Bai Sasa glanced at the empty bowl and said with understanding, "I’ll serve you another bowl of porridge."
"Then... thank you, young lady," the old monk said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
As a monk, he shouldn’t crave for food, but he had been hungry for several days and couldn’t control himself.
Bai Sasa went out to get the porridge while Bai Lingyu and the others still stared curiously at the old monk.
"Grandpa, my elder sister said you fainted from hunger last night and collapsed at our doorstep, is that true?"
"Uh..." the old monk was taken aback. Hadn’t Miss Junjun told them the truth? But perhaps Miss Junjun was doing it to ensure his safety.
The old monk wanted to say something, as monks should not lie, but he remained silent, thinking of Miss Junjun’s well-intentioned efforts.
Bai Lingyu, unaware of Monk Shan Ci’s dilemma, continued smilingly.
"It’s good my elder sister heard some noises at the door last night, or it would have been even harder for you if you had slept outside the whole night."
This child’s pure innocence was genuine, and after being treated maliciously for years, it made Bai Lingyu’s character seem even more precious. The old monk, feeling touched, reached out to pat his head but, seeing his own dirty and smelly hands, awkwardly withdrew them.
Though he had eaten nothing and was tied up these days, he still had bodily needs, and at that time, who would have cared for such matters? The old monk couldn’t help but relieve himself on the spot, which was why he now reeked.
Too exhausted to care last night, he now woke up feeling terribly uncomfortable all over.
Bai Lingyu seemed to notice his discomfort and once again offered comforting words, "Don’t worry, Grandpa. Once you’ve eaten and regained your strength, we’ll take you for a bath and you’ll smell fresh again."
The old monk was moved again by Bai Lingyu’s words.
Now, looking closely at Bai Lingyu’s features, he realized he had the face of a person exceptionally suited for learning the way -- full of intelligence and spirit.
Thinking of his own deceased apprentices from the Inner Door, the old monk sighed sadly.
"Little one, I have nothing to thank you with, but if you don’t mind, I could take you as my apprentice. In the future, becoming a grandmaster wouldn’t be a dream."
?? Bai Lingyu, curious, asked, "Grandpa, you’re a master? What do you teach?"
No wonder Bai Lingyu couldn’t recognize what the old monk did; after all, he had been confined under the Scripture Pavilion for two years. His hair, now spattered with white, had grown out, and his facial hair tangled together, his cheeks gaunt. He looked more like a street beggar than the Abbot of Fahua Temple.
The old monk was taken aback by Bai Lingyu’s question, and after a while, he shook his head and laughed, "Well, well, no point in being so determined to take a disciple in this condition. We’ll talk about it later."
At that moment, Bai Lingyu didn’t realize he had nearly turned himself into a little monk.
As they were talking, Bai Sasa came back with a new bowl of porridge. The old monk finished it off, finally feeling revived.
After he had eaten, Xiao Chan and Smiling Face informed Elder Monk Shan Ci that the hot water was ready for his bath.
The old monk slowly moved out of the room and paused when he saw the outside scene.
He thought he had arrived at the Bai Residence, but when had the Bai Residence ever looked ?
The courtyard was in ruins, covered with weeds and stones everywhere.
"This?" the old monk was stunned.
He had never been to the Bai Residence before, but it shouldn’t be this desolate.