Famine

Chapter 43

That kind of life is really appealing. Tang's parents are exactly the kind of parents I've always dreamed of, and that kind of family life is what I've always longed for.

But it's not mine after all.

I can't marry Tang Chen. If he finds a partner in the future, and given how well my parents and I have developed a relationship, what will happen to Tang Chen's future wife? In the end, I'll be the one who will find it hard to let go. It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go back. I wouldn't be able to endure hardship; instead, I'd feel resentment and jealousy.

This has had a very negative impact on Huang'e. It's not just Tang Chen's fault; Huang'e's fault is even more so.

Shuo propped her chin on her hand and looked at me, her emotions deeply etched, needing no words. "You like being together but fear parting, huh? Well, it wouldn't be like you if you didn't act this way." She spoke in a casual tone, "Su Bai wants me to come and stay with you during my winter and summer vacations. He's recently acquired a small business, which is just a short walk from his house."

My eyes widened. Uncle means…is…?

“‘It’s our own child, we can’t bother the Tang family every year.’” She repeated her uncle’s message, “But he was too embarrassed to tell you, so he asked me to tell you. He… loves you very much, but he also cares a lot about your opinion. I’m not afraid of what others will say if I go and stay for a while, but I’m afraid you’ll feel uncomfortable.”

I was just moved to tears when Shuo made me blush. "This...this...you...you're all adults, what could we children possibly think?"

She looked at me with an amused expression, making me very uncomfortable. I turned my head away and asked hesitantly, "You...you guys...are you getting along...well?"

“We get along very well.” She poured me another cup of herbal tea.

Fortunately, Shuo still knew how to write "subtle". I lowered my head and drank my tea to hide my blush.

"Su Bai's research on bedroom arts is quite insightful," she said calmly.

I sprayed another cup of herbal tea all over the counter, almost choking myself to death.

I coughed so hard it shook the heavens, and Shuo smiled as he wiped the counter. "I was thinking that after your trip to Taipei, your eyes had matured, so why are you being so childish again?"

He coughed so badly he couldn't speak, and could only point at Shuo.

"What's wrong with talking about this? Teaching and learning go hand in hand, and it all comes down to doing it yourself." She blinked innocently.

“…Shuo!” I finally caught my breath.

"The harmony of Yin and Yang is the fundamental principle governing the Great Dao; we are merely following its path. You should also come to understand this soon..."

I yelled, "I don't want to experience this!" After shouting, I felt really exhausted. Why are all the women around me so self-centered, willful, and clueless about subtlety?!

"If even this can't influence you, then we're truly pathetic." A desolate voice swept in like a gust of wind. "We've been educating you since you were so young..."

Isn't it all thanks to your excellent "negative example"?!

"Your Majesty, you've displayed your divine power!" Shuo said with a smile, propping his chin on his hand.

Huang E chuckled smugly. "Witch, Miss Twenty-Five wants to invite your black cat to a feast, but she's too afraid to ask in person. Will you let her in or not?"

Shuo opened his eyes wide. "Why wouldn't I dare? I've always been very welcoming. But we've invited Guan Haifa, so you have to ask him first."

"Dead cat!" Huang E was quite smug now. "Are you going or not? They've been admiring you for a long time!"

Guanhaifa wagged its tail, as if considering something. After a while, it stretched and nodded. Huang'e flew so fast, leisurely as if taking a stroll, yet it disappeared in an instant.

"What a lovely cat." Shuo smiled, his eyes crinkling.

Is Guan Haifa really a cat?

"Of course it's a cat," Shuo chuckled. "What else could it be?"

I know it's a cat...inside and out. It's not even a monster; if it were, I could explain that. But it's a real cat, and that's why I can't explain it.

"You've got the point," Shuo winked at me.

…What key point did I grasp?!

We talked until very late, and I couldn't stay awake any longer, so I had to go to sleep. After a whole night of keeping quiet, I still mustered up the courage to ask, "...So, when are you getting married?"

This was the first time I'd ever seen Shuo laugh like that, as if I'd told the funniest joke. "Shuo!"

“My child, my dear child.” She wiped away her tears. “Su Bai is a monk, and I am a renunciant. We each follow our own path, but I also acknowledge that all paths lead to oneness. The harmony of Yin and Yang does not mean that we have to abandon the path we each pursue. We are partners, seeking the true meaning of the path and walking side by side.”

