Chapter 6. A White Rabbit Candy

Mingjing ran to the Gu family’s yard, where she saw Qin Xue showcasing the new costume that Grandpa Qin had bought for her.

Qin Xue was eight years old this year, towering over Mingjing by more than a head. Dressed in a red cotton jacket with two horn-braid pigtails, she twirled in the snow, wearing a long red robe with flowing sleeves. Her round face and bright, sparkling eyes shone as she asked, "Isn't it pretty...?"

Qin Xue loved playing with the little monk because she was the only one who would listen seriously to her sing. However, the little monk was often not at home and was very busy, making it hard for her to catch her. As soon as she saw the lights in the courtyard turn on, she would come over to sing for her.

Mingjing nodded, "It's pretty." This made the human cub very happy.

"Dear, his uncle and his second uncle are all his uncles. The high table and low stool are all made of wood. Gold nuggets and silver nuggets are still not enough. Heaven is above, and the earth is below. You kids, don’t be too proud, hey hey..."

Qin Xue sang a verse while holding her hands, eagerly asking, "Mingjing, does it sound good? This is what Grandpa just taught me!"

"It sounds good."

Mingjing was genuinely amused because this human cub sang such a rough and high-pitched tune with her tender voice, making it sound joyful and interesting.

In Qin Xue's eyes, the little monk was both clever and honest. If she said it sounded good, then it truly was good.

Qin Xue burst into laughter, like a little bird that had just escaped from its cage, joyfully flying around. Mingjing couldn't help but smile back, her eyes crescent-shaped with delight.

She had met Qin Xue on the second day after arriving in Qingshui Town. At that time, she was chanting scriptures in the park while Grandpa Qin was taking Qin Xue for a stroll. Mingjing held a wooden fish, and Qin Xue had a clapper in her hands. Curious about the clapper, Mingjing was intrigued, while Qin Xue was interested in the wooden fish. They introduced each other's treasures, thus forming a friendship.

Mingjing was usually very busy, often following her master around. Qin Xue's house was diagonally opposite the Shanshui Courtyard, making her the human cub Mingjing spoke to the most.

She had even prepared a farewell gift, a book she had chosen from a bookstore when she went to Haihe. Qin Xue would surely like it.

However, before she could take out the gift, Qin Xue's mother called for her.

Upon hearing her mother's voice, Qin Xue hurriedly rolled up her little costume and hid it in her down jacket. "My parents don’t like me singing. If they see it, they’ll scold me. Mingjing, don’t let it slip!"

Mingjing had just nodded when Qin Xue's mother rushed in, pulling Qin Xue along as she walked out. "Why are you still hanging out with this little monk? What are you singing with him for? Have you finished your homework? You spend all day with wild kids, what good will come of it?"

Dragged along, Qin Xue struggled and protested, "Mom, are your glasses not strong enough to tell good from bad? Mingjing is a good child! Last month, when Grandpa got sick and was sent to the hospital, you weren’t around. If it weren't for Mingjing taking me in, I would have frozen or starved to death!"

"Who are you cursing at, you little brat? Didn’t your grandfather thank her properly? Just don’t always hang out with him. Focus on your studies, or your dad will beat you!"

Qin Xue's mother's voice was deliberately lowered, mixed in with the rising sounds of firecrackers. Mingjing couldn’t hear clearly, but she could sense that Qin Xue's parents didn’t like her, especially when Qin Xue came to find her.

The women in the town were like tigers; some were gentle and kind, while others were fiercer. Qin Xue's mother was the kind that could be both nurturing and fierce at times...

Mingjing puzzledly touched her little bald head, unable to understand and deciding not to dwell on it. She politely escorted Qin Xue and her mother to the gate, then turned to go inside but froze when she saw something in the corner.

The gate of the Shanshui Courtyard was wooden, with stone lions at the entrance and several steps leading up. In the innermost corner against the wall lay a black plastic bag, and a trail of small footprints stretched westward, not yet fully covered by the falling snow, indicating that the items had likely just been placed there.

Mingjing stepped down the stairs and glanced in the direction of the footprints for a moment. Not seeing anyone, she turned back.

The bag was covered with a piece of cardboard, which had the words "Return to the little monk" neatly written on it.

Mingjing clasped her hands together and said "Amitabha," then picked up the cardboard and opened the bag.

Inside, there was a bank card and some cash—hundred, fifty, twenty, and ten yuan bills—all present. At the very bottom lay a jade pendant of Guanyin, which Benefactor Lin had said would prevent them from hitting Gu Zhaochen, so she had given the pendant to Benefactor Lin.

Mingjing also found a white rabbit candy [1] in the bag. This candy had probably been wrapped for a long time, as the wrapper was nearly torn. It wasn't hers.

