The Northern Stories of Chef Lao Tan

Chapter 476 A Predestined Relationship with the Buddha
Early the next morning, Baolitu got up and dressed before Lao Tan called out, and went to the courtyard to sweep the yard.Seeing that he was up, Lao Tan took him up the mountain to collect firewood.

When the two of them walked out of the pilgrim courtyard and passed the main gate of the monastery, Baolitu unexpectedly stopped, clasped his hands together solemnly and saluted inside three times, and then followed Lao Tan to continue walking.

Old Tan was startled by his actions, and asked, "Baolitu, why are you saluting?"

Bao Litu stroked the same bald head as Old Tan, and said, "I don't know why——I felt—it should be like that when I walked there."

Old Tan was taken aback for a moment, then asked immediately, "Do you feel close?"

Bao Litu said: "It's a bit—" Then he looked back at the temple and said, "I feel like I've been here before—"

Lao Tan looked at the reckless man like Lu Zhishen, and carefully studied his face. Although he was simple-looking, he had a vaguely dignified appearance, which he hadn't noticed before.

"No one else is willing to enter the temple, and look at it with horror, how do you feel?" Old Tan asked again.

"I'm not scared, it looks good." Bao Litu said.

"It seems that you have a predestined relationship with Buddha."

Not long after they entered the pine tree field, Wang Jianguo, Yuan Fang, Li Yanjing, and Mr. Jia also arrived.The nearby dry firewood had already been picked up, and the six of them walked to the depths.

There is green in the pine field, mixed with withered grass.The sun hadn't risen yet, and there was a cold dampness in the woods, which smelled very fresh.

Suddenly Yuan Fang let out an "Ai Ya", and then sat down on the ground and covered her ankle, obviously her ankle was sprained.

Several people stopped and walked over, Li Yanjing leaned down and asked, "Are you sprained?"

"Yeah." Yuan Fang replied with a painful expression on his face.

"Let me see." Li Yanjing said and took off Yuan Fang's shoes. After taking off the shoes and socks, she saw a tendon swelling on the outside of Yuan Fang's left ankle.

It seemed that several people had sprained ankles. Wang Jianguo said, "Oh, I've got a muscle cramping. Take cold water to wash it."

Mr. Jia said, "Rub it quickly, or else it will bruise."

Li Yanjing said: "You have to know how to rub, and if you don't know how to rub, rubbing is serious."

Old Tan asked: "Who can knead?"

Li Yanjing said, "I won't."

Yuan Fang was in severe pain and said, "I rub it myself."

After finishing speaking, I rubbed it carefully with my hands, and I couldn't stand it after just two strokes, and the pain was so painful.

At this moment, Baolitu said, "Let me see."

Old Tan didn't think he would do it, but he was afraid that he would get mad, so he asked, "You know it?"

Bao Litu didn't speak, just sat down on the ground, lifted Yuan Fang's foot and put it on his lap, pinched Yuan Fang's sole with his left hand, and gently pressed the bulging tendon with the index finger of his right hand, asking questions while pressing : "Does it hurt?"

Yuan Fang said with tears in her eyes, "It hurts."

Bao Litu said, "Eldest sister, just hold on a little bit, it will be fine in a while."

Baolitu took his index finger and turned around the tendon bag, as if he was confirming the position and ins and outs of the tendon bag. After confirming, he used his thick palm to press the tendon bag completely in the palm of his hand, and gently rubbed it.

It seemed painful, Yuan Fang subconsciously pulled her foot back, but the entire sole of her foot was fixed by Bao Litu's left hand, and she couldn't pull back, so she could only endure it.

Baolitu rubbed lightly like this for two minutes, and when Yuan Fang felt no pain, he pressed hard, and then grabbed the foot with both hands and stretched it vigorously, Yuan Fang let out a scream, which shocked everyone.

A miracle happened like this.

Bao Litu let go of his hands, and the tendons on Yuan Fang's ankles disappeared, leaving a bruise.

"You should move around a bit, you should be fine." Baolitu said.

