After thinking for a moment, Xiao Hua descended from the air and came to the neighboring house beside Wang Zhengfei's home. The Agriculturalists' little courtyard had no walls to speak of, only some withered branches stuck into the ground as a makeshift enclosure. Xiao Hua stood beside the fence that could scarcely be called a gate, pressed his palms together, and said, "Amitabha..."
As Xiao Hua's voice drifted into the house, a man in his forties poked his head out through the flickering lamplight. He immediately withdrew it, and a rather lean woman came out holding a grayish lump in her hand. Before Xiao Hua could speak, she handed the thing over and said somewhat displeasedly, "Little monk, you've come to the wrong door. If you're begging for alms, go into the village. Master Wang lives there..."
Xiao Hua smiled and hurriedly raised a hand. "Auntie, you misunderstand. This humble monk did not come to beg for alms!"
"Oh? If you aren't begging for alms, what have you come for, little master?" Hearing that Xiao Hua was not seeking alms, the woman quickly pulled back the thing in her hand. Even her form of address changed as she asked curiously.
Xiao Hua pointed at Wang Zhengfei's house beside them and asked, "May I ask, Auntie, is this the home of little benefactor Wang Zhengfei?"
"Yes!" The woman nodded. "What does little master want with Wang Zhengfei? Oh, I understand. Your temple wants Wang Zhengfei to paint something, doesn't it?"
Xiao Hua was delighted upon hearing that. He did not even need to invent an excuse, so he nodded. "Exactly as Auntie said. But why is there no one at little benefactor Wang Zhengfei's home?"
"Oh my, little master, what terrible timing! I'm afraid you've come for nothing!" the woman said