Sheng Xiao Han Yu

Chapter 160 Lost

The path up the mountain was narrow, so Hua Sheng found a wooden stick to lean on. The climb was smooth, and she reached the summit in two hours, though she was hungry and thirsty. The temple before her seemed deserted, yet the scent of incense filled her.

Hua Sheng was very hungry, so she had to go inside to get some water to drink.

Entering the temple, the temple courtyard is relatively small, and the Bodhi trees in the courtyard seem extremely large. Although it is almost winter, they are still so tall and green.

The temple reflected in the green trees, the apricot-yellow courtyard walls, the blue-gray temple ridges, and the towering green ancient trees are all bathed in the rosy sunset.

Hua Sheng walked into a side hall where an old monk, over 70 years old, was chanting with his eyes closed. He opened his eyes upon hearing the sound and looked towards Hua Sheng, his eyes clear and bright.

"Young donor, what brings you here?" the old monk asked Hua Sheng, holding Buddhist beads.

"Master, can I rest here for a while? Can you give me a glass of water?" Hua Sheng was embarrassed. Others came into the temple to pray to the gods, but she just came in to ask for water.

"Young donor, please sit down and rest!" The old monk said with a peaceful expression as he asked Hua Sheng to sit on the cushion opposite him. He then continued with the sutra he had not yet finished reciting. In the middle of the room was a small table with sutras and a wooden fish on it.

Hua Sheng sat down and took a closer look at the interior. The furnishings inside were very old-fashioned. He didn't know what kind of deity was enshrined on the altar. He took a quick look and stopped looking around. Hua Sheng had heard that it was not advisable to look directly at the gods, as it was disrespectful.

Hua Sheng sat up, knelt on the mat and kowtowed three times, begging the gods to forgive her disrespect. After kowtowing, she sat down and watched the old monk chant in silence.

The recitation of Buddhist scriptures is like the sound of nature, melodious and graceful, bringing peace and tranquility to the human soul.

After the sutra was finished, a young monk came in from outside. He was young, with clear eyes and handsome eyebrows.

"Master, dinner is ready!" The young monk came to call the old monk to have dinner. He saw Hua Sheng greeting him with his hands clasped together.

"Young donor, follow us to have dinner!" The old monk invited Hua Sheng to have dinner. He may have forgotten that Hua Sheng came to ask for water.

"Thank you, Master!" Hua Sheng was very thirsty at the moment, so he followed them to the dining area to drink some water.

They ate in a kitchen in the corner of the temple, half kitchen and half dining area. The layout was simple, just like what you see on TV: a square wooden table surrounded by four benches. On the table were two bowls of rice and two vegetarian dishes: vegetarian tofu and vegetarian snow peas.

"Donor, please sit down. I'll give you another pair of bowls and chopsticks!" The young monk didn't know anyone was coming, so he only prepared food for himself and his master.

"Thank you, can you give me a glass of water?" Hua Sheng's throat was so dry that it was almost sticky, so he asked the monk for water.

"I forgot about drinking water, please forgive me, young donor!" The old monk also remembered Hua Sheng's drinking water this time. When he was chanting, he was so focused that everything else was a thing of the past. The old monk clasped his hands together to express his apology!

"Master, it's okay!" Hua Sheng also imitated the old monk and put her hands together. She felt embarrassed to disturb the other person's meditation, but she was really thirsty.

The monk took a pot and a small bowl and placed them on the table to pour water for Hua Sheng. Then he took chopsticks and served her some rice, then sat down at the table to eat.

Hua Sheng drank some water and ate a bowl of rice, but then stopped eating because she was worried that if they ate too much, the master and apprentice wouldn't have enough to eat. When she arrived, they didn't know, so they must have made portions for two.

After dinner, the old monk took Hua Sheng to sit under the Bodhi tree in the yard. The cool breeze, the quiet courtyard, and the smell of incense calmed Hua Sheng's heart.

"The Buddha said that many things in life can be encountered but not sought after. You cannot get what you force deliberately, but things that are not expected will often come unexpectedly. Therefore, you must have a peaceful and comfortable heart, let everything go with the flow, take things as they come, do not be resentful, do not be impatient, do not overdo it, do not force things, do not be pessimistic, do not be rigid, do not panic, do not lose your composure, do not be happy with things, do not be sad with yourself; going with the flow is not to leave everything to fate, but to face life with an open-minded attitude!" The old monk turned the Buddhist beads in his hand and comforted Hua Sheng.

"Thank you, Master!" Hua Sheng put his hands together and expressed his gratitude. He seemed to understand what the old monk said, but not quite.

"Young donor, everything you encounter will turn out well. Just let nature take its course." The old monk continued, with a gleam in his eyes.

"Thank you, Master, for your advice. It's getting late. I'll go down the mountain!" Hua Sheng was calm now. Maybe it was the Master's words or the quiet environment here that affected her, but she no longer felt uncomfortable.

"Young donor, be careful when you go down the mountain!" The old monk sent Hua Sheng out and watched him go down the mountain.

Hua Sheng walked down the path she had taken, but she lost her way. After walking in the same place several times, she began to doubt that there was no fork in the road when she came up.

It was getting dark, and Hua Sheng couldn't see clearly. As a result, he missed a step and fell.

Ouyang Hanyu was waiting anxiously at the foot of the mountain when a security guard came over from a distance.

"Are you the boss?" The security guard approached and saw Ouyang Hanyu in a wheelchair, and recognized him. He was the old man guarding the gate of the aromatherapy base. He had been watching the cars and people parked there for a long time before coming to take a look.

"Are you the uncle who guards the gate of the aromatherapy base?" Ouyang Hanyu looked at this place. It was not far from his aromatherapy base, but he was so anxious that he didn't notice it.

"Boss, what are you doing here?" The security guard observed for a long time, thinking it was someone who came here to cause trouble. Because this place is full of lavender fields and aromatherapy bases, few strangers come here at this time of year.