Who knows, Ye Feng found that his consciousness did not win the favor of his master. On the contrary, his every move seems to be restricted. In the past, he could sometimes go out of the temple gate and get some fresh air under the pretext of pouring dirty water and throwing out garbage.

And since he came back from chopping wood, he has never had a chance to go out of the temple gate. Whenever there was a similar opportunity, the master always designated Xue Dan or Yin Ping to go.

Ye Feng suddenly felt that his escape plan was about to come to naught.

Thinking of this, he began to become depressed, and he also returned to his previous habits of being in a daze and sleeping lazy. Although he didn't know what Ye Feng had experienced, Yin Ping could see that he was unhappy, but he didn't know how to help him.

So, one day, when he was left in front of the master, Yin Ping pleaded with the master: "Master, the third brother has been really unhappy recently, and you know that his favorite thing to do is to go out of the temple and pour dirty water. Or, let him go next time. ”

Seeing the master staring at him, Yin Ping said again: "I can give him my chance, I don't like to go out." ”

It's just that the master looked at him without any expression on his face, and he didn't say yes or no, so people couldn't guess what he was thinking.

Time is like flowing water, reluctant to move forward day and night, and never asks about human affairs.

Another month passed. The four of them lived in order, the sun rose and set, the sky was dark and bright, it seemed that everything was business as usual, as if nothing had changed in the slightest.

But if you look closely, it's not that it hasn't changed. For example, the wind is getting warmer and warmer, and the large wild apricot grove outside the temple has begun to bloom, and the spring rain has also arrived as scheduled.

This spring rain moistened all things, and also moistened Ye Feng's heart.

Spring has always been a symbol of hope, isn't it?

On March 21, the weather was very good, the spring was bright, and the warm spring breeze woke up the apricot blossoms, which were still flowers and bones half a month ago. After finishing the morning class, Ye Feng, who had "relapsed into his old state", got a chance to leave the temple and walked outside the temple with a bucket of dirty water.

After pouring the water, Ye Feng stretched his waist and breathed in the fresh air. I don't know why, he always feels that the air outside the temple is fresher than inside the temple.

After breathing in the fresh air, as soon as Ye Feng raised his head, he was completely attracted by the beautiful scenery in front of him, and couldn't help but put down the bucket, took a step, and walked towards this sea of apricot blossoms.

What he didn't see was that Yin Ping watched his every move from the crack in the door. When he saw him smile, he smiled himself.

Ye Feng really likes to go out of the temple.

It seems that overnight, these apricot blossoms bloom all over the mountains. The dark and curved branches show the vicissitudes of life, with large pink and white flowers, and the blue sky and yellow walls reflect each other, so beautiful that it does not seem to be in the red dust.

Some of these apricot blossoms are slightly different from what Ye Feng has seen in modern times. In addition to the most common white and pink, there are also some crimson stamens and golden petals. This surprised Ye Feng, who was once obsessed with garden art.

He has always liked things that are different and beautiful. These distinctive apricot blossoms look so beautiful in a field of pink and white flowers that it is fascinating.

So Ye Feng thought in his heart, when he was free, he spent some effort to cultivate a pot of apricot blossom bonsai with golden petals and crimson stamens, that would be called perfect.

The beautiful scenery made Ye Feng forget his troubles and the predicament in front of him for a while, this was the first spring that Ye Feng had spent since he came to this time and space.

For a moment, he thought of Luo Yin's "The heating is submerged in the second spring, and the plum blossoms have been thankful for the new apricot blossoms", remembered Lu You's "Xiaolou listened to the spring rain overnight, and sold apricot blossoms in the Ming Dynasty in the deep alleys", and also thought of Lu Youyi's "In the sparse shadow of apricot blossoms, the flute is played until dawn".

These poems praising apricot blossoms are more beautiful than each sentence, and each sentence is more intoxicating than the other.

To be honest, Ye Feng had always disliked the Nameless Temple, nor did he like Master and Xue Dan. In his mind, the temple was simply useless, and these two people lived like marionettes. To put it nicely, it is quiet and remote, far away from the hustle and bustle, and a paradise.

But in reality, it's remote, completely remote. Who said that paradise looks like this?

