Chapter 53
"Girl, are you here to see the abbot again?" If she remembered correctly, she came last time to see the abbot.
Gu Jiao thought for a moment and nodded seriously, "En."
Originally, she also planned to ask the Bodhisattva to bless Xiao Liulang by the way, but the Bodhisattva was so stingy that people had to be willing to kowtow and kneel like that first for their prayers to be granted.
The Madame said hurriedly, "Go quickly, then. The abbot is in the temple. If you’re slow, he might have gone down the mountain again."
Recently, the abbot had been descending the mountain more often. It was said that a family in town wanted to adopt a child from the temple.
Gu Jiao looked at her as if to say, ‘can you walk alone? If you fall down again later, no one is there to save you anymore.’
After reading the expression in Gu Jiao"s eyes, the Madame smilingly said in a warm voice, "I think I was just a bit tired earlier and felt a little dizzy. But I’m all right now. Furthermore, there are only a few steps left."
Gu Jiao asked, "Do you often get dizzy? Do you get it more in the morning or in the evening? Do you often get it on an empty stomach or after eating?"
The Madame was startled by her series of questions, but she replied politely, "I do get it more in the morning, when I just got out of bed. I would also feel dizzy if I didn"t eat."
Gu Jiao uttered an “oh” and then took sesame candies from her embroidered pouch and gave them to her, "Eat more sweets."
After giving candy to the Madame, Gu Jiao went to find the abbot.
This was the second time that Gu Jiao had come to the temple, and many young Buddhist masters still remembered her. Knowing that she came here to buy the mountain, they led her to the abbot"s living quarters.
Coincidentally, the abbot had just finished receiving a guest, who came out of the abbot"s living quarters and brushed past Gu Jiao.
He was a young adult in his early thirties, well-groomed and richly dressed.
This was the second Buddhist worshipper Gu Jiao saw in the temple.
"Has little benefactor Gu come?" Inside the room came the relaxed voice of the abbot.
Gu Jiao answered and stepped into the room.
To Gu Jiao"s surprise, there were still several little bald monks sitting inside the room, all of whom seemed only four to six years old. They all looked so chubby and lovely, their eyes mischievous yet pure.
With those same bald heads and clothes, Gu Jiao somewhat suffered from face blindness for a moment.
The little monks soon looked at Gu Jiao with wide eyes.
Although Gu Jiao had come to the temple for the second time, because these few little monks ran away after being scolded by the Madame’s servant girl last time, they were not able to see Gu Jiao at all.
Therefore, strictly speaking, this was the first meeting between the two sides.
The little monks had their eyes wide open.
After a while, they covered their mouths with their small hands and whispered in what they thought a low voice.
"Wow! She has a flowy on her face!"
"Why does she have a flowy on her face?"
"Why don’t we have it?"
"I want a flowy too!"
The little monks kept saying a word that didn’t make sense, but Gu Jiao still understood it. They were talking about a flower.
So, did they actually think that the birthmark on her face was a flower?
"Did you draw the flowy on your face yourself?" One of the little monks asked.
That’s right, and it has been drawn since birth, though it can’t be washed off. What? Are you envious? Are you jealous?
Gu Jiao was calm and unruffled as she looked at a group of curious little monks.
The abbot cleared his throat and said to the little monks, "Go and find your Senior Brother Jingchen first."
The little monks seemed a bit reluctant to leave, but Senior Brother Jingchen should be someone with quite a charisma. The little monks only struggled for a moment before they ran out to find him.
A line of little monks crossed the threshold one after another, but the last one fell down with a squish.
Gu Jiao immediately recognized him at this moment. She didn"t recognize him when they were looking at her face just now, but seeing this clumsy little appearance, wasn"t this exactly the clumsy little dumpling that knocked against her leg last time?
Gu Jiao felt like squeezing him again and tried to pick him up, but he got up in a hurry without giving Gu Jiao a chance to stretch out her claws at all.
Gu Jiao pursed her mouth regretfully.
The abbot motioned for Gu Jiao to sit down.
