Entangled Love GL - Chapter 5

Since the national capital was moved to Fancheng, the incense burners in the nearby Buddhist temples and Taoist monasteries have greatly flourished. Over the decades, Cui Ping Mountain’s White Cloud Temple, Danxia Peak’s Tianguang Temple, and Wulong Pond’s Green Dragon Taoist Temple all became famous sites; the temples were grand, and pilgrims filled the doors. The Guanyin Temple on Dragon Elephant Mountain, however, was forgotten on Elephant Trunk Cliff—clean, dilapidated, and even after it was destroyed by fire several years ago, it still didn’t even have a formal name or a proper plaque.

The dozen or so masters in the Guanyin Temple gradually left. Only Abbess Yuan Chang stayed behind with two disciples, living in the house of a local mountain family. At that time, the head of the family was named Duan Youchang. He had a beautiful woman by his side, and two little girls.

The Duan family’s whereabouts were secretive, and strange noises occasionally came from the courtyard. Master Jing Hui once worried about getting involved in trouble, but Abbess Yuan Chang only said: “Mind your own business and live here while you can.”

Now, Abbess Yuan Chang is nearly seventy years old, thin, healthy, and benevolent-looking. She holds a string of prayer beads in her hand, murmuring Buddhist chants. A quick look at her instantly gives one a sense of peace, and for a moment, one feels as if they have attained a little bit of enlightenment.

Yang Mei, however, did not like such people. After looking at Abbess Yuan Chang for a long time, she did not feel any special enlightenment. She only wondered why such people don’t become clay statues and why they still live in the world.

Master Jing Hui and Master Jing Ci are in a side room. Master Jing Hui is over forty, with a solemn expression and an unkind face. Master Jing Ci is slightly younger, with well-formed features, but she is mute.

Xiao Nian was very happy, skipping and jumping all the way, but upon seeing Jing Hui, she suddenly quieted down, timidly hiding behind Duan Min. Even after Duan Min and Yang Mei left, she did not dare to move, obediently waiting for Jing Hui to say: “Come over and sit down. Copy the Heart Sutra ten times.”

Yang Mei heard this from outside the door and smiled, asking Duan Min: “Why don’t you plead for her?”

Duan Min seemed not to recognize this as a joke, saying: “Why should I plead for her? I neither cared for nor raised her, and I won’t in the future.”

“Oh? Is that what you think?” Yang Mei did not mind her indifferent tone, remaining fully bright and cheerful. “Forget about the past, but in the future, you could actually take her with you!”

Duan Min did not take up the suggestion. She looked at the sky: “The hour is late. If Miss Yang is not in a hurry to return to the city, why not stay here for the night?”

Yang Mei looked at her, paused, and smiled: “Good. This place is so quiet, as if detached from the world. I was just hoping to intrude for a few days.” After hesitating briefly, she added, “Min-Jie can just call me Xiao Mei. Although we just met, I feel an extraordinary closeness in my heart. It must be a destined connection. Min-Jie feels the same way, right?”

Duan Min was noncommittal, lowering her head with a smile.

Ping Ping was walking over from the opposite side. Seeing them stop to talk in the corridor, she asked: “Why doesn’t Miss Yang hurry to burn incense and make a wish? Or have you already burned it and are ready to leave?”

Yang Mei walked forward with a bright smile: “Sister Ping Ping, burning incense and worshipping Buddha is a matter of sincerity. How can I rush it!”

Ping Ping’s willow-like eyebrows furrowed. Duan Min intervened at this moment to change the subject, asking her: “The Listening Dawn Tower (Tīng Xiǎo Lóu) hasn’t been inhabited for a long time. What did you think of it just now?”

“It’s relatively clean. The masters must clean it regularly.” Ping Ping’s frown deepened as she complained, “There is no shortage of space here. Why should we have to stay over there?”

Duan Min smiled: “Our presence is always a disturbance to them. It is better to be somewhat separated.”

The courtyard had two buildings, one named Folding Wind (Zhé Fēng) and the other Listening Dawn (Tīng Xiǎo).

When Yang Mei first heard the names, she smiled and said she wondered which Pavilion Master was so elegant to choose such uncommon names, though she did not know what they meant. Duan Min responded with a single sentence: “It’s correct not to know. The person who named the buildings did not have the slightest intention of elegance.”

As Ping Ping said, the corridor of the Listening Dawn Tower was very clean, and the rooms were also free of dust, completely unlike uninhabited dwellings.

Ping Ping opened two adjacent rooms on the left side of the building for herself and Duan Min, and deliberately assigned Yang Mei to the farthest room on the right, saying that the other rooms were filled with miscellaneous items and not suitable for living.

“Miss Yang, please go back to your room and rest for a while. There is no hot water right now. I will bring tea after I boil some water.” Ping Ping sent Yang Mei away, then closed the door, not allowing Duan Min to leave. She glanced outside and said, “Isn’t keeping her here a hassle!”

