Liuli took a deep breath and then went inside. Shichan walked last.
The courtyard in front of me is still clean and tidy. The incense burner, which is half a person tall, is still in the middle of the courtyard. The burner is filled with incense sticks that are burning unevenly, and the fragrance of sandalwood is spreading out and enveloping the entire courtyard.
The town mayor walked straight past the incense burner into the main hall, while Liuli paused briefly in the courtyard before proceeding, with Shichan following closely behind.
The group of two people and a fox quickly arrived at the main hall. The town mayor entered first and took out six incense sticks to light on a red candle.
Liuli looked up at the monk statue behind the offering table, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears.
The monk appeared to be extremely well-preserved; even after more than a hundred years, he seemed exactly the same as when she first arrived. He sat cross-legged, his smile as gentle as ever.
Just a hundred years ago, on that nameless island, he left a letter advising Liuli to abandon her hatred. At that time, she was filled with resentment, blaming him for his devotion to Buddhism. But now, having decided to live in seclusion here with Shichan, no longer caring about worldly troubles or the hatred between the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan and Buddhism, she finally felt the ease of having no hatred in her heart and understood his good intentions.
He was indeed devoted to Buddhism, but his advice to her to give up hatred was truly so that she could live a more relaxed and happy life.
Liuli held back her tears, gently parted her lips towards him, and silently uttered two words: "Thank you..."
At that moment, the town mayor had already walked up to Liuli and Shichan. He handed them the lit incense in his hand and said, "Aren't you two offering incense? Here you go."
Liuli came to her senses, lowered her head and accepted the three incense sticks, while Shichan smiled and accepted the other three.
They exchanged a glance. Shi Chan was puzzled as to why Liu Li's eyes were red, but Liu Li quickly walked towards the prayer mat, so he didn't ask any further questions and followed her.
The man and the fox knelt on the prayer mat, each holding three incense sticks in their hands, and bowed three times to the image of the monk.
After respectfully bowing, Shi Chan looked up and inadvertently realized that the smiling monk seemed somewhat familiar, as if he had seen this monk somewhere before.
A moment later, he suddenly realized that the monk in the stone house on the small island he and Liuli had visited to escape a storm in the East China Sea was the same one. He also remembered the monk he had seen in his own memory illusion when they were fighting over the prayer wheel in the Bodhi Forest.
Liuli had already stood up. She stepped forward and placed the incense stick in her hand into the incense burner. Her gaze shifted and she noticed a strange packet next to the incense burner. She took one out and asked in confusion, "Mayor, what is this?"
The town mayor looked over and replied with a smile, "These are Bodhi fruits brought back by the young people of the town who went on a long journey. Everyone in the town is a Buddhist and knows that the Bodhi tree is the tree of wisdom and enlightenment of the Buddha. However, the land in the town does not seem to be suitable for planting Bodhi trees. We planted a few Bodhi fruits, but none of them have sprouted."
Shi Chan then walked over and respectfully placed the incense sticks in his hand into the incense burner. He turned to look at the Bodhi fruit in Liuli's hand, nodded, and said gently, "Indeed, Bodhi trees generally grow in the south. This place is located in the northwest border region, which is not suitable for the growth of Bodhi trees."
The town mayor shook his head and sighed, "That's why it's such a pity. Everyone in town has only heard of the Bodhi tree, but apart from young people who have traveled far away, no one else has ever seen one."
Liuli lowered her eyes and looked at the Bodhi fruit in her hand over and over again. After a long while, she thought of something, raised her eyes and smiled, "Then let me try and see if I can grow a Bodhi tree!"
Shi Chan smiled and shook his head, saying, "Liuli, you don't need to try. Bodhi trees cannot be grown here."
"I'm going to give it a try!" Liuli glanced at Shichan, her face full of defiance.
The town mayor chuckled from the side, "If you want to give it a try, young lady, then go ahead. If you really manage to grow a Bodhi tree, it will broaden our horizons!"
Liuli moved swiftly and arrived in front of Shichan. Holding the Bodhi fruit in her hand, she put her hands behind her back, leaned forward, and looked at Shichan with a smiling face. She said, "Monk, if I can grow a Bodhi tree in this land that is not suitable for growing Bodhi trees, even your Buddha will agree to your return to secular life. Then I will marry you, how about it?"
Shi Chan looked down at Liu Li's bright, smiling face, and his heart softened, filled with inexplicable warmth. He knew that she said this so that he wouldn't have any regrets or remorse. She knew that even if he decided to return to secular life, he would still feel guilty towards Buddha and all living beings. She certainly didn't want him to live with this guilt, so she gave him this reason.
He smiled gently, his eyes crinkling, and nodded, saying, "Okay."
As he said this, he looked at the face so close to his own and couldn't help but lower his head and gently kiss her forehead.
Shi Chan's kiss was very light, like a dragonfly skimming the water, and quickly faded away.
Liuli paused for a moment, tiptoed and lightly kissed his lips, then quickly retreated, turned and ran away.
The fragrance emanating from her enveloped him before quickly fading away. Shi Chan turned to look at Liu Li's skipping figure as she ran out of the hall, his smile deepening, gentle as water.
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