Chapter 77: Wishing to Buy Osmanthus and Share Wine, But It Can Never Compare to Youthful Wandering
Many people stared fixedly at the couplet. The parallelism, the imagery—it was simply extraordinary! It captured the essence of the Solitary Mountain Temple’s surroundings with remarkable vividness. Especially the lower line: “The universe stands firm, alone a pillar bracing the currents.” With just a glance, one felt a majestic and overwhelming aura wash over them.
Solitary Mountain Temple sits at the heart of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Lake. If it isn’t the pillar amidst the currents, what is it? It stands as steadfast as the universe itself. That sense of fantasy, the wild and primordial feeling, and the resolute immovability—all were palpable.
Master Xu Zijian, a scholar of classical studies, felt he could never write such a couplet in his lifetime.
The abbot, forsaking the demeanor of an enlightened monk, strode directly to the Jade Buddha, picked it up as casually as an egg, then briskly walked over to Shen Xian, thrusting the Jade Buddha into his hands.
In his grasp, treasure held no more value than an ordinary egg.
Everyone was dumbstruck.
“How could I possibly accept this?” Shen Xian said, smiling as he held the Jade Buddha.
The abbot’s eyes flickered. “If you feel embarrassed, then perhaps you could write another couplet.”
At these words, the crowd could not help but inwardly comment.
Who said monks were guileless? The abbot of Solitary Mountain Temple had eight hundred tricks up his sleeve, didn’t he?
“You won’t write for nothing,” the abbot said, and removed a golden ring from his finger.
It was densely engraved with scriptures, both inside and out, and could rotate. On one side, a Buddha was carved.
It bore the Heart Protection Sutra, and its full name was the Personal Buddha Heart Protection Rotating Ring, forged from gold, with five or six centuries of history—a true antique.
Its auction value exceeded several million, no less than the Jade Buddha.
“My goodness, it’s the Personal Buddha ring!”
“Over six hundred years old, a Buddhist antique!”
“There are only a dozen or so in existence. The last one auctioned overseas fetched eight million!”
Many eyes were wide with awe; for the first time, they felt the joy of possessing culture.
Shen Xian held the Jade Buddha in his left hand, the Heart Protection Rotating Ring in his right, then nodded with a smile. “Very well, I’ll write another.”
He walked over to the screen, picked up the brush, and wrote another couplet.
Upper line: “The brisk air blows from the west, clouds and mist swept away as heaven and earth quake;”
Lower line: “The great river flows eastward, its waves washing away sorrows ancient and modern.”
This was the couplet written by Su Shi for Yellow Crane Tower, whose geographic setting closely resembles Solitary Mountain Temple or Golden Mountain Temple.
The Ten Thousand Buddhas Lake connects to the Yangtze River, so “the great river flows eastward” fits perfectly for any temple in the Ten Thousand Buddhas Mountain scenic area.
Xu Zijian gazed at the couplet, his eyes misty.
It was simply brilliant!
The onlookers buzzed with excitement, their eyes filled with admiration for Shen Xian.
Knowledge is indeed wealth.
The abbot’s eyes gleamed, his whole body trembling with excitement, pleased at his own quick wit.
Why hadn’t the abbot of Golden Mountain Temple thought to press the same person for more?
“Could you write again? I still have treasures,” the abbot said eagerly.
Shen Xian smiled. “Not for now.”
Though disappointed, the abbot did not insist. He knew that such couplets could not be produced at will.
“Thank you, benefactor. Amitabha,” the abbot bowed to Shen Xian, then hurried back inside the temple.
He was preparing to find someone to inscribe the couplets and hang them as soon as possible.
Shen Xian knelt down and hung the Jade Buddha around Qingqing’s neck. “I hope you’ll always be happy.”
Everyone watched with envy.
“Thank you, Daddy,” Qingqing said, cradling the Jade Buddha in her little hands.
Behind them, Lin Zhixia couldn’t hold back. She stepped forward and said to Shen Xian, “Shen Xian, may I have a word with you?”
