Asura Hungry Ghost

Wei Dan Sheng sat kneeling before a low table, brewing tea.

Today, he wore an emerald green kasaya, his monk's robe loose, his expression serene.

Xi Cui sat down opposite him. "Junior Master, why have you summoned me here?"

"Today, I came to see Young Master Gao," he paused, his verdant eyes looking directly at Xi Cui, "...no, I should say Lady Gao, for there is indeed an important matter to discuss."

Xi Cui was not particularly surprised.

He was such an intelligent and suspicious person; she had never expected her disguise to fool him indefinitely.

She just hadn't anticipated that if Wei Dan Sheng had been playing along with her charade for the past few days, why he would choose today to expose her identity.

Xi Cui's heart sank.

Was it because of yesterday's incident?

"How did you figure it out?" Xi Cui asked after a moment of silence.

"A few days ago, before the great hall, Lady and Young Master Gao and I had a chance encounter."

He remembered that meeting? Could he know Gao Qian?

This, in turn, somewhat surprised Xi Cui. "Then, on that day at the mountain gate, when you first saw me, did you recognize me?"

Wei Dan Sheng did not deny it, continuing, "I do not know for what reason Lady wishes to impersonate her elder brother to come to Kongshan Temple, nor do I intend to interfere with Lady's affairs."

"The reason I sought Lady out to speak today," he said calmly, "is to invite Lady to descend the mountain."

Xi Cui frowned. "Why?"

Wei Dan Sheng did not answer her directly.

"I heard that yesterday, because Lady saw a female pilgrim, you hastily fled into the mountains. And that female pilgrim came from the Gao family. It seems Lady's departure from home was certainly concealed from your family."

"Lady has been away from home for a long time; it is time to leave. After all, there is no precedent in a Buddhist temple for a monk to reside with a woman."

Wei Dan Sheng spoke without reservation.

Xi Cui's body stiffened. "What does Junior Master mean by these words?"

The night wind drifted in through the slightly open window.

Accompanied by the clinking of prayer beads, the gentle monk sighed softly.

"Does Lady still not understand?"

"Lady's concealed departure from home not only causes trouble for your family but also for the fellow practitioners in the temple."

"Your family, unable to find Lady, will surely be worried. And Lady, impersonating a man to sneak into the temple, once discovered, will undoubtedly attract countless rumors about the temple, about Lady, and about the Gao family."

His lips were pale and thin. As he spoke these words, the corners of his mouth curved slightly, appearing gentle and compassionate, but in reality, cold and sarcastic. "Lady Gao, so stubbornly insistent, have you ever considered the feelings of others?"

He bowed his head, his posture humble, like the most modest disciple of the Buddha. But the words that came from his mouth were as sharp as knives.

If it were truly a fifteen-year-old girl before him, she would probably be cut to pieces by his words.

But Xi Cui was not.

A thought slowly rose in her heart: "Indeed, it is so."

Wei Dan Sheng was blaming her for injuring Wu Huai Fei.

In the book, there was also a plot point where Wei Dan Sheng and Gao Qian had a dispute, the reason being that Gao Qian had not protected Wu Huai Fei well.

Wei Dan Sheng cared deeply for the female lead. If he was angry with her because of yesterday's incident, it was only natural.

Xi Cui lowered her gaze.

What would a fifteen-year-old girl do when faced with such criticism?

Wei Dan Sheng was watching her.

Her calmness in this situation seemed utterly strange.

Under Wei Dan Sheng's gaze, Xi Cui turned her face away, looking towards the dancing candlelight on the table, appearing lost in thought due to his words.

It was not until her eyeballs ached and physiological tears finally welled up that Xi Cui averted her gaze and looked up.

Like a young girl unable to bear criticism, her lips trembled slightly, and the corners of her eyes were moist with tears.

"This matter, indeed, I did not consider thoroughly."

There was no movement from the opposite side.

Once the tears fell, the rest became easier.

Xi Cui watched a tear fall onto the table and said softly, "If Junior Master does not speak of it, no one will know."

He silently watched her weep.

The clear tears rolled down her cheeks, illuminated by the candlelight, emitting a faint glow.

Wei Dan Sheng's heart stirred slightly, and a flicker of light appeared in his blue eyes.

"Why does Lady weep?"

His eyes, originally somewhat indifferent, reflected the dancing candlelight, adding a few shades of enchanting beauty.

"Paper cannot wrap fire. If I can see it, others will surely see it later. I can help Lady conceal it for a time, but not for a lifetime. Descending the mountain now is also a good thing for Lady."

"Only for this reason?" Xi Cui asked again. "Or is it because of Lady Wu? Because I implicated Lady Wu last night, Junior Master is asking me to descend the mountain?"

"Precisely," Wei Dan Sheng said, lowering his eyes to caress the white porcelain teacup beside him, with unexpected frankness.

"How old is Lady now?" he asked casually in return.

"Fifteen."

"Fifteen years old, one should understand matters."

He half-closed his eyes, then opened them again. Those beautiful eyes held a hint of condescension, and the words he uttered did not soften because of her tears; on the contrary, they became even colder and sharper.

"I did not do it on purpose," Xi Cui pursed her lips.

"I believe Lady did not do it on purpose either."

"But if not for Lady, how could yesterday's incident have occurred? Because of Lady's willful actions, Lady Wu was implicated yesterday."

Wei Dan Sheng looked directly into her eyes, as if looking at an ignorant child, his gaze seemingly tender as water, yet containing cold reproach, even unwarranted malice.

"Why do you still not understand?"

Xi Cui clenched her fingers.

As the candle flame flickered, Wei Dan Sheng's face was half-lit, half-shadowed.

In the light, he truly resembled a compassionate and benevolent Bodhisattva.

In the shadows, he was like an Asura Hungry Ghost.

His rosy lips used the most beautiful and gentle words to unleash sharp blades that cut into flesh and bone.