Chapter 72: The Overflowingly Talented Meng Chunqiu (2nd update, seeking monthly votes)

Chen Shu stood at the entrance of the Dormitory, took off his coat, and shook off the wind and snow covering his body.

He put on his coat and swiped his card to enter.

It wasn't exactly warm inside, but it was not as cold as it was outside. He hurriedly closed the door, sat down at the entrance to change into his slippers, and had just walked into the living room when he saw Meng Chunqiu, draped in a pure white fur cloak, standing on the balcony facing the wind and snow, his head slightly tilted, lost in thought and silent, as if a timeless masterpiece would burst from his lips in the next second.

"Brother Meng."

Chen Shu threw the durian he was carrying onto the coffee table and called out toward the outside: "Thinking of poetry again?"

"Hmm?"

Meng Chunqiu turned his head abruptly: "Brother Chen, where have you been these past few days?"

"Went out to have fun."

"I haven't seen you return to the Dormitory for several days."

"A younger sister came to Yujing for an exam, so I took her around for two days."

"So that's how it is." Meng Chunqiu was still standing on the balcony, now with his back to the wind and snow and his face toward Chen Shu, "This year's snow is truly rare."

"How is it rare?"

"It came earlier and is heavier than in previous years." Meng Chunqiu said to him, "Brother Chen, come to the balcony. If you look down from here, you will know the beauty of the garden. It is just a change of perspective from being down below, yet it is completely different."

Chen Shu walked to the balcony and stood side by side with him to look down. It was indeed as beautiful as a freehand brushwork painting of wind and snow: "This year, that cold air mass moving south..."

"Yes, thanks to it, we have such a beautiful snowy scene."

"It's beautiful, but it's cold." Chen Shu glanced at Meng Chunqiu, "Brother Meng, you should spend more time cultivating when you have the chance. If nothing else, it's good for strengthening your body. Look at you, you've frozen like this just by standing outside. Unlike me, I was buried in the snow this morning and I'm perfectly fine."

"It's no matter, snow is always cold." Meng Chunqiu seemed not to care at all, looking at the scenery below with him, "Brother Chen, look at this snow, do you have any poetry on your lips?"

"No."

"Can't you recall any famous lines from ancient poets?"

"I am a vulgar person."

"Brother Chen, there is no need to be so humble. I can already see that although you do not have my overflowing talent, nor are you as lofty in ambition as I am, you are not as vulgar as they are." Meng Chunqiu tightened his cloak; his hands were already frozen bright red and his lips were frozen blue, but he still did not want to go back in, "Whenever I see this snow, excellent lines appear in my mind."

"Just recite them, I'll listen."

"Sigh, it is a pity that I consider myself to have yet to create a timeless masterpiece like the ancients. It is better not to recite mediocre poems, yet I am unwilling to recite the poems of others."

"Brother Meng is full of pride." Chen Shu twitched the corner of his mouth, "I do recall a few lines I saw on the internet before, though they aren't complete."

"Oh? Recite them."

"It should be: The celestial immortals are wildly drunk, carelessly shattering the white clouds."

"Hmm... this poem is so unrestrained. Is it talking about the origin of the snow?"

"I suppose so, I don't know either."

"Is there a source?"

"No, I've forgotten it all. I only remember the person who posted it seemed to be named Li Bai."

"I'll go back and search for it."

"You likely won't be able to find it. I saw it on a small website many years ago, and the website can't be found anymore."

"So Brother Chen, you also like poetry..." Meng Chunqiu looked at Chen Shu with some resentment, "You even lied to me and said you weren't interested. If you were truly not interested, how could you remember a line of poetry you saw randomly many years ago?"

"I liked it when I was a child."

"What was that website called?"

"Baidu."

"I've never heard of it."

"I told you it couldn't be found."

"That is truly a pity. Sigh, this era is too superficial; those with poetic talent are all buried." Meng Chunqiu shook his head, "Are there any more?"

"Suddenly, like a spring breeze coming overnight, ten thousand pear trees bloom."

"This poem is also exquisite. If it were born in ancient times, I fear it would also become a timeless masterpiece." Meng Chunqiu thought to himself, and let out a long sigh again, "It is a pity that no matter how much talent I have in this era, it is ultimately impossible for future generations to know of it. It is truly depressing."

"..."

Chen Shu gave him a faint look—

Wake up! You have no talent!