Shen Xian shook his head. “Sorry, I don’t have time. I have to take care of my daughter.”
A mist formed in Lin Zhixia’s eyes, tears glimmering. “I’ll only take two minutes.”
Shen Xian considered for a moment. “Let’s talk over there.”
Under the banyan tree, Shen Xian holding Qingqing walked over, with Lin Zhixia following.
The two stood together like an immortal couple.
“I’m facing a problem now. My cousin Lin Zhiyin is doing better and better, while I’ve stagnated for years. Grandmother’s birthday is next month. She’s a devout Buddhist, and I must give her a proper gift.”
“She lacks nothing materially, but she does lack something spiritually.”
“So, whether it’s the gold bead, the Jade Buddha, or the Heart Protection Rotating Ring, could you let me have one?”
By the end, Lin Zhixia was already on the verge of tears, gazing pitifully at Shen Xian.
In the past, seeing her like this, Shen Xian would have felt heartbroken and agreed to anything.
He looked up at Lin Zhixia, his voice soft. “But we ended long ago.”
“Shen Xian, I know you’ve always loved me most, haven’t you? If you love me that much, you wouldn’t want to see me suffer, right?” Lin Zhixia gripped Shen Xian’s right hand in agitation.
Her hand was cold and soft.
This was their first physical contact in ten years since they parted.
Shen Xian sighed. “Lin Zhixia, what I want to tell you is that I have no interest in who you are now, but I can’t forget who you were.”
Lin Zhixia was stunned, unable to comprehend what he meant.
“In other words, in my memory, no one compares to the you I remember—not even you now,” Shen Xian said.
The allure of the idealized love is that, in memory, it is always perfect. Even if the person themselves returns, it will never be the same.
“Is there any difference?” Lin Zhixia asked blankly, glancing back at Xu Zijian as he approached, but ignoring him.
Shen Xian looked at the face he once longed for and was tormented by. “My state of mind has changed. To buy osmanthus and carry wine together—never again is it the youthful journey.”
Lin Zhixia didn’t understand, but said, “I sincerely apologize for having hurt you. I don’t expect your forgiveness, but I hope you’ll help me. We can exchange equally, can’t we?”
Shen Xian smiled and shook his head. “Lin Zhixia, you know me. You can call me magnanimous or petty, vengeful. I may be a good person, but that doesn’t mean I do good deeds. Your verbal apology is useless.”
Lin Zhixia’s gaze cooled. “Then tell me, what should I do?”
Look, she had lost her patience.
At that moment, Shen Xian realized Lin Zhixia was really no different from anyone else.
All along, what had trapped him was his own earnest youth.
But that earnest self was gone, too.
Time never erases everything. It merely filters out what doesn’t belong.
From this moment, Lin Zhixia and that earnest self had both been filtered away.
Shen Xian’s gaze deepened. “You must feel as hurt as I do. Only then is it an apology.”
Lin Zhixia said nothing harsh, only looked at Shen Xian with remarkable calm.
She sensed his change and felt a pang in her heart.
For the first time, she thought she might have lost something important.
“Xiao Shen, shall we visit the Magpie Bridge View?” Xu Zijian walked over and asked.
“Let’s go.” Shen Xian nodded, carrying Qingqing away.
Lin Zhixia watched Shen Xian’s departing figure, regret rising within her.
As she grew and met more people, she suddenly realized the sixteen-year-old Shen Xian had loved her most, and those feelings were the purest.
She finally understood Shen Xian’s words—“To buy osmanthus and carry wine together—never again is it the youthful journey.”
“Was I wrong?”
“I suppose I was.”
“Can I make amends?”
“Yes.”
“Can he still love me?”
“Yes.”
In Lin Zhixia’s mind, two little figures conversed.
Then her eyes became resolute, and she followed Shen Xian.
Elsewhere, time rewound to two in the afternoon—the Voice of Huaxia live concert.
After Liu Ruyun finished singing, it was finally Zhou Wan’s turn to perform!