Wang wreaked havoc on our family, leaving me in a state near death.
The following morning, my body erupted in what looked like corpse spots.
They multiplied rapidly, spreading across my skin.
My fever raged on, and my breaths grew shallow and strained.
It seemed my time was drawing near.
My mother collapsed in a fit of tears several times, her heart shattered by my condition.
Grandpa and Dad, helpless to intervene, could only watch with despair, their sighs painting a picture of utter hopelessness.
Granny Liu, ever resourceful, battled tirelessly on my behalf.
She attempted various remedies, even resorting to spirit possession, but all in vain.
My condition only worsened as the hours trickled by.
Around noon, hope arrived in the most unexpected form—a large, portly monk appeared at our courtyard entrance.
This imposing figure, weighing no less than two hundred pounds, seemed to be in his late fifties or early sixties.
He knocked on the courtyard door and inquired if a nine-year-old boy, afflicted by an evil spirit, resided within.
Grandpa, taken aback by the monk's words—for how could he have known?—could only nod in stunned confirmation.
Indeed, there was a nine-year-old boy, on the verge of death, trapped within their home.
He hesitantly questioned the monk's purpose.
"Fear not," the monk declared with a nod. "I wish to take him as my disciple. I can cure him, but only if you consent to him following this path."
Grandpa, his heart a mix of hope and apprehension, immediately summoned my parents and Granny Liu.
A monk, claiming to hold the key to my survival, had arrived!
However, something about the monk's stout figure seemed amiss; this didn't align with Grandpa's image of a true monk.
Granny Liu, her wisdom honed by years of experience, approached the monk.
She sensed an unusual aura surrounding him.
"You who traverse the North Mountain, cross three bridges, you are guarded by a spirit," she began, her voice laced with ancestral power. "Tell me, where does your true spirit reside?"
Her cryptic words were no riddle to the monk.
She alluded to the local spirit mediums of Thirty-Li Village, each bound to a guardian spirit.
She sought to unveil the monk's origins, the source of his power.
The monk chuckled.
"Sister, your inquiries are unnecessary. I am Jue Ming, a monk from the south. Now, enough delay. Lead me to my disciple." His impatience crackled in the air.
Granny Liu, unfazed, raised her hand, a placating smile gracing her lips.
"Patience, High Monk. First, have a smoke." As she spoke, she gracefully packed her pipe with tobacco, preparing to test the monk's abilities.
My life precariously hung in the balance.
If this monk was a charlatan, his intervention might just be the final nail in my coffin.
Granny Liu had to be certain.
Just as she finished packing and reached for a light, the monk, in a swift motion, declared.
"Sister, your chatter hinders me. Do not delay the acceptance of my disciple."
He waved his hand dismissively.
What followed left my family and Granny Liu utterly bewildered.
Smoke billowed from the bowl of her pipe as if lit by an unseen force.
The matchbox remained clutched in Granny Liu's hand, untouched. A wave of the monk's hand had ignited the tobacco.
The display of such extraordinary power left everyone flabbergasted.
Granny Liu, her composure momentarily shaken, nodded to my grandpa.
"This monk possesses true ability. Allow him to see Xiao Jie."
The monk, beaming with satisfaction, stepped forward.
However, Dad, overcome with concern, interjected.
"Master, why must you take my son as your disciple? Will he be forced to lead a monastic life?"
The monk, his joy fading into irritation, retorted.
"What is wrong with being a monk? If I don't intervene, he will surely perish!"
"He's my only son," Dad pleaded, his voice heavy with desperation. "If he becomes a monk, who will carry on our family name?"
"This is a matter of life and death! Enough of this talk! The boy's life comes first. Master, please, tend to him," Grandpa urged, gently pushing Dad aside and ushering the monk inside.
"Hold!" A voice rang out from the courtyard entrance.
Everyone turned to face the source of the interruption.
A distinguished older gentleman, impeccably dressed, approached.
Trailing him were four or five young men, their sharp suits marking them as individuals of considerable influence.
The monk's demeanor instantly shifted, a shadow crossing his face as he locked eyes with the newcomer.
"Shen!" he hissed. "There's an order here. I arrived first. This disciple is mine. Do not interfere."
Shen, unperturbed, addressed my grandpa and dad, a gentle smile gracing his lips.
"I, too, can heal your son. However, in exchange, he must become my disciple. Rest assured, this does not necessitate a monastic life. He will be free to marry and have children, ensuring the continuation of your family line. Consider this alternative."
Hope blossomed anew in our hearts.
To have my health restored without sacrificing our family's future?
It was an answer to our prayers!
If we had to choose, Shen's offer was undeniably more appealing.
The monk, his face contorted with rage, erupted.
"Shen! You vile scoundrel! You dare to sabotage me? This matter is not over!" He jumped up and down, spewing threats.
As he lunged forward, Shen's burly entourage, moving with practiced ease, swiftly intercepted him, forming a wall of muscle between the enraged monk and their employer.
"MasterJue Ming," Shen chided, his voice calm despite the monk's outburst. "You are a man of the cloth. Such aggression does not befit you. Taking a disciple is a choice, not a right. Let the family decide."
Before Shen could finish, a symphony of car horns pierced the air, announcing yet another arrival.
A tall, imposing middle-aged man strode into the courtyard, sporting gold-rimmed glasses that hinted at his status.
He was followed by a group of people, but his focus remained on the young girl, no older than seven or eight, who held his hand.
The little girl, with her bright, sparkling eyes, milky-white skin, and neatly braided hair, was the very picture of youthful beauty.
Even at such a tender age, her potential to blossom into a captivating young woman was evident.
The man, after surveying us with a warm smile, addressed my family.
"I, too, can cure your son. In return, he must become my disciple. But understand, this discipleship comes with a betrothal. Upon reaching adulthood, he will take my daughter as his bride. Your family line will continue. What say you?"
His proposition left us dumbfounded.
Was this a dream?
Not only was he offering to save my life, but he was also presenting us with a beautiful daughter-in-law!
This unexpected turn of events was almost too much to comprehend.
The little girl, with her city-bred air, would make a fine wife indeed!
However, a new wave of confusion washed over us.
Where were all these people coming from?
All night, we grappled with my illness, despair our only companion.
Now, we were suddenly inundated with individuals, each more powerful than the last, vying for the opportunity to heal me.
The situation had become utterly overwhelming, spiraling far beyond our control.