Meng Chunqiu seemed to sense his gaze and looked at him in confusion: "Brother Chen, what do you want to say?"

"I was just thinking of agreeing with you."

Chen Shu said casually, then added: "Brother Meng, you want to leave a name for eternity."

"Who wouldn't want to?"

"I wouldn't."

"Then what does Brother Chen want?"

"To live this life well, do what I want to do, be at peace in my heart, have no regrets and owe nothing, and just not leave a bad name for ten thousand years."

"It is rare for Brother Chen to talk about life with me, so I wish Brother Chen a smooth and fulfilling life."

"I also wish you, Brother Meng, your wish comes true and you leave a name for eternity." Chen Shu said, shrinking his neck, "Hiss, it's still cold outside. Brother Meng, you keep on posturing, I have to go back to my room to warm up."

"Hey! Brother Chen!"

Meng Chunqiu called out to stop him from behind: "Those two lines of yours are getting better the more I think about them. May I quote them briefly?"

Chen Shu had already entered the living room and was at the bedroom door. Only his voice came through, not very loud, mixed with the wind and snow on the balcony, almost impossible to hear clearly:

"Suit yourself."

"Who was the author again..."

"Bang."

Chen Shu had already entered the bedroom and closed the door.

Meng Chunqiu opened his mouth, then fell silent; presumably, he knew he wouldn't get an answer, so he turned back to continue admiring the snow.

He sniffed; there was a strange smell.

That evening.

Chen Shu was lying on the bed studying a Spell, and feeling a bit tired, he took out his Mobile Phone to play around, seeing that Meng Chunqiu had posted an update—

A photo of snow filling the sky.

The caption read: It must be the immortals in a wild drunken stupor, carelessly shattering the white clouds.

Jiang Lai had already liked it.

Chen Shu liked it too.

Someone was talking in the Ancient Cultivation Group again.

Grandma Always Says: 【Image】

Grandma Always Says: Look, look! Yujing police are offering a reward for Zhao Haojiang. 50,000 for providing clues, 200,000 for detailed location information, 500,000 for catching him.

Grandma Always Says: If any group members run into Zhao Haojiang, remember to contact me. I'll go catch him, and once caught, I'll split 200,200 with you.

Grandma Always Says: 【Image】

Grandma Always Says: This is what the person looks like.

Nameless Person: Yujing is so big! How could one possibly just happen to run into him?

Grandma Always Says: What if there are people from the Daoist or Buddhist Sects in our group? They can all do calculations, right? We can cooperate and split the money.

Nameless Person: That is possible.

Nameless Person: But the Buddhist and Daoist Sects have always lived in quiet cultivation; they are neither greedy for money nor lacking it. Would they come out to help you?

Grandma Always Says: Who knows?

Grandma Always Says: @All Members

Nameless Person: You can't fool people with fakes; you're just deceiving yourself.

Grandma Always Says: Shut up!

Nameless Person: Oh.

After that, the Nameless Person didn't speak again.

The last message was from two hours ago.

Chen Shu twitched the corner of his mouth after reading it. Good grief, a walking 500,000; he really is worth a fortune.

It just so happened that this morning, after getting beaten up and while walking to school, he had asked Qingqing about this very issue. Now that Qingqing's cultivation in the Secret Sect had progressed further, she was able to lock onto a person's general location, though it would take some time.

After a moment of thought, Chen Shu began to type—

Qingcai Keke: What a coincidence, Senior Brother.

Qingcai Keke: I happen to be a disciple of the Daoist Sect.

Grandma Always Says: Cut the crap.

Qingcai Keke: It's true!

Qingcai Keke: You give me 200,000, and I'll provide you with the general location information. No refunds if you don't accept the offer.

Grandma Always Says: I think you're trying to swindle me /chin in hand

Qingcai Keke: Information first, payment later. No refunds if you don't accept.

Grandma Always Says: If you can really calculate, why don't you calculate when and where Zhao Haojiang will be transporting drugs, instead of going to plant a wiretap?

Oh! There's a loophole!

Just then, another message came in—

Gate of All Wonders: Which temple are you from?

Oh no! Even more awkward!

Chen Shu thought quickly—

Qingcai Keke: Haha, that was just to trick you into coming out. Grandma, Senior Brother, look, I've tricked a Daoist Sect disciple out. I scanned the group members earlier, and as soon as I saw this name, I guessed they were a Daoist Sect disciple.

