Life Story (Part 3)
He Shu forced himself to suppress these chaotic thoughts, turned and walked into the kitchen, took out the tools for killing fish, and picked up the fish basket.
He was afraid that handling these live fish in the yard would cause the fishy smell to spread and become difficult to clean up, so he picked up his tools and walked straight out of the yard and headed towards the Yangchun Creek not far away.
The clear stream gurgles, making a crisp sound as it hits the pebbles.
He Shu squatted on a flat bluestone by the stream, dipped the fish basket into the water and shook it to let the fish adapt, then reached in and groped to scoop up one.
The fish's body was extremely slippery and its scales were icy cold. Before he could grab it tightly, the fish struggled violently and slipped through his fingers. It fell heavily on the stone with a "bang" and then began to jump around wildly.
"Why!"
He Shu screamed subconsciously and frantically used the hem of his clothes to catch the fish that tried to escape. In a hurry, his knees accidentally fell into the icy stream water. The biting cold instantly penetrated the clothes, making him shiver, and he looked really embarrassed.
He didn't do these kinds of work often, usually performing some minor magic tricks to get away with it, or simply waiting for Qingshan to do it. This was the first time he had done something like this himself, and he inevitably seemed clumsy and unfamiliar.
What happened next was even more chaotic. He held a small knife in his hand, facing the still slightly trembling fish body, and had no idea where to start.
In a chaotic flurry of chopping and scraping, the fish meat was chopped into pieces, shapeless. Looking more closely, the scales on the fish were not completely removed, and there were still some pieces here and there, shining dimly.
He did cut open the fish's belly, but after digging out the internal organs for a long time, they were still hanging bloody and sticky on the edge of the opened abdominal cavity, swaying slightly with his movements.
The scene was so horrific that even he himself frowned when he saw it.
"Forget it...I won't do it anymore!"
He Shu finally lost his temper and threw the ball of flesh and blood in his hand, which was almost unrecognizable, back in disgust with a muffled "clang" sound.
He suddenly picked up the fish basket at his feet, turned around and ran back to the cabin as if escaping.
In the yard, Jin Wu, now awake, sat on a stone bench, licking her paws and washing her face. Hearing the familiar sound of approaching footsteps, she stopped immediately, turned her head, and meowed before leaping to the ground. She ran affectionately to He Shu's side, nuzzling against his still damp trouser leg, the tip of her tail wagging gleefully.
"Hey, our Jin Wu won't be a lazy cat today?"
He Shu looked at the cute little guy in front of him, and his anger instantly disappeared, and his tone softened unconsciously.
He placed the fish basket next to the water tank in the corner of the yard. In the end, he was too lazy to continue struggling. He moved his fingertips slightly and cast a spell to quickly clean up the remaining stick fish.
He scooped up some clean water to wash his hands, then bent down and picked up the cat that had been acting coquettishly beside his legs. He then sat on the stone bench that Jin Wu had just occupied, tickling its chin and ears and teasing it.
"Don't you usually sleep until noon? Why is it that the sun is rising from the west today? Do you insist on emulating your brother's diligence and getting up early?"
With a smile on his lips, He Shu lowered his head and moved closer to the warm ball in his arms. He buried his slightly cold cheek in the soft and fluffy fur on Jin Wu's belly and rubbed it hard.
On a cold winter day, there is nothing more comforting than having such a fragrant and soft little heater to snuggle up to.
A man and a cat played together in this small courtyard filled with morning light for a long time, until the sun slowly rolled over the eastern mountain, adding a little warmth to the originally dull sunlight, penetrating the thin clouds, and falling obliquely on the snow-covered peach branches, reflecting dots of fluorescence.
He Shu waited and waited, but Qingshan never returned. Even the person who said he would come to report the news was nowhere to be found.
Normally, Qingshan would have returned from private school by this time, either busy in the kitchen or waiting with a smile to have lunch with him. But today, he hadn't returned yet. It seemed... just as Bai Ziming had said, he probably wouldn't be coming back.
Taking a deep breath of the fresh and cool mountain air, He Shu raised his head and squinted his eyes at the sun which was already high in the sky but had no temperature.
He sighed, stood up and walked to the water tank, fed Jin Wu the fish meat that he had harmed in the fish basket, and gently patted its trembling little head as it ate with relish, sighing:
"I'm going to put you through this today. I'm not as capable as your brother Qingshan, so I can't do this. I'll make you some pan-fried fish when he gets home... No..."
He paused, lowered his eyes and chuckled.
"It's for both of us."
He Shu turned and walked towards the courtyard gate while speaking.
"Stay home and don't run around. I'm going to Qingxiao Temple."
He was indeed hungry, and missing lunch or having to make something to eat wasn't something he couldn't bear. However, his doubts about Qingshan's cultivation hadn't been completely dispelled, so he decided to ask Xuan Tongzi in person and grab a ready-made vegetarian meal from him. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?
Thinking of this, his steps couldn't help but become lighter, but as soon as he stepped out of the courtyard, he suddenly remembered Bai Ziming's vague words and his steps gradually stopped.
