Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 738 Preparing to Open the Temple

It seems that in many places, both north and south, there is a custom that if you return home from another place, you should wash up and change your clothes first to wash away the dust of the outside world before you can settle down.

So after entering the house, the three of them went upstairs to take showers and change clothes after only a few words.

Chen Fan quickly washed up, put on his Zhongshan suit, wrapped himself in a cashmere coat, and went downstairs to have tea with his three masters, while telling them about his experiences over the past month.

After a while, Jiang Lili came out of the room.

She looked down from the railing and saw Xiao Fan with his three masters at the tea table. She could hear Liu Juan and Ma Lan talking quietly in the kitchen. Then, she turned her eyes slightly, walked to the door of the next room, and pressed her ear to the door.

The next second, the door was pulled open, startling her.

Jiang Tiantian was startled when she saw her. "What are you doing?"

Jiang Lili pushed her inside and closed the door behind her, saying, "Let's see if you're done washing."

Jiang Tiantian looked at her, her expression turning strange as if she had thought of something. She then took a deep breath and said, "You're acting all sneaky. What are you trying to do?"

He paused for a moment, then said seriously, "Let me tell you, don't do anything reckless. I admit I have some ulterior motives, but like you said, how many women can face him without being attracted? After meeting him, how could they easily fall for someone else?"

But I'm only tempted; I have absolutely no ulterior motives. Besides, Xiao Fan isn't that kind of person. You don't want to make things worse and ruin your plans.”

Jiang Lili looked at her with a complicated expression, "You've finally admitted it."

Jiang Tiantian remained silent. She regretted writing that poem; she never expected it would become evidence.

Jiang Lili turned around and sat down on the bed, pouting as she said, "How do you know Xiao Fan isn't that kind of person?"

Jiang Tiantian frowned immediately and walked up to her. "Xiao Fan is so good to you, how can you doubt him?"

Jiang Lili looked up, suddenly took her hand, and said softly with a smile, "I know he's very good to me, better than you, and even better to Mom and Dad. I don't doubt him for anything else. It's just that..."

She looked up, her eyes full of strangeness. "Sis, you forgot? He always gives us two gifts, and they're always the same thing. It's normal for him to bring you a gift, after all, you're my sister, but isn't it a little strange that he gives you the same thing as me?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantian's expression froze, then her face changed. "Perhaps he's just too lazy to think about it."

Jiang Lili shrugged, pulled her to sit beside her, smiled, then sighed softly and said, "I didn't just decide to tell you this on a whim. I've been thinking about it myself for the past six months. In short, I told you everything that should and shouldn't have been said that day at Xiao Fan's bedside."

As it turns out, I wasn't wrong about your feelings. It's just that Xiao Fan probably didn't even realize it himself. He certainly doesn't have those feelings for others, but that might not be the case for you.

She took a deep breath and smiled at Jiang Tiantian, "So we need to take the initiative and break through that barrier. But pursuing a woman is like climbing a mountain while pursuing a man is like piercing a thin veil; it's not difficult in itself. Right now, the biggest problem between you two is actually me."

She pouted and leaned her head against her sister, saying, "You're lucky to have your own sister like me to help you. If it were anyone else, you'd be stuck in unrequited love forever."

Why do you think I have to grant your wish? Besides the fact that I never want to be separated from you in this lifetime, there's another reason, which I didn't tell you last time.

Although it wasn't the first time, Jiang Tiantian still felt uncomfortable listening to her words. "I didn't ask you to do it for me."

Two seconds later, unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, "What's the reason?"

Jiang Lili whispered a few words in her ear, and Jiang Tiantian's face immediately turned red, even to her neck. She pushed her away and said, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

She jumped to her feet, about to leave, but suddenly stopped, turned around abruptly, and looked at her sister with surprise in her eyes, "You two have already...?"

Jiang Lili stood up, took her arm and walked out, chuckling, "Xiao Fan is talking to his three masters, and there's no one making tea. Go help make tea, and I'll take care of cooking."

Jiang Tiantian's mind was buzzing at this moment, and she passively followed her.

It wasn't until I got down the stairs that I came to my senses.

Then I was pulled to the tea table.

Jiang Lili gave her a gentle push from behind, and at the same time smiled at Zhang Xuansong and the others, "Masters, I'll go cook. My sister will make you some tea; she's better at making tea than I am."

Zhang Xuansong waved his hand and pointed to the chair, "No need, you're all tired today. Sit down and rest for a while. Liu Juan and the others will cook; they're pretty good at it too."

Lin Yuanxiang and Li Shangde also told them to rest.

However, Jiang Lili shook her head and smiled, "It's not tiring at all. It's just traveling by plane and car. It's much easier than working in the countryside before."

She glanced at Chen Fan as she spoke, then smiled and said, "Before Xiao Fan came to Lujiawan, our busiest time was the double harvest season. Not only were we busy then, but we also had to cook for ourselves. In comparison, now it's like we've fallen into a honey pot, and we're not tired at all."

Chen Fan looked at her and smiled, "Even if you're not tired, don't make yourself suffer when there's no hardship to be had."

