In the Japanese Consulate, in Zhang Yinxi’s room, everything that could be smashed was smashed.
Zhang Yinxi ripped her beautiful skirt fiercely, and the sound of tearing silk made people feel very sorry.
Zhang Xiuming walked in and stopped her from raising the scissors: “Little sister, what’s the point of doing this? You’re just tiring yourself out for nothing.”
“He doesn’t even look at me! He even humiliates me! Who can I show these skirts to?” Zhang Yinxi cried bitterly. She imagined every cut of the scissors as Shen Jingmo’s skin, wishing to tear his flesh apart. “It’s all his fault! It’s all his fault!”
Hatred is a poisonous gas that poisons others but also yourself.
Kuromiya Keiko came in gracefully with a cigarette in her hand. She leaned against the door frame and blew a long puff of smoke: “Sister ah, a man’s heart is won through a woman’s tenderness. No one pays attention to your outbursts—you’re only giving others the chance to take advantage of you.”
As soon as she saw Kuromiya Keiko, Zhang Yinxi immediately stood up and rushed to her: “Sister, can you teach me? You… so many men like you, you must be capable.”
Kuromiya Keiko took out a handkerchief and wiped Zhang Yinxi’s tears: “Since you want me to teach you, then the first lesson I will teach you is to never embarrass yourself. Whether it’s a man or a woman, only beautiful things can move people’s hearts. Even if they don’t move, they will still respect them very much.”
“But I…” Zhang Yinxi wanted to say something, but suddenly she felt dizzy and unsteady and was about to faint.
“Little sister!” Zhang Xiuming took a few steps forward, held her in his arms, and said nervously, “Little sister, you have always been in poor health. Although your previous illness has been cured, the doctor said there is a chance of recurrence. Don’t get too stimulated.”
Zhang Yinxi held her forehead and said, “It’s fine… I’m just a little tired.”
Seeing Zhang Yinxi in such a state, Kuromiya Keiko couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness. Loving someone without being loved in return was perhaps the greatest pain. She couldn’t help but wonder if Chang Ling saw her the same way. Shaking off those thoughts, she instructed the servants to take Zhang Yinxi back to her room to wash up and freshen up, while she remained behind to speak with Zhang Xiuming.
Although Zhang Xiuming was calmer than Zhang Yinxi, he had been gloomy since returning from the banquet. Kuromiya Keiko shook out her cigarette and said, “Mr. Zhang, we can start discussing our plan now.”
“No need to discuss, just tell me your plan and tell me what you need us to do.” Zhang Xiuming’s jaw tightened. “I only have one request, the sooner the better, kill him!”
That man, the man who occupied the beauty’s bones, deserves to die.
“Duan Yelin has been in Hezhou for a long time. I need the Chief of Staff to transfer him away from Hezhou for a period of time; otherwise, it will be inconvenient to act.”
Zhang Xiuming smiled, grabbed the coat beside him, and put it on himself, buttoning up the clothes one by one: “Easy.”
The moon was full, and it was late at night again.
Inside Faxi Temple, Kuromiya Keiko, who had come for a long time, sat opposite Chang Ling and placed a boat ticket in front of him.
It was a boat ticket to Japan. Chang Ling was very confused: “What does this mean?”
“Come with me, Chang Ling.” Kuromiya Keiko said sincerely, “Japan also has great monks and temples. Come with me, Hezhou is no longer safe, and you will not be safe either.”
Having known each other for so long, Chang Ling had long known that Kuromiya Keiko was working for the Japanese, but as Buddha said, all beings are equal and everyone has different positions, he had never looked down on her for this. He even thought that Kuromiya Keiko must be kind since she could leak important military formations for him.
Chang Ling pushed the boat ticket back: “Thank you, I can’t leave.”
“Why? Are you worried about the other people in the temple? I can take them all away!”
“Buddhism has no national boundaries, but people who chant the Buddha’s name do.” Chang Ling put his hands together. “I appreciate your kindness. I was born here and will die here. I want to be here from birth to death.”
“But I don’t want to!” Kuromiya Keiko stood up, looking a little anxious. “Chang Ling, you are so young, why do you want to die in vain? If you die, I…”
At this point, it was too much to say any more. Kuromiya Keiko swallowed hard, her eyes slightly red.
Chang Ling felt very sorry to see her like that, but his hand that was reaching for the handkerchief stopped there for a long time, and he couldn’t take it out. After a long while, he said, “Wenhui, life and death are determined by fate. I am very grateful that you took my life into consideration, but I have given my whole life to this Buddhist temple, and I will not leave.”
Kuromiya Keiko stood there in a daze, looking at Chang Ling with a pair of sad eyes. Chang Ling was confused by her eyes and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“This is the first time… you called my name.”
It was so natural that even Chang Ling didn’t notice.
Kuromiya Keiko’s heart was like a cup of water that was once flat, but now it has all spilled over.
The two looked at each other in silence and awkwardness. Chang Ling turned around and then felt a heat on his back.
It was a woman’s body, a gentle touch that Chang Ling had never felt in his life. His back stiffened, and he didn’t even dare to breathe.
“Chang Ling… I’m very happy, really happy… but I’m also very sad. Even if you want to hate me, I can’t help it. Meeting you is enough for me to remember for the rest of my life. I wanted to keep it a secret, but I…” She hugged Chang Ling tightly from behind, her voice mixed with tears, “I love you, I love you… I am shameless, I don’t know how to behave, and I am blaspheming Buddhism, but what can I do?”
Chang Ling originally wanted to push her away, but when he heard the sad voice, he couldn’t.
“If I had not been sent to Japan, and if you had not been adopted by a monk, would the outcome have been different?” Kuromiya Keiko walked up to Chang Ling and put her hand on his arm, like a drowning person grabbing a piece of driftwood, eager to look at him.
Chang Ling was so nervous that he didn’t know what to do: “I…”
“Look at me. Actually, you have no choice, right? You didn’t choose to become a monk. You have a heart and feelings. You can accept the secular world. If there is a one in ten thousand chance, please consider me, alright?”
Two drops of tears slid down her cheeks.
Chang Ling’s eyes moved.
At this time, the night bell ringer rang the temple bell. The honest voice entered Chang Ling’s mind, like pure bodhi water pouring over his head.
“No!” Chang Ling pushed Kuromiya Keiko, hurriedly put his hands together, and bowed slightly, “Donor, you… you think too much. I have already cut off my attachment to the worldly world, and I will never break the precepts in this life.”
“Chang Ling…”
“To the Buddha above, if I break this oath, I will drown in the lake.”
The curse was like a thunderbolt that struck Kuromiya Keiko on the head. She took two steps back in dismay, and then more tears rushed out. She covered her mouth, unable to bear it any longer, and ran out of the temple.
Chang Ling closed his eyes in pain, knelt down in front of the Buddha, and kept chanting scriptures to repent.
Outside the temple, Kenji looked at Kuromiya Keiko, who was walking away, and punched a tree trunk.
He spat fiercely.
