In the speeding van, Shi Ruirui was driving with focused concentration.
The three of them sat in the back seat, looking out the windows with intense curiosity at the familiar yet unfamiliar streets flashing past.
“Do you believe that gods and Buddhas exist in this world?” Irene broke the silence, unable to hold back her curiosity any longer.
“I’m an atheist; I only believe in myself,” Yunjun Ye replied after a brief thought, feeling as though she had no particular preference for such matters.
“Then aren’t you quite terrifying?” Irene wrapped her arms around her chest in a feigned look of fright.
“Why do you say that?” Yunjun Ye asked, somewhat surprised that Irene held such a view.
“Didn’t some people say that atheists are the most terrifying kind of people? They dare to face anything, don’t have to shoulder the worst consequences, carry no psychological pressure, and can even look death straight in the eye without any fear whatsoever.”
Yunjun Ye dismissed it lightly with a counterargument: “That’s just the personal opinion of certain individuals. A person’s psychological sustenance doesn’t necessarily have to be placed in gods or Buddhas; it can also be anchored within oneself. Therefore, living one’s life well is the most crucial thing everything else is just external baggage and trivial matters.”
Hearing this, Irene curled her lips. “That’s just because you haven’t met someone capable of subduing you. Once you do, your psychological anchor will rest entirely on that person. Haven’t you ever heard that everything has its natural match?”
“Hahaha,” Yunjun Ye laughed out loud. “Do you think what I’ve encountered now isn’t true love? Besides, life isn’t just about romance. While relationships can be trying, they are only a very small part of life.”
After listening, Irene didn’t say anything more. She didn’t have such grand philosophies to share, and she knew she certainly couldn’t argue with Yunjun Ye, so she turned her gaze toward Angie.
Angie had been listening all along without speaking. Feeling the inquiring gazes of the two, she smiled faintly and began: “This is simply a matter of personal belief. Personally, I do believe in gods and Buddhas.”
“Then have you gained any profound life philosophies from that? Tell us about them,” Irene said, staring at Angie curiously. Someone like Angie gentle as water and not easily angered was someone whose self-control was truly to be envied.
“How could I possibly have penetrated the mysteries of life? I just live based on my own understanding,” Angie said, feeling slightly intimidated by Irene’s intensely earnest and inquisitive gaze, her tone growing a bit faint.
“Then tell us about your understanding. I always feel like you never get angry. Someone like me finds it so hard to control my temper; when it all comes down to it, it must be a lack of personal understanding,” Irene pressed on, feeling a bit impatient. Having finally encountered someone so gentle, how could she pass up the chance to learn a few secrets?
In truth, Yunjun Ye was also somewhat curious. How could such a seemingly quiet and fragile woman muster up such immense energy when facing adversity? For instance, when Angie’s first marriage came to an end, she hadn’t feared public opinion and had resolutely taken the matter to court, creating a massive public sensation. That was not something an ordinary woman could accomplish especially during an era when societal attitudes weren’t nearly as open-minded. Although Yunjun Ye didn’t pay much attention to gossip, the scandal had been so enormous that major entertainment news outlets had plastered it across their front pages for days. It was practically common knowledge, making it impossible not to know.
Therefore, Yunjun Ye chimed in to support Irene: “Teacher Angie, both of us have experienced very little. Surely you wouldn’t keep these insights from communicating with us, right? Otherwise, we’re bound to make a lot of unnecessary detours!”
Yunjun Ye figured Angie was the kind of kind-hearted person who would inevitably soften if she painted a slightly pitiful picture.
Just as Yunjun Ye expected, Angie was momentarily at a loss for words. She gave Yunjun Ye a helpless look before slowly replying: “I don’t have any grand life philosophies to share. It’s just that I’m a few years older than you both, and having seen and experienced more things, I’ve been tempered into this state.”
“Mm, mm, mm. Exactly,” Yunjun Ye nodded in agreement with bright, sparkling eyes.
Irene also put on an expression of rapt attention.
Angie looked at the two of them, swallowed nervously yet helplessly, and could only bite the bullet and continue: “Personally, I truly live by one specific sentence.”
“What sentence?” Yunjun Ye asked eagerly.
“Oh, Yezi, stop interrupting and let Teacher Angie speak,” Irene chided, giving Yunjun Ye a playful tap.
“Actually, it’s nothing profound just a very common saying: ‘Do good deeds diligently, and leave the future to fate.’”
“Do good deeds diligently, and leave the future to fate,” Yunjun Ye and Irene both murmured silently to themselves.
Watching the two of them deep in thought, Angie continued: “Buddhism places the greatest emphasis on the cycle of cause and effect; the seed you plant determines the fruit you reap. I believe that only by single-mindedly doing good can we invite blessings in the future. By continuously accumulating virtue and doing good deeds, striving to correct our bad habits, and planting seeds of kindness and beauty, the moment conditions mature is when blessings arrive. Therefore, just focus on doing good things and don’t worry about the rest. Being able to help others is true happiness.”
Fearing that she might mislead the two of them, Angie tried her best to keep her words positive, though these thoughts genuinely reflected her inner beliefs.
“In that way, life becomes filled with inspiring goals, motivating us to keep moving forward and upward every day rather than falling into degradation.”
Yunjun Ye looked at Angie in astonishment. What kind of soul was hidden beneath this delicate exterior?
Angie’s love had long surpassed the petty affection between individuals; she seemed almost like a devout pilgrim of love, devoid of any trace of small-minded feminine pettiness.
Yunjun Ye already knew Angie was kind, but as it turned out, her kindness was given without ever expecting a reward. As for Irene’s remark about “everything having its natural match,” Yunjun Ye wondered if Angie had ever met hers. If she had, would she still maintain this mindset? Would she still remain as serene as water?
While the three of them were still discussing, the van came to a silent halt.
“According to the navigation, we should have arrived,” Shi Ruirui turned around and announced to the three of them.
Each of the three turned their heads to look out the window, where the three large characters “Ci’an Temple” came into view.
Stepping out of the car, Angie immediately felt the ethereal tranquility of the temple. Far from the hustle and bustle of the downtown area, the millennium-old temple was enveloped in a serene, charming, and Zen-filled atmosphere that instantly quieted the soul.
The surroundings were peaceful and tranquil, with swaying emerald cypresses. The towering ancient trees could not conceal the spiritual energy accumulated by the Zen temple, nor could the pavilions and halls hide the quiet radiance of stillness. The entire temple looked like a silhouette floating above drifting clouds, appearing exceptionally solemn and serene.
Although it was already mid-afternoon, the sound of bells and drums intertwined with the burning of incense, as if transcending a thousand years of time to guard an original state of mind.
“Originally there is not a single thing, where can dust alight?” This was Yunjun Ye’s first impression upon entering Ci’an Temple.
Even though she didn’t believe in gods or Buddhas, enveloped in such an atmosphere, Yunjun Ye found herself growing as devout as Angie. She simply wished to bathe in even the faintest aura of this place, hoping to remain happily steadfast amidst the smoke and dust of the mortal world.