She burst out laughing again, "How can you be so traditional at such a young age!"

I was so amused by her laughter that I couldn't even lift my head. Dejected, I said goodnight and listlessly headed upstairs.

“The forest breeze,” she called to me, “do you know why Su Bai accepted me?”

I turned around, “...because Shuo is very charming.”

“Hehe.” She covered her mouth. “Of course, that’s one of the reasons. But Su Bai was in his prime, with thousands of charming women around him. How could he have held on until now? Besides, he experienced all kinds of desires at a very young age.”

My eyes widened, my head buzzing. "This...this seems like...this shouldn't have been told to me, right?"

“He really wanted to explain to you, but he was too embarrassed.” She blinked. “It always hurts to be misunderstood by my daughter. The reason he accepted me is because we are both abandoned families, and there is no need to sow the seeds of ‘unhappiness’ in my life.”

My face flushed red, my thoughts were unusually clear, yet also unusually chaotic. I was overwhelmed with emotions, but I didn't know how to begin.

My uncle isn't like me or Tang Chen, people devoid of desire. He became a monk at a young age, but he wasn't a monk who rigidly adhered to the precepts. I know how much suffering people endure because of lust, although I can't truly understand that kind of pain.

He exercised self-restraint so as not to impose the karma on other women, not because of rigid precepts.

I felt like crying, and I also felt like laughing. He didn't need to explain to me, and neither did Shuo.

"...That's not the reason at all." I wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes. "It's because Shuo is so charming that even a great man can't resist him."

"Tsk tsk," Shuo laughed heartily, "I feel flattered."

Later, Tang Chen kept asking me what I had talked about with Shuo, and I could only give vague answers. How could I possibly tell him something like that? When I was pushed to the limit, I said, "...You, you should just ask Uncle."

I think even if he's slow-witted, he'd know that Shuo's stay at Uncle's place wasn't just about discussing scriptures and metaphysics. We both kept this a secret from Tang's parents.

His face flushed, he wanted to laugh but dared not. "Did Shuo mention... that Uncle was taken by his father to... that... that restaurant when he was twelve?"

I bet my face turned a deep purplish-red. It turns out Shuo was already being very reserved; he really is "extremely young."

Family education is really important; fortunately, my uncle remained untainted by the corrupting influence of his family.

After a moment of silence, we tacitly put the topic aside and discussed course selection and miscellaneous items.

School started, and everything was chaotic. I had more things to do than others, and I was running around like crazy.

Even though it wasn't the 26th of the lunar month, I still had to go say hello to the old man first. I hadn't seen him all summer and really missed him. As soon as I saw him from afar, I excitedly shouted, "Grandpa!"

He stood up. "Girl!" He was smiling, but he forced a stern face. "You little brat! How could you let that dead bird be so arrogant? Don't you know you should be low-key? The saying goes, 'Manage your family, govern your state, and bring peace to the world,' and you can't even manage one bird in your own home! What can you do? You... Have you been disrespectful to the Tree God? He is a native spirit, and he's older than me! If you're disrespectful, you're making me lose face..." He went on and on, not even bothering to catch his breath.

My smile froze on my face, and I quickly lowered my head and nodded in agreement, while pouring the supposedly delicious wine.

"His health is still very poor," the old man muttered. "I told you it wasn't your husband anymore, he's worked himself to the bone like this."

I smiled ingratiatingly, "Sir, please try it. I heard it's some award-winning wine, but I can't really tell the difference."

He drank the wine, but then began to sigh.

“…Grandpa, thank you for writing so many letters,” I said softly.

His face turned red, and I swear it wasn't from drinking. "So you're bored during the start of the semester, huh? What are you doing standing here?! Get out!" He then kicked me out.

…I've heard that only young girls can be tsundere.

No sooner had I left the local shrine than the principal summoned me again. No matter how much I pleaded about my poor health, he tearfully begged me to work until November. He said a professional would be available to take over then, and he even gave me a small office.

He's the principal, who am I? The principal has begged me so much, I can't just say no.

After such a grueling summer vacation, my health is really failing. If it weren't for the kind old tree sharing some of its energy with me, I'd probably still be sick. So this semester I've skipped a lot of classes and decided to focus on getting my health back on track.

