The next day, Liuli went to the forest again, where she encountered several fierce beasts and played a few tricks on them. Then she found a big tree, sat on the high trunk, and hummed a song out of boredom.
At that time, a young monk was wandering around in the forest. Hearing the singing from afar, he was delighted and turned to run over here.
Soon, he ran to a big tree and looked up. He saw the woman in white sitting on the trunk, her legs swinging leisurely.
Liuli noticed the monk at this moment. She looked down and said with a playful smile, "Oh, isn't this the little monk? What, wasn't yesterday's lesson enough? You want to come here to exorcise demons and uphold justice?"
Shi Chan gave a wry smile, put his hands together, bowed and said in a Buddhist gesture, "Please forgive me, Your Excellency. I was indeed abrupt and offensive yesterday. I thought about it all night, and this morning I went out to visit the nearby villages. I have not heard of any monsters harming people."
"Tch!" Liuli scoffed, tilting her head back to look at the sky, not even glancing at him.
"Amitabha!" Master Shi Chan bowed deeply and said, "This humble monk sincerely apologizes and asks for your understanding."
Hearing his earnest words, Liuli thought for a moment and then forgave him. She smiled and lowered her head, then raised her voice, "Alright, alright! I forgive you. Don't keep calling me 'Your Excellency,' it's so awkward. Just call me Liuli. And you, what's your name?"
Liuli—these should have been two very unfamiliar words, yet to Shichan, they carried a strange sense of familiarity. Shichan frowned, lost in thought, while Liuli, growing impatient, raised her voice again, asking, "Hey, I'm asking you! What's your name?"
Shi Chan snapped out of his daze and quickly replied, "My Buddhist name is Shi Chan."
"Shi Chan," Liu Li murmured, then said with a smile, "Little monk, don't leave, will you play with me?"
Shi Chan was taken aback, then shook his head with a wry smile and said, "This humble monk has only come to apologize today. Since Miss Liuli has forgiven this humble monk, this humble monk should take his leave now."
"No, no!" Liuli cried out anxiously. She leaped down from the tree trunk and landed lightly, laughing as she said, "I hardly ever see anyone, and even when I do see hunters coming in to hunt, I don't dare talk to them for fear of scaring them. I've finally met someone who isn't afraid of me, so please don't go! Tell me about things in the human world, okay?"
The glass landed too close to Shi Chan. Shi Chan quietly took two steps back, shook his head and smiled, "To be honest, this is my first time coming down the mountain. I followed my fellow disciples to chase the demons and didn't get a good look at the human world. I really don't have much to say. Please forgive me, young lady."
"Oh, is that so?" Liuli was a little disappointed, but her eyes lit up again as she smiled and asked, "Then tell me about your Bodhi Temple. Is it fun there?"
The woman before him smiled sweetly, her eyes filled with a pure and clear light, like a gentle spring breeze that warmed Shi Chan's heart. His eyes softened for a moment, and he shook his head with a smile, saying, "You flatter me, young lady. Bodhi Temple is governed by strict rules and regulations; there's nothing fun about it."
"It's not fun." Liuli looked longingly at the sky. Through the leaves, the sky seemed so small, easily seen at a glance, making her incredibly bored. She whispered, "Even if it's not fun, I still want to go out and see..."
Zen Master asked in bewilderment, "Then why don't you go out?"
Liuli looked down at him and sighed helplessly, "I can't go out. My grandmother won't let me. She said the outside world is dangerous, and there are conspiracies and intrigues among humans everywhere... Is my grandmother right? Are humans outside really that scary?"
“Amitabha!” Shi Chan sighed with a helpless expression, “Although I have not been down the mountain for long, I have seen that there are indeed conspiracies among people when they get along, and evildoers are everywhere… One day, I will definitely save everyone, persuade people to do good, and transform this world into a pure land!”
As he spoke, Shi Chan's expression hardened, his eyes became resolute, and with the unique brilliance of a young man, he uttered his grand vow, word by word.
"I believe in you." Looking at the resolute expression on Shi Chan's face, Liu Li was moved and said with a smile, "I believe you can definitely do it!"
The three words "I believe you" weighed heavily on Shi Chan's heart like a boulder, making him remember this day even after many years. A gentle breeze rustled through the woods, and the lush leaves made a soft "rustling" sound. Sunlight, broken into starlight by the leaves, sprinkled on the woman's fair and jade-like face, illuminating her radiant smile. Her eyes were crystal clear, revealing a gentle and genuine expression.
Shi Chan stood there, stunned, a strange emotion stirring within him. It was a feeling utterly unfamiliar to him. For over twenty years, he had spent his days listening to his teachers' sermons and meditating in the meditation room behind Bodhi Temple. Though young, his heart had always been as calm as an ancient well. Yet today, this woman had stirred ripples within him. He didn't know what that emotion was; he only knew that he enjoyed spending time with her, laughing and chatting. He loved seeing her smile, as bright as the sun and as warm as a spring breeze.
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