Chapter 102: Master Zhou
His mother had a fiery temper and spoke crudely, but Yang Haoran could feel her doting affection for him.
As for his father, though he perpetually wore a stern face, Yang Haoran knew in his heart that his father's love for him was no less than his mother's; it was simply expressed in a different manner.
Yang Haoran didn't know when his mother had arranged the blind date, but he knew that if he didn't follow her wishes, a good scolding would be inevitable.
Actually, a scolding was a minor matter; he didn't care about it. What he cared about was his parents' emotions; he didn't want to see them disappointed in him, and even more, he didn't want to see them, at their age, still worrying about his affairs.
Therefore, he would definitely go to the blind date tomorrow. Even if his mother hadn't urged him, as long as such an opportunity arose, he would still choose to go, because he was genuinely anxious about his own marriage.
The problem of Yin Qi could be slowly figured out, but a girlfriend could be pursued first. During this time, they could see if they were compatible. If not, they could break up early without delaying each other. If they were a good match, once the Yin Qi problem was resolved, they could immediately marry. This way, time would be fully utilized.
Of course, this was merely Yang Haoran's beautiful fantasy; who knew what the final outcome would be?
Actually, Yang Haoran had originally intended to agree just now, but his mother hadn't given him a chance to speak. Seeing that his mother looked as if she was about to continue her lecture, he quickly interjected to express his consent.
"Mom, don't worry, I'll definitely go tomorrow. Really!"
Having dropped that, his mother quickly walked towards the courtyard. Watching her hurried back, Yang Haoran shook his head with a bitter smile and followed her into the courtyard.
Upon entering the courtyard, Yang Haoran first glanced at his father's worried expression, then at his Third Uncle's sorrowful face, and finally, his gaze settled on a man dressed in a yellow robe.
The man appeared to be around fifty years old. He sat cross-legged in front of the coffin, a tattered scripture laid before him. He recited the sutras from the book with focused concentration, occasionally flipping pages, occasionally pausing.
On either side of the man were several people beating gongs and drums. They operated with practiced skill, knowing exactly when to strike and when to stop. Especially when the man paused his chanting, they seemed to receive some signal, unleashing a furious barrage of beats, as if determined to shatter the drums.
These drummers were clearly professionals; only pros could produce such an effect. However, Yang Haoran paid them no mind; his entire attention was drawn to the man reciting the scriptures.
This man was the Master Zhou his mother had mentioned earlier.
Yang Haoran had known Master Zhou for a very long time, but that was when he was still very young, and Master Zhou was also much younger. Now, Yang Haoran was thirty, and Master Zhou appeared to be around fifty, his face already showing the traces of time.
It was said that Master Zhou was an orphan, adopted by his master from a young age. His master had also been in this very profession, and Master Zhou, naturally, followed in his master's footsteps, learning the trade.
In the vicinity of Yangjiawan, Master Zhou's master had been highly esteemed when he was alive. If a family unfortunately suffered a death, they would definitely invite Master Zhou's master to see their loved one off on their final journey.
In addition, if any strange occurrences happened in a household—a child encountering malevolent forces, an adult encountering a ghost—Master Zhou's master could handle them all; he possessed considerable abilities.
It was precisely because Master Zhou's master was so renowned in the area that when Yang Haoran was born, his parents sought him out to give Yang Haoran a respectable and meaningful name.
After Master Zhou's master passed away, many people thought Master Zhou would leave and venture out, as Master Zhou was still young at the time, in the most energetic phase of a person's life.
Moreover, Master Zhou was originally an orphan, taken in by his master. Perhaps he didn't have many thoughts while his master was alive, but with his master gone, it was hard to say. After all, he didn't originally belong here, so choosing to leave would have been perfectly reasonable.
However, Master Zhou's choice was quite unexpected; he did not choose to leave the area. Instead, he inherited his master's mantle, took up the banner his master had upheld in life, and continued to practice as the Yin-Yang Master people spoke of in this region.
He had been doing it ever since.
Actually, whether Master Zhou, including his master, truly possessed real abilities, Yang Haoran honestly didn't know before. Although his master and he had handled all the funerals and strange occurrences in the area, Yang Haoran had never actually witnessed them act. He had only heard stories from his mother and villagers, so he had always remained skeptical.
But at this moment, his attitude shifted.
Whether Master Zhou's master had abilities, he couldn't verify. After all, the man was already dead, and he didn't even know if his soul had reincarnated, so he naturally couldn't confirm it.
