Buddhism

The sun was rising in the east, and under the brilliant morning light, Chitong drove the ox cart down the mountain at a leisurely pace.Sitting next to his left hand, Kong Qing smiled lightly and was gentle and refined.

The bullock cart walked for a while and entered the country lane.People on the trail came back and forth, and when they saw them, those who knew each other or knew each other greeted with smiles.After the establishment of the school, they have become famous far and wide, even those who have never seen them have heard of them.

They are too recognizable, the young man in red, tall, unsmiling, and personable.The young monk has a green and gray long gown, elegant and elegant, clean and fair, kind and approachable.Not seeing his face, but seeing it from a distance, they can know who this figure is, and there is no doubt about him. This is definitely Young Master Chitong and Little Master Kong Qing.

When the two arrived in town, it was already midnight.The streets are bustling, with hawkers shouting everywhere, and the bustling crowd is endless.They came to the town mainly to buy some meat for the children to satisfy their cravings. The two wandered around the street a few times and bought what they needed.

It was already noon in a blink of an eye, and the two came to a familiar noodle stall and asked the boss for two bowls of noodles.They come here often, and the boss knows their preferences. After a while, a young woman brings a bowl of noodles to the two of them.

This woman is the youngest daughter of the noodle stall, Xie Qiuer, who is sixteen years old. Although she is dressed in coarse linen, she has delicate features, thin shoulders and willow waist, slim and graceful, and her fair skin is very flattering.She raised her eyes and glanced at Kong Qing quickly, her face was red, and she said softly: "Two, please take it easy!"

Kong Qing took the chopsticks handed over by Chi Tong, and smiled at the girl, "I'm sorry."

Xie Qiuer smiled slightly, "Don't bother me, you're welcome."

"Qiu'er!" A loud voice sounded.Hearing his father's voice calling him, he turned to entertain other guests.

Chitong glanced at the direction where Xie Qiuer was leaving, and looked back at Kong Qing who was concentrating on eating noodles.Can't help laughing, it seems that this little girl's careful thinking is going to waste.

The two ate noodles, went into a tea house to rest for a while, and drove the ox cart back when the sun was not so bright.

The ox cart was swaying, the sun was slanting towards the west, the golden sunlight shone softly and warmly on the faces of the two, and the breeze was blowing gently. The two sat on the ox cart and dozed listlessly.

Kong Qing squinted his eyes and dozed off, suddenly felt a brilliant color in front of his eyes, he wiped his eyes, the corners of his mouth raised up in a good mood, it was a lotus pond, he took a closer look, the lotus powder was like clouds, white like snow, It is as red as fire, and it is so beautiful against the backdrop of green round and various lotus leaves. At this time, there is a layer of golden light from the setting sun, which is simply picturesque and wonderful.

Kong Qing jumped out of the ox cart, eyes full of joy, pointed to the lotus pond and said: "Chi Tong, look, there are lotus pods!"

Chi Tong barely raised his eyes, and Kong Qing had already run over.There are no villages or shops in front of this place. Kong Qing observed the terrain. The surrounding area is barren, and the pond is overgrown with weeds. This place is probably an abandoned pond, and the lotus and lotus pods inside should be ownerless.

The lotus is not delicate, as long as there is mud and water, it can grow, blossom and bear fruit.When the lotus pod is formed, if it is not picked by someone, it will automatically fall into the mud.In the coming year, they will take root and sprout, and after a long time, they will cover the entire abandoned fish pond.

Kong Qing approached, bent down to pick a lotus pod to eat.Suddenly, he felt a slight tremor under the lotus leaf as big as a plate, but he didn't hear any sound when he listened carefully.After a while, I wondered if there were snakes or other wild animals in the river, right?He hesitated for a moment and withdrew his hand, stood still by the river, tilting his head slightly, trying to find out what was under the trembling lotus leaf.

The trembling of the lotus leaf became more serious, as if it had been frightened.Kong Qing looked down, and he saw a dark gray corner of his clothes.Frowning slightly, how could there be clothes here?After thinking about it for a while, it must be that someone is trapped in it.

Kong Qing stopped hesitating, and simply peeled off the trembling lotus leaf, only to see a small clay figurine under the lotus leaf.He only showed one head, and saw that the lotus leaf covering him was pulled away, his small face was wrinkled into a ball, and he looked at Kongqing timidly, submissively, so he was not afraid.

Kong Qing wondered, the child was so frightened that he didn't dare to look at him, obviously he was afraid of himself.Kong Qing touched his face, not to mention how good-looking he is, but he doesn't look so fierce, why does he scare him like this.

Kong Qing was puzzled, he found that the child was in a quagmire.Although he looked flustered, he didn't call for help, and he held the lotus leaf to cover his body to prevent others from seeing him, as if he was willing to hide inside.

Seeing that he was trembling, Kong Qing bent down and asked in a good voice: "Why are you in Hechi? It's full of mud, what if you get stuck in it and can't get out?"

Stone raised his eyes to look at Kongqing, pouted his mouth and made no sound, his crystal clear eyes were full of water stains, he looked very pitiful.

Seeing that he didn't answer, Kong Qing said, "Let me help you out!" Kong Qing followed the stone's shoulder and touched the child's other hand in the mud.He grabbed the child's two hands and pulled them out vigorously. He didn't pull them out for a long while.

Kong Qing called to Chi Tong who was still dozing on the bullock cart: "Chi Tong, there is a child here, come quickly and help him out of the mud." Kong Qing didn't dare to let go, leaned forward and grabbed the stone Shoulder, afraid that he would sink deeper.

