Chapter 9 of 10

Chapter 9: The Big Shot?

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The full name of the *Lengyan Sutra* is *The Great Buddha’s Topmost Asana of the Tathagata’s Secret Cause of Cultivation and the Completion of the Meaning of the Bodhisattvas’ Myriad Practices*. It belongs to the Mahayana Buddhist canon. The reason why Zhao Chuxi was somewhat familiar with the *Lengyan Sutra* was that the old monk in the dilapidated temple on the mountain top was quite fond of this scripture, often saying, “Since I read the *Lengyan Sutra*, I no longer read the worthless books of the world.” Although Zhao Chuxi had never read the *Lengyan Sutra* from cover to cover, the old monk’s frequent mutterings made him understand some of the teachings in this Buddhist scripture, such as the four kinds of purity teachings: “Do not kill, do not steal, do not lust, do not lie,” and the three stages: “Remove the auxiliary causes, cut off the main nature, and violate the present karma,” and so on.

Therefore, when he accidentally saw the *Lengyan Sutra* here, he was instantly struck by the phrase “Great compassion without tears, great enlightenment without words, great laughter without sound.” Three non-existences? Wasn’t this exactly the origin of the name of the fool, Er Pang? Upon further thought, the fool, Er Pang, perfectly embodied these three realms. What were the three non-existences? The fool, Er Pang, used himself to explain them, practicing Buddhism with his body, which was a great realm. Zhao Chuxi wondered if the old monk would be amazed by this child’s extraordinary talent and limitless potential if he knew.

Zhao Chuxi was deeply curious about who had given the fool, Er Pang, his name. The old lady?

His excitement and shock were all caught in the eyes of the old lady with the Sichuan embroidery. Zhao Chuxi was surprised, but the old lady was also taken aback. His expression told the old lady that he had guessed the origin of the name “three non-existences.” For a common laborer who worked on construction sites to be familiar with the *Lengyan Sutra* was too far-fetched. If the old lady hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she would have found it hard to believe. The old lady never doubted Zhao Chuxi’s identity because the simplicity in him was impossible to hide. He was like a piece of gold wrapped in sand, just waiting for the right person to peel away the superficiality and reveal his brilliance.

After a long while, Zhao Chuxi turned his head thoughtfully and said to the old lady, who had already recovered, “Grandma, can I read the books here in the future?”

The old lady said casually, “Take them if you want. Anyway, the child Sanwu finished reading all these books a few years ago. I, this old lady, have no interest in them. They just take up space, and I’ve been thinking about when to sell them as waste paper.”

Zhao Chuxi was shocked again. The fool, Er Pang, had read all these books? This bookshelf was full, with at least seven or eight hundred books. Moreover, most of them, except for historical books, were obscure and difficult to understand, like the *Kanyu Manxing* he had just flipped through, which was all about feng shui and dragon veins. Did the fool, Er Pang, understand them?

Zhao Chuxi shook his head. This visit had given him a new understanding of the fool, Er Pang, and made him even more convinced that Er Pang wasn’t really a fool. He just didn’t want to step out of his own world. As for why, Zhao Chuxi definitely didn’t know.

After the fool, Er Pang, finished playing a piece on the erhu with a grand and heroic atmosphere, Zhao Chuxi felt it was getting late. He picked two books he was interested in from the bookshelf, *The Book of Burial* and *The Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou*, and then got up to say goodbye to the old lady. The old lady smiled and said to come often, and at the same time, she shooed the dazed Er Pang out, telling him to go back to the construction site. Er Pang pouted childishly, and Zhao Chuxi was somewhat amused. To him, Er Pang was like an unopened book, waiting for him to read its stories.