On the contrary, Tang Chen was chosen to be in a full house and was very busy every day, so we weren't as inseparable as before. Huang E was still being invited around a lot and was working hard to expand his sphere of influence. The three of us went our separate ways to do our own things and weren't as sticky as before.

But I'm no longer the person who was afraid of being alone, yet pretended not to be.

However, not long after the start of the semester, Tang Chen's motorcycle arrived.

As soon as I saw it, I threw down all the books I was holding, and my head started spinning. Tang Chen was overjoyed, of course; he said he spent a lot of time trying to convince his mother.

The Diamond Sutra was repaired; the inscription was completely repainted, and the LED lights on the back even displayed the Six-Syllable Mantra. It exuded an invincible aura; I wonder what Tang Chen's Buddhist uncle added.

"I can drive you to school from now on," Tang Chen said happily.

But I was very unhappy! "...I...I ride my bike to school by myself." I finally understood what true terror meant. "I have to work at night, so..."

"I'll wait for you to go home together." His smile was pure and innocent, irresistible. "I'll ride very slowly."

Because of his smile, I agreed... but I soon regretted it.

His "riding very slowly" means he's going uphill and not exceeding 100 km/h. Downhill? Downhill, I wouldn't even have time to scream, let alone have the courage to look at the speedometer.

However, his imposing Diamond Sutra-themed Harley has indeed not been involved in any more accidents... but it has affected many innocent people.

The old man angrily called me over and berated me. The monsters and ghosts on the roads around the cemetery angrily accused Tang Chen of causing a distant "car accident" by the "strong wind" he passed by.

"Why are we responsible for a 'car accident' that happened more than ten feet away?!" I shouted.

"Then don't ride that domineering car!" The old man also got angry.

In desperation, I resorted to the most basic method: hanging a bell on the vehicle.

"Hengzhi," Tang Chen chuckled, "So you have such a cute side to you too?"

I'm so tired I don't know what to say.

The principal was really trying to curry favor; he assigned me a small office. Have you ever heard of work-study students having their own offices?

But that "office" made me think about what the principal really meant.

That used to be the sports equipment room. Yes, that's where my clueless classmate used to play Ouija board and summon the big shot, the Old Demon, to that sports equipment room.

If it were me in the past, I would probably run as far as I could. But now I'm tough as steel, so I can walk in without batting an eye and even do my homework, read, or take a nap inside.

With the old demon suppressed here, which foolish native resident would dare to come? Within a hundred feet radius, it's spotless, not even a cockroach in sight. It's incredibly quiet, warm in winter and cool in summer.

The principal also bought a comfortable sofa, which is super quiet for taking a nap.

At first, the old demon was very unwilling, using threats and bribes, which was very annoying. But after I put the Diamond Sutra and the Rebirth Mantra inside for three or four days, he begged for mercy.

I've learned the art of threats and inducements far better than Huang E. You think you can outmaneuver me? You'd better reincarnate and cultivate yourself to keep up with the times.

Afterwards, I offered him water that had been exposed to the moon, which startled him so much that he didn't know what to do.

"I didn't poison it." I squatted on the ground, looking at the old demon who was buried very, very deep.

He hesitated for a moment, then drank the water and sighed deeply. "Locked up until today, frail and near death, all I want is to see the gentle breeze and bright moon, the morning sun and dew... Can't you even grant an old man a little comfort?"

"You can fool others, but it's not right to fool me." I propped my chin up. "You like dark and damp places, when did you start wanting to look at the sun?"

He was speechless for a moment, then sullenly lowered his head to drink water. "...That old man's witch is really annoying. No wonder you're single your whole life."

“Old Master, what’s wrong with living here?” I advised him. “It’s not that I can’t tolerate people… These days, the ghosts and monsters outside are fierce and don’t know how to respect their elders. Where else can I go if I leave here? I’m still at school, enjoying a cup of moon water and a pomegranate every day. How about that? The taste isn’t much different from flesh and blood. When I graduate and become independent, I’ll have ghost messengers bring you food every day to keep you company. I’ve heard from you that you were once quite successful. Let the younger generation have some time and enjoy your retirement.”

"You make it sound like I'm ungrateful," he complained. But things did indeed quiet down after that.

The old man didn't stop me, but he still grumbled, "Why are you meddling so much in matters of ghosts and spirits?"