The next day, Zhang Yuan finished his martial arts practice, took care of the housework, closed the gate of the yard, and headed to the mountain god temple in the north of the village.
The mountain god temple in Anping Village is an old temple with a long history.
Zhang Yuanyou remembers that the mountain god temple was there.
Every year on the birthday of the mountain god, the village would invite an opera troupe to perform, creating a lively atmosphere.
When Zhang Yuan was a child, he also liked to go to the mountain god temple with his peers in the village. The mountain god temple was their gathering place, and Wang Xiaoer was one of his playmates.
The tradition of inviting opera troupes to perform on the birthday of the mountain god, in order to pray for the mountain god's blessing on Anping Village so that there will be good weather and everyone will be safe and sound, continues to this day.
However, nowadays, the children in the village rarely go to play at the mountain god temple anymore.
They prefer to stay home and use their phones or watch TV!
Zhang Yuan arrived at the mountain god temple, where several elderly villagers were devoutly offering incense.
After offering incense, the elderly people left the mountain god temple one after another.
Zhang Yuan stood at the temple entrance, looking around at the ancient temple.
Incense smoke curled from the bronze incense burner, and the old banyan tree beside the temple was lush and taller than it had been a few years ago.
Directly opposite the temple entrance, a group of workers were busy with construction.
My mom said that the village is going to build a stage in front of the temple, and this must be it.
Upon entering the temple, a solemn and majestic statue of the mountain god stands in the very center.
Zhang Yuan opened his eyes and looked at the statue again, discovering that there was indeed a celestial being on the altar, its body emitting a pale golden light.
The celestial spirit was depicted as an old man with a white beard that reached his chest. He was only about 1.5 meters tall and was fast asleep on the altar of the deity statue.
A spittle of saliva hung in the air amidst her sweet snores, making Zhang Yuan anxious!
Following the example of the villagers, Zhang Yuan lit three incense sticks and respectfully placed them in the incense burner to show his respect for the mountain god in the temple.
At this moment, a black Audi sedan sped along the village road of Anping Village and stopped under the banyan tree in front of the mountain god temple, in front of the construction site.
A man in a suit got out of the car.
The man had slicked-back hair and a slicked-back face. He was not old, but he looked older than his age. Although he was in his early twenties, he looked like a man in his thirties.
A round belly under the suit jacket was particularly eye-catching.
After getting out of the car, the man in the suit inspected the construction site and then bossed around the ten workers, demanding that they speed up the construction of the stage.
Standing next to the man in the suit was a pretty young woman in a skirt.
The woman's fair arm gently draped around the man's wrist, while her other hand covered her nose. She looked at the dusty construction site not far away with disgust in her eyes and urged the man in the suit to leave quickly.
After giving his instructions, the man in the suit took the beautiful woman's hand and returned to the car under the banyan tree.
At this moment, the long-haired woman in the skirt saw Zhang Yuan offering incense in the mountain god temple. Pointing at Zhang Yuan's back, she said, "Zhang Yuan? Isn't that Zhang Yuan offering incense in the temple? His back looks so familiar!"
Following the direction Wang Qin was pointing, Zhang Wan saw Zhang Yuan's profile.
After looking at him for a while, it really was Zhang Yuan, my elementary school classmate!
Zhang Yuan, Zhang Wan, Wang Qin, and Wang Xiaoer were all classmates in elementary school and often played together when they were young.
Zhang Yuan was the best student in the class at that time, and also the object of Wang Qin's affections.
However, when Zhang Yuan was in elementary school, the teaching conditions in Anping Village were still very backward. In addition, the villagers nearby were not wealthy. Therefore, many of his classmates went out to work after graduating from elementary and junior high school.
Zhang Yuan was one of the few people in their elementary school class who later went on to attend university.
After graduating from elementary school, Zhang Wan went out into the workforce. Over the years, he worked his way up on construction sites and eventually became his own small business owner, making a lot of money. He not only bought a car but also fell in love with Wang Qin, the prettiest girl in his class.
Zhang Wan has become the most successful student in his elementary school class in Anping Village!
"What, seeing your first love from back then makes your heart flutter?"
Zhang Wan joked.
"What are you saying!"
Wang Qin said with dissatisfaction.
Zhang Wan didn't mind at all and said with a smile, "It's lucky you followed me. If you had chosen Zhang Yuan back then, you wouldn't have such a good life now!"
"So, I recognized its value!"
Wang Qin let out a bell-like laugh, nestled against Zhang Wan's large belly, like a little bird seeking shelter.
Zhang Wan continued, "Don't be fooled by Zhang Yuan's admission to university; he's nothing special, just a poor student."