Life returned to its usual monotony. Life is mostly plain and uneventful, with few ups and downs. If one were to experience constant storms and dramatic changes, even the most capable person would be worn out. The seasons changed quickly, with long winters and short springs and autumns. So when summer retreated, it didn’t forget to take autumn with it. Thus, Zhao Chuxi worked busily on the construction site of the International Mansion for another two months. His daily routine was so regular that it was almost unbearable. In the morning, he would go to the city wall to stroll and listen to opera, and in the evening, he would quietly read books and newspapers. The rest of the time, he worked hard, occasionally slacking off and letting Han Sanqiang and others help him. He also enjoyed the respect of the hundreds of workers on the site. The newcomers all knew that Zhao was the most powerful person on the site, and his reputation grew more exaggerated. In the end, the fool, Er Pang, became a supporting character, while Zhao Chuxi became the main character, which was quite like a cold joke. Zhao Chuxi enjoyed it, and his prestige was high. He occasionally handled disputes on the site fairly, and gradually, the foreman’s authority was overshadowed by Zhao’s. If Zhao said you could work, you could work; if he said you had to leave, you had to leave immediately. During this period, some thugs came to the site to cause trouble, and Zhao Chuxi, along with Han Sanqiang and other loyal followers, faced them without fear. The result was predictable: the seven or eight thugs were beaten up, and this was even with the fool, Er Pang, watching from the sidelines. As a result, Zhao Chuxi became even more powerful on the site, and the supervisors, project managers, and foremen were all happy to be on good terms with him. This young farmer from the Qilian Mountains had finally established himself in the city.

The only time of excitement was when the monthly wages were paid. After receiving his wages, Zhao Chuxi would go to the postal savings bank to transfer the money to Li Qingyi’s account, and then use Han Sanqiang’s phone to make a call. He and Li Qingyi never exchanged pleasantries; they always went straight to the point. Zhao Chuxi would ask about the situation in Phoenix Village and the school, and Li Qingyi would answer truthfully. Several times, Zhao Chuxi wanted to ask, “Are you okay?” but he never managed to say it. In fact, Li Qingyi wasn’t doing well. She had a high fever and almost died. If it weren’t for the old village chief’s folk remedy, she might have left her life in Phoenix Village. The old village chief was worried about her and advised her to return to the city, but Li Qingyi just smiled and continued her teaching.

Was this life hard? Yes, extremely hard, but she knew that if she didn’t persist, what would happen to the troublemaker who had just entered the big city?

As autumn turned to winter, Zhao Chuxi had brought only summer clothes when he left the Qilian Mountains. As the weather got colder, he had to go with Han Sanqiang to the Kangfu Road wholesale market to buy some winter clothes. Han Sanqiang said this was the largest wholesale market in the northwest, mostly a base for the poor and lower-middle class. This statement made Zhao Chuxi laugh for a long time. On Kangfu Road, people were bustling, and vendors, customers, and tourists were everywhere. Han Sanqiang was familiar with the area and led Zhao Chuxi through the streets and alleys, knowing exactly where to buy what. Zhao Chuxi, puzzled, asked, “How do you know all this?” Han Sanqiang, smoking a cigarette and styling his hair in a rugged way, replied, “I used to hang out here, but I’ve retired from the scene.” Zhao Chuxi really wanted to slap him. “Hang out where? Hanging out got you to the construction site.”

Zhao Chuxi and Han Sanqiang had known each other for three months. In Zhao Chuxi’s eyes, Han Sanqiang was not a bad person, except for his thug and vagrant personality. He was lazy and liked to play mahjong, and he would occasionally visit a small salon. He could spend all his ten thousand yuan salary. However, there was one thing that Zhao Chuxi secretly admired about Han Sanqiang: no matter how much he spent, he only spent his own money. If he had money to play mahjong, he would play; if he didn’t, he wouldn’t borrow or owe money. This showed that even the most unremarkable person had their own principles.

Han Sanqiang led the way to the destination, saying it was cheap and good value. Zhao Chuxi had never had any requirements for clothing; as long as it covered his body, it was fine. Li Qingyi had said that truly powerful men never cared about their appearance; only insecure men would deliberately embellish themselves. Zhao Chuxi remembered this.

