Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Two men walked out of the hall of Binjiang International Airport.

  One of them was dressed in a white linen shirt and a pair of sapphire blue sunglasses, revealing his dashing appearance.

  His hair was slightly long and dyed light brown. The hair on the sides of his head was trimmed into a buzz cut, and the hair in the middle was slightly long and styled with a middle parting. His sunglasses completely covered the view below his forehead, leaving only a nose much more handsome than ordinary people’s and a pair of lips that were light red like peach blossom petals.

  All of his long hair was combed to the back of his head. It was tied into a ponytail and twisted into a small bun.

  The bright May sun shone on his fair face, making his thin earlobes look pink.

  The handsome and stylish man stood at the entrance of the airport hall. He was chic and good-looking like a celebrity on a poster. Passersby of all ages could not help but look at the man. The young girls secretly praised him, while the older Aunts and uncles secretly cursed him.

  A middle-aged man walked into the airport holding the hand of his 12-year-old daughter. When the girl saw the man with the bun, she could not help but pull her father’s hand and say, “Dad, look! That brother is so handsome. I’m going to marry someone as handsome as him.”


  The father glanced at the young man standing at the entrance. The young man was indeed quite handsome, but when the middle-aged man saw his daughter looking at the young man with all her heart, he became unhappy. He muttered, “What a pretentious prick.” Then, he said to his precious daughter, “Remember, all pretty boys with hair like this are unreliable.”


  Fang Yusheng: “…”


  Fang Yusheng quickly touched the prayer beads in his hand and chanted the Buddhist Heart Cleansing Incantation. Only then did he calm down his heart, which wanted to curse the middle-aged man’s ancestors. Seeing that Fang Yusheng had finished chanting the Heart Cleansing Incantation, Qi Bufan, who had been quietly standing at the side, finally reminded him, “Mr. Fang, the car is here.”


  Fang Yusheng paused and tilted his head. Qi Bufan then said, “At Two o’clock.”


  Fang Yusheng nodded. He placed one hand in his trouser pocket while his other hand casually dangled. He diagonally walked to the right toward the two o’clock direction. Under the loose-fitting linen shirt, the outline of his thin but firm body could be seen. Moreover, he walked in a gentlemanly manner. Considering the way he looked straight ahead while walking, no one would believe that he was blind.

  Qi Bufan opened the car door for Fang Yusheng. After Fang Yusheng got in, Qi Bufan walked to the front passenger seat and sat down.

  Fang Yusheng remained silent all the way. When they were almost at the Fang residence, he finally opened his mouth and asked, “When is the wedding?”


  Qi Bufan understood what he meant.

  After remaining silent for a second, he replied, “Tomorrow.”


  “Oh.”


  Fang Yusheng immediately stopped talking as if he weren’t the one who had asked the question.

  When Qi Bufan saw that the car was about to pass by the Fang Family’s main hall, he asked Fang Yusheng, “Do you want to see Old Master Fang first?”


  Fang Yusheng’s expression did not change at all. He lightly replied, “No need.”


  His answer was within Qi Bufan’s expectations.

  The car made a turn and slipped out of the Fang family’s house. Housekeeper Wan Lang saw the young master’s car flash past the hall and didn’t even raise an eyebrow. He was obviously used to this kind of situation.

  The chauffeur drove the car to the courtyard. Fang Yusheng had just gotten off the car when he heard a familiar Aunt’s voice come from inside the house. “Is Young Master Yusheng back? Hey, slow down. Don’t bump into him.” Just as Fang Yusheng got off the car, a chubby hand held his hand.

  The woman held Fang Yusheng’s hand and stepped forward. She spoke in a hurry, but was rather slow when walking.

  Fang Yusheng could not help but laugh when Aunt Jin pulled him along. “Aunt Jin, I’ve lived in this courtyard for more than ten years. I know exactly how many stones there are in this courtyard. Don’t make too much fuss.”


  Aunt Jin shook her fat legs and kicked away a small stone in front of Fang Yusheng before saying, “Young Master Yusheng, you’re right. I was just worried.” Aunt Jin mumbled again before asking Fang Yusheng, “Did you enjoy your stay in England this time?”


  “It was okay. Same old.”


  Aunt Jin asked again, “Did you eat well? Did you take good care of yourself? I told you to bring Bufan along so that someone could take care of you, but you refused to listen.”


  Fang Yusheng did not show any signs of impatience as he listened to Aunt Jin’s nagging. He quietly listened and waited for Aunt Jin to enter the house before asking, “Aunt Jin, are you thirsty?”


  Aunt Jin, who had been talking non-stop, immediately shut up when she heard this.

  She glared at Fang Yusheng and said, “Sit down for a while. Lunch is ready. I’ll go make the arrangements.”


  When he heard Aunt Jin’s fading footsteps, Fang Yusheng said ‘Amitabha,’ then sat down on the wooden chair by the window.

  During lunch, Aunt Jin repeated the menu from left to right according to her many years of habit. Fang Yusheng only said, “Oh, there are carrots again?”


  Aunt Jin said, “Carrots are good for the eyes.”


  Fang Yusheng remained silent.

  Aunt Jin carefully looked at him. When she saw that Fang Yusheng was not angry, she softly continued, “Your eyes are injured. It’s not like you were born blind. Eat more carrots. They are good for your eyes.” Ever since Fang Yusheng had returned to the Fang family at the age of fifteen, Aunt Jin had been taking care of him.

  They had been together for twelve years. On the surface, Aunt Jin was a servant, but everyone who knew the situation in this house knew that she was the person Fang Yusheng respected the most.

  Fang Yusheng sighed and said, “You’re so thoughtful.”


  Aunt Jin heaved a sigh of relief when she saw him reaching for the carrot.

  In the afternoon, Fang Yusheng sat cross-legged in front of the temple hall and recited a scripture. Qi Bufan brought him a cup of water. Seeing that his young master did not drink it, he did not rush him and asked, “What congratulatory gift do you want to send to Second Young Master’s wedding tomorrow?”


  Fang Yusheng stopped chanting and casually said, “Go to the inner room and take out the things in the second compartment on the third row of the bookshelf.”


  Qi Bufan walked into the room and came out with a wooden box after a while.

  “What is it? Is it for Second Young Master?” Qi Bufan asked.

  Fang Yusheng nodded.

  Qi Bufan again asked, “Can I open it?”


  “Sure.”


  Qi Bufan opened the lid of the wooden box. When he saw what was inside, his expression twisted. “Your brother is getting married, and you gave him a copy of the Heart Sutra that you personally copied by hand. Is that okay?” Qi Bufan had always known that his master was a weirdo, but he did not expect him to be this weird.

  Fang Yusheng continued to knock on his wooden clapper. As he knocked, he said, “Tomorrow, pass on the following words to Second Brother.”


  Qi Bufan attentively listened.

  Fang Yusheng said, “Marriage is a lifetime affair. Bumps and bruises are very common in a marriage. As a man, he should be loyal to his wife. In the future, if he and his wife have any arguments, there’s no harm in opening the Heart Sutra and reciting it a few times. This will help in calming his emotions and preventing him from doing irreversible things in a fit of anger. For example, something like cheating. This way, a harmonious family can be ensured.”


  Qi Bufan was stunned.

  He held the heart sutra as if he were holding a soldering iron.