bookbashuk Chapter 233 Welcome Banquet
Chapter 233 Welcome Banquet
Following the updates has never been so enjoyable.
Fatty Li closed the door, but instead of lying down immediately, he sat on the edge of the bed, took out his phone, and secretly sent a message to Zhao Mengmeng: "Senior Sister Mengmeng, we've arrived in Lincheng. The place we're staying at is called Yue Ran Ju, it's really grand!" He added an excited emoji at the end.
Zhao Mengmeng quickly replied, "Understood, junior brother. Take good care of Master and Second Martial Uncle."
Fatty Li looked at the screen, grinned, and then lay down peacefully, soon snoring evenly. He had gotten up early and driven for several hours, so he was indeed tired.
Huiming returned to his room, sat cross-legged on the couch, closed his eyes, twirled prayer beads, and chanted scriptures in a low voice. Wisps of smoke rose from the incense burner in the corner of the courtyard, carrying the calming scent of sandalwood, silently lingering in every corner of the small courtyard.
Chen Anran did not return to his room. He remained seated on the stone bench in the courtyard, toying with the warm teacup in his hand, his gaze fixed on the sky above the courtyard wall. The afternoon sun of September filtered through the branches and leaves of the old plum tree, casting dappled shadows that swayed gently on his shoulders.
Wei Qingyi didn't leave either. She sat down opposite Chen Anran, picked up the slightly cooled tea cup again, but didn't drink it, just quietly watched the tea leaves floating in the cup.
"Second Senior Sister, aren't you going to rest?" Chen Anran turned to look at her.
"Not tired."
Chen Anran didn't try to persuade her any further and casually poured her another half cup of hot tea.
The courtyard was quiet for a moment, with only the gurgling of the spring water and the occasional chirping of birds in the distance. The sunlight slanted across the bluestone slabs, casting long, thin shadows of the two people.
"Junior brother, you asked about the ancient cultivator from three thousand years ago in the car... are you still troubled by that matter in Chongqing?"
I guess so.
Chen Anran didn't explain further. He looked at Wei Qingyi, "Let's not talk about that. But you, Senior Sister, how far have you and those fellow cultivators progressed with your 'Cultivation School' plan?"
Upon hearing this, Wei Qingyi picked up her teacup and gently blew on the tea leaves floating on the surface. "We are still selecting a site and drafting the regulations. Chengdu, Jingchu, and Jiangnan are the options, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Chengdu has a stable spiritual energy node, but the land price is expensive; Jingchu has a wide open terrain, which is convenient for setting up basic formations, but the local aristocratic families have complicated relationships; Jiangnan has a strong literary atmosphere, which makes it easier to recruit promising young disciples, but there are also many competitors."
Chen Anran nodded: "This matter cannot be rushed. When it comes to running a school and educating people, especially those involved in cultivating their foundation, site selection is the first hurdle, as it concerns the inheritance of destiny." He paused slightly, then added, "How large is your funding gap?"
Wei Qingyi shook her head. "Anran, the reason I don't want you to know is that I don't want you to help me." She paused, her voice becoming very soft. "I also want to contribute to the sect on my own."
Chen Anran looked at Wei Qingyi's calm gaze and knew that she was serious, so he stopped insisting and simply nodded.
"Okay, then please feel free to ask if you need anything, Senior Sister."
Upon hearing this, Wei Qingyi smiled and was about to speak when Chen Anran said seriously, "But if I find out that you're working several jobs a day like before, then I'll have to take action."
Wei Qingyi's smile deepened, and the corners of her eyes curved into a gentle arc: "I understand. I won't do that again. Besides, I'm an actress now, how could I possibly act like before?"
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Chen Anran replied, "Although I've never worked in your industry, I know that with your current fame, and those three guys like Wang Rui, your film contracts and other offers are probably packed."
Wei Qingyi said, "Having a full schedule is one thing, whether or not to accept it is another. Wang Rui and the others... are quite sensible; they consulted me beforehand about scripts and endorsements. They turned down anything that was too mentally taxing or hindered their spiritual practice."
She paused, then looked up at Chen Anran, her eyes clear and bright: "Besides, although filming is also a job, it's different from before. On set, you can see different people and things, landscapes, and everyday life. Sometimes, observing quietly is also a form of spiritual practice."
Chen Anran was somewhat surprised, then smiled and said, "It's wonderful that Second Senior Sister thinks that way."
Just then, a burst of laughter and chatter came from the garden path not far from the courtyard, growing louder as it approached and then fading away. It sounded like a group of young cultivators strolling in the garden, their voices full of energy, discussing which old-established braised duck shop in Lin City was delicious, and complaining about the unstable WiFi signal in their guest room.
Wei Qingyi listened intently for a moment, and only after the sound had faded away did she whisper, "There are more people than expected."
"The old lady of the Han family is of advanced age, which naturally attracts attention."
...............
As the sun gradually sets in the west, the shadows in the courtyard grow longer.
When Li Pangzi woke up, he was full of energy. He hurriedly boiled water to make new tea and placed several Lincheng specialty snacks that the Han family had prepared in advance in the side room on the stone table. There were soft cloud cakes, sweet lotus root starch balls, and a small dish of fragrant braised tofu.
"Master, Second Martial Uncle, Master Huiming, please have something to eat," Fatty Li said solicitously. "There's still some time before the welcome banquet tonight."
Chen Anran and Wei Qingyi chatted in the courtyard for an afternoon.
Wei Qingyi picked up a piece of cloud cake, took a bite, and found it sweet but not cloying, melting in her mouth. She praised, "This cake is quite well made."
The main restaurant of Yue Ran Ju is called "Ju Xian Ting" (Gathering of Talents Hall), a spacious and bright Chinese-style hall, which is now brightly lit.
Several round tables were arranged in an orderly fashion, and twenty or thirty guests were already seated, exchanging pleasantries and creating a lively atmosphere.
Chen Anran immediately spotted Zhang Nanshan and Daoist Tianbao sitting at a table near the front, chatting and laughing with several other elderly men of similarly robust bearing. Shen Zui was also among them, having changed out of his always wrinkled jacket and into a crisp shirt. He was holding a wine glass, his face still bearing that "I just want to go back to work overtime" expression, but at least he was trying to socialize.
Han Bailian moved between the tables, all smiles, attentively greeting each guest. Upon seeing Chen Anran and his group enter, he immediately went to greet them and personally led them to a table next to Zhang Nanshan's.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, Fellow Daoist Wei, Master Huiming, and this young friend Li... please sit here," Han Bailian said. "This table is mostly filled with outstanding young talents. We are all around the same age, so it's easy to talk to each other." He pointed to the people who were already seated at the same table.
The group rose to greet them, among them two young and beautiful female cultivators who became excited upon seeing Wei Qingyi.
A pretty female cultivator, around twenty years old, greeted Wei Qingyi, "Fellow Daoist Wei! I didn't expect you to come too! It's a good opportunity for us to get together and discuss the establishment of the cultivation school."