Jiang Lili smiled and shook her head, "But I really don't think cooking is hard work."

She paused for a moment, then her pretty face suddenly flushed slightly. "Besides, I like to cook for you."

Hearing her say that, Chen Fan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Such words are already quite explicit for girls of this era, let alone coming from the mouth of Jiang Lili, who is usually taciturn, especially in front of her master. What kind of stimulation did she suffer?

Before he could speak, Jiang Lili turned and ran to the kitchen.

Jiang Tiantian had no choice but to stay. She took the Kung Fu tea set from the tea cabinet next to the wall, washed it, and then sat down to boil water and make tea.

Northerners usually drink tea in large bowls, or if they want a more refined experience, they might use a large teacup with some tea leaves, then steep it in hot water.

In the Minnan and Chaoshan areas, people are accustomed to using small pots and small cups for Gongfu tea. This practice spread widely and even influenced the Cantonese and Hakka people, who also became enthusiastic about drinking Gongfu tea.

Chen Fan is someone who knows how to enjoy life. Compared to large bowls of tea that get cold quickly, gongfu tea, which is brewed and drunk on the spot, is naturally more refreshing.

Therefore, he often brewed tea and read books by himself, and he kept tea sets in several houses.

The two sisters had lived with him for so long that they had learned a thing or two from him.

The large teacups were removed and replaced with small teacups. The three masters relaxed and took a sip from the small teacup, truly experiencing the feeling of tea tasting.

Chen Fan glanced at Jiang Tiantian and sensed that she was much more relaxed now, unlike before when she was tense all over. However, she kept her head down and wouldn't look at him, so he knew there was definitely something wrong.

Thinking back to the conversation I overheard that day, I had some vague guesses in my mind.

Just as he was lost in thought, Zhang Xuansong put down his teacup and said seriously, "Last time you contributed the Black Dragon Eighteen Hands. We could hide it from others, but not from the old marshal and the political commissar, and we couldn't hide it from them either. So you put it on record then. This time you volunteered to go to the front line and made a lot of contributions. However, you are not a soldier, or even a member of the militia. The military's reward system and the joint military-civilian commendation regulations do not apply to you. So if you want a reward, you have to wait for the command to discuss it. Don't think too much about it now."

They hadn't been talking for very long. Chen Fan wasn't asking for any reward; he wasn't short of money or fame and didn't care about any reward. It just happened that the conversation drifted to this topic.

Chen Fan leaned on the table, his face full of curiosity. "I'm just asking. In the past, there have been ordinary people who received awards for their merits. This time, the militia has made a significant contribution, so there will definitely be a group of people who will also receive awards. I know their situation is different from mine, but I just want to know, if there are to be awards, what kind of awards will they be given?"

Lin Yuanxiang suddenly coughed twice, picked up the teacup that Jiang Tiantian had just filled, smiled at her first, and then looked at Chen Fan meaningfully, "Well, this matter actually has a range. Generally speaking, there are only three types."

He started counting on his fingers as he spoke, “Giving a bonus and a certificate, the money isn’t much, but the certificate is a spiritual reward, it’s all honor, that’s the usual. The last one is for those who have made mistakes, such as those who have violated the law and may be sentenced to labor reform, they can be given a reduced sentence, that is, to make amends for their mistakes. If the good deeds come before the mistakes, the wrongdoing will also be punished more leniently.”

Chen Fan shrank back and whispered, "I've always obeyed the law, why are you looking at me like that?"

He firmly believes he will never need this, and it seems he will mostly just get a certificate as a souvenir in the end.

Not bad.

Lin Yuanxiang leaned back in his chair, a half-smile on his face. "It's nothing. You asked about this, so I'll tell you. It's best if you don't get into trouble."

After saying that, he drank his tea again.

Chen Fan felt there was something implied in his words, as if he was convinced that Chen Fan was about to make a mistake. How could that be?!
At this moment, Zhang Xuansong waved his hand and looked at Chen Fan, saying, "Let's not dwell on your little matter. Let me tell you something serious."

Chen Fan turned his head. "Please speak."

Zhang Xuansong put down his teacup, grinning broadly, "Since you've come to the capital, let's finish up the unfinished statues at the temple and then prepare to open it."

Chen Fan's eyes widened in surprise. "Are temples and monasteries allowed to reopen now?"

Zhang Xuansong laughed and said, "Whether it's allowed or not, some people have already secretly gone to temples to burn incense. And I've been inquiring about these things recently. I received news a few days ago that Ningbo Bai Nian Tang will officially reopen on the 8th of next month."

Foreign deities can be openly worshipped, so there's no reason why our own deities can't be worshipped as well.

He paused for a moment, then lowered his voice, feigning mystery, "I received news that the Bureau of Religious Affairs will be reinstated this year, and they've even brought the staff back. I also went to ask around to see if it's possible to open a temple now, and they told me that as long as it's not publicized too much, opening a temple shouldn't be a problem."

Li Shangde, standing next to him, lit a cigarette given to him by Chen Fan, took two puffs, and seemed rather dismissive.