Holding the candy, Mingjing felt a bit anxious.

Because if this human cub returned these items, he would definitely face a beating from those two benefactors.

He was already gravely injured, and her master had said that if it got any worse, this human cub would lose his life.

If they discovered that the money was missing, Gu Zhiming and Lin Shuixiang would really beat this human cub to death.

Mingjing felt a surge of anxiety in her heart. She rushed into the house to tell her master that she was going to find Gu Zhaochen, not even taking the time to put on her down jacket. Grabbing the bag and her phone, she hurriedly ran toward the Gu family.

"Go ahead," Luoqing Shu replied. Besides the phone watch on her wrist, the little monk's phone, the buttons on her clothes, and the decorative studs on her socks and shoes were all tracking devices and listening devices. If anything unusual happened, an alarm would go off here. This was one of the reasons Luoqing Shu felt at ease letting the little monk run around outside.

However, Gu Zhiming and Lin Shuixiang were somewhat deranged, and Luoqing Shu felt uneasy. Seeing the little monk dash off and quickly disappear, he took his own down jacket and followed behind to the Gu family.

Mingjing summoned the speed of her life, as if being chased by wolves in the mountains, and rushed to the Gu family's door, panting as she knocked.

"Gu Zhaochen!"

"Benefactor Lin! Benefactor Gu! The little monk has come to deliver money!"

The Gu family's door was tightly locked. Mingjing knocked for quite a while but received no response. Outside, a long string of firecrackers hung from the eaves, crackling loudly and ringing in her ears. She couldn't hear any sounds from inside, and the people inside probably couldn't hear her knocking or shouting either.

Mingjing, anxious and sweating in the cold winter, circled around the Gu family's courtyard wall. She discovered a small hole at the bottom of the left courtyard wall. Not afraid of the cold, dirt, or getting dirty, she immediately lay down and squeezed through.

"Benefactor Gu! Benefactor Lin! The money is here—"

Mingjing burst into the house with a face full of mud, and upon seeing the blood-stained drag marks in the Gu family's courtyard, her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. The human cub must not be harmed!

Mingjing kicked open the door to the Gu family's living room and was momentarily stunned by the scene inside before quickly regaining her composure!

"Gu Zhaochen!"

Mingjing shouted almost breathlessly, "Come here quickly! Don't do anything stupid!"

The strong smell of liquor filled the Gu family's living room, and the floor was covered with straw. The three benefactors of the Gu family were tied to chairs, with Lin Shuixiang and Gu Feihuang even having passed out.

Gu Zhaochen was twisting the valve on the gas canister.

Next to Gu Feihuang was a small stove used for heating, with glowing coals emitting a bright red light, making Mingjing's heart race. She didn't dare to run around the room.

There shouldn't be so much straw and liquor in the room, especially with a gas canister being twisted in such a confined space. Her master had taught her these basic life lessons long ago, so Mingjing understood how dangerous the situation was and realized what Gu Zhaochen was trying to do.

He wanted to end his life along with these three benefactors! [2]

Mingjing immediately ran over and pulled away the human cub who had lost his mind. When she saw that Lin Shuixiang, Gu Zhiming, and Gu Feihuang were all convulsing, twitching, and struggling to breathe, she realized they must have been poisoned. Without hesitation, she dialed 120 for emergency medical assistance, quickly relaying the address, the cause, and the number of people affected. Simultaneously, she grabbed the burning brazier and carried it out to the open courtyard. Afterward, she returned to the house and opened the windows.

Gu Zhaochen tried to push the little monk out the door. "This has nothing to do with you. Leave now."

Gu Zhiming, drifting in and out of consciousness, heard voices around him. He struggled to wake up and, recognizing the little monk he had met earlier in the day, felt a surge of desperate relief. Fighting against his bindings, he croaked out, "…Cough… little master, go call someone to save us! This wild brat has gone insane! He's trying to kill us! He poisoned the food and wants to burn the entire family alive. No, little benefactor, untie me first, untie me now!"

Gu Zhiming's tongue was so stiff it curled up, making his words slurred and barely intelligible. His saliva soaked a large patch of his shirtfront.

Mingjing hurried over, first untying the tightly knotted ropes on Gu Zhiming's back. Then, with great effort, she helped him up from the floor, panting heavily as she reassured him, "I've already called 120. The doctor said they'll arrive in ten minutes. Benefactor Gu, please hold on. I'll help induce vomiting first—try to expel as much of the food as possible; it might make you feel a little better..."

Gu Zhaochen stood silently watching, his pocket still holding a spare lighter. All he needed to do was take it out, ignite it, and toss it to the ground, and everything would come to an end.