But at this moment, because of this apricot forest, Ye Feng felt that the Nameless Temple didn't seem to be so annoying. What's more, there is still a Yin Ping in the temple who has always cared about him.

If, if there is a chance, he will definitely pull Yin Ping and run away with him, and then work together to find their biological parents.

Unfortunately, happy times are always short-lived.

Ye Feng, who was still immersed in a beautiful imagination, was interrupted by a voice that couldn't be more familiar: "Ye Feng, what are you doing, Master said that you can't leave the temple for too long alone." ”

"Got it, I'll be right back." Ye Feng returned angrily.

This Xue Dan is really enough!

The rules and precepts were as important as his life.

Even if the master is not there, he will "remind" Ye Feng and Yin Ping, who occasionally "break the precepts". Look, now he's just coming out to pour dirty water, can he still escape--- even if he escapes, he has to be prepared in advance.

Otherwise, this endless forest would have killed Ye Feng.

But in fact, Ye Feng was wrong to blame Xue Dan.

In Xue Dan's eyes, the monks' viewing of apricot blossoms is also out of place in a sense. Because Master once said to them, "The fragrance of flowers wants to break Zen."

And Ye Feng's intoxicated expression just now was very inappropriate in Xue Dan's opinion.

Although they have not yet been officially ordained, Xue Dan has already regarded them as Buddhists in advance.

Extremely depressed to lift the bucket, Ye Feng was reluctant to take a look at the blooming apricot blossoms and entered the door.

At noon, Ye Feng was lying on the bed and wanted to fall asleep consciously, after all, after more than a year, there had never been lunch. In addition, as the so-called "spring sleepiness and autumn fatigue", at this time, it is neither cold nor hot, and it is good to sleep.

From the beginning when I came here because I was hungry because I didn't have lunch, my limbs were weak and my eyes were full of stars, to today's habit of eating only two meals of gruel with clear soup and little water a day, I have to admire how amazing the human physiological system is.

Yes, more than a year is enough to change a person's habits that are difficult to change, and it is also enough for a person to develop the habits he wants to form.

And the word "habit", like time, is enough to consume everything in the world.

Ye Feng was about to fall asleep slowly, like any noon before. However, this noon was destined to be different.

This afternoon, he couldn't sleep.

And the opportunity he had been waiting for finally came.

First in a trance, Ye Feng found that Yin Ping's bed, who had always taken a nap, was empty. Then, Ye Feng, who was half asleep, fanned his nose and pursed his lips, because he smelled the fragrance that seemed to be porridge wafting over.

At first, he thought it was an illusion, but it wasn't until the fragrance became more and more fragrant that Ye Feng was sure that it was definitely real.

Could it be that this kid Yin Ping broke the precepts and secretly boiled porridge and drank it?

Good boy, well done!

didn't have time to think about it, Ye Feng sat up from the bed in a hurry, casually put on his shoes and walked to the door. Although he didn't dare to take the lead in doing this kind of thing, since someone had started it, he naturally wanted to join in the fun.

When I walked to the door, I found that even the "wooden man" Xue Dan was standing outside the "dormitory" with a confused face, looking in the direction of the kitchen.

"Weird, isn't it?" Ye Feng asked angrily.

"Yes." Xue Dan replied, "Have you seen Yin Ping?" ”

Look, this kid is not stupid at all, and he knows that Yin Ping is not in front of him, and it is inferred that most of the people who break the precepts are Yin Ping.

Ye Feng didn't expect Xue Dan to answer, and he asked rhetorically, so it was his turn to be surprised. Today is really different, first someone was boiling porridge at noon, and then he would answer Xue Dan's questions.

"Let's go, let's take a look, just take a look."

This time, Xue Dan did not answer Ye Feng's words, but consciously followed Ye Feng to the kitchen.

Suddenly, the kitchen door opened.

In the surprised and puzzled eyes of the two, the master suddenly appeared at the door of the kitchen, smiled, beckoned to the two, and motioned for them to pass. Yin Ping poked his head out and smirked at the two.

It's okay to be yin, he will laugh when Ye Feng chats with him. But Ye Feng swore that for more than a year, he had never seen such a vivid master. How to say it, I saw him smiling, so kind, as if there was a mysterious circle of light looming above his head and back.