Lin Yuanxiang became his mouthpiece, saying to Zhang Xuansong, "I told you, there's no need for you to ask this and that. You still wanted to ask the political commissar. Are you stupid? You could have just opened the Taoist temple in private, why did you have to make such a big fuss and let so many people know about it?"

"Right now, countless eyes are watching your Chaoyang Temple, just waiting for you to open its doors so they can open theirs too, and then you'll be the one breaking new ground."

Zhang Xuansong sighed, took a tobacco leaf from Li Shangde's cigarette case, lit it, and then said, "It's not that I want to make a fuss, but I want more fellow Daoists to know about the reconstruction of the Daoist temple, to make it as lively as possible. As long as the Chaoyang Temple lineage is still there, it will be some kind of explanation to my master and fellow disciples."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yuanxiang fell silent.

Li Shangde squinted and thought for a moment, then said, "Then let's open it. Let's pick a good day, one after April 8th, so that if anything goes wrong, it won't affect you."

Zhang Xuansong grinned, "That's what I meant too."

Chen Fan said weakly from the side, "It seems that I am the abbot of this Taoist temple."

Didn't anyone ask for my opinion?
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone at the table fell silent.

Jiang Tiantian suddenly raised her head, staring blankly at Chen Fan, unable to come to her senses. "You want to become a nun?"

She and her sister both knew about the Taoist temple, but no one had ever told them that Xiao Fan was going to be the abbot.
He's become a monk, what will happen to his sister?
Seeing her expression, Chen Fan quickly said, "No, no, you misunderstood. Although I am the abbot and a true Taoist priest, I am not a monk and I do not abide by those rules and regulations."

Zhang Xuansong, who was standing next to him, quickly said, "Sweetie, don't overthink it. Xiao Fan is taking the blame for me. After all, I'm a cripple with one leg missing. It wouldn't be right for me to become the abbot. Wouldn't that be a disgrace to my Chaoyang Temple lineage?"

Xiao Fan is just right. He is handsome and knowledgeable about Taoist scriptures. He has also cultivated Taoist skills. When fellow Taoists from all sides see him, they will definitely think more highly of Chaoyang Temple. We're not just trying to make a living, we're trying to prove ourselves.

"After some time, once we find someone else to succeed the abbot, Xiao Fan will abdicate and return to secular life; it won't affect anything."

He only cared about whether Chaoyang Temple could survive again; he didn't particularly care who would preside over the temple.

Even if there isn't a suitable candidate, we can always invite the high-ranking Taoist priest surnamed Liu, whom we've met before, to preside over the ceremony. In any case, the boundaries of the Taoist lineage have become quite blurred in recent years, and there are quite a few Taoist priests from the Quanzhen and Zhengyi sects who have switched sides. Ultimately, all Taoists under heaven are one family, as long as the lineage continues.

Hearing this, Jiang Tiantian finally breathed a sigh of relief.

When she came to her senses, she blushed and lowered her head, continuing to do her job as a tea server.

Seeing that everything was alright, Chen Fan wiped his face, then pondered for two seconds before squinting and calculating with his fingers.

Zhang Xuansong turned around and saw this scene. His face immediately darkened. "What are you doing? The doctrine of our Quanzhen Sect is the harmony of the three teachings, understanding the mind and seeing one's true nature, and preserving one's true self. How come you're acting like a blind fortune teller who used to roam the country before liberation? Are you trying to become a charlatan?"

Lin Yuanxiang and Li Shangde remained silent, their eyes filled with curiosity.

Jiang Tiantian finally deigned to look at him, but the twitching corner of her mouth proved that she was thinking that Xiao Fan was up to his old tricks again.

Chen Fan didn't even bother to open his eyes and said, "I didn't tell fortunes, I counted dates. April 8th is the 12th of the third month in the lunar calendar. If we count from there, the 14th, 17th, 18th, and 19th are all inauspicious for various activities. The 16th is also inauspicious for opening a business and hanging up a signboard, and the 15th is inauspicious for taking office and setting up a bed. The most suitable date is only the 13th of the third month."

After he finished speaking, he opened his eyes and looked at Zhang Xuansong, "Is it alright to do it the day after Bai Nian Tang reopens?"

Right now, all he's thinking about is getting the Taoist temple up and running as soon as possible, so he can quit as soon as possible. He doesn't want things to drag on and things to go wrong.

Zhang Xuansong's forehead veins bulged as he listened. "They're just opening up, not opening for business. Even though we're not in the same industry, we're still colleagues. Can't you give us some face?"

Chen Fan quickly nodded, "Yes, yes. Shall we open tomorrow?"

Zhang Xuansong: "Kaiguan! We are Kaiguan!"

He felt a bit tired. This kid was clearly many times stronger than him in terms of cultivation, but he could never understand these basic common sense things, or rather, he didn't care about them at all.

After taking two puffs of his cigarette, Zhang Xuansong picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp, saying, "Alright, then let's set it for March 13th."

Actually, the best times to open the temple are the Jade Emperor's birthday on the ninth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Taoist Ancestor's birthday on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month, and the True Warrior's birthday on the third day of the third lunar month.

However, special circumstances require special handling now. As long as the temple can open smoothly, that's enough. Don't ask for too much.

(End of this chapter)