Chapter 2. That voice was soft.
Gu Zhaochen remembered that three months ago, when Lin Shuixiang hit him, the little monk had come to persuade her. Lin Shuixiang had extorted many things from the little monk, time and again, sometimes even outright stealing.
Lin Shuixiang had laughed so hard that her mouth couldn't close, showing off the jade pendant she had hung around her neck, so he knew those were valuable items.
The little monk had even given him food, but it was always snatched away by Gu Feihuang.
On the first of last month, Lin Shuixiang had beaten him by the river, and the little monk had come to stop her. Lin Shuixiang's rattan whip had struck the little monk's face, a gash crossing over his nose, and blood immediately stained his clothes.
He thought the little monk wouldn’t come again, and he didn’t hope for his return.
Gu Zhaochen felt a bit dazed, pressing his hand against the wound, which immediately sent cold sweat pouring down him. Once his vision cleared a bit, he gritted his teeth and said to the person carrying a small backpack, “Go away, you don’t need to worry about me.”
That voice was wide and thick, yet carried a child like clarity, like a clear spring in the deep mountains. Mingjing was momentarily stunned upon hearing it. Over the past few months, he had been learning to play an instrument, and there was a choir nearby with over seventy human children, but none sounded as pleasant as this.
Ah, now is not the time to think about these things. Mingjing was genuinely happy to discover that this human cub, whom everyone called mute, could speak. However, he noticed that Gu Zhiming was drunkenly dazed, and Lin Shuixiang’s eyes were fixed on him, not hearing the child speak. So, he wisely kept quiet about it. If the human cub pretended to be mute and these two adults found out, it would surely lead to another round of beatings.
Lin Shuixiang turned her head and saw that the little monk had come again. She scoffed, “The little host is back again.”
Lin Shuixiang's attitude was relatively good, as she had a keen sense for money. This little monk had been in Qingshui Town for four months, and not only did he not beg, but he also rented the best house in town. The little monk practiced playing the piano every day, and the sounds of tinkling notes made her baby want to learn as well. When she couldn’t refuse, she inquired about the cost and was horrified to discover that just the piano was outrageously expensive, costing several thousand yuan, not to mention the years of tuition that seemed like a bottomless pit. Her family couldn’t afford it.
The little monk was different; she had heard that he even went to the city to learn chess, calligraphy, and martial arts. People had seen the two monks frequently visiting the northern mansion and the southern winery, places only the wealthy could afford. Not to mention, the little monk used a smartphone that cost five to six thousand yuan, a brand she saw advertised on TV every day, which made her envious.
Nowadays, monks were all fake monks, living lavishly without doing any work. She wondered where all that money came from—dirty money obtained through scams!
Lin Shuixiang’s eyes turned red with jealousy as she spat inwardly. Looking at the little monk, who resembled a dough ball, she forced a smile and asked, “Little host, where’s your phone?”
This little monk had come several times, and each time he had been extorted of many good things. Now he was back, which showed he must have some issues; perhaps he was a fool.
But even if he was a fool, he was a rich fool. Who wouldn’t want to get along with money? Lin Shuixiang’s thoughts shifted, and she put on a kind smile, asking, “Little host, how much money do you have?”
Mingjing blinked. Qingshui Town had this one river, and he came here every day to meditate, fish, or recite scriptures. This haystack was not far from the Gu family’s courtyard, so he often saw the human cub busy from dawn till dusk.
In the dead of winter, he washed clothes in the river, fetched water from the well, cleaned, fished, and even went to the cave to collect coal, carrying large baskets home. His days were filled with busyness, punctuated by scoldings and beatings. Sometimes he would come to the riverbank to wash himself clean, but the Gu family didn’t seem to like seeing the human cub clean; they would usually dirty him again and then beat him.
Every day was like this, day in and day out, unchanging, and even Mingjing, this fierce beast, couldn’t bear to watch it anymore.
Mingjing touched the bank card in his pocket, which contained 12,333 yuan, the earnings he had made in the four months since coming down the mountain. He wondered if it would be enough to buy this human cub.
His master had said that when helping others, one should not be overly generous and should not cause trouble for others. So, he had taken the bank card out, thinking and rethinking the outcome—his master had mentioned an institution called a welfare home, and a good welfare home wouldn’t mistreat human children. Before that, he just needed to eat a little less expensive food, take on more work, and save a bit of food to give to this human cub.
