HPDBC Chapter 7 What service? Purchasing items
Chapter 7 What service? Purchasing items
Finally, Lin Jinian stopped in front of a "Cozy Hotel" with a pink sign.
The blackboard at the entrance reads: Today's special price, single room 80 yuan.
"This is fine."
Pushing open the door, I saw a heavily made-up middle-aged proprietress sitting behind the reception desk, cracking sunflower seeds.
Upon entering, they saw a handsome young Taoist priest.
The proprietress's eyes lit up, she tossed aside the melon seeds, and leaned forward.
The strong, cheap perfume smell almost knocked Lin Jinian over.
"Hey, handsome young man, looking for accommodation?"
The proprietress laughed heartily, her eyes scanning back and forth across Lin Jinian's handsome face.
"Um."
Lin Jinian politely took half a step back: "Are there any private rooms available? The kind that cost 80 yuan."
"Yes, yes, yes, there are plenty."
As the proprietress took out the keys, she lowered her voice and gave Lin Jinian a flirtatious wink:
"Handsome young man, are you lonely all alone at night?"
"Would you like to order anything else?"
"I can arrange a good one for you, only three or four hundred, I guarantee you'll be satisfied..."
Lin Jinian was taken aback, his brows furrowing slightly: "Service? What kind of service costs so much?"
He figured to himself that three or four hundred could buy quite a bit of rice.
Is this service gilded?
"No need, I just need to rest."
Lin Jinian refused righteously and slammed his ID card on the table.
The proprietress pursed her lips and muttered, "So unromantic."
She tossed him the keys: "Turn left to the end on the second floor, room 204."
Upon entering the room, Lin Jinian looked around.
The room was small, with only a bed, a bedside table, and an old-fashioned television.
Although the wallpaper was a bit moldy and peeling, and the sheets were stiff from washing, it was still relatively clean and tidy.
that's enough.
Lin Jinian put down his things and took a hot shower in the cramped bathroom.
The moment the hot water poured over his body, he let out a long, comfortable sigh.
It was as if all the fatigue of the day had been washed away by the flowing water.
Lying on the not-so-soft bed, listening to the rain outside the window, Lin Jinian didn't worry about making a living tomorrow for the first time.
Lin Jinian rested his head on his arm, staring at the water stains on the ceiling.
They began to seriously consider how to spend this "huge sum of money".
With a thought, incense and Taoist scriptures slowly unfolded in his mind.
[Abbot: Lin Jinian]
[Taoist Temple: Qingyun Temple (Dilapidated)]
[Incense Points: 700]
Looking at the glaring words "Qingyun Temple (Dilapidated),"
Lin Jinian muttered to himself:
"Master, we have money to buy rice."
"And that big hole in the side hall, I can patch it up when I buy some tiles..."
Just then, an indescribable, high-pitched scream suddenly came from next door.
The bed frame creaked violently as it shook.
Then came the drunken shouting and smashing of bottles in the corridor, which was so loud it gave me a headache.
Lin Jinian: "..."
This is probably the price to pay for being cheap.
He sighed, turned over and sat up, cross-legged, and began to chant softly:
"Ice has stood still for millennia, all things are still, the heart should be calm, gaze upon my solitary spirit... Heart and spirit in harmony, breath should follow..."
After reciting the calming mantra once, the restlessness in my heart gradually subsided.
That night, Lin Jinian had a very long dream.
In my dream, Qingyun Temple was no longer dilapidated, but majestic and magnificent, surrounded by purple mist.
The main hall was magnificent and resplendent, and pilgrims flocked to it, with queues stretching all the way to the foot of the mountain.
He stood before the main hall, dressed in a purple-gold Taoist robe and holding a whisk, revered and worshipped by thousands.
"Master Lin! Master Lin!"
The cheers were deafening.
……
"Beep beep—!!!"
A piercing car horn woke Lin Jinian from his dream.
He groggily opened his eyes; it was still dark outside.
The rain has stopped, and there is a damp coolness in the air.
"No matter how wonderful your dream is, you still have to catch the early bus to buy rice."
Lin Jinian chuckled self-deprecatingly, quickly got up, washed up, packed his things, and checked out of the room.
When I arrived at the bus station, I caught the first bus back to the village.
An hour later, the bus stopped on the bumpy roadside in Ningxing Town.
Lin Jinian did not return directly to the village, but went straight to the town's largest agricultural wholesale market.
The atmosphere here is lively, with the sounds of bargaining everywhere.
Lin Jinian carefully calculated and compared prices at each stall.
"Boss, how much is this rice? Can you give me a discount? I need ten pounds."
"What about noodles? Give me two bundles of these loose ones."
"I want the soybean oil in the bucket, yes, the most economical kind."
After a heated exchange, the cloth bag on Lin Jinian's back gradually bulged.
Ten catties of pearl rice, two bundles of hand-pulled noodles, and a 5L bucket of soybean oil.
After thinking for a while, he went to the general store and bought some yellow paper and cinnabar for drawing talismans, as well as incense and candles for regular offerings.
Although the system can provide talismans, these conventional items are still necessary for daily practice and performing small rituals for the villagers.
When he paid the bill, he specifically asked the owner to give him five brand new 100-yuan bills.
He carefully folded the five bright red bills and tucked them close to his body into his pocket.
When I got back on the rural bus to the entrance of Wangjia Village,
The sun was already high in the sky.
"call--"
Standing at the foot of the mountain, looking at the winding bluestone path leading upwards,
"Hey! Get up!"
Lin Jinian carried the woven bag full of supplies on his back.
Still carrying the bucket of oil, he took a deep breath and began climbing the mountain.
The weight of several dozen kilograms was a considerable challenge for this rather thin body.
But his steps were lighter than ever before.
The mountain road winds its way through the mountains.
Several villagers carrying hoes and heading to work in the fields walked towards us.
Everyone looked surprised when they saw Lin Jinian carrying large and small bags.
"Oh, isn't this Master Lin?"
A dark-skinned, thin man stopped in his tracks and asked in surprise:
"Carrying so much stuff? It's not a holiday, have you struck it rich?"
Lin Jinian stopped to catch his breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He flashed a bright smile: "Uncle Wang, I just took on a small religious ceremony to make a living."
"Good job, you've really made something of yourself!"
Uncle Wang gave a thumbs up: "Keep it up, your master will be so happy if he finds out."
After bidding farewell to the villagers, Lin Jinian continued his ascent.
Gradually, he discovered something strange.
In the past, carrying so much stuff up the mountain would require at least three or four rests and take more than two hours.
But today, although I felt tired and sweated a lot,
But his breathing remained steady, and his legs were still full of power.
I could even faintly feel a warm current flowing through my body with each breath.
"Is this the effect of the 'Auspicious Purple Qi from the East' Response Chapter?"
Lin Jinian was secretly delighted and quickened his pace.
Finally, the familiar mountain gate came into view.
The mottled plaque, the yard full of weeds, and the few wilted green vegetables in the vegetable garden next door.
Everything was so dilapidated, yet so familiar.
"call--"
Lin Jinian walked into the courtyard, unloaded the heavy woven bag from his shoulder, and placed it on the ground.
He slumped down on the threshold.
Although physically exhausted, he looked at the rice sack and oil drum.
My heart was filled with a sense of satisfaction.