What was even more surprising was that when the two entered the kitchen, they found Yin Pingzheng watching them while drinking porridge. On the table, there was a pot of thick and thick porridge boiled with mushrooms.

This porridge looks like a good shade, and compared with the porridge with clear soup and little water on weekdays, it is simply incomparable.

Moreover, this is still mushroom porridge. Master has always said that the dried mushrooms last year have been eaten, but now it seems that they are fake.

With this alone, Ye Feng felt that he had violated the precepts, after all, the monks did not speak. And he did deceive them.

It doesn't matter at all, though.

At present, eating in the stomach is the first thing.

Ye Feng was so moved that he almost cried, and the monkey hurriedly took the bowl and began to enjoy it. He didn't care why the master suddenly changed his temper today, and it was only right to eat first.

As soon as the porridge was eaten, Ye Feng knew why the porridge smelled so fragrant. First of all, the rice is definitely different from what you eat on a daily basis.

If you eat brown rice on weekdays, then today is definitely at the level of Thai fragrant rice. Damn bald donkey, you have to hide such good food and don't let them eat it, you have to know that you are growing your body, child abuse is a big crime, and you will be struck by lightning.

In addition, there is definitely more than one type of mushroom, but there is definitely Ye Feng's favorite chicken fir mushroom. However, this fungus is very rare, and it is not something that can be picked up in this season.

Despite being full of doubts, Ye Feng's eating speed definitely did not slow down. It was arguably the most satisfying meal he'd ever had since he arrived, even though there was still no meat.

Yin Ping had already eaten two bowls silently.

Moreover, it is obvious that Xue Nerd eats more "wild" than usual, although the movements are still Sven, but the Adam's apple that flies up and down still accidentally betrays him.

"Master, I won't take a nap in the future, I will take the initiative to ask Ying to pick up the mushrooms", Ye Feng said to the smiling master while eating, and his heart was beautiful, "This kind of porridge is still good." If only I could eat like this in the future. ”

"Yes, yes, I'll go too," Yin Ping echoed.

Master didn't speak, just looked at them lovingly.

Xue Dan didn't speak either, because he felt that there was something unusual about the meal. But he still enjoys the atmosphere, and he hopes to do the same in the future.

However, he would soon know that it would be many years before the three of them sat down calmly and ate the mushroom porridge that Master had carefully boiled.

For this meal, no one urged Ye Feng, and Ye Feng didn't drain the clear soup and eat it at the bottom of the pot after drinking a few big bowls for the first time. Even Xue Dan, who was elegant and calm, ate a few big bowls.

This made Ye Feng have a good impression of this nerd, so it was right, he had a trace of fireworks.

And Ye Feng, who was swept by the wind and clouds, when his stomach was about to crack, there was still porridge left in the pot. Yin Ping actually wanted to eat another bowl, but his stomach really couldn't hold it.

And obviously, today's noon meal is what Ye Feng has been talking about for a long time, and it is enough. Therefore, Ye Feng and Yin Ping are not in a hurry, they can rest for a while, and they can eat another bowl.

Seeing that the three of them were eating with the words "satisfied" all over their bodies, the master put away the loving mode just now, only said the three words "follow me", and left on his own.

Seeing that the master was gone, Ye Feng stretched out three fingers and shook them in front of Xue Dan's eyes, "It's really a treasure of words." But his expression matched this action, and even Xue Nerd knew that this plan was not praise.

Seeing that the master had gone away in an instant, the three of them did not dare to slack off.

This Master is very abnormal today, and he is so serious just now, I don't know if there is anything important. Yin Ping hiccuped and followed behind Ye Feng and Xue Dan. Ye Feng thought that the porridge in the pot didn't seem to be enough for two bowls, and it seemed that after a while, he would have to work hard to rush to the front, and then he would serve a bowl first, and he couldn't let Yin Ping take advantage.

Thinking about it, I followed the master all the way to the master's meditation room, a place that the three of them knew each other very well, but had never entered.

If there is anything on weekdays, the master also orders through the door and window, allowing the majestic voice to come out of the fragmented space.

And today, it looks like it's going to let them in. The three of them became more and more puzzled in their hearts, and even Xue Dan, who was like a nerd, showed an expression that Ye Feng thought could prove that he was a living person. Ye Feng no longer remembered that bowl of porridge, he vaguely felt that something was going to happen.