Upon arriving at the destination, Zhao Chuxi quickly picked out the clothes he wanted to buy. Then, he showed Han Sanqiang what it meant to haggle and be frugal. Even though the price was already discounted for regular customers, Zhao Chuxi managed to cut the price from six hundred to three hundred for two full outfits, almost making the shop owner bleed. If it weren’t for Han Sanqiang’s intervention, the owner might have refused to sell.

This trip to Kangfu Road was Zhao Chuxi’s first time leaving the construction site since he arrived in Xi’an. On the way back, they squeezed onto a bus, which was packed with people. Zhao Chuxi and Han Sanqiang were pushed to the back of the bus. Since Zhao Chuxi was wearing relatively shabby clothes, many people avoided him, but he wasn’t angry. He was thinking, “Are the people on this bus different? Aren’t they all struggling for a living? No one can be sure of their ultimate achievements, so don’t look down on others. If you do, you might end up looking down on yourself.”

Han Sanqiang’s eyes flickered, as if he had something to say but was hesitant. Zhao Chuxi, noticing this, asked, “Sanqiang, if you have something to say, just say it. But I’ll tell you now, I definitely won’t lend you money.”

Han Sanqiang chuckled, knowing Zhao Chuxi was joking, and scratched his head, saying softly, “Brother Zhao, someone wants to meet you.”

Zhao Chuxi looked at Han Sanqiang thoughtfully. If it were an ordinary person, Han Sanqiang wouldn’t be so hesitant. This wasn’t his usual style, so the person must not be ordinary. Zhao Chuxi asked with a smile, “Who wants to meet me? Does he offer food, drink, and all the services?”

“Everything,” Han Sanqiang nodded without hesitation, which made Zhao Chuxi realize the seriousness of the situation. He stopped joking and asked seriously, “Sanqiang, tell me, what’s his background?”

Han Sanqiang was a bit embarrassed because he wasn’t sure if Zhao Chuxi would agree to meet. If he refused, it would be a slap in the face, and the consequences wouldn’t be good for either of them. Han Sanqiang said with a bitter smile, “A young boss in the underworld. He heard about your deeds on the construction site and the thugs we beat up were his people.”

Zhao Chuxi shifted his position, as a girl’s buttocks behind him were too prominent, making him a bit distracted. The girl tried to avoid him but couldn’t. Zhao Chuxi turned his head and smiled, showing his white teeth, “We’ll make do; no one will be at a disadvantage.”

The girl, who had never seen such a ruffian, blushed instantly.

Zhao Chuxi was just trying to shift his focus. He realized that trouble was coming. The bigger the tree, the more wind it catches. Who knew he would stand out so much on the construction site? Perhaps someone was jealous and wanted to humble him. Zhao Chuxi asked seriously, “Is his background strong?”

Han Sanqiang didn’t want to hide anything and said honestly, “Very strong. He’s a favorite of Uncle Six.”

“Who is Uncle Six?” Zhao Chuxi really wanted to swear. How did this involve more and more people?

Han Sanqiang didn’t know how to explain, but finally said, “In the underworld of Xi’an, there are only about three people on the same level as Uncle Six.”

This explanation was clear enough. Zhao Chuxi understood immediately. He felt a bit uneasy and asked, “Do I have to go?”

Han Sanqiang nodded.

“Alright, tell him I’ll go,” Zhao Chuxi gritted his teeth. “Damn it, it’s probably a trap, but I’ll go. I’ll bring the fool, Er Pang. If he dares to lay a hand on me, he’ll have to deal with me.”

Being remembered by a big shot made Zhao Chuxi a bit depressed. It wasn’t easy to earn a little money in this big city. He had finally settled in, had food and drink, and a decent salary. Who had he offended?

Thus, in the following days, Zhao Chuxi waited nervously for the big shot’s summons...

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