Chapter 3, I am the fish and meat

Wei Dongting was merely teasing and scaring her, but when their eyes suddenly met, he couldn't help but be taken aback for a moment

Yun Fei missed her strike and raised her hand to scratch his face, but Wei Dongting caught her wrist with his hand and leaned down slightly

Acong lamented: "Sister, my nose is congested, my mouth is dry and bitter, I really want to drink a bowl of hot fresh fish soup"

Wei Dongting vaguely sensed a lingering gaze on her back. Suddenly turning around, she caught her in the act of stealing a glance.

Does the young lady not know that among all the sins, the crime of killing is the most severe, and among all the merits, the act of releasing life is the foremost

Yun Fei's face flushed red, and she hurriedly averted her gaze, lowering her head to continue fishing. Unfortunately, she still did not catch a single fish, which left her quite disheartened

Wei Dongting looked down from above, only able to see a small face the size of a palm and a delicate, pointed nose. The blush on her cheeks gradually deepened, resembling clouds of rosy hues layering upon one another. Her bashful appearance was truly both amusing and beautiful

Yun Fei ran wildly back to the meditation room in the backyard, her heart racing chaotically, and all of her wonderful first impressions of Wei Dongting had vanished.

In a moment of mischief, he suddenly reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, asking with a half-smile, "The strong are respected; at this moment, I am the strong one. Does that mean I can do as I please to you, the weak?" He could not outsmart her, but returning the favor in kind was always his forte.

It is truly disrespectful to engage in meat consumption within the temple. Yun Fei did not wish to disturb anyone and quietly found a broken winnowing basket in the courtyard outside the meditation room, making her way towards the bamboo grove alone. If she could catch some fish, she would have Fu Ling set up a fire outside to boil some soup for A Cong to satisfy his cravings; if not, then so be it.

Yun Cong kicked off the quilt at night and caught a bit of a chill. With no appetite to begin with, seeing only thin porridge and pickled vegetables made her face look as if she had swallowed a bitter herb. She reluctantly drank a few sips of the porridge, then weakly crawled back into bed, biting the corner of the quilt and listlessly smacking her lips, imagining that she was gnawing on bones

At this moment, Yun Cong's words echoed in her ears

She tilted her face upwards, leaning against his arm, her bright and sparkling eyes exuding a captivating aura. The leaves of the bodhi tree were so green they seemed to drip with emerald, and that touch of green in the light and shadow appeared to be imprinted in her gaze, creating a stunning brilliance reminiscent of shimmering ink and floating green. He vaguely felt as if he were being drawn into a pool of azure waves.

As she watched his handsome brows lower, as if he were about to kiss her, Yun Fei was so frightened that her complexion turned pale, and her heart nearly stopped beating

He glanced at her a few times across the stream, then walked up the mountain with the four people behind him

She ran swiftly while holding up her skirt, fearing that he would catch up to her. The crimson hem of her dress was lifted by the wind, resembling a dancing pomegranate flower, while the half-visible verdant mountains seemed to be illuminated by this vibrant hue

Yun Fei pinched his nose and said: "A Cong, be good. In a couple of days, when father comes to take us back, you can have whatever you want to eat. There is no meat in the temple"

There are many fish there, and it is just a small pond, making it much easier to catch than these slippery wild fish. She stood in the stream, entangled in her conflicting thoughts for a long time, and finally could not resist Yun Cong's pitiful pleas, so she took a scoop and returned to the Jingtu Temple

In the northwest corner of the temple is a vegetable garden tended by the monks, with a Bodhi tree planted along the wall, and beneath it lies a small release pond. Due to the rain, there are hardly any worshippers in the temple. The vegetable garden is even quieter, as if even the wind has ceased.

