As the meeting adjourned, the evening had settled in, and it was time for dinner in Wangmiao Village. Ye Xiaoming and his colleagues were heading to Feng Shijie's house for a meal, while Ouyang Xue planned to return to her hotel to manage her business. They parted ways at the entrance of the woodworking shop.
Just as Ding Yuanying was about to get into the car, Feng's mother called from near the church, "Shijie, stop Yuanying. Don't let him leave just yet." She hurried over, smiling warmly.
Feng Shijie suggested, "Ding, maybe the church is inviting you for Holy Communion."
Liu Bing added, "Not just Holy Communion; they probably want you to join the faith. They've mentioned it several times before."
Ding Yuanying asked, "Who has some money on them? Give me a bit."
Ouyang Xue reached into her bag and asked, "How much do you need?"
Ye Xiaoming laughed, "Holy Communion is blessed by God. I've been there; usually, you give a donation of ten or twenty yuan. But for you, Ding, it might need to be more."
Ouyang Xue handed Ding Yuanying a hundred-yuan note and kept one for herself.
Feng Shijie suggested, "Fifty for Ding and twenty for Ouyang should be enough. The days ahead are long."
Ouyang Xue smiled, "Better to give more than make God give change."
The church was only about twenty meters from the woodworking shop. Feng's mother quickly approached, warmly inviting Ding Yuanying and Ouyang Xue, "We're about to have dinner. It's a blessing to eat Holy Communion. Stay, have a meal, and let's talk."
Ye Xiaoming and his colleagues got into their car. Before driving off, Ye Xiaoming jokingly said to Feng's mother, "Ma'am, you're taking Ding and the chairman for Holy Communion, and we'll head to your place for some earthly food." They then drove away.
Ding Yuanying handed Feng's mother the hundred-yuan note, saying, "Ma'am, I'll join you for dinner, but I don't know the customs here. Please take this money; whether it's too much or too little, don't mind."
Ouyang Xue quickly handed over her money as well.
Feng's mother accepted the money, solemnly saying to each, "May the Lord bless you!" Then she added, "Oh, you misunderstood. I just wanted to talk to you; I've been meaning to for a while but never had the chance."
A 100-watt bulb hung from a tree near the church entrance, illuminating a crowd of believers sitting on small stools they had brought. Inside and outside the church, people were everywhere. A table outside the church held a small locked box with a slot for donations. Next door, in the church kitchen, six women were busy preparing food.
Ding Yuanying peeked into the kitchen, where a small blower was stoking the stove. A large pot bubbled with a delicious-smelling cornmeal and vegetable porridge, filled with spinach, vermicelli, and tofu, making his mouth water.
Long benches were set up as makeshift tables. Feng's mother invited Ding Yuanying and Ouyang Xue to sit. Soon, steaming bowls of the porridge and mantou were brought over. Before eating, each believer said a short prayer. Ding Yuanying and Ouyang Xue were exempt from this ritual and began eating directly. The atmosphere was lively, with women chatting and laughing.
After the meal, Ding Yuanying found himself surrounded by several people, including two men in their forties, one looking like a city dweller.
Feng's mother introduced them, "This is Pastor Liu, and these are members of nearby village churches. We're just here to talk."
A local woman spoke first, "Yuanying, you should believe in the faith. If you do, you'll be saved."
Feng's mother added, "Yuanying, I know you're a good person. This is for your own good. I may be uneducated, but I know that no matter how many good deeds you do, you can't enter heaven unless you believe in the Lord. Only faith can save you."
A middle-aged woman prayed briefly, then said, "I'll preach to you now. You need to hear it to believe. Have you ever noticed, no matter how much you scrub, you can't get completely clean? That's because God made humans from dirt. Only the Lord can save us from the abyss. The church is Jesus' body, an extension of God on earth, without worldly biases of status or wealth. Jesus grants eternal life to all who believe and follow him…"
She continued passionately, reciting her understanding and memorized passages.
A local woman handed her a cup of water, "Sister, have some water and speak slowly."
The middle-aged woman took the cup but didn't drink, continuing, "Don't interrupt, or I'll lose my train of thought. Here, logic isn't necessary; you just need to believe to be saved. Do you know the Bible? In Genesis…"
A man interrupted, "Sister, that's not the way. This brother is educated; you need to use reason." He turned to Ding Yuanying, "Brother, do you believe in heaven? When we're all in heaven and you're not, how will you feel?"
Ding Yuanying remained silent, listening.
Pastor Liu urged, "Mr. Ding, you should answer."
Ding Yuanying said, "If heaven is for those who pass through the eye of a needle, I admire them, for I cannot."
Pastor Liu was momentarily taken aback. The term "heaven" is deeply rooted in faith and understanding. While it seemed simple, few could respond with such straightforward clarity, often resorting to flowery, superficial answers. Liu felt a shiver; Ding's answer was uncalculated, genuine.
Pastor Liu asked, "Do you believe in God?"
Ding Yuanying replied, "Yes, realizing the illusion as truth is God."
After pondering, Pastor Liu asked, "What is the relationship between God and man?"
Ding Yuanying answered, "Not one, not different."
Pastor Liu concluded, "The kingdom of heaven is far from you. No one can save you. You may leave."
Ding Yuanying stood up, politely saying, "Sorry to have troubled you."
Feng's mother, concerned, urged, "Yuanying, just believe! Believing will save you!"