Murmuring.
Xia Mei answered the phone, and Zhang Wei's voice immediately came through:
"Nian, your phone is finally on. Coincidentally, I have an urgent matter to discuss with you. By the way, how is Master Kong Jing's matter progressing?"
His voice carried.
Xia Mei covered her mouth and chuckled:
"Zhang Wei, you've got the wrong person. I'm not Nian. Nian is busy chanting sutras right now."
Startled by the sudden female voice, Zhang Wei first paused, then quickly realized:
"Xia Mei?"
Although Nian's voice on the phone surprised him, the voice was familiar. Wasn't it Xia Mei, the girl he introduced to Nian for online dating when they made a bet?
As expected.
Xia Mei responded:
"It's me."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Wei smiled and said:
"Not bad, Xia Mei. You've captured Nian so quickly? Haha, I didn't expect to win so fast."
"Hehe, I haven't captured him. This blockhead Nian doesn't fall for my charms at all."
Xia Mei replied indignantly.
Although she spoke ill of Nian, Zhang Wei couldn't detect any anger or unhappiness in her tone.
Afterwards.
After a brief conversation, learning that Nian was still chanting sutras, Zhang Wei immediately said:
"Then Xia Mei, after Nian finishes, please tell him I have an urgent matter to discuss with him."
Xia Mei nodded:
"Okay, Nian will be finished chanting in about half an hour. He chants every day these days. I'll tell him later."
Zhang Wei caught the key information in her words and exclaimed with a slight surprise:
"Chanting every day? Xia Mei, didn't you just arrive at Mount Wutai today? Have you been staying for several days?"
"Yes."
Xia Mei didn't hide anything. After all, it was Zhang Wei who had tricked her into an online relationship with Nian. She recounted her trip to Mount Wutai.
And as soon as she mentioned coming to Mount Wutai to find Nian, Xia Mei couldn't stop talking.
Not long after.
"Amitabha, Xia Mei, what are you doing with this monk's phone?"
A serene and ethereal voice sounded from behind Xia Mei.
Unbeknownst to her, Nian had approached her. Xia Mei turned her head to look and discovered not only Nian, but also many monks emerging from the main hall. The chanting had clearly ended, and she had unknowingly chatted with Zhang Wei for a long time about Nian.
Thinking of this, Xia Mei's face flushed, and she quickly changed the subject:
"I was chatting with Zhang Wei. By the way, Nian, Zhang Wei needs to talk to you urgently."
As she spoke.
Xia Mei handed the phone to Nian, conveying Zhang Wei's urgent need to speak with him.
Nian was taken aback. Knowing that Zhang Wei wouldn't call so late without a reason, he quickly took the phone:
"Amitabha, Zhang Wei, you're looking for this humble monk?"
Zhang Wei didn't waste time and stated directly:
"Nian, I have an urgent matter to tell you. It's like this..."
A moment later.
After explaining that Hua Hua had joined the Senluo Division and was coming to Qin Province, Zhang Wei said:
"Nian, I should have some influence in Qin Province. Please look after Hua Hua for me. If Hua Hua needs to do anything, help her out. I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong."
Recalling that the Senluo Division might cause trouble in Qin Province and attract the attention of the Weidao Division, Zhang Wei feared that Hua Hua might be implicated by the Weidao Division. He also didn't want to trouble Nian to bear responsibility. After all, he had five Ghost King heads, which should be more than enough to offset some of Hua Hua's penalties.
In response.
Nian shook his head:
"Amitabha, Zhang Wei, you're being too formal. You are this humble monk's good friend, and you helped this humble monk overcome his life-and-death tribulation. You are this humble monk's benefactor, so there's no need to be so polite. If you say you'll take responsibility for any problems, you're looking down on this humble monk."
He said, clasping his hands together, and slowly replied:
"Although this humble monk is not as powerful as you, I still have some connections in Qin Province. Helping your friend Hua Hua with some matters is something I can handle. Don't worry, this humble monk will definitely take good care of Hua Hua. This humble monk swears by the Buddha."
Upon hearing his words.
Zhang Wei felt a warmth in his heart and chuckled:
"Haha, thank you then. But Nian, you don't need to swear. If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have told you about Hua Hua. Zhang Chao doesn't even know about this."
Nian heard this, and his usually expressionless face showed a rare smile. He clasped his hands together and said:
"Amitabha, then this humble monk will have something to brag about to Zhang Chao. Zhang Wei, you might not know, but Zhang Chao called this humble monk today and talked about you for over an hour. He was bragging about all the great things you and he did while this humble monk wasn't there."
Although Nian said it calmly, as if the content wasn't significant.
But recalling Zhang Chao's personality, Zhang Wei could imagine how boastful Zhang Chao must have been at that time, likely showing off to Nian in a smug and annoying tone, the kind of thing Zhang Chao would do.
In fact, it was true.
When Zhang Chao called Nian, he exaggerated his and Zhang Wei's capture of Ghost Kings and overly glorified himself, all to tease Nian for being useless. He wanted to show off how much they had accomplished together in just a few days compared to Nian's lack of significant achievements. Thus, he implied Nian was not as capable.
Thinking of this.
Zhang Wei couldn't help but laugh out loud:
"Then we can indeed find an opportunity to show off to Zhang Chao. We'll plot great things together and leave Zhang Chao out. He'll be so envious then."
"Amitabha, although it's not very proper to say this, this humble monk feels that what Zhang Wei said is absolutely correct."
Nian, holding his phone in one hand and clasping his hands together with the other, smiled.
Afterwards.
They chatted for a while longer.
Zhang Wei knew that monks had the habit of waking up early for morning chanting. Seeing that it was already late at night, he decided not to continue the conversation.
Before hanging up.
To avoid making Zhang Wei worry, Nian clasped his hands together and promised:
"Amitabha, Zhang Wei, leave Hua Hua's matters to this humble monk. Don't worry, this humble monk will definitely take good care of Hua Hua."
"Alright, I'll treat you to a meal next time we meet."
Zhang Wei said, then seemed to remember something and added:
"By the way, Nian, let me tell you quietly, Xia Mei was talking about you the whole time when she was chatting with me just now. She praised you for a full half an hour. She praised you so much that I almost fell for you myself. I just needed to cross-dress or change my gender and then pursue you, haha."
Nian was stunned when he heard this. He instinctively glanced at Xia Mei, who was squatting beside him, playing with ants on the ground with a blade of grass, laughing happily to herself.
Afterwards.
Nian hung up the phone and handed it back to Xia Mei.
Although Master Kong Jing's funeral matters were handled, he still needed to chant sutras for Master Kong Jing's soul's transcendence in the coming days. He couldn't play with his phone, so he continued to entrust Xia Mei with its safekeeping.
"Nian, how was your chat with Zhang Wei? Is everything alright?"
Xia Mei took the phone and smiled.
Nian clasped his hands together:
"Xia Mei, please don't worry. This humble monk just needs to help Zhang Wei with a small favor recently. It's nothing serious."
"That's good. By the way, did you talk about anything else? I saw you seemed to be laughing and talking with Zhang