Heshu lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, still feeling uneasy. What if... what if Qingshan came back early?
As he thought about this, he waved his fingertips, and a wisp of fairy air escaped and quickly sketched in the air.
“If you need any help, go to Qingxiao Temple.
——He Wuming"
A plain white paper strip appeared out of thin air.
Looking at the handwriting on the note that was barely recognizable, he nodded with satisfaction, and with a flick of his finger, the note was fixed neatly in the most conspicuous place at the gate.
He Shu carefully examined his handwriting, which he had practiced for a long time and had finally achieved some results. Although it was not as smooth and elegant as Qingshan's, the horizontal and vertical lines were still there, and at least it was not the scribbles he had at the beginning.
If Qingshan sees this, he will definitely praise him for his progress.
A faint smile crept up the corner of his mouth. He didn't delay any longer, circulated his spiritual power, and turned into a white shadow, flying towards the top of the mountain.
——
The green tiles and flying eaves are hidden among the twisted branches of the ancient pines, the stone steps are covered with moss, and the incense burner is cold and silent.
"Old mandrill, did you expect me to come to you today to ask for money?"
He Shu's figure was as light as a feather, and he landed quietly on the stone platform in front of the Zen room. Before he entered the room, his clear voice broke the silence in the room.
He arrived just in time, just in time for lunch at the Taoist temple.
Xuan Tongzi naturally saw his intention and laughed out loud:
"That's not the case, but I can tell now that you chose mealtime specifically to come to my place for a free meal."
As he spoke, he turned his head and gently instructed the little medicine boy who was sitting beside him and eating quietly:
"Yasheng, go get Wuming a set of bowls and chopsticks."
"Okay, Taoist Priest."
The little medicine boy responded obediently, put down his chopsticks, lowered his head and walked out of the house.
He Shu took two steps at a time and nimbly strode to the wooden stool next to Xuan Tongzi and sat down. He first glanced at the dishes on the table, then tilted his head casually and asked with a smile:
"I came here today, not only because I miss the vegetarian food you offer, but I also have something to ask you... Old Mandrill, you are so powerful, could you please calculate what I want to ask you this time?"
Xuan Tongzi put down the bamboo chopsticks in his hand, pondered for a moment, raised an eyebrow and looked at He Shu, who was smiling but couldn't hide his worries:
"About Aoyama?"
Although there was a hint of tentativeness in his tone, his eyes were filled with understanding and determination.
"That's a really accurate calculation."
The smile on He Shu's face faded a little. He stood up and moved to the low couch by the window, lowered his head slightly, and his fingers unconsciously played with the patterns on the cushions.
He was silent for a while, as if thinking about how to start. Then he suddenly raised his head, looked straight at Xuan Tongzi, and asked directly:
"You let Qingshan practice... Is it really okay?"
"So you're beating around the bush to ask this."
Xuan Tongzi sneered and turned back.
"Are you worried that forcing him to cultivate with his mortal body and damaged soul would deplete his vitality, resulting in a futile effort, or even... a loss that outweighs the gains?"
He stroked his long, snow-white beard, his tone convincing and steady:
"I know all these tricks well. Besides, no matter what, I will never do anything to harm Qingshan. You can rest assured."
"The path of cultivation is profound and profound, a door to many wonders, and there is no single path. The cultivation methods you creatures and spirits use, relying on your innate talents and absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, are naturally not suitable for mortals like Qingshan to practice."
Xuan Tongzi picked up his chopsticks again, but did not pick up any food. Instead, he continued to explain patiently:
"As the saying goes, teach according to the student's aptitude. What I've taught him is the authentic Taoist method of nourishing Qi and calming the mind, strengthening the foundation and nourishing the essence. It's gradual, gentle and impartial. It will only benefit him, not harm him. It will best help him strengthen his body and repair his soul. As for how far Qingshan can ultimately advance on this path, and to what degree he can achieve... that depends on his luck and opportunity."
This detailed explanation finally relieved He Shu of the heavy burden in his heart.
He lowered his eyes and thought deeply. If the method of cultivation was harmless to Qingshan, or even beneficial, then he naturally had no reason and should not stop or disturb him.
There were footsteps coming closer from outside the door, and the medicine boy who was called to add a set of bowls and chopsticks walked into the house.
He Shu came back to his senses after hearing the voice, and hurriedly stood up to greet him. He took the item from the medicine boy and thanked him with a smile:
"Thank you for the birth."
With his doubts gone, he felt a lot more relaxed, and the haze that had been lingering in his heart for days also dissipated a lot.
He Shu sat back at the table, his appetite suddenly whetted. He quickly picked up his chopsticks and began to devour the light vegetarian dishes on the table.
The other two had almost finished their meal and soon put down their chopsticks one after another. Xuan Tongzi looked at the silhouette of the one concentrating on eating, and suddenly seemed to remember something and asked casually:
"Don't you know that Qingshan is so busy these days that he can't even make it home for lunch?"
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