Chapter 220: The comic book "Qi Yan's Lottery" from Fayuan Temple is released
After the affair between Cui Mingzhu and Pei Hong was exposed, the old lady was depressed for a while.
It was not until the sixth day of the Lunar New Year that she cheered up and suggested going to the temple to burn incense.
The retired old lady has no busy work to pass the time, so when she feels depressed, she wants to seek external things to relieve her sorrow. The ancient Rakshasa Temple, the Buddhist chants and the sandalwood can just soothe her anxious heart.
She kept muttering that Qin Nian was about to give birth and Qi Yan's comics were about to be released, so it was a good opportunity to ask for two fortune sticks for her grandson's wife and great-grandson, and a career stick for Qi Yan.
The temple we chose is the oldest Fayuan Temple in the area. It is said that there is an abbot who is over a hundred years old and has great magical powers. It is difficult to get a fortune stick there.
Gu Nan thought it was quite novel, micro-cyber + temple, it had a bit of a mix and match feel.
Cui Yue also went there, wearing a serious and heavy black coat. His facial features were strong and clear, and he had a military air that was out of place.
As one of the most staunch materialists in modern times, he went to worship Buddha with a group of idealists, perhaps driven by his love for his wife and son?
Gu Nan and Qi Yan walked slowly behind, watching Cui Yue helping the old lady step up the bluestone steps step by step. Before they entered the mountain gate, they could smell the rich aroma of incense in the air.
Green smoke curls around, pines and cypresses grow lushly, and a long staircase with no end in sight leads directly to the main hall.
Gu Nan followed the old lady and knelt in front of the Buddha statue to make a wish. The smoke from the incense burner curled up and filled the entire hall. The golden Buddha sat cross-legged with a compassionate look, overlooking the crowd in the hall.
There were so many people that they had to spend the most money to kneel at the front and make wishes with big incense sticks.
After making their wish, the four followed a young novice monk out of the main hall and went to the Dharma Hall to listen to the Dharma.
After listening to the Dharma, the old lady asked to go and draw lots. The young monk who led the way said, "Master Changqing has been waiting for a long time. Please follow me, donors."
The young novice monk walked ahead, leading the way, and the four followed behind, slowly weaving through a puff of pale smoke. The old lady suddenly remembered something and said, "Young Master, I heard that your temple has a great monk who practices both Buddhism and Taoism. Is that true?"
Practicing both Buddhism and Taoism, a great monk?
Gu Nan looked over curiously.
The young novice monk smiled knowingly and nodded, saying, "Master Chunyi is indeed a practitioner of both Buddhism and Taoism, but he's been traveling. Calculating the dates, he'll be back at the temple soon."
The old lady hesitated for a moment and asked, "What is Master Chunyi's Dharma name?"
The young monk simply said, "Master Chunyi is of the Ci generation."
The old lady seemed to be counting something backwards. After two seconds, she sighed and exclaimed, "It's actually true."
The young monk said nothing more and turned back to continue leading the way.
Gu Nan didn't know what the old lady was marveling at and wanted to ask, but he held back and decided to ask her after he got the fortune.
Abbot Changqing was not the centenarian monk as the legend said. He was just a middle-aged man with a sturdy figure and a kind face. He wore a blue-gray casual suit and an indigo cassock. He sat on a cushion and recited the meaning of the fortune in a friendly and polite manner with the old lady.
The three lots the old lady drew were all good. After listening to the explanation, she and Cui Yue were obviously relieved.
Gu Nan smiled and winked at Qi Yan.
—Did you hear that? The Buddha said your comics will be a huge hit.
Qi Yan also pursed his lips and smiled, then quietly leaned towards her.
"This female donor." Chang Qing said suddenly.
Gu Nan raised his eyes and saw that he was looking at him. He quickly said seriously, "Host."
Chang Qing smiled and said, "You look familiar to me. What's your name, benefactor?"
Gu Nan: "No need to mention your last name, Gu. The abbot probably doesn't recognize me. This is my first time at Fayuan Temple."
Even if it wasn't the first time, it would be impossible for them to know each other. An ordinary person like Gu Nan would never meet the abbot of a temple.
"I must have made a mistake." Chang Qing's smile remained unchanged, and he didn't seem disappointed. Instead, he pushed the fortune stick box towards her and said, "I have a connection with you, so I'll give you a fortune stick."
It is very expensive to ask this host to interpret the fortune, and you have to use your connections to make an appointment in advance. Giving away a fortune stick for free is equivalent to giving away a lot of money. Even if most people don't agree immediately, they will be tempted.
However, Gu Nan only paused for a moment on the lottery tube before pushing it back. "Thank you, I still prefer the unknown future."
She doesn't really believe in fate and never tells her own fortune. Things like fortune telling and divination are something that only happen once or twice. If you do it too many times, sometimes you can't tell whether you are in control of your destiny or destiny is controlling you.
She just made a wish, and if it came true, she would pay it back. If it didn't, it wouldn't matter, because the matter was done and she just had to accept it.
Chang Qing looked at the fortune stick box that had returned to its original place and bowed to Gu Nan. "You are a generous donor. May you have long-lasting good fortune in the future."
Gu Nan returned the gift and thanked him.
She should indeed say thank you. If Qing hadn't reminded her frequently, Gu Nan would have almost forgotten that she had made a wish to Lin Jingchun and Lin Jingzhe. If it came true, she would have to go to Yunmen Temple to fulfill it.
The four of them had a vegetarian meal at Fayuan Temple, toured the temple scenery, and then set off to the hospital to have Qi Yan's foot injury rechecked.
After a series of tests and an X-ray, the doctor said, "You're almost recovered. Let's remove the plaster today."
After wearing a plaster for more than a month, my left foot was obviously thinner than my right foot after it was removed. The skin was also whiter, making the toes of different colors look dirty.
Gu Nan teased, "I can finally wash my feet properly before going to bed tonight."
Qi Yan looked at her left foot, which had a distinct demarcation, and blushed slightly as she retorted, "I wash my feet every day."
Gu Nan deliberately sang a different tune, "Really? Then why is there a black circle?"
Of course, it’s because that circle is the plaster edge and cannot be touched by water. It can only be wiped with wet wipes to keep it clean, but there will still be stains over time.
Qi Yan lowered his head to put on a sock on his left foot, revealing a pair of red ears.
It's embarrassing, but also happy.
The doctor said that the recovery was good and there would most likely be no sequelae. The foot was still intact and could run and jump, and would not become lame.
Although the plaster was removed, he hadn't walked with his left foot for more than a month. When he got on the ground, he felt light and light-footed and was a little afraid to use force. It would take him some time to practice before he could walk normally again.
*
On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, Qi Yan's comic book "A Ku" was officially launched on the market.
On the same day, he received a box of sample magazines from the publishing house.
The entire process of these two comics, from finalizing their publication, to submitting them for review, and then applying for publication and printing, was rushed, so the comics author Qi Yan saw his work almost at the same time as the readers.
With a black and gold background, the center of the cover is a close-up of the protagonist Ah Ku's face. His facial features are not typical of hot-blooded comics. He has a messy hairstyle, mottled tear marks, and a worn and bloody collar. He doesn't look handsome at all, and even looks a bit disheveled. But what remains the same is his determined eyes, which are imprinted with the lone wolf-like arrogance.
Gu Nan had read part of the manuscript and knew that it was a story about a small person from the bottom of society struggling to survive alone. The protagonist, A Ku, was, to a certain extent, a reflection of Qi Yan's life over the past 19 years.
After taking a shower, Gu Nan lay on the bed, opened the comic and continued reading.
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