But the little monk was here. The little monk had clearly realized what he intended to do. He was busy opening the windows, making phone calls, and finally untying Gu Zhiming's ropes. He was so out of breath from running back and forth that his forehead was drenched with sweat.

Gu Zhaochen gripped the lighter tightly, momentarily unsure of what to do. He couldn't start the fire—not with the little monk here, who might get hurt.

Gu Zhiming, struggling to remain conscious, pushed the little monk away the moment he was freed. Glaring furiously, he tried to lunge at Gu Zhaochen but collapsed to the ground, too weak to stand. Writhing in pain, he cursed incessantly. In his struggles, he spotted his phone. Overjoyed, he grabbed it and dialed 110. The moment the call connected, he burst into tears and wails.

"Hello, is this 110... Police officer, please save my family! There's a little bastard trying to poison us all to death... The address? It's Gu Zhiming's house, at the edge of Qinghe Town... Number 211, Qinghe Town... Yes, officer, please hurry! This little lunatic has completely lost it. My son is foaming at the mouth, about to die, and I’m on the verge too!"

Gu Zhaochen rushed over to support the little monk, pursing his lips as he said, "You should leave. They are not good people, and neither am I. Don't get involved in this. The police will be here soon."

Mingjing could see that he wanted to end it all with this family and in this house, but it shouldn't be like this.

Mingjing shook her head, got up from the ground, and went to check on Lin Shuixiang and Gu Feihuang. While quickly inducing vomiting for Gu Feihuang, she anxiously said, "Gu Zhaochen, the average lifespan for humans is eighty years, and it may even be longer in the future. You are only eight years old now, which is just one-tenth of your life. These past years have been unhappy, but are you really going to give up the next seventy years because of those eight unhappy years? That doesn't make sense. Just think about it; you are only eight years old now, small and weak, unable to do much. But when you grow to ten, fifteen, or even eighteen years old, won't you be able to stand up for yourself against Gu Zhiming?"

When she was very small, she would lose her rationality and eat things she shouldn't, causing her master to suffer alongside her. When she bit her master and realized what she had done, she felt deeply sad and guilty, even wishing she could disappear. Her master had taught her this seriously; she was still young and couldn't control herself, but as she grew day by day, couldn't she strive harder to learn self-control?

She had succeeded now, and she believed Gu Zhaochen could do it too. "When you grow up, you'll have the chance to become strong, and no one will be able to bully you."

Gu Zhiming and Lin Shuixiang were truly bad people, ones that even she, a little Taotie who liked humans and practiced Buddhism, disliked. But the books she had read and the knowledge she had learned told her that she couldn't let the three of them die at the hands of this human child.

He was only eight years old! Did he really have to carry the weight of three lives for the next seventy years?

Just imagining that weight pressing down on his shoulders made her, this little beast, feel like she couldn't breathe.

The little monk looked at the new scars on the human child's face and exclaimed, "Punishing bad people should be left to the police and the law. They are bad people and need to be caught by the police for proper reform. I have evidence and can be a witness to prove that they have indeed done bad things!"

Two months ago, she had gone to the police station to report about this human child. The police officer had said that such cases were difficult to determine and required a complete chain of evidence to revoke guardianship. At that time, she had started recording videos that could be used as evidence!

Once the police transformed the two benefactors into normal humans, they wouldn't dare to hit people recklessly anymore.

The little monk spoke a long string of words quickly. Gu Feihuang began to vomit, staining the monk’s robes. The sour stench filled the air, but the little monk acted as though she neither saw nor smelled it. She remained focused, pressing on Gu Feihuang’s throat with one hand, his large, bright eyes filled with urgency and worry.

Gu Zhaochen had never thought about the future—no time, no energy, no inclination. Growing up or not growing up didn’t matter to him. At this moment, however, as he watched the little monk’s anxious demeanor, he didn’t want to say anything that might worry him or do anything that would add to his burden.

Gu Feihuang’s poisoning was the most severe. Mingjing, relying on the smells to identify various poisons and substances, pressed on Gu Feihuang’s throat to induce vomiting. He then turned to Gu Zhaochen and said, “Gu Zhaochen, could you help me prepare some soapy water?”

Gu Zhiming, his gaze unfocused, put down the phone and gasped for breath. When he raised his head, he saw the little monk pinching his son’s chin and using his fingers to stimulate his throat. Furious, he began cursing loudly. He couldn’t stand up, but as a tall and heavy man, he shifted his position and stretched out his leg, attempting to kick the little monk away from his son.

“How dare you touch my son!”

Although he was poisoned, his limbs cramping and out of control, he was still an adult. A forceful kick like that could cause real harm if it landed. Mingjing, who had been practicing martial arts for two or three years, reacted quickly and pulled Gu Feihuang back just in time to dodge. However, the little monk was small, and his elbow struck the edge of the table in the process. The palm of her hand scraped against it, tearing the skin. Tears of pain welled up reflexively in her eyes.