Yuan Fang stretched her ankles and couldn't help saying "Huh".

"I can move now, it doesn't hurt much."

Baolitu said: "Put on your shoes and walk around, don't work hard, just rest for two days and you'll be fine."

So Yuan Fang put on her shoes, and Li Yanjing helped her up and walked a few steps. Although it still hurt, she was able to walk with a limp.

Seeing this, Lao Tan said: "You two, don't pick it up, Sister Li will help her to walk around, don't save blood, we just pick it up."

Li Yanjing supported Yuan Fang for a walk, while Lao Tan and the others continued to collect firewood.The four men quickly filled up five baskets of firewood. Baolitu was strong enough, with one shoulder and one firewood basket.

When the group of six went down the mountain, Lao Tan and Baolitu walked behind. When they got out of the pine trees and saw the sun and saw the beautiful scenery of the whole mountain and river, Baolitu couldn't help being stunned. He stood there motionless, like a glazed Buddha statue.

At this time, he had a calm demeanor, a solemn appearance, his eyes were as calm as water, and his bald head seemed to glow with golden light.The wings of the nose fluttered, the breathing was regular, and there was no ripple in the chest, and he fell into a samadhi standing up.

What surprised Old Tan was that he was still carrying two firewood baskets.

The people walking in front didn't know what was going on behind them, and Lao Tan didn't say a word. He gently put down the firewood basket, sat down on a stone beside him, and protected Baolitu while breathing.

Hehe, Dharma protector, it's a bit mysterious.In fact, it is to prevent others from disturbing Baolitu. At this time, he is in a state of trance, which is called trance by practitioners.

At this time, no one knew what was going on in Baolitu's head, whether he thought of what he saw or what appeared, only he knew.

Lao Tan didn't bother him either, just breathed in there, and gradually fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

The time was only five minutes. Baolitu woke up, took a long breath, and said to Lao Tan who was sitting on the rock: "Master, let's go."

Lao Tan stood up and walked down the mountain without asking any questions.

After returning to the pilgrim courtyard, everyone had breakfast and went back to their houses to rest.As soon as Lao Tan entered the house, Bao Litu came and said he wanted to go into the monastery to have a look, so Lao Tan led him there.

The two of them entered the monastery and came to the main hall. They saw Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats from all walks of life, and Baolitu bowed down one by one without a teacher, without any sense of disobedience.After kneeling and worshiping, burn incense one by one, and wipe off the dusty Buddha statues in the corners, and put them back in place.

These Buddha statues were invited from the homes of some Buddhist believers. After they were invited, they found it difficult to enshrine them, so they quietly took the opportunity of offering incense and brought them here.

After coming out of the main hall, the two came to the homework room. Lao Tan seldom meditated and chanted sutras here, so he stood at the door without entering.Baolitu walked in naturally, first saluted the lama, Du Guimei, Mrs. Jiang, Li Xia, Li Yanjing, Wang Jianguo and others who were chanting sutras, and then found a futon to sit down and meditate.

Old Tan couldn't help being dumbfounded, and returned to the pilgrim courtyard after smiling.

At noon, the sun was shining and the breeze was warm. Baolitu carried a bucket and followed Lao Tan to Donggou to fetch water.

"Baolitu, I think you like this place very much." Old Tan said as he walked.

"Well, I'd like to stay here." Baolitu said with a naive look on his face.

"It seems that you meditate quite formally, have you practiced it before?"

"No, I've been sitting like this all the time. The store is full of chairs, so I can't sit."

"Oh--"

"When I was a child, I sat cross-legged with the soles of the feet facing upwards, and it was comfortable to sit that way."

"How do you feel looking at those Buddha statues?"

"It's kind of intimate—like I can talk."

"It seems that you really have a predestined relationship with Buddha." Old Tan said.

"—Actually, I am destined to be with you. I will follow you wherever you go, and I am willing to follow you." Baolitu said.

Old Tan didn't say anything else, he saw the mountain peach blossoms on the slope of Donggou, all pink.

(End of this chapter)