhao Gang who came walking over .

The trio exchanged looks, and the two men saw the bitterness in Shao Min’s eyes .

Seeing how the villagers were heading up the mountain with bags of different sizes, Xue Zong patted Shao Min on the shoulder . “Alright, stop thinking about it . Let’s go . ”

Shao Min gritted her teeth and finally stamped her feet . “No, I want to go up the mountain!”

“Shao Min, aren’t you done yet?” Zhao Gang was left completely speechless .

Xue Zong wore a look of helplessness as well .

“Who said I’m going up to stir trouble . I might have a bad temper, but I’m not unreasonable! Since I’m wrong, I’m wrong . I shouldn’t have been so fierce against the monk . Since it’s my fault, can’t I apologize?” With that said, Shao Min went up the mountain .

Zhao Gang and Xue Zong exchanged looks and laughed . Immediately, they called out for her and followed her up the mountain .