Xu Milu thought that her new neighbor, Madam Yin, was probably not a monster, but just an ordinary person who was too beautiful.
Not to mention that Madam Yin couldn't lift the food box, which weighed only a few pounds, she was also panting heavily while carrying the bamboo basket containing incense, candles, and paper money. In no time, she was covered in sweat, looking as if she had never done heavy work before.
"My little pet is a bit mischievous, so please take a look at it for me, my wife."
Xu Milu simply stuffed the struggling and protesting Ah Chou into Yin Niangzi's hands, and casually put the basket of paper money into the carrying pole, as if she couldn't feel the weight at all.
"Miss Xu has great strength. It's a pity that I don't have much strength at all. I'm really sorry to trouble you, Miss Xu."
Lady Yin sighed slightly, her eyes filled with envy as she looked at Xu Milu:
“If I had that kind of strength, then I wouldn’t need to find someone else to do the work of chopping wood, setting up a fire, washing clothes, and sweeping the courtyard. Miss Xu doesn’t seem like a down-on-her-luck person, so why not find a maid to serve her?”
Xu Milu replied casually:
“Doesn’t Lady Yin also live alone? I’m used to being free and don’t like being served by maids. Besides, my courtyard isn’t big, and I can manage it by myself.”
Lady Yin shook her head and said gently:
“You’re a young woman all alone out there, how can your elders not worry? How can your mother not be concerned? At the very least, you should find two guards, a maid to keep you company, and someone to light your lamp at night—I know an old woman named Ma, she used to be a slave boy, but she’s reformed in recent years and has done many good deeds. I’ll invite her to my house in a couple of days, and you can choose a clever maid…”
She spoke sincerely, her words showing that she was considering Xu Milu's best interests, and her tone sounded somewhat familiar.
Xu Milu immediately recognized that this was the same tone Liu Hongmei used to give her when she went on long trips.
She couldn't help but feel a little curious, and lifted the load on her shoulder: "Madam Yin... are you pregnant?"
Lady Yin was taken aback: "How did you guess that, Miss Xu?"
Xu Milu laughed: "My mother always reminds me like this every time I leave home, afraid that I will be cold and hungry outside, and also afraid that I will be kidnapped or tricked. Madam Yin looks about the same age as me, does she already have a child?"
Lady Yin sighed softly instead:
“I have a son who was raised at Hongfu Temple since he was a child—hearing you say this shows that all mothers in the world love their children the same way…”
As they spoke, the two arrived at the entrance of Huasheng Temple. Madam Yin stopped, looked up at the temple gate, her expression a mixture of sorrow and joy. She quickly wiped away her tears and said to Xu Milu:
"Miss Xu, please go in first. Your late husband's memorial tablet is set up in this temple. I'll go and pay my respects. I'll come find you later."
“Alright, then Madam Yin, please don’t be too sad. I’m at the east side of the temple, not far from where Master Xuanzang was lecturing. Let’s go back together later.”
Xu Milu took Ah Chou and casually put him into her sleeve.
Although it was the prosperous Tang Dynasty, there was never a shortage of swindlers and cheaters. Lady Yin was young and beautiful, and it was nighttime, so Xu Milu felt more at ease knowing that the two of them would go back together.
Perhaps because of Liu Hongmei, Xu Milu always held the greatest goodwill towards single women with children.
...
...
The Water and Land Dharma Assembly will last for a full forty-nine days, day and night without stopping. From a distance, Xu Milu could hear the chanting of many monks. The sound of chanting filled the air, and for no reason, she felt much calmer in her heart.
The woman selling fermented rice wine was right; there were indeed far fewer people at night. The few living people who did come were burning paper money and chanting incantations in a corner.
Although it was the Ghost Festival, the temple was brightly lit inside and out, and the golden light of Buddha shone everywhere. Even though a few pieces of unburnt paper money flew by, there was not much of a chill in the air.
Under the flagpole hanging on the east side of the temple, Xu Milu found a quiet spot, unloaded the load from her shoulders, lit the stove, put in charcoal, and soon the small stove was hot.
While waiting for the water to boil, Xu Milu took out several vegetarian dishes that she had prepared in advance and placed them on the altar specially set up by the monks of Huasheng Temple. This altar was already filled with various vegetarian dishes and snacks, and they all looked quite appetizing.
"Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, please bless my food so that the Victorious Fighting Buddha may eat it. This faithful woman wishes to have a balanced diet of meat and vegetables for the rest of her life—"
Xu Milu made a "devout" vow, and when she looked up again, she found the solemn and dignified Buddha statues both lovely and respectable.
With Master here, how far away can Monkey King be?
The legendary monk Xuanzang sat on a lotus throne, draped in a red kasaya, his body radiating golden light and the eight treasures shining brightly. From afar, he looked like a red mist. In a place unseen by mortals, faint golden light came from the sky, and a compassionate bodhisattva's golden body shone softly, gazing at all living beings with eyes full of compassion.
—The Buddha's light was so dazzling that Xu Milu couldn't even see what Master Xuanzang's face looked like.
To put it somewhat irreverently, it was as bright as the sun, so bright that you couldn't even see their faces clearly.
...
"You can see the Dharma body of Master Xuanzang? You have quite the keen eye, young lady."
Suddenly someone spoke to her. Xu Milu turned around and saw a big-bellied, burly man. He was dark-skinned and fat, standing in front of her stall like an iron tower. He was wearing Buddhist robes, but his fat, round belly was showing in front of his chest like that of Maitreya Buddha.
He kept sniffing the aroma, his face full of craving.
"Young lady, what are you selling? It smells so good, I almost couldn't sit still in this temple because of the fragrance."
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