Chi Tong raised his eyes, and saw that Kong Qing was indeed holding a mud boy, jumped off the bullock cart, and walked over in strides.With one hand, the stone that could not be pulled out by Kong Qing's life was given to him all at once.

The stone was rescued, and he was covered in mud, standing at a loss.Seeing Kong Qing and Chi Tong looking at him, he felt anxious and didn't know how to respond.Suddenly, he turned around and ran like a frightened bird, but was stopped by Chi Tong, who had sharp eyes and quick hands.

Kong Qing turned around and walked across to him: "Why are you running? I won't eat you"

Shito lowered his head, stood in fear and trepidation, went back and forth without answering a word, paused for a while, and asked cautiously, "Can't you speak?"

Shi Shi tightly grasped his hand, plucked up the courage to look at Kong Qing, and saw that Kong Qing was amiable with his bare head and wearing a clear gray gown. At this time, he looked at himself with a faint smile, hesitated for a while, and then the stone shook Shake your head.

Kong Qing looked at the short and thin child in front of him, and couldn't help but said, "Why are you in the lotus pond? How dangerous!"

The stone was originally picking lotus pods on the shore, but he had no choice but to fall down when he heard the sound of a bullock cart in the distance.He was always bullied in the village, and now he was even more afraid of meeting strangers, so he simply shrunk and hid.

I don't want to be discovered, but fortunately, he was discovered, otherwise his small body, which is sinking deeper and deeper, would definitely die in this mud this time without the help of others.

Shi Shi was tongue-tied, still a little timid: "I...I fell in by accident."

Why didn't you call for help if you accidentally fell in?Instead, hide?Kong Qing looked at the timid and weak child in front of him, and didn't have the heart to continue to question him.Changed the topic to a lighter one: "Which village are you from? It's in the wilderness here, why did you come here to play?"

"Li... from Lijiacun" Shitou didn't dare to look at the tall and stern red pupils, and he didn't dare to look at Kongqing, so he lowered his head again.

Lijia Village is not very far from here, but it is a bit far for a child.There are generally no people here in the barrenness.Kong Qing looked around, but found no other children: "You alone?"

Stone rubbed the mud on his palms and nodded.

The child in front of him looked only seven or eight years old, with a thin body and a sallow and emaciated complexion.Seeing his timid voice and fearful look.Unexpectedly, he dared to come to this wilderness alone, which is really brave: "Do you often come here alone?"

Stone nodded, then shook his head again.He found this place by accident, this is his third visit.

There is nothing interesting around, just a lotus pond.Kong Qing remembered that when he went to pull out the child just now, he was still holding a lotus in his hand.Xu Shi just hurt him by Chitong, and the lotus pods in his hands fell off: "You came here to pick lotus pods?"

Shitou was already scared when he asked such a question. At this time, his heart was shocked, thinking that the lotus pond was empty, and immediately brought crying control: "I didn't mean to steal your lotus pods, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." , while bending down to apologize to Kongqing and Chitong.

Seeing this, Kong Qing frowned, he just asked casually, why the child was so frightened.He had no choice but to coax in a soft voice, "Don't panic, this lotus pond is not ours, it's wild. There is no owner, so you can pick whatever you want."

Shitou didn't even know how to wipe away his tears, so he looked at Kongqing in a daze, and then at the lotus pond behind Kongqing.It seems that I really want to pick it but I dare not go.

Kong Qing turned around and folded a lot of lotus pods for him, and stuffed them into his arms: "It's getting late, you're covered in mud again, go back earlier with the lotus pods in your arms. Next time, if you still want to pick them, don't come alone , It’s too dangerous. Find a partner or an adult at home to come with you.”

Shi Shi hugged the lotus pod in his arms again, barely able to hold the lotus pod in his arms. Looking at the lotus pod in his arms, he smiled through tears.He thanked Kongqing and Chitong, turned around and ran away holding the lotus pod.

Chitong looked at the weak back of the stone with a melancholy expression.Children from poor families are always so difficult.

Shi Shi ran for several miles with the lotus pod in his arms, and finally arrived home.His so-called home can be described as barren.The small thatched house looks crumbling, half of the roof of the house has been overturned, and the breeze is blowing into it.Lying on the dilapidated bed was an old man who was breathless. She coughed from time to time.

Shitou pushed open the old broken door, walked inside, and shouted happily: "Grandma, I'm back. Look, I've brought you a lotus pod again!"

Hearing his grandson's voice, the old man stretched out his bony arms from the worn-out quilt, and breathlessly said, "My grandson is back? He's so good, cough cough, come here and let grandma see."

Shi Shi put the lotus pod beside the bed, and he leaned closer to show Grandma Li a look.Grandma Li saw that he was covered in mud, although it was dry, it was also very dirty.Instead of blaming him, she asked with great concern, "Did you fall into the lotus pond?"

Shitou didn't want grandma to worry, so he pretended to be relaxed and said, "I didn't fall in, I just got mud accidentally when picking the lotus pods."

Grandma Li was kind-hearted and did not expose him. She coughed a few times and touched Shitou's face with distress and compassion: "It will be difficult in the future. The lotus pond is full of mud, so it's not safe."

Shi Shi changed the subject with a smile, peeled off a snow-white lotus seed, and put it in Grandma Li's mouth: "Grandma eats lotus seeds, it's so sweet!"

Grandma Li opened her mouth to eat, and patted Shitou's hand: "You eat too."

Stone smiled and ate one himself.In this way, the grandma and grandson were content to eat half of the lotus seeds.It was night, snuggled together, and fell asleep deeply.