Mingjing set down his small backpack and fishing rod, took out the card, and handed it to Lin Shuixiang, saying earnestly, “There are 12,333 yuan in this card. Can I use this money to buy him?”
Over twelve thousand yuan!
Lin Shuixiang was shocked!
Beside her, Gu Zhiming, who was drunkenly dazed, suddenly jolted awake, springing over from several meters away to snatch the bank card. His voice was rough and filled with wild joy, his face contorted, “Let me see!”
“What the hell do you know? Besides drinking horse urine, what else can you do?” Lin Shuixiang snatched it back, confirming it was indeed a bank card. Her heart raced with excitement, but she was also suspicious, asking Mingjing, “Is there really that much money?”
Mingjing nodded, “A monk does not lie. This is all the money I have left. Will the Lin family master sell him to me?”
“Sell! Sell! At this price!” Twelve thousand yuan! That was a significant amount! A few years ago, someone had wanted to buy him for only two or three thousand. Gu Zhiming wanted to sell, but she hadn’t been willing. Now, it was indeed worth twelve thousand.
Lin Shuixiang’s heart raced wildly. There was an ATM right outside the Agricultural Credit Cooperative, and she knew that a little monk holding such a large sum of money was suspicious; he probably couldn’t make decisions on his own. But what did it matter? Trading this burden for over ten thousand yuan was like a pie falling from the sky. Why hesitate?
Moreover, monks were supposed to help those in need. What did they need so much money for? If she took it, what would happen? The little monk was doing this willingly; she wasn’t forcing him or robbing him.
Thinking this way, Lin Shuixiang felt it was only natural. She hurriedly said, “Little host, let’s go! We’ll go get the money right now. Our family is waiting to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner!” Lin Shuixiang was anxious; this deal had to be done quickly. What if this fool changed his mind? Once the money was in hand, even if that handsome monk came asking for it back, they wouldn’t get a single cent.
Mingjing first asked, “Does this little host have a household registration?” To live better in the human world, he had started learning to read and write, and his master had explained various rules of the human world to him. Last year, he had just finished learning some basic laws and regulations, so he understood that he needed to ask these questions. If the household registration was with Gu Zhiming, he would have to find a way to transfer it—after all, he had already been extorted by this Lin Shuixiang several times. Learning from experience, he had noted all the precautions in his little notebook.
This time, he would definitely not be extorted again.
What does such a little child know?
Lin Shuixiang was solely focused on getting the money into her hands, repeatedly saying, “No, no, we’re not deceiving you. This child was bought by Auntie for ten thousand yuan. Lin San even said this child used to be from the city, with good genes, and would definitely succeed when he grows up. Little host, don’t worry, he’s very capable when it comes to work!”
Although Mingjing was young, he had seen some of the harsh realities of the human world in these four months and knew that some humans could be insatiably greedy. So, he cautiously recited the prepared words, “I will tell the master the password, and the master can go directly to withdraw the money. However, the master must keep a distance from Gu Zhaochen in the future and must not hit or bully him. Otherwise, if I and Gu Zhaochen are unhappy, we will call the police. You know, there are cameras at the ATM for evidence. I’m still just a little child, but the master will have to pay and go to jail for the crimes of child trafficking and extortion. Have you thought this through?”
The little monk’s voice was soft and tender, yet he spoke seriously and solemnly. Lin Shuixiang and Gu Zhiming felt a chill, regretting mentioning Lin San, and a sense of fear crept into their hearts. But ultimately, they were captivated by the twelve thousand yuan, their eyes glazing over at the thought of such money, and they awkwardly replied, “No, no, the little host knows so much.”
As a Taotie, Mingjing didn’t understand at first, but through learning, he gradually comprehended that these two were so obsessed with money that the mention of compensation made them quickly deny it, clearly too scared to entangle themselves further.
This was much better.
Mingjing recited the password for them to hear.
Gu Feihuang ran out holding a corn cake, his face smeared with dough. Hearing his parents say they were going to withdraw money, he clamored to go along to buy candy and meat. Lin Shuixiang readily agreed, and the family lost interest in Gu Zhaochen, happily and excitedly heading out to the street.
Hoo! Success!
