Looking at the figure kneeling on the prayer mat, Lin felt that the face looked familiar.
She frowned and rubbed her eyes hard; it really was her school-aged brother-in-law.
She looked shocked. "Cuiqin, the person who made the wish seems to be the third brother."
Sun pulled her back a little, "Sister-in-law, it's Zhancai. Do you think he's gone crazy from studying too much? How could he make such an unrealistic wish?"
Madam Lin shook her head and sighed softly, "For so many years, the third son has been studying in town just to avoid a life of leisure. He has developed bad habits of eating, drinking and having fun. Before, with our eldest and second wives supporting him, he got used to taking advantage of what he had and didn't want to do anything. Now that we are no longer helping him, he can only place his hopes on the Buddha."
The wealthy wife blushed as she tried to suppress her laughter. "This Chen Zhancai is really a weirdo. He actually prayed to Buddha to bless him so that a pie would fall from the sky and hit him. Do you think it would kill him if it really did fall?"
Lin was amused by her words and gave her a playful glare, saying, "I don't know if it will kill you, but I do know there's no such thing as a free lunch."
“Yes, expecting to reap without sowing is just wishful thinking!” Mrs. Sun chimed in.
The wealthy woman waved her hand, signaling them to be quiet. "Alright, alright, let's all keep our heads down and not let him see. Let's see what else he wants to say."
Hearing the whispers behind him, Chen Zhancai felt a surge of displeasure. These poor, downtrodden peasants were really making a fuss over nothing.
Just because you can't have such good fortune doesn't mean I, Chen Zhancai, can't.
As the saying goes, "Sincerity brings miracles, and anything is possible."
"A couple's fate is sealed in three lifetimes; a marriage across a thousand miles is tied by a single thread."
Everything has its destiny. Who knows, maybe there's a beautiful young lady waiting for him in faraway Ningjing?
Recalling the beautiful dream he had the night before, he ignored the whispers of others and began to pray eloquently again.
"By the gods above, I was not thoughtful enough just now, and my wish was too rash."
As the saying goes, "Good things are never easy to come by, and nothing in this world is without difficulty."
Good things take time. If I can't meet a rich young lady, then let me meet an old lady on the streets of Ningjing.
The old lady sprained her ankle, so I carried her home on my back.
But she wasn't very bright and couldn't remember where she lived.
As an old saying goes, "Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda."
Out of kindness, I carried her to the inn, and we ate and slept together—no, not slept together, but lived in the same room.
Worried that the old lady might get lost again, I stayed home with her all day.
But who knew that this would delay scientific expeditions and ruin his future?
But I don't regret it. After all, fame and fortune are fleeting, only conscience is real.
Because I did something meaningful, which was to save an old lady.
Later, when we ran out of money, the heartless innkeeper kicked the old lady and me out of the inn.
Left with no other choice, I took the old lady and begged along the streets and alleys of Ningjing.
Just as I was feeding the old woman the half-eaten steamed bun I had begged for, a stunningly beautiful woman approached, knelt before her, and kowtowed.
It turns out that the woman was the old lady's granddaughter.
The woman, having learned the whole story, was deeply moved and took me back to her residence.
The old lady's granddaughter treated me like an honored guest, providing me with the best food and drinks.
To repay her kindness, he even intended to marry her.
But I, Chen Zhancai, am an upright man. How could I be the kind of person who betrays trust and abandons righteousness?
He then told the truth that he already had two wives in the family.
But the angelic woman didn't care about any of that, saying that a capable man should have three wives and four concubines.
Unable to refuse their earnest request, I had no choice but to reluctantly agree to the marriage.
It wasn't until their wedding day that he learned the woman's extraordinary identity: she was the only daughter of the prime minister.
This truly is a case of 'the flowers you plant with care may not bloom, while the willows you plant unintentionally may thrive.'
Thus I obtained a high-ranking official position, rode a fine horse, was surrounded by attendants, and returned home in glory..."
Chen Zhancai's unusual remarks left the surrounding worshippers speechless.
Is this person stupid or just plain dumb?
Was his head kicked by a donkey, slammed in a door, or shoved by a fart?
Is he talking in his sleep, or telling a story to a deity?
How shameless and delusional!
This isn't making a wish; it's clearly driving the gods crazy!
Seeing that he was still kneeling and wouldn't get up, it wasn't hard to endure it for a while, but to endure it for two incense sticks' time and still not stop was just too outrageous...
The crowd could no longer tolerate it and began to express their dissatisfaction.
"Are you ever going to stop? Get up right now, there are still a lot of people behind you!"
"Yeah, you're really dawdling. If you keep going on and on, it'll be dark."
"That's right, it's true that 'after eating pig liver, one wants pig heart; after getting silver, one wants gold.' One shouldn't be too greedy. Being content with what one has is the key to happiness."
Lin and the others were all ashamed and lowered their heads even further. If people knew that the people kneeling and making wishes knew them, it would be incredibly embarrassing.
Hearing the crowd's complaints, Chen Zhancai impatiently turned and glared at them. He really wanted to retort, but then felt it wasn't necessary.
He still clasped his hands together and spoke with a devout expression.
"I beg the gods to bless me, that all my wishes may be fulfilled and my desires may come true. I beg you."
After saying that, he kowtowed three times in a row.
He then stood up, snorted coldly at the crowd glaring at him, and walked out of the hall with his chest out and head held high.
On his way home, Chen Zhancai felt an unprecedented sense of relief, as if his wish had been fulfilled.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