Gu Zhiming still tried to move closer to deliver another kick.

Mingjing realized that this benefactor hadn’t understood a word she said earlier. With no choice, she explained again. Seeing that this human wasn’t listening and only causing trouble, she suppressed her anger, chanting Amitabha under her breath. “I’m helping you by inducing vomiting to save your lives—how can you humans behave so differently from others? If you keep this up, don’t blame me for resorting to force!”

“...Be quiet. I’m serious. Don’t be fooled by my small stature. I’ve trained in martial arts for years. If I target your vital points, Benefactor Gu, you won’t be a match for me.”

"Let go of my son!"

Gu Zhiming, dazed and disoriented, staggered over, reaching out to grab the little monk’s robes.

“You little brat, you—”

Mingjing freed one hand, steadied her stance, clenched her fist, and threw a solid punch. A direct Arhat punch landed heavily on Gu Zhiming’s forehead. First, reasoning, then force — this benefactor was a bad person. Buddha would surely forgive her.

Gu Zhiming didn’t even have time to scream. His head snapped back, and he fell straight to the ground. Mingjing’s eyes widened in shock — not because he doubted his ability to knock Gu Zhiming out with a single punch, but because at the same time he struck, Gu Zhaochen had hit Gu Zhiming’s neck with a wooden stick.

Mingjing was stunned. She hurried over to check on the benefactor. Confirming that the man was merely unconscious, she let out a small breath of relief. Amitabha.

Gu Zhaochen tossed the stick aside, wiped his hands on his clothes, and brought over the down jacket he’d previously stripped from Gu Feihuang, placing it next to the little monk. He gestured for him to wear it, his lips pressed into a thin line, then turned to prepare the soapy water.

Mingjing focused on inducing vomiting for the three unconscious people. After expelling some of the contents from their stomachs, the symptoms of convulsions, spasms, and foaming at the mouth stopped worsening. Although they remained unconscious, their breathing had stabilized significantly.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Mingjing called for Gu Zhaochen to help move the gas canister. Leaving it indoors was too dangerous. Together, they carried it outside.

From a distance, the wails of ambulance and police sirens began to draw closer.

Gu Zhaochen knew the police were coming for him. His plan had been to die here along with this disgusting Gu family, to end everything in one decisive moment. He hadn’t considered what would happen if he failed — or rather, it didn’t matter. To him, the outcome was all the same.

Now that the police were here, there was no doubt he would go to prison. Maybe even face the death penalty.

Killing was a crime. The townsfolk often said that killing someone meant jail or death as compensation. Lin Shuixiang and Gu Zhiming had been brutal in beating him, but they were careful not to go too far, fearing the consequences of killing someone outright.

Now that Gu Zhiming, Lin Shuixiang, and Gu Feihuang were still alive, they would never let him off the hook. He wouldn’t get a second chance to poison them.

So logically, the best thing for him to do now was to run. Find somewhere to hide and wait for another chance to take revenge.

But Gu Zhaochen didn’t want to run. If he escaped, Lin Shuixiang and Gu Zhiming would undoubtedly take their anger out on the little monk. People like them were scum. They’d cling to the little monk, extorting him endlessly, blaming him, and making him take responsibility.

Fine, prison it is.

Gu Zhaochen recalled the time he delivered something to the Shanshui Courtyard and heard the little monk playing with Qin Xue. He said, "Little monk, you shouldn't play with Qin Xue in the future, or at least do it secretly. Her parents are very strict and might vent their anger on others. Qin Xue doesn't do well in school, and if she sees you playing with her, she will definitely cause you trouble."

Once, Qin Xue had asked him for help with homework. When her parents found out, they cursed him harshly and complained to Lin Shuixiang and Gu Zhiming, which earned him a vicious beating. Qin Xue and her grandfather had no ill intentions, but her parents did. If they discovered the little monk interacting with Qin Xue, they’d definitely hold him responsible. He didn’t want the little monk to be scolded or hurt.

The sound of sirens grew closer; the police were coming.

Everyone must face the consequences of their actions.

After Gu Zhaochen finished explaining the last matter, he urged the little monk, "You should leave quickly."

Notes:

Most of the characters still believe that the little monk is a boy, so I might use male pronouns when others refer to her.

[1] 大白兔糖 (dàbái tù nǎi táng) - White rabbit candy: a popular Chinese milk candy known for its creamy texture and iconic packaging featuring a white rabbit.

[2] 施主 (shī zhǔ) - A term used by Buddhist monks to address laypeople, often translated as "benefactor" or "donor". It conveys respect while highlighting the monk's role.