Guanyin Bodhisattva

Seeing Chen Wei's exaggerated expression, Huang Huai couldn't help laughing. As he cleared the incense ash that was about to overflow from the burner, he said, "It's not that exaggerated. I don't think there were that many more people today than usual."

Chen Wei immediately replied, "How can you say that? Look at what time you got back. The tourists who came up the mountain this morning had already gone back down. Just today alone, I prepared almost two thousand sticks of Sandalwood Incense, and there are barely any left!"

Huang Huai raised an eyebrow. If Chen Wei wasn't exaggerating, then the number of visitors really was beyond his expectations.

But when he thought about how he'd handed out several hundred sticks of Sandalwood Incense since returning that afternoon, it seemed there really had been that many in a single day.

Rubbing his thighs, Chen Wei sighed. "The long holiday's almost here. Just thinking about the crowds packed together makes my head ache."

Hearing Chen Wei say that, Huang Huai thought of the throngs packed into the side hall during the holiday. An eager look crept across his face. The more people, the better. Even if there were thousands a day, let alone tens of thousands, he wouldn't complain about being tired.

The more people there were, the more incense offerings Holy Lord Emperor Guan would receive.

As if imagining the hectic days ahead, Chen Wei wore an utterly despondent expression. He'd hoped to share a moment of emotional solidarity with Huang Huai and lament the days to come together, but instead he saw anticipation and delight on Huang Huai's face.

Blinking, Chen Wei wondered if he'd seen wrong. He called out to Huang Huai, "Hey, Xiao Jiu, what's with that look? Don't tell me you're actually looking forward to the May Day holiday. You're not..."

As he spoke, Chen Wei seemed to realize something. He pointed at Huang Huai as though his best friend had betrayed him. "You're planning to sneak away during the holiday..."

Huang Huai had finished clearing the ash from the incense burner. He glanced at Chen Wei and said, "Brother Chen, if you're not hungry, go ahead and keep working. I'm hungry."

"Ah, you little brat..."

Xunzhen Temple, which had been bustling all day, settled back into silence. Most of those who'd been busy all day had gone to rest. Taking advantage of the night, Huang Huai headed to Great Daoist Master's quarters.

A light was still on in Great Daoist Master's quarters. Huang Huai knocked, and when he heard a reply, he pushed open the door and went in. Great Daoist Master sat there, poring over an account book.

Seeing Huang Huai enter, Great Daoist Master said casually, "Just the person I wanted to see. Your mother called this afternoon and asked for a few days off for you."

Huang Huai wasn't surprised. He merely muttered, "Mom didn't even tell me."

Great Daoist Master glanced at Huang Huai. "You used to be on the temple's roster in name only, but now you've got an official position. She was afraid you'd feel awkward asking me, so she asked on your behalf. Even if your senior brothers had any objections, they wouldn't take it out on you. She was only thinking of what was best for you."

Great Daoist Master smiled. "Besides, with all the things your father sends up the mountain every year, none of your senior brothers would complain about this."

Huang Huai grinned and pulled a tea tin containing Spilled Jade Spirit Nourishing Tea from his pocket. Presenting it to Great Daoist Master like a prized treasure, he said, "Master, I tracked down some top-quality tea for you. Even my dad hasn't tasted it yet. Doesn't that prove how devoted I am to you?"

Hearing that, Great Daoist Master's eyes lit up. When he heard that even Dad Huang hadn't tasted the tea, a smile nearly blossomed across his face.

Great Daoist Master had entered the Daoist order decades ago, after a midlife upheaval. His parents and other family members were long gone, and he had no children of his own. So ever since Huang Huai came up the mountain, Great Daoist Master had treated him differently. It wouldn't be wrong to say he regarded him as his own child.

His gaze fell on the little tea tin. Deeply comforted, Great Daoist Master rose to fetch his tea set, smiling as he said, "Since you put it that way, I'd better have a taste first!"

As a tea lover, Great Daoist Master had a rather fine tea set. He deftly arranged it, put the water on to boil, then picked up the little tin. It felt feather-light. With his experience, he could tell that, not counting the tin itself, there were probably only a few qian of tea inside—not even a full liang.

As he opened the tin, Great Daoist Master said to Huang Huai, "You didn't bring much tea, did you..."

He hadn't finished speaking when the tin opened and a heart-soothing fragrance wafted out. Great Daoist Master's face immediately took on a look of rapture.

When he saw the tender green leaves inside, so vivid they seemed freshly plucked from the tea tree, astonishment showed in his eyes.

Huang Huai watched Great Daoist Master's reaction, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. It was exactly what he'd expected. Anyone seeing Spilled Jade Spirit Nourishing Tea for the first time would be amazed by its appearance, let alone Great Daoist Master.

Taking a deep breath, Great Daoist Master came back to himself. His gaze lingered reluctantly on the leaves, which looked like works of art, before he turned to Huang Huai and asked, "Is there anything special about this tea?"

Huang Huai thought for a moment. "My friend said it was made from a single tea plant he happened to find in the mountains. It was processed using a secret method, and the annual yield is only about one jin. You only need to steep one leaf at a time, and it calms the mind and nourishes the spirit."

Great Daoist Master nodded slightly. Looking at the lush green leaves, he carefully picked one up with a small pair of tweezers and placed it in his beloved purple clay teapot.

As boiling water poured into the teapot, the verdant leaf rolled around in the clear water like a piece of jade. A faint, far-reaching fragrance spread through the room.

Even before it had been brewed, the aroma had told Great Daoist Master that Huang Huai had brought him top-quality tea. Now, catching the fragrance of the brewed tea, he couldn't help looking utterly intoxicated.

Great Daoist Master carefully poured two cups. Without bothering about Huang Huai, he couldn't resist lifting his own cup and taking a small sip. His eyes immediately shone. He took another sip, then said with an expression full of appreciation, "Excellent tea. Excellent tea. I've never tasted tea this good in my life."

Huang Huai knew that giving such fine tea as Spilled Jade Spirit Nourishing Tea to a tea-loving man like Great Daoist Master was the perfect choice.

"I'm glad you like it, Master!"

After setting down his teacup and savoring the taste for a long while, Great Daoist Master put away the tin of Spilled Jade Spirit Nourishing Tea as if it were a precious treasure. "This is the good stuff. I'll have to save it and drink it slowly! Once it's gone, I might never get to taste it again."

Seeing the way Great Daoist Master kept looking at him, and catching the implication in his words, Huang Huai knew exactly what he was thinking.

So Huang Huai put on a troubled expression. "There's really very little of this tea. If I hadn't come across it by chance, I probably couldn't have gotten even a liang. But go ahead and drink what you have, Master. I'll see what I can do and try to get some more."

Great Daoist Master laughed heartily. "All right, I know this is precious. It's enough that you thought of me."

Huang Huai grinned, looking as if he wanted to say something but couldn't bring himself to.

Great Daoist Master was no fool. Seeing Huang Huai's expression, he laughed. "I knew you wouldn't have brought me such fine tea without an ulterior motive. Come on, what do you want this time?"

Huang Huai didn't look embarrassed in the least. "I knew there was no way I could hide this little scheme of mine from your discerning eyes, Master."

Great Daoist Master sipped his tea leisurely, his face filled with delight. He shot Huang Huai a sidelong glance, looking like he was saying, "Spit it out."

Huang Huai hurriedly said, "I have a friend—well, the one who gave me the Spilled Jade Spirit Nourishing Tea. He wants to invite a statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva to take home and worship."