Yun Fei raised her face and said: "If the Moksasa can sacrifice itself to feed the tiger, why can’t these fish sacrifice themselves to feed humans? If they can thus escape the path of beasts, would that not be a meritorious deed? In this world, the strong are revered, and there is a saying that 'humans are the knife and the meat, I am the fish and the flesh,' indicating that fish are meant to be eaten by humans"

It truly feels like running to the mountains only to die of exhaustion; Yun Fei is so tired that her waist aches and her eyes are blurry. She supports her waist, trying to stand up and take a break, and as she lifts her head, she happens to see a few people walking out from the bamboo forest across from her.

Alas, silver is still the most beloved; silver notes are just silver notes, and ingots are just ingots

The first time I met him, to be honest, I was quite taken aback.

She walked towards the bamboo forest, gradually, the sun rose, and sunlight scattered across the mountains and fields like fragments of gold. The stream, swollen after the rain, was very full, with scattered fallen flowers occasionally drifting across the surface of the water

Sister, there are many, many fish in the release pond

The mountain wind rustles his robe, and the tranquil green bamboo forest serves as the most natural and elegant backdrop. He seems to have stepped out from a painting of deep emerald and light azure, exuding an indescribable elegance and nonchalance

Amidst the fresh and verdant branches and leaves on both sides of the mountain path, droplets of rain, as clear as dew, occasionally fall, pattering on the moss-covered bluestone. The stream flows gently over the stone slabs beside the road, and the occasional chirping of birds adds to the tranquility of the empty mountains

Wei Dongting looked at her figure and couldn't help but let a faint smile appear at the corners of his lips: A weak woman? A wild girl is more like it.

He raised his eyebrows: "Did the master in the temple agree?"

Yun Fei noticed that he seemed a bit unwell, so she sat down in front of the bed and gently patted his little head, asking, "Acon, what is wrong with you?"

Due to bending over for too long, at the moment she straightened up, she saw spots of golden stars flying before her eyes, so that later, every time she recalled the first time she met Wei Dongting, she always felt that he was surrounded by a halo of golden light

As the power of cloud governance grows stronger, her freedom diminishes increasingly, unlike her childhood in the county town, where she often played in the countryside with her grandfather. During that time, she had witnessed fishermen catching fish many times. With her imagination, she believed that it would be as simple as scooping them up with a winnowing basket.

In a moment of realization, she recalled only a few words: "Xiao Xiao Su Su, Shuang Lang Qing Ju." At the time she encountered these words in a book, they held no concrete meaning for her; it was only upon seeing him that she understood their true significance

What is "Xiao Xiao Su Su Shuang Lang Qing Ju", the exterior is all deceptive

Her quick wit and eloquence indeed surprised Wei Dongting, who could only respond: "Fish without an owner cannot be caught casually"

"Hmph, if you can't argue with me, you resort to violence. What kind of skill is it for a man to bully a weak woman?" Yun Fei's face flushed red with anger, and she threw down a remark before turning and running away. Those who know how to adapt to the situation are the true talents; she would not continue to confront him head-on.

Yun Fei's gaze was unknowingly drawn to him; his steps were vigorous and powerful. As he walked, one could even faintly sense a surging strength emanating from beneath his clothing. Even on the muddy mountain path, he moved with the ease of a leisurely stroll.

The mountains are covered in lush greenery, and as I gaze into the distance, the peaks rise and fall in layers, with thousands of mountains cloaked in verdant hues. Although Lotus Flower Mountain is not a renowned towering mountain with steep cliffs, it possesses a unique charm of delicate beauty.

She entered through the side door, quietly walked to the release pond, clasped her hands together, and silently recited: "Bodhisattva, forgive me, I only wish to catch a small fish to make some fish soup for my brother."

Do you now understand the feeling of being at the mercy of others, like fish on a chopping board, where the weak are arbitrarily bullied by the strong?" He smiled slightly at her, his eyes sharp and piercing, as if they could see straight into one's heart, exuding an overwhelming and captivating dominance.