Thinking about it, Ye Feng bumped into Xue Dan in front of him. Xue Dan stood straight in front of the meditation room, motionless. After all, the master hadn't spoken yet, so the three of them couldn't rush in. If it's wrong, that's really ...... The three of them stood straight outside the door, waiting.

"Come in."

This time it's simpler, just two words.

Ye Feng stretched out two fingers and shook them in front of Xue Nerd, "If you say one more word, you will die", and took the lead in stepping in. Yin Ping squeezed and walked in as well, leaving Xue Dan to be the last to enter the meditation room.

Ye Feng had fantasized about the appearance of this room countless times, but he was a little disappointed when he went in.

It's just an ordinary room, too ordinary to be ordinary. There are no world-class martial arts on the shelves, no sweeping monks sweeping the floor, and no huge mysterious Buddha statues full of mechanisms.

However, the whole house was quiet, clean and spotlessly clean.

If there is any difference, it is that there are two long rows of wooden shelves in the room, and the shelves are stacked with neat books, and as soon as you enter the room, there is a special fragrance. And this fragrance is by no means an ordinary bookish fragrance.

Although he does not worship the Buddha, ten years of temple life have made Ye Feng's body have some basic common sense, which is definitely the taste of sandalwood. But what is puzzling is that sandalwood is a rare thing, and it is not something that ordinary monks can have.

So, where did Master's sandalwood come from?

After the three of them sat down, the master gently took out a small wooden box from the side of the pillow. It's just that this time, the master once again changed to the smile he had when he waved to the three of them before eating.

Ye Feng was furious at this smile.

In his opinion, a person's smile is either the quietest and gentlest moment in the daytime, or on the contrary, the moment when facing the stormy seas.

And the master at this moment is obviously not the former, but more like the latter.

As if seeing what Ye Feng was thinking, the master slowly opened his mouth and said to the three of them, "It's been ten years, and the four of me and my master and apprentice know that the apricot blossoms outside this temple have bloomed ten times, and I have thanked them ten times. I know you've always wanted to ask, even though you've never asked. ”

As he spoke, he glanced at Ye Feng.

Ye Feng said in his heart: "You are self-aware, Lao Tzu has long wanted to ask." But his face was still faint, and he pretended not to care and said: "The apprentice doesn't dare, but listen to the master's instructions."

After a pause, Master said, "I have been thinking hard in front of the Buddha these days, and I feel that today is the time. What should come will come, and what should go will be irretrievable. ”

Hearing these words, Ye Feng became more and more sure in his heart, Master has something important to say.

"If you want to say it, just say it, why pull the Buddha." Ye Feng rolled his eyes in his heart, but his face was still respectful. Yin Ping looked very serious, while Xue Dan was motionless and expressionless, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

At this time, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of Master's string of Buddhist beads.

On weekdays, this string of Buddhist beads never leaves Master's hand, but at this moment, because he is holding the wooden box in his hand, he places it beside him.

What made Ye Feng even more shocked was that the middle one of this string of Buddha beads actually cracked, and it looked like a lotus flower. Thinking of what the master just said, "Thinking hard in front of the Buddha", what "the time has come, what a coincidence", Ye Feng quickly forgot the disrespectful words in his heart before.

For the first time, he profoundly realized what it meant to speak falsely in front of the Buddha.

The master didn't know Ye Feng's inner changes, and seeing that he was actually a little pious at the moment, he was a little emotional. He straightened up a little and opened the box in front of the three of them.

I saw that there were three things in the box, a piece of jade jue and a bag of brocade together, a cloth bag, a brush, and nothing else.

The texture of the jade jue is very ordinary, but it is better than the chic shape and smooth lines, but it is obviously only half of it, there should be another half, and there is a "Gu" character engraved on it. The bag was slightly closed, and I couldn't see anything inside; The cloth bag is made of the most ordinary cotton cloth, and the word "Xue" is embroidered on it; And the brush Ye Feng can't see whether it's good or bad, but it looks quite delicate, and there is no lettering on it.

The master was expressionless, but with trembling hands, he handed over the jade jue and the brocade to Ye Feng, and handed the brush to Yin Ping. The cloth bag was handed over to Xue Dan.

