Antique Shop Zero: Disfigured School Beauty Becomes a Succubus to Pay Off Debts

Southern Xinjiang, Tianming City, Anshan Temple.

Pilgrims flocked to the temple, and incense smoke swirled around them.

"Sister Min'er, why are there so many people at the temple today?"

The speaker was a short-haired boy dressed in Tang suits and carrying an oil-paper umbrella.

Evil Qilin.

Since the Dream Island incident, he has been hiding in the suburbs of Tianming City, at the foot of Hengshan Temple.

The woman standing next to him was holding a child. She had delicate features and was wearing a white casual short-sleeved shirt and faded jeans.

The collar of the clothes was a bit loose and the cuffs were frayed, but they were clean and tidy.

Today is the birthday of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Liu Min glanced at the throngs of vendors below the mountain:

"Hengshan Temple mainly enshrines Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Today is the temple fair, and there are free vegetarian meals at the temple."

The evil Qilin murmured:

"Is it July 30th, the birthday of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva?"

Among Buddhist stories, my favorite is undoubtedly Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

I vow not to become a Buddha until hell is emptied.

Xie Qilin felt that this kind of grand ambition was what he admired.

only......

How can hell be empty?

Just like this human world, how could there possibly be "universal bliss"?

Thinking of this, Xie Qilin's eyes filled with sorrow.

Liu Min noticed the disappointment in Xie Qilin's eyes and said with a smile:

"I'm becoming more and more curious about your identity."

The evil Qilin was stunned for a moment:

"What?"

"You like visiting temples so much, and you even feel sad for Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva."

Liu Min added:

"You're a vegetarian? People who don't know you might think you're a monk."

The evil Qilin pursed his lips, clasped his hands together, and bowed slightly.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you these past few days."

Liu Min waved her hand and smiled:

"Don't say that. You're paying a lot of money. It's more than I earn in a year as a waiter."

"After all, you're a woman, so there are some inconveniences," Xie Qilin said apologetically. "I'll be leaving in the next couple of days."

Liu Min rolled her eyes at him:

"I'm just a widow with a child in tow, I don't have that many rules to speak of."

"As long as you don't mind my son being a nuisance."

Two weeks ago, she met this boy at her doorstep.

He said he wanted to stay for a while and offered a considerable sum of money.

Seeing that he was handsome and spoke politely, Liu Min's wariness lessened.

Most importantly—Xie Qilin gave her 100,000 yuan in one go, which was her salary for a whole year as a waitress.

A woman with a child lives in such a remote place, barely making ends meet.

Money isn't everything, but without it, you can't get anywhere.

For the first few days, she was still somewhat wary.

A strange man has appeared in the house. Although he is a handsome young man, he lives in the middle of nowhere. Anyone would be wary of such a person.

It wasn't until the day Xie Qilin rescued her son from the venomous snake's fangs that she finally let her guard down completely.

But I was still curious.

He only eats vegetarian food, spends his free time in a daze, performs Buddhist rituals for everyone he meets, and spends a long time at Hengshan Temple every day.

Liu Min didn't seem to care about the evil Qilin's temple visit.

Anyway, she likes to go up the mountain to worship Buddha whenever she has free time.

I have a surprise for you.

Liu Min said mysteriously, "It's a gift from you when you saved my son."

The evil Qilin was stunned for a moment:

"Gift?"

Liu Min smiled:

"Since you like Buddhism so much, you should listen to some profound things."

"Master Jinghe of Anshan Temple is giving a Dharma talk today. I've already arranged with a young monk to reserve a front seat for us."

Liu Min often volunteers at the temple, so she is quite familiar with some of the monks there.

A hint of emotion flickered across Xie Qilin's face.

Regardless of whether Master Jinghe's teachings were truly profound, this was the first time he had ever received a gift.

Ever since Xie Jinbao sent him to the temple to steal the Great Zen Master's prayer beads, he has lived a life of killing and scheming.

This is the first time I've felt warmth since leaving my master.

"Thank you," Xie Qilin said earnestly.

......

The lecture hall was packed with people.

The area outside the door was packed with people.

Liu Min grabbed Xie Qilin's wrist with one hand and held the child in the other, constantly squeezing into the gaps between people.

The little boy in her arms was getting impatient from being squeezed, and he whimpered and squirmed.

She saw a little monk running around on the ground and immediately craned her neck and shouted:

"Little Kongdang! Here! I'm here!"

The little monk nimbly squeezed through the crowd, grabbed Liu Min's arm, and pulled her out of the sea of ​​people.

He walked quickly, lowering his voice, his tone carrying a hint of smug satisfaction:

You have no idea how much effort it took for me to reserve this place for you.