However, the Master Zhou before him truly had abilities, because at this moment, he could actually sense faint power fluctuations emanating from Master Zhou's body.
Although these power fluctuations were different from the Spirit Power within his own body, they were definitely not something an ordinary person could possess. To have such power fluctuations meant that Master Zhou undoubtedly possessed abilities beyond the common person.
However, these power fluctuations were very weak. If these faint fluctuations represented Master Zhou's entire strength, then his mother and the villagers seemed to have exaggerated his abilities somewhat; he might not be as formidable as rumored.
Of course, it was also possible that Master Zhou deliberately concealed his strength, which was why the power fluctuations emanating from him appeared so weak. Therefore, Yang Haoran did not underestimate him simply because the power fluctuations he currently emitted were faint.
As Yang Haoran observed Master Zhou, Master Zhou seemed to sense something. He finished reciting the last section of the scripture, then closed his mouth and turned to look at Yang Haoran.
Seeing it was Yang Haoran, Master Zhou's face broke into a smile. He said, "Oh, it's Haoran. When did you get back?"
Master Zhou knew almost everyone in Yangjiawan, and Yang Haoran was no exception. Because Yang Haoran's name was given by his master, he had a relatively deep impression of Yang Haoran.
Yang Haoran managed a smile, glanced at the coffin, then refocused his gaze on Master Zhou and replied, "I just arrived. I didn't expect something like this to happen at home."
"Alas, life and death are fated; one cannot force it. Since the deceased has passed, those of us who are alive should not get hung up on things. We must be open-minded," Master Zhou sighed and said.
Yang Haoran didn't speak, just nodded in silence, while Master Zhou stood up, seemingly ready to rest for a bit.
Seeing this, Yang Haoran quickly pulled out cigarettes, offered one to Master Zhou, then went around distributing them to the drummers one by one. He didn't miss the busy elders or peers nearby either, offering them one by one. After a full round, there were only a few cigarettes left in the pack.
"Uncle, are you playing house? You're mumbling endlessly in front of the coffin like a rapper, and these people are backing you up with their gongs and drums, like your band. You guys are really well-coordinated, hehe!"
A mischievous child, playing with mud in his hands, grinned to reveal a missing tooth and chuckled at Master Zhou. Towards the end of his speech, he even pointed at the drummers.
As soon as these words came out, not only was Master Zhou stunned, but Yang Haoran was also taken aback. Neither of them had expected this little brat, who had been playing with mud perfectly fine, to suddenly run over and say such a thing to Master Zhou.
"You little rascal! What nonsense are you spouting? Watch me not beat you to death, you little bastard!"
A man smoking nearby, upon hearing the child's words, instantly turned grim-faced with anger. He almost threw away the cigarette in his hand but then seemed to think it a waste. In a fit of pique, he furiously bit down on the cigarette butt, then grabbed a random wooden stick from beside him and lunged towards the child, intending to strike him.
The child was clearly accustomed to mischief. Not only was he not afraid of the man's menacing fury, but he even made a face at the man, then sprinted off, his clear laughter echoing as he ran.
Seeing the child run far away, the man had no intention of chasing him. He held the wooden stick in one hand, took the cigarette from his mouth with the other, then awkwardly apologized to Master Zhou.
"Master Zhou, I'm truly sorry. The child doesn't know any better. Please don't take it to heart. It's all my fault for not teaching him properly. When I go back later, I'll definitely beat him to death, to teach him a good lesson."
Master Zhou smiled and waved his hand, seemingly not taking the matter seriously.
"Out of the mouths of babes. How can we adults quibble with a child? Don't take it too much to heart. Boys will be boys, a little mischief is good, a little mischief is good! That's how a boy should be!"
Master Zhou had intended to burst out laughing, but realizing the occasion was inappropriate, he quickly stifled the laugh that was about to escape his open mouth.
"Everyone, have a smoke and rest for a bit. We'll continue in a while."
Master Zhou greeted the drummers, then turned his gaze back to Yang Haoran, took a puff of his cigarette, and said with a faint smile, "Haoran, I heard from your mother that you're doing quite well in the city. You even became your own boss early on, that's very, very. . ."
His voice trailed off. Master Zhou's gaze towards Yang Haoran suddenly changed, though he quickly masked it.
"Heh heh, come, let's go out for some fresh air and you can tell me about life in the big city. I've always yearned for it!"
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