Grandma Always Says: /kiss

Nameless Person: Junior Sister Qingcai is so smart! /thumbs up

Grandma Always Says: @Gate of All Wonders

Grandma Always Says: @Gate of All Wonders

Grandma Always Says: Come out quickly, don't play dead. Don't your Buddhist and Daoist Sects shout every day about guarding the country and helping the common people? Why can't we find you when it comes to this?

Gate of All Wonders: Ordinary police can handle this kind of thing; we have our own things to do too.

Grandma Always Says: You're not busy right now; you're still lurking in the group. Come quickly to help me sweep away evil and make big money.

Gate of All Wonders: ……

Grandma Always Says: Hurry up and divine.

Gate of All Wonders: My knowledge is not profound; I can only provide a general area. With the help of my sect's supreme treasure, I can lock it down to within a one-kilometer radius.

Grandma Always Says: Oh! A supreme treasure! It seems you are highly valued in the Daoist Sect! A closed-door disciple?

Gate of All Wonders: ……

Grandma Always Says: /hurry up

Gate of All Wonders: 200,000.

Grandma Always Says:?

Grandma Always Says: Isn't your Daoist Sect committed to saving the common people? You're charging money for this?

Gate of All Wonders: I want to buy a car, I'm a bit short on money.

Grandma Always Says: Short 200,000? Do Daoists and monks drive luxury cars now? Where did all the fine traditions of quiet cultivation go……

Gate of All Wonders: In ancient times, monks and Daoists also had to ride horses or travel by carriage; it wasn't cheaper than cars today.

Grandma Always Says: That makes so much sense!

Gate of All Wonders: I support bargaining.

Grandma Always Says: One fixed price, 150,000!

Grandma Always Says: But only if you find it!

Gate of All Wonders: Deal.

Qingcai Keke: I want in too!

Grandma Always Says: Seeing as you're clever, if I can get 500,000, I'll give you 10,000; if I need your help again, we'll discuss it then.

Qingcai Keke: /bows with head touching the floor

Chen Shu turned off his Mobile Phone, got out of bed, and headed out in high spirits.

In the living room, Jiang Lai and Meng Chunqiu were both sitting on the sofa with paper plugs in their noses, leaning over and staring at something on the coffee table.

At first, Chen Shu thought Brother Meng had been trying too hard to act cool and caught a cold while out on the balcony, but Jiang Lai was a martial artist whose body was harder than iron; he should be fine even if he were stripped naked and locked in a freezer overnight.

Just then, the two of them looked up at him in unison.

Meng Chunqiu spoke first: "Brother Chen, what is this that you have bought? The smell is so peculiar; could it be the legendary durian?"

"You two have never eaten durian?"

"Our families never eat such things."

"Then you haven't eaten stinky tofu or snail rice noodles either?"

"No."

"Then you really must try it." Chen Shu invited them enthusiastically, "I'll go get some spoons."

"Is it good?" Jiang Lai asked weakly.

"It's delicious! Why would I buy it if it weren't?" Chen Shu said as he walked, "It's quite expensive too; this box cost over a hundred yuan."

"So expensive!" Jiang Lai was startled.

"Eat it once in a while as a treat." Chen Shu handed them spoons and forks with a grin, "You can use a spoon or a fork, or if you find it troublesome, you can just grab it with your hands to eat, just remember to wash your hands."

"I won't eat it!" Meng Chunqiu refused.

"Brother Meng, life is short, why not give it a try? If you want to be a poet, you cannot be constrained by such things; you must discover the beauty behind things." Chen Shu found a way to persuade him that he could accept.

"Brother Chen's words make sense!"

"Right..."

This is what they call teaching according to one's aptitude.

After nodding, Meng Chunqiu asked another question: "That saying is not bad either, is there a source for it?"

"No."

And so, the three of them sat around the coffee table—Chen Shu and Jiang Lai simply squatted on the floor—and with two of them still having paper plugs in their noses, they started in on the large box of durian.

This was the first time Jiang Lai and Meng Chunqiu had ever eaten durian.

At first, they were disgusted and hesitant, but they soon accepted its taste. Furthermore, once their brains accepted the premise that "it is delicious," they no longer felt that the peculiar smell was stinky, but rather found it strangely fragrant.

"Brother Chen."

"What is it?"

"You have refreshed my taste preferences once again."

"Me too."

"Haha..."

Outside the window, the wind and snow continued.