The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Fangzheng was taken aback. “Try it?”

The girl said, “My culinary skills are top-notch. I can cook it for you! You already said that this is a dream. Since it’s a dream, what’s wrong with eating meat? It’s not like you have really killed to eat meat.”

“This…”

The girl said, “Many monks eat the Threefold Pure Meat. I’m afraid you are even stricter than the Threefold Pure Meat. What’s wrong with taking a bite?”

Fangzheng was truly tempted…

The girl continued, “Then I’ll do it…”

With that, the girl turned around in a beautiful manner. She took out kitchenware from somewhere and actually started cooking…

Chopping wood, lighting fire, cutting meat… Every action of hers lacked the exuberance of a young girl. Instead, there was the gentleness and steadiness of a family girl. Every action of hers showed that she could be a wife that supported a family.

Fangzheng sat there motionless as he watched quietly…

The girl quickly prepared the dish and placed it in front of Fangzheng. She said with a smile, “Try it. This is my specialty.”

Fangzheng smiled. “This Penniless Monk has never eaten meat. Although it’s a dream,…”

Before Fangzheng could finish, the girl suddenly frowned and pouted. “It’s almost time.”

Following that, everything in front of Fangzheng vanished as he slowly opened his eyes. Indeed, it was another dream.

However, Fangzheng still enunciated his words clearly in order to finish his sentence. “However, This Penniless Monk still won’t eat it. Life is like a dream. Dreams are like life. If one can’t awaken from a dream, how can one redeem others in reality? This meat can’t be eaten…”

With that said, Fangzheng took out a Buddhist scripture and began reading it quietly.

Perhaps he had thought it through. For the next few days, the girl would appear in Fangzheng’s dream every day. She would appear like a dancing butterfly, circling around Fangzheng, a motionless pine tree. As she spoke, she would smile and sing…

The entire world became more colorful because of the girl’s red color…

Fangzheng sat there the entire time, silent. He smiled and looked at her as though he only had eyes for her.

“Fangzheng, are you dreaming or am I dreaming?”

“Fangzheng, why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Fine, it’s fine if you don’t say anything. I’ll say it myself. I always feel like I’m dreaming. You’re just a bald head in my dream… I can see you, touch your bald head, but you’re destined not to be mine.”

“Fangzheng, do you like me?”

“If you don’t say anything, it means that you like me.”

“Fangzheng, look at the blue sky… Can’t you say something? Why do you keep smiling at me? Am I that funny?”

“Fangzheng, look, I caught a fat worm. Look, is it cute?”

“Fangzheng… Are you mute?”

“Fangzheng, I just learned the way to treat mutes. Do you want to try? Try my tickling!”

…

In the blink of an eye, a month passed.

Fangzheng remained motionless as he smiled at the red-dressed girl who was jumping around…

Until one day.

“Fangzheng, would you feel relaxed without me in your dream? Did I make you hate me? Is that why you never speak to me?” The red-dressed girl sat beside Fangzheng with a melancholic expression. She held a piece of bristlegrass in her hand as she gently scratched Fangzheng’s ear, hoping to make him itch and say a few words.

Unfortunately, Fangzheng did not say a word. He just sat there quietly and watched…

The red-dressed girl lowered her head and said, “Fangzheng, I’m leaving.”

Fangzheng’s pupils constricted slightly but he did not say a word.

The red-dressed girl continued, “I’m getting married.”

Fangzheng did not move, but his smile stiffened.

The red-dressed girl suddenly looked up and said with a smile, “I lied to you! Haha… I saw it. Your smile was so fake!”

Fangzheng laughed…

The girl in red jumped up and quickly turned around…

Fangzheng saw a tear drop.

The red-dressed girl said, “Fangzheng, I… might not appear in your dreams in the future again. Or perhaps, you will not appear in my dreams.”

Fangzheng frowned.

The red-dressed girl said, “I’m leaving. Before I leave, I’ll dance for you. I created this myself. I don’t know if it’s nice or not. I call it the Butterfly Dance.”

With that said, the girl lifted her red dress and started humming a tune. She began dancing like a butterfly in a sea of flowers, causing the flowers to fade in comparison. However, with the sun shining on her, she was so beautiful that people could only notice her and forgot about everything else.

After the dance was over, the red-dressed girl turned her head and said, “Fangzheng, I don’t know why I, or you, would meet in a dream. I don’t know why I fell in love with you. Perhaps, this is fate. Unfortunately, you are a monk. You can’t marry me, nor can you eat my red braised pork… There’s an end to a dream. Do you really not wish to say anything to me?”

Fangzheng pressed his palms together.

“Sigh…” The girl turned around with a disconsolate expression, and her body gradually faded before disappearing from the dream.

Fangzheng looked at the empty dreamscape and looked at the red braised pork in front of him. He silently picked up a piece and placed it into his mouth.

The meat melted as soon as it entered his mouth. It was very fragrant and bitter, as if she had put too much sugar…

When he woke up, Fangzheng looked at the snow around him and realized that it was already winter.

Fangzheng slowly stood up and shook off the snow on his body. He sighed and said, “It’s not that This Penniless Monk doesn’t want to speak, but it’s because This Penniless Monk can’t. How can This Penniless Monk bear to let you go once he speaks? Unfortunately, you have no choice but to leave. This Penniless Monk has no choice but to let you go.

“This Penniless Monk has redeemed countless people and experienced the suffering of all lives. This Penniless Monk has also experienced the joys of all living beings. There is only one thing missing from all the suffering. Are you here to test This Penniless Monk? Dragon Girl? Since everything is fake, how can This Penniless Monk keep you?”

As Fangzheng spoke, he walked into the temple hall. He looked up at the red-dressed figurine beside Guan Yin Bodhisattva and smiled.

However, the statue remained motionless, as though it had never possessed any spirituality.

Fangzheng was also anxious. Instead, he asked in a certain tone, “System, what is this? Is she a stowaway?”

The System said, “Ding! She came earlier than Jingxin.”

Fangzheng was taken aback. “What?”

The System continued, “Also, she’s real.”

“What do you mean?” Fangzheng was puzzled.

The System said, “Dragon Girl was truly in love with you. It wasn’t acting.”

Fangzheng’s heart palpitated.

The System said, “In this world, most calamities can be overcome with sheer courage. However, the only thing that can’t be overcome by courage alone is love. She likes you. Do you like her? If you agree, it can become true.”

“Really?” Fangzheng was tempted.

The System said, “Of course.”

Fangzheng smiled. “System Bro, I know you too well. Don’t finish mid sentence. Tell me, what’s the price?”

The System said, “The price is that the people you help will return to the state they were in before you appeared. I will also leave you and One Finger Monastery will return to One Finger Temple. Everything will be as though I have never been here before… You can throw away the government’s appointment letter and walk down the mountain openly. You can get married and have children, and live out your entire life.”