After taking her seat, Gu Jiao drank a few mouthfuls of bitter tea, and thought of the man who came out of the room just moments ago. She asked the abbot, "Was that man just now a Buddhist worshipper? Or did he also come to buy the mountain like me? "
With a gentle smile, the abbot replied, "He is not here to buy the mountain, but to adopt a child."
Gu Jiao showed a surprised look.
The abbot explained, "The little monks in the temple are all orphans, and sometimes, some kind-hearted families will come to adopt them."
"Oh." Somehow, Gu Jiao thought of that silly clumsy dumpling. He looked so silly that no one should want him, right? After all, there were many other clever little monks on the side.
The abbot said, "I told my junior brother disciple about you wanting to buy the mountain. He said that if little benefactor Gu sincerely wants to buy it, we can sell this mountain where this temple is at, but the price will be a bit more expensive than before."
"How much was it before?" Gu Jiao asked.
"Two hundred and forty-nine taels." The abbot answered in a salesperson’s tone.
"What about now?" Gu Jiao asked again.
"Two hundred and fifty taels." The abbot replied.
Gu Jiao felt the corner of her mouth twitch: I seriously suspect that your junior brother is insinuating something at me!
The abbot saw the color of indignance in Gu Jiao"s face, and felt that the price was indeed ridiculous and high, but his junior brother had always been the one in charge of the financial affairs of the temple. How much he said was how much it was. Even he, the abbot, had no right to interfere.
The abbot said, "If little benefactor Gu feels it is expensive, you can consider other mountains."
Gu Jiao asked, "Are there any other mountains that belong to your temple?"
The abbot said honestly, "No."
The corner of Gu Jiao’s mouth twitched again, "..."
The taels of silver in Gu Jiao"s hand wasn’t enough to buy the mountain, but there was still the treatment fee from treating the young master of the Hot Spring Villa last time which she hadn’t received yet.
That house visit cost her quite much. The adrenaline injection alone consumed four doses, then there were also a few boxes of anti-heart failure drugs. She only had that much of it but all of it was given to the young master.
She decided. She was going to ask Second Owner for a job with a more expensive treatment fee!
When Gu Jiao went down the mountain, the Madame had already left and the carriage was gone.
Gu Jiao didn"t inquire about her whereabouts and headed to the town.
When she arrived at the Rejuvenation Hall, she found that a very luxurious carriage was parked at the entrance of the Rejuvenation Hall. She was sure that such a carriage had never appeared in the town before.
What was happening today? How come she repeatedly saw luxurious carriages? Which reminded her… Should she buy a carriage, too?
Shopkeeper w.a.n.g was very polite when he saw Gu Jiao. He personally welcomed her in, saying, "Gu girl, what brings you here? Have a seat first and I"ll make you a pot of tea."
Gu Jiao said faintly, "I don"t need tea. I"m here to get the payment."
"Hm?" Shopkeeper w.a.n.g was stupefied, "What payment?"
Gu Jiao looked at him and said, "The treatment fee from the Hot Spring Villa. Didn"t I treat the young master of the Marquis Estate? Where’s the treatment fee?"
At the mention of this, Shopkeeper w.a.n.g smiled so much his teeth were all showing and his eyes were hardly open. He said, "Oh, Gu girl is just in time, then. Have you seen the carriage outside the door? It belongs to the Marquis Estate! Last time, Second Owner was so nervous that he forgot to ask them for the treatment fee. I guess they came here to send the treatment fee!"
It turned out to be the carriage of the Marquis Estate. No wonder it was so luxurious.
"Second Owner is in the accounts office. Would you like to go see him?" Shopkeeper w.a.n.g asked with a grin.
"No need. I’ll go see him after the Marquis Estate’s people finish paying the bill." With that, Gu Jiao turned and went to the wing room at the back of the lobby.
No sooner had she left, the curtain of the carriage was lifted.
A brightly dressed servant girl got down the carriage first, and immediately after, a young lady clad in a blue dress and wearing a dark bluish veil hat alighted gracefully with the help of the servant girl.