After parting ways with Li Jinrong, Chen Mo checked the time and picked a small restaurant by the roadside at random.
Pushing aside the oilcloth curtain, he was met by a rush of steaming air from inside.
An old gramophone in the corner was playing Zhou Xuan's "The Wandering Songstress" in a wavering, lilting voice.
He ordered a bowl of beef noodles and sat by the window, eating slowly.
Bright red chili oil floated on the broth, and the beef had been stewed until tender. He chewed slowly, Zhou Xuan's clear, crystalline voice ringing in his ears: "At the ends of the earth, searching, searching for a kindred soul..."
As he paid, Chen Mo called to the waiter clearing away the dishes. "Excuse me, could you point me to a place?"
The waiter wiped his hands with a rag. "Go ahead."
"How do I get to Dragon Dharma Temple?"
The waiter glanced up at him, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "It's in the west of the city. Once you pass Drum Tower Street, you'll see an old locust tree. But ever since Master Qinghua passed away, the temple's been abandoned."
Chen Mo thanked him, then bought some incense sticks and white candles at a shop on the corner, wrapped them in yellow paper, and tucked them under his arm.
The road to Dragon Dharma Temple grew more and more remote. The flagstones gave way to dirt, and the shops lining either side grew sparse.
After walking for nearly an hour, he finally saw the locust tree.
It was even larger than he'd imagined. Its canopy spread like a cloud, blocking half the sky and shrouding the gray, shabby temple beneath it.
The three characters for Dragon Dharma Temple above the entrance had weathered until they were barely legible.