Chapter 32: Reckless Abandon

Chapter 32: Wanton

He was like a snow fox running through a snowy field, thinking he had met a kind monk, only to have the monk grab him by the throat.

Pressed against the ice-cold statue.

Cold.

So cold he shivered so hard he couldn't stop.

Yet his back felt like it was roasting next to a furnace, so hot he wanted to flee.

Neither ice nor fire could match this agony.

More and more worshippers gathered outside, and the Guanyin hall grew noisy and lively—wave after wave of devotees, nonstop.

There was even a loudmouthed guy shouting for Guanyin's blessings.

Out front, devout prayers; in back, pure chaos and indulgence.

Lan He covered the fox's mouth, grabbing his wrist so he couldn't move: "Shh, don't make a sound."

So ruthless.

Pei Yuhuai's veins stood out, beads of sweat dripping down his beautiful shoulder blades.

He craned his neck back as far as he could, his vision going fuzzy, when he suddenly caught sight of the massive statue looming above.

Buddha.

A statue of Buddha.

He was looking at a Buddha statue.

He was right under the Buddha.

This realization made Pei Yuhuai shake all over—terrified and horrified. He wanted to run, to get out of there, but his feet wouldn't move. It was as if he was nailed to this spot by the gods.

Nailed to the pillar of shame, enjoying it even though it tortured him.

The Buddha would see.

See him doing something so blasphemous.

Pei Yuhuai's mind grew hazy. Let me go to hell, let me go to hell, he thought to himself. Even descending into hell like this would be fine—at least he'd lived without regrets.

Whether he was giving up completely or making an excuse for himself, he couldn't tell.

A long while passed.

The noise inside seemed to draw the attention of worshippers outside. A woman's voice rang out clearly: "There seems to be a strange sound behind the statue."

Then someone asked her: "What sound? Could it be Guanyin showing herself?"

"No, listen—it sounds like people talking. Could someone have sneaked back there? Maybe they're stealing the offerings?"

"It does sound like something. What thief would dare steal here at Guanyin's shrine? What a nerve—aren't they afraid of divine punishment?"

"Let's go check behind it."

Footsteps could be heard approaching.

Pei Yuhuai was completely oblivious to his surroundings.

Lan He, though, still had his head on straight.

Hearing the footsteps getting closer, Lan He calmly scanned the area and spotted a square table in the corner, its tablecloth hanging down to the floor, with Buddhist stuff on it.

Aside from that, there was nowhere else to go and nowhere to hide.

Lan He quickly backed up, pulling him along as they ducked underneath.

"Miss, there's no one here!"

No sooner had they hidden than the voice spoke up.

The girl muttered, confused: "Could it really be Guanyin appearing?"

"Perhaps so. Guanyin must have seen how devoutly we were praying and decided to make an appearance, blessing the young miss to get together with Young Master Pei soon."

Pei?

"You silly girl, don't talk nonsense."

"What nonsense? Isn't the young miss here exactly to pray for a husband? I overheard the master saying he's really impressed with Young Master Pei, calling him a real catch."

Lan He heard those key words and couldn't help but pay more attention—unaware that this brief moment of neglect had already pissed off the person in his arms.

He hissed.

Lan He suddenly snapped back to attention, his eyes locked onto Pei Yuhuai, turning bloodshot.

The conversation outside the curtain continued.

"Look, what's this on the ground? Did a thief leave this? Let's go check."

"Miss, this must be something the monks haven't swept up yet. Don't disrespect the holy stuff—let's not go over there."

"But—"

"Oh, miss, we've already been super disrespectful by sneaking back here behind Guanyin's statue. Let's leave quickly—we need to ask Guanyin to forgive us, so she'll bless you and Young Master Pei."

The voices slowly died out.

Behind the curtain was quiet again.

Lan He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Turn around."

He was determined to teach this cocky little brat a proper lesson—to make him beg for death but never get it, to see if he dared pull a stunt like that again!

The old table kept getting bumped.

The young miss seemed to have left, and no one brave or nosy enough came to check it out. No one paid any attention to whether other subtle sounds were coming from the noisy shrine.

It had been too long.

He had come to his senses a while ago.

Pei Yuhuai, however, was lost in it.

"Pei Hang, where are we now?"

"Jiyuan Temple."

"Where in the temple are we?"

"I don't know."

"Look up—what do you see?"

Pei Yuhuai obediently looked up, his breathing deepening: "A Buddha... a statue... a Buddha statue."

"Right, a Buddha statue. We're beneath the Buddha..."

...

Pei Yuhuai clenched his teeth so hard they were about to crack, his face flushed red, clinging desperately to Lan He's arm, breath huffing out of his nose: "Please..."

"Please... what?"

Pei Yuhuai looked like a rabbit that had lost a fight—pitiful and desperate, but still trying to save face.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Hiss...

Lan He's heart was pounding.

Pei Yuhuai's voice hitched suddenly, and he scratched several messy, bloody marks across Lan He's arm.

In fits and starts...

Only when both of them were marked up, covered in countless blood streaks and claw marks, did the struggle finally die down.

At noon, there were few worshippers. The two emerged starving, and the place was deserted—the Guanyin Hall stood empty, its candle flames flickering as if venting their displeasure.

Afterwards.

Pei Yuhuai was full of regret and irritation.

His face pale, he knelt before the Guanyin statue and buried his head in his arms.

His voice was hoarse and dry, mixed with trembling shivers.

"D- disciple Pei Hang, in a moment of foolishness today, has committed a grave sin here. I beg Guanyin Bodhisattva to be generous and forgive this disciple."

Lan He calmly adjusted his monk's robes beside him.

Pei Yuhuai kowtowed three times with utmost devotion, then looked up and said to Lan He: "Why aren't you bowing?"

Lan He put on the last prayer beads and chuckled: "Why should I bow?"

"You... you're a monk, how could you... how could you..."

"It's only human nature—what's the sin in that?"

"??"

Pei Yuhuai was momentarily speechless, unable to argue back, yet at the same time, it felt oddly reasonable.

"Buddha is inherently emotionless. If everyone believed in Buddha, wouldn't that wipe out all descendants and suck the joy out of life?"

Pei Yuhuai panicked: "Don't talk nonsense—kneel down right now."

He tried to pull Lan He, but reaching out pulled at his waist, sending pain shooting through him that made his hair stand on end and his vision blur.

He was really worn out.

Lan He pulled him up: "There's no one around right now."

"Still being vulgar?????"