Many wealthy patrons gave me money, but I didn't offer them a seat!

Liu Min patted his bald head with a grin:

"Oh, thank you."

I'll bring you something delicious next time.

After arranging for Liu Min and Xie Qilin to sit on small stools, the little monk hurriedly ran off.

After about ten minutes, the scene quieted down.

A monk dressed in a kasaya slowly walked to the front of the prayer mat and sat down facing the worshippers.

This fat monk was fair-skinned and clean-cut, with a face like a full moon, and a look full of compassion for all living beings; he had the air of a highly enlightened monk.

This is Master Jinghe.

"Mortals are foolish." Master Jinghe's voice was unhurried, as if he were coaxing a group of disobedient children:

"The best way to practice wisdom is through kindness."

Does being kind make you smarter?

Liu Min asked Xie Qilin in a low voice, while lifting the child who was sliding down in her arms, her face full of suspicion:

"Really?"

The evil Qilin remained silent for a while:

"real."

Seeing the puzzled looks on the faces of the worshippers, Master Jinghe smiled faintly.

He enjoyed this feeling, resolving the doubts of all beings and watching them lift their heads from their confusion, like a lamp suddenly lighting up in the darkness.

He continued speaking.

"The Buddha once led his disciples on a journey through the heavens, and suddenly gestured for them to look down."

The disciples peered through the clouds and saw a courtyard house, in which a woman sat breastfeeding her child.

The classroom fell silent, and everyone pricked up their ears.

"When mosquitoes bit her, she raised her hand and swatted them dead."

A stray dog ​​came begging for food, so she grabbed a stick and broke its leg. The dog howled and ran away.

Master Jinghe paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd again. Seeing that they were all engrossed in the story, the corners of his mouth curved into a wider smile.

The Buddha pointed to the woman and said:

Mortals do not understand reincarnation and cannot see their past and present lives.

The disciples were puzzled.

The Buddha then explained—

His voice suddenly lowered, as if he were telling a huge secret.

"This mosquito is the reincarnation of the woman's mother."

This stray dog ​​is the reincarnation of the woman's father.

The baby in her arms was the reincarnation of the man who killed her parents.

A murmur of surprise rippled through the classroom.

Master Jinghe smiled knowingly.

"If this woman knew the truth, I wonder how much she would regret it."

We ordinary people do not possess the wisdom of the Buddha, so we should cherish compassion in our hearts.

Giving that mosquito a mouthful of blood, offering that stray dog ​​a bite to eat—that's a way of repaying the kindness of those who raised us.

Everyone suddenly realized.

Some people looked thoughtful, some shook their heads with sighs, and some put their hands together and chanted Buddhist prayers in a low voice.

Master Jinghe sat upright on the futon, a profound smile on his face, enjoying the silence and reverence of the moment.

Liu Min leaned closer to the evil Qilin and whispered:

"So, isn't this Master Jinghe amazing?"

The evil Qilin nodded slightly, his tone filled with sincere admiration:

"The main point of this Buddhist story is about the cycle of rebirth in the six realms. Master Jinghe was able to see the compassionate wisdom within it, which is very impressive."

Liu Min laughed.

She was afraid that he wouldn't like the gift she gave to Xie Qilin.

The little boy in her arms probably didn't understand these profound principles, and couldn't help but open his mouth and let out a big yawn.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet schoolroom.

Master Jinghe's gaze swept over, a fleeting hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes.

That expression vanished in an instant, but he still frowned slightly and said in a cryptic tone:

"It is said that when the Buddha preached, jackals, tigers, leopards, poisonous snakes, and strange insects were all willing to listen quietly."

While the Buddha's teachings are indeed wondrous, perhaps they are limited by the wisdom of sentient beings.

Unfortunately, some mortals in this world are born without wisdom, just like...

Master Jinghe looked at the child in Liu Min's arms:

"This child."

Everyone turned to look, their gazes fixed on the little boy, their eyes filled with surprise and pity.

How pitiful it is to lack wisdom.

Liu Min's face flushed red instantly.

It wasn't shame, it was anger!

Even jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards can possess wisdom. You say my child doesn't? Does that mean my child is inferior to wild animals?

However, Liu Min was tongue-tied and surrounded by so many people, so she was nervous and didn't know how to refute them, and she couldn't even curse anymore.

The evil Qilin narrowed its eyes.

He's a monk who can chant sutras, but that's all he can do.

He placed his hand on Liu Min's knee, comforting her, and said softly:

"It's not that the child lacks wisdom, but that your explanation is so incoherent that even I feel like yawning."

The exciting chapter "Chapter 226 Anshan Temple" is now available online. Click to read it first!