Mingjing let out a big sigh of relief. He first took out his phone from the small bag slung across his shoulder to call his master. Although he was a fierce beast, he had fallen into the human world and temporarily lost his magical powers, so he couldn’t fly or carry this human cub. After all, he was only five years old and could only call his master for help.
Mingjing squatted down, first brushing the snowflakes off the human cub, then touching his forehead, which was very cold, just like the snow on the ground. His face was pale, and he was unconscious, with only a slight rise and fall of his small chest indicating that this human cub was still alive.
His master had said that humans living on the mountain were different from those living below; those below were more afraid of the cold. He had put on a little cotton jacket, so this human cub must be very cold.
The cold wind blew fiercely. If even he felt cold, then this bleeding human cub must be even colder.
Mingjing took off his little cotton jacket, blew a couple of breaths, and covered the human cub with the jacket. It held his hand, feeling like it was grasping a piece of ice, making the child shiver uncontrollably, his teeth chattering, "A-are you okay? Are you feeling warmer yet?"
Gu Zhaochen thought he had lost all sensation, but the warmth from the being attached to him was like the sun, gradually seeping into his heart from his skin. Just a moment ago, he had been kicked in the head by Gu Zhiming, and for a brief instant, he felt as if he had already died.
He was still alive, not dead.
Gu Zhaochen took a breath, his consciousness returning somewhat. He began to think about what had happened that evening. The thought of wishing death upon the Gu family had simmered in his mind for a long time. At first, it was just a fleeting thought, but gradually it occurred more frequently, like thin rice porridge thickening into a rich congee. Over these past few months, this thought had become so intense that it was impossible to suppress.
So it was better for the little monk to stay as far away from him as possible.
Gu Zhaochen looked at the little monk in front of him, who resembled a small celestial being, and pushed him lightly, just like he had pushed Gu Feihuang, sending him tumbling into the snow. He watched the other’s stunned and bewildered face as he struggled to get up silently.
The words "welfare institution" were not unfamiliar to him, as he had been in one since he could remember, and he had once had a mom and dad.
With Gu Zhiming and Lin Shuixiang, he had a total of three "moms and dads." Each had treated him well at first, but everything was a lie; their kindness had an expiration date. One family had a sick member who needed a lot of money, and they couldn't afford to raise him, so they abandoned him at an amusement park. Another family, whose child disliked him, falsely accused him of stealing jewelry and intended to send him back to the welfare institution. Even when the police said he hadn’t stolen anything, he couldn’t stay; no one believed he wouldn’t steal. The disgusted looks they gave him, as if he were a cockroach, were something he would never forget.
Then he was sold and brought here. He thought all the nightmares had ended. He told himself to behave and perform well to earn affection, but reality shattered all his fantasies; that was just the beginning of the nightmare.
Now, he no longer needed to hope for those things. Tonight, everything would come to an end.
As the tumultuous emotions from the past gradually settled, Gu Zhaochen placed the cotton jacket over the little monk, staggered to his feet, and limped forward, dragging his painful leg. He fell to the ground but silently got back up, his pale, blood-stained face resembling a frozen river—cold, hard, and devoid of warmth.
His small footprints pressed into the snow, his little back straightened. Blood dripped from his leg, leaving a glaring trail.
Although Mingjing was a fierce beast, it could also get angry. However, it was a beast that could chant scriptures, having studied Buddhist teachings for three years and developed a sense of compassion. Even if it couldn't fully understand the thoughts and actions of the human cub, it knew that if this child continued to walk in the snow dressed so lightly, he would soon freeze to death.
Despite the fact that this human cub was always the one getting beaten, he appeared stubborn and difficult to provoke.
Mingjing felt a bit lost about what to do. It instinctively knew that reasoning with this human cub would be futile — most human children were like that, as they were still young and didn’t know how to express themselves properly. So, as a beast that had gained wisdom, chanted scriptures, and tried to integrate into human society, it needed to be more tolerant.
“Hey! You can’t leave!” Mingjing got up from the snow, brushed off the snowflakes clinging to its backside, and shouldered its little backpack again. With one hand holding a small leather bucket and the other cradling the cotton jacket, it summoned its little fierce beast authority and shouted at the child’s back, “You, human cub, are something I paid for, so you have to listen to me!”