Duan Min smiled: “I have already taken on a huge trouble. What is this little thing?” She paused and added, “You also saw that we have already been targeted by the This Place Pavilion. Since we can’t find peace either way, why not be more generous? Besides, if she wanted to deal with us, why go to such lengths? I always feel she holds no malice.”

Ping Ping recalled how Yang Mei had dealt with the two secret followers earlier. She showed a look of unwillingness, bit her lip, and said: “You’ve done too many strange things today. I don’t know what to ask you. Just tell me clearly what you want me to do?”

Duan Min took two steps closer and stopped next to Ping Ping. She gently smoothed the stray hair on her cheek and slowly said: “Do you remember what my father said when he saved you? I share his sentiment. The situation compels us now. Within these two days, take them and leave. It doesn’t matter where you go across the world from then on, just don’t come back.”

“What about you?” Ping Ping grabbed her hand. “Don’t expect me to take care of her. Nothing anyone says will work! If you don’t go with us, I will definitely sell her!”

The corner of Duan Min’s eye curved in a smile. She squeezed Ping Ping’s hand and then let go: “If you really want to sell her, that’s fine too. If you truly refuse to leave, I won’t force you.” She then opened the door and started to leave. “Whether you want to steal a moment of leisure here, I’m going to boil water and brew tea. With Master Jing Hui’s temperament, I don’t know if there’s any firewood left.”

Yang Mei sat by the window looking outside, where layers of green hills lay horizontally, distantly blocking the clamor of the mortal world.

The room was extremely simple, with only a few basic items: a bed, a table and chairs, and a square cabinet, all of which were very old. Yang Mei had rarely seen such a rudimentary dwelling, but this simplicity was in harmony with the deep mountains, bringing a sense of novelty and a subtle, indescribable joy.

The sky was leaning toward evening, the residual sunlight gradually faded, and the rosy glow retreated behind the mountains. After several gusts of clear wind, the dark clouds scattered, and the Milky Way sparkled.

However, after a long time, no one came, and there was no sign of tea or dinner.

Ping Ping might throw a little tantrum, but was Duan Min deliberately neglecting her too, or letting others do so?

Although thirsty and hungry, Yang Mei didn’t want to go out. She just sat and watched the lights turn on and then off in the rooms opposite. The joy had long dissipated, and unhappiness slowly settled in the calmness.

Suddenly, two light taps on the door sounded, very clearly. Duan Min said from outside the door: “Miss Yang, I’m coming in.”

Yang Mei quickly put on a smiling face and welcomed her at the door. Seeing Duan Min holding a tea tray, she ushered her in warmly, saying: “Min-Jie, why do you still call me Miss Yang! I feel genuinely bad troubling you here. If there’s anything I can help with, please don’t be polite, Min-Jie.”

Duan Min poured a bowl of tea and handed it over: “Life in the mountains is poor, and everything is inconvenient. Please forgive the lack of proper hospitality. As for the rest…” Duan Min smiled, faintly apologetic, “The Masters do not eat after noon. Since we are guests now, it’s not good to break the rules.”

“Not eating after noon. So that’s how it is.” Hearing her explanation, Yang Mei suddenly remembered the feeling she had when she first entered the room. Going hungry for a while, like the simple dwelling, was connected to the mountains, the forest, and Buddhist principles, becoming a novel pleasure. “The Masters are eminent people cultivating Buddhism. We should naturally follow local customs. Min-Jie, please don’t treat me like a delicate young lady. Fasting is a form of spiritual practice.”

Yang Mei smiled and took the tea bowl. Her eyes quickly moved, and she asked: “Does this tea not count as food?”

Duan Min smiled: “It does not interfere. You haven’t had a drop of water all day. Even spiritual practice would be too self-afflicting.”

Hearing this, Yang Mei no longer hesitated and took large gulps of the tea. Although the tea flavor was coarse, the water was clear and cool, with a slight bitterness, and it was very thirst-quenching. After finishing the bowl, Yang Mei sighed with a beaming smile: “It tastes so good!”

Duan Min couldn’t help but smile: “You are truly not picky.”

It was already past the first watch (Ru Gēng, around 7-9 PM), and the surroundings were extremely quiet. Outside, there were occasional bird calls accompanied by the rustling night wind. Yang Mei saw that Duan Min was smiling more now, seemingly easier to approach than during the day, so she tentatively asked: “Min-Jie, why don’t you come to live here? Min-Jie has a rather lofty air. Opening a clinic in the city means dealing with filthy people, and you can’t avoid officials and local ruffians. How can you have a peaceful life?”

Duan Min lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, saying: “I am afraid I am not a person who loves peace and quiet.” Yang Mei was about to ask more but was stopped by her. “Miss Yang has family trouble and likely cannot sleep soundly. Why not follow me to the Buddhist Hall now? Tell the Bodhisattva whatever is on your mind; it will always help.”