The surroundings were extremely quiet, and unexpectedly, a person stood silently behind her! Yun Fei was so startled that she almost cried out. When she turned around, she discovered it was the man who had just walked out of the bamboo forest. She felt both embarrassed and awkward, as if she had been caught red-handed in the act of stealing, and hurriedly took out the dustpan. The water from the pond dripped wetly onto her feet as she stood before the tall and upright Wei Dongting, stammering an explanation: "My brother is ill and needs to drink fish soup. I just couldn't catch any in the stream, so..."

Yun Fei argued: "This fish was placed here by those devotees who offered incense. To the masters of the temple, everything is an external possession, and this fish is naturally not theirs; it should be considered as an ownerless object."

Yun Fei was caught off guard as he suddenly embraced her, feeling both shy and startled. Without hesitation, she raised the dustpan in her hand and struck it towards his head.

Wei Dongting did not expect that this little girl was indeed sharp-tongued and eloquent. With her pair of bright, sparkling big eyes and a stubborn, unyielding demeanor, she was truly quite amusing

The spring rain fell persistently throughout the night, only ceasing in the early morning hours

Wei Dongting waved his hand, and that broken dustpan rolled away with a clatter, as he stood by with his arms crossed, not intending to help her

He deliberately teased her: "But you can't secretly release the fish from the pond, can you?"

Yun Fei stood by the stream, bent down to take a look, and indeed saw the shadow of a small fish darting by in the water. She happily took off her shoes, rolled up her pant legs, and stepped into the stream.

A droplet of water, flung up by a dustpan, hung at the tip of his brow, and at that moment, it fell precisely onto her cheek. In a state of extreme tension, she was so startled by this tiny droplet that she blinked. Only then did he awaken from the gaze in her eyes and hurriedly release her.

Yun Fei looked at his greedy expression, feeling both speechless and heartbroken. Suddenly, she remembered that there was a small stream by the bamboo forest along the mountain path, and perhaps there would be fish. An idea struck her, and she smiled: "Just wait for a moment."

Yun Cong resembled a little mouse that had been hungry for three hundred days, staring with a pair of bright, round eyes at the books, swallowing saliva and saying: "Sister, I really want to eat meat"

The cool stream gently caressed her calves, bringing a sense of comfort, while the lush green mountains and clear waters allowed her to rediscover a long-lost joy. Since moving from Xiang County to Jingzhou seven years ago, she had not experienced such a carefree connection with nature.

Yun Fei initially wanted to defend herself but turned to leave instead. However, the word "steal" struck her like a sharp sword, leaving her utterly ashamed. Blushing, she said, "I did not steal."

After washing up, Fuling and Baishao brought over the vegetarian meal

Yun Cong immediately held her hand with great excitement: "Sister, there are so many fish in the release pond."

He swallowed his saliva, his eyes shining brightly. Yun Fei was both amused and exasperated, giving his little head a gentle tap: "You little glutton, you dare to have designs on the fish in the release pond."

She held the dustpan, cautiously reaching into the water, feeling a bit guilty as if she were stealing, and was quite nervous. Just at that moment, someone suddenly said from behind her: "Miss, are you trying to steal fish?"

Who knows that she, holding a dustpan, bent over in the water for half a day, yet caught not a single fish. The fish in these mountains and fields are both thin and agile, swimming back and forth as if teasing her, refusing to offer themselves to the dustpan for Yun Cong's enjoyment.

Yun Fei pushed open the window, and a refreshing and cool breeze blew against her face. The distant mountains, washed by the spring rain, appeared bright and clear, resembling a massive emerald. She gazed at the small puddles on the ground outside the window and thought to herself: After the rain, the mountain roads will be difficult to traverse; it seems that Father will not come to pick them up today.

Yun Fei, feeling unconvinced, said: "The Buddha said that all living beings are equal. Fish in the river and fish in the release pond are both fish. Why can fish in the wild be caught and consumed by people, while fish in the release pond cannot?"

Yun Dingquan is surrounded by martial artists, and Yun Fei has a strong intuition that he must possess martial arts skills