Seeing that the three of them were very confused, the master did not explain, but continued: "Ten years ago, I had no merit because I had been practicing penance in Xiangguo Temple for decades, and my master even partpartially gave the position of abbot to a junior brother who was inferior to me everywhere. In a fit of rage, I listened to another senior brother's suggestion to go south, saying that this was my own place to belong. Passing through this place, by chance, I discovered a Hanako gang that specializes in buying and selling children. ”

After saying that, he sighed and immersed himself in deep memories.

"Because of my status as a monk and the crying children, they didn't care too much, so I didn't pay much attention to them. I secretly followed these people for more than half a month, trying to take the opportunity to save these children. It's a pity that these people are well-organized and very cautious, and there are also people on guard at night, and there are more and more children, so I have no idea where to start. Until one dark night......

It's thrilling, isn't it? Ye Feng thought in his heart.

"Because of the leader's birthday, everyone relaxed their vigilance and drank some wine. While these people were asleep, I quickly opened the door and released the children who were being guarded, carrying Yin Ping on my back, holding Xue Dan, holding you who were still in swaddling clothes, and leading a group of children to run wildly. ”

This result was something Ye Feng didn't expect anyway, and he was shocked for a while. But he didn't dare to interrupt easily, and continued to listen attentively.

Sadly, one child who was crying because he was scared and in the dark, woke up the group, and some of the children were recaptured. On the way out, I was injured and the rest of the children ran away on their own, leaving only the three of you. I knew that I would not be able to continue my journey for the time being, and I was afraid of being chased and killed by this group, so I took the three of you to this very hidden place. I don't want to make any decisions for you three when you don't know anything about the world, so I haven't shaved your heads. Now, ten years later, you can now make decisions about your future. ”

After saying this, he seemed to be relieved, sighed, closed his eyes, took his Buddha beads and began to spin.

Obviously, this is time to give the three children to think. Unexpectedly, it turned to the cracked lotus-like bead.

From the first year of the arrival of these three children, every time the apricot blossoms bloomed, he asked in front of the Buddha when he should tell the three children about their backgrounds. One is that he is really not suitable for dealing with such a small child, and he often doesn't know what to do, so he shows silence on weekdays.

Second, he wanted to continue to travel and find what his master called his "home".

Because whether it is thousands of choices, tens of millions of endings, this is absolutely, not the ending he wants. He just wants to attain positive results and become a high-ranking monk.

However, the Buddha was always like that, with a treasure **, kind eyebrows, and never answered him. And since the Buddha is silent, then the time has not yet come.

He could only continue to wait.

From the initial impatience, to being at a loss, to the current peace and quietness, although the face is light, but they always get along with a little incense.

As for whether it is the master, whether it is like a father and son, or an outsider raising an orphan, maybe it is both, or maybe it is neither. He didn't know how to express his emotions or how to educate them. Maybe he didn't let them starve to death, so that they could at least recite the scriptures, and that was the only thing he could do.

And so it went on for nine years, year after year.

But just last night, when he knelt in front of the Buddha and calmly asked the same question again as he had for nine years, the Buddha bead suddenly cracked and bloomed in the shape of a lotus flower.

He was a little shocked, but then relieved.

This is providence, and it is also the legendary timing.

At first, he was ashamed of his horror. But then, there is fear: people often look forward to what they think is important with great enthusiasm. But when the dream comes true, at that moment, is it really all joy beyond measure? Or, like him, a little bit of fear, a little bit of loss?

He was scared, because he suddenly felt that he also had a trace of fireworks. He was disappointed, because he knew that it was time for the relationship to break off after all.

Since the age of five, he escaped into the empty door, and what he has learned and seen every day is calm, calm, and "Mount Tai collapsed in front and the color remained unchanged, and the tiger tended to be behind and not frightened".

Now, he actually has this fireworks! How did he not be distraught.

However, he had no choice. Since this is the Buddha's instructions, then he can only obey them.

This day has finally come.

When he first "distributed" tokens to his three children, he followed his heart. If there was a slight uneasiness at that moment, then at this moment, he has returned to calm.

He did what he wanted, and next, he just had to wait quietly.

The author has something to say: At this moment, I am sitting in the sun and listening to Eason Chan's "Ten Years".