CHAPTER 5
Xiao xu:
"Recording live from watch news, we present some shocking images of a car accident that occured at the renowned Number ate restaurant. It was later discovered that White Pearl Ltd. model, Ling hun hong was the victim of this fatal tragedy. We are currently interviewing a witness, let's hear what she has to say."- Watch news.
"Hi, I am Lang Shi Tachibana. I was one of Ling Hun's classmates from Westlake High. On Friday 6th May, 2022 at approximately 8pm I was walking out of the Number ate restaurant. I witnessed Ling hun's car crashing into the street light's pole. I frantically rushed towards the car. An umpteen amount of blood came out of Ling hun's head. She was fully unconscious. I called the ambulance which came within minutes. I made sure Ling hun was in proper care and left. I hope this information was helpful. I thank watch news for allowing me to share this information."
"Again we thank Ms Tachibana for being the heroine to Ms.Hong and for sharing that information to the public. From other sources it was known that the girl has just turned 18 years of age and is currently being hospitalised. We do wish Ms.Hong a Happy belated birthday and hope she has a speedy recovery. Up next we have the case of missing girls. On Wednesday 4th May, 2022, Yi shi a 16 year old girl was last seen wearing a striped crop top mixed with colours of white and green paired with a denim overall. Her family reported it to the local police station. Yi shi's parents grant a 1000 renminbi award to whoever finds Yi shi. Us at watch news sends a sincere prayer to those families in grief. We do hope that they reunite with their loved ones."
As the television started to dazzle I took it off. In the image presented on the news I recalled seeing Ling hun Hong at Number ate that same night. She was the girl that was fighting with Lang shi. I felt this magnetic connection when I first saw her. She looked like the doppelganger of the girl I saw dancing by the river in the vision at the Buddhist temple. Did Lang shi genuinely save that girl or did she do it for recognition?
(Xiao xu phone rings)
"Xiao xu! Did you just now see Lang shi on the news? I told you my girl is worth the hype and she was able to save Ling hun Hong. I love that girl so much, she can inspire other girls to be heroes too!"- Shang
"Shang, did you not wonder what Lang shi was doing at Number ate the same night both of us went?"- Xiao xu
"Yes I asked Lang shi and she was not obligated to tell me but she said that one of her best friends was going through a tough time and needed something to cheer her up hence she carried her to the number ate."- Shang
"Oh that was so sweet of your Lang shi then, she cheered up the bad moods and saved people from death what a heroine she is indeed" (Xiao xu sarcastically speaks).
I was contemplating whether to tell Shang that the love of his life is cheating on him but I just did not have the guts to see my best friend in pain. He literally worships Lang Shi like a goddess and hearing that she was unfaithful to him, especially from his best friend, is nerve wrecking.
Days started to creep up and soon the week would end. I had to find a part time job soon or else I would be evicted. I had to go in search of a job. I opened the hand-me-down laptop given to me by Shang and I searched on the web for the most appropriate jobs for my caliber.
Through much scrolling and searching, my eyes started to drop and my hands became fatigued. After all, I was just crammed between two pillows without the help of proper ergonomics. My efforts paid off when I found a job titled "Assistant/caretaker". I knew it was not much but it would have taken me somewhere right? I filled out the necessary requirements and applied.
The feeling of fatigueness and lethargy chanced upon me so it was a beacon to go to sleep.
The white chrysanthemum rooted to my hands was ambushed with the color of black. The blue skies turned into a circle of fire, the ground was filled with thorns. The waters of the Sansu river were raging. As I crossed the bridge of death, I felt my body dissipating into the unknown.
I woke up with sweat dripping on my entire face. I had a terrible nightmare that left a vivid scar in my mind.
Recently a series of negative things has been happening to me. I suppose I would pay another visit to the Buddhist temple and see what governs my future.
It was morning already, the rays of sun entered through the curtain. I stepped into the shower as the water flowed down my body, my mind could not stop but think of the dream I had. Today was a new day, I was again starting fresh. I wore a red shirt and a black trousers. I hopped on my mended bike and enjoyed the morning breeze to the Buddhist temple.
I still remembered the vision I had the last time I came here. I walked into the temple, and I was greeted by a monk.
"Ēmítuófó (may the infinite light of the buddha be with you)"
The monk touched my head in order to bless it.
"Child I touched your body and all I could feel was emptiness. Your inner spirit does not belong to you."
"In order to obtain the blessing your inner spirit must match your body, your inner spirit rejected these blessings."
I took this as a joke, he was a monk of course he was going to say things like that.
"I am going to ask you something, and you must answer carefully. Have you ever felt like you were just existing without a purpose?"
I answered him sincerely in order to show my respect, "yes throughout my life I have felt like I was just existing but there is no purpose to me."
"Wait, are you? Are you Xiao Xu Sai?"
I was startled by the fact that the monk knew my full name.
"Twenty one years ago, your parents visited this temple. They wanted to seek blessings in the hope of having a prosperous pregnancy. I did not want to ruin their happiness but I had to tell them. In a vision, I saw that while the baby was to be born a massive amount of energy waves would be released into this universe causing detrimental harm to the mother. I gave your mother two choices. She can either kill the child and save herself or kill herself and save the child. Well I see today your mother loved you so much she chose to save you. Your parents always loved the name Xiao xu and the first thing they said when they enter the temple was "may our Xiao xu's life be filled with joy and light"
"First you said my soul does not match my body, now you said I killed my own parents? I respectfully disagree with you. I would never do that! I hope the Buddha can enlighten your way of thinking. I take your leave."- Xiao xu
I left the temple with a dilemma. I did not know if to believe what the monk was saying. If he was begging for alms he would have made up some superstitious story like that but he was not, so were his sayings true?