College graduates are everywhere these days, as numerous as hairs on a cow. Many of them are unemployed right after graduation. Just last month, a new college graduate joined our company, worked for a month, and didn't know anything, so I fired him!
Zhang Wan's smugness was palpable.
"Those college students can't compare to Brother Wan!"
"College graduates still have to find jobs, but our Brother Wan is already a boss!"
Wang Qin said in a fawning tone.
Zhang Wan was in a good mood after receiving compliments from Wang Qin.
Seeing this, Wang Qin remembered a bag she had her eye on while shopping a few days ago. Taking advantage of Zhang Wan's good mood, she said in a coquettish tone, "Brother Wan, my birthday is next month, and I've got my eye on a bag. Will you buy it for me?"
Her voice was sweet and coquettish.
"How much?"
"It's only a little over three thousand."
Zhang Wan raised his head and agreed.
"Let's go, Brother Wan."
"It's all dust here, I don't want to stay here."
Wang Qin pulled Zhang Wan towards the car.
Zhang Wan chuckled and said, "What's the rush? Of course we should say hello when we run into an old classmate!"
Then, taking Wang Qin's arm, they walked towards the mountain god temple.
Just as Zhang Yuan finished offering incense, he heard someone call his name from behind. He turned around and saw his elementary school classmate Zhang Wan, dressed in a suit and tie, walking towards him hand in hand with a beautiful woman.
"Zhang Wan?"
Zhang Yuan suddenly felt a little embarrassed. He wondered if Zhang Wan had seen him burning incense at the temple.
After Zhang Yuan entered high school, he was busy with his studies and rarely contacted Zhang Wan and others. After not seeing each other for several years, Zhang Wan had changed a lot, but Zhang Yuan still recognized him at a glance!
Everyone says Zhang Wan made a lot of money as a boss, and it seems to be true.
After greeting Zhang Wan, Zhang Yuan looked at the beautiful woman next to Zhang Wan.
For some reason, Zhang Yuan felt that the woman next to Zhang Wan looked very familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before.
"Zhang, the great scholar, don't you recognize me?"
Wang Qin said with a smile, but her tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
"Who are you?"
"Wang Qin, you don't even recognize her anymore!"
Zhang Wandao.
Zhang Yuan suddenly realized.
"Oh, it's Wang Qin. No wonder she looked so familiar."
Zhang, the talented scholar, is now a college student, so naturally he doesn't recognize those of us who haven't gone to college.
Zhang Yuan scratched his head awkwardly.
Just like when she was a child, Wang Qin still speaks so harshly. She's the little girl next door who always had a runny nose, but now she's become so poised and elegant!
"You're prettier than before, I didn't even recognize you at first!"
Zhang Yuandao.
Wang Qin pouted, her eyes scanning Zhang Yuan up and down, muttering to herself, "He's dressed so shabbily!"
"Zhang Yuan, what era are we living in? Why are you still so superstitious, coming to the mountain god temple to burn incense?"
"Praying for first place in the final exam?"
"She's still a college student!"
Haha!
Zhang Wan made no attempt to hide his mockery of Zhang Yuan's act of offering incense.
He is an atheist.
"They saw us after all!"
Zhang Yuan smiled awkwardly, unsure of what to say.
Now, he and Zhang Wan are from two different worlds and have nothing in common. Zhang Wan is no longer the passionate and innocent boy he once was.
As Zhang Wan mocked Zhang Yuan for his feudal superstition, the spirit of the mountain god inside the temple had somehow awakened from its deep sleep.
The white-bearded mountain god trembled with anger upon hearing the disrespectful remarks of the two young men at the temple gate.
Zhang Yuan seemed to sense something, glanced back at the temple, and then turned away.
At this moment, Wang Qin took Zhang Wan's hand and said, "Brother Wan, let's go!"
Originally, Wang Qin was somewhat interested in this classmate who had been admitted to university, but when she saw Zhang Yuan again, his cheap clothes made him look like a poor student!
He's probably still spending his parents' money every semester, and he's incredibly superstitious!
The slight affection I had for Zhang Yuan when I was young has completely vanished.
Zhang Wan and Wang Qin got back into the car. After starting the car, Zhang Wan rolled down the window and shouted to Zhang Yuan triumphantly, "Brother, let's go!"
A cloud of dust rose from the village path as the car sped away.
Zhang Yuan watched Zhang Wan's car leave.
Inside the mountain god temple, the white-bearded mountain god's spirit passed through the temple roof and floated there, blowing a breath of immortal energy onto Zhang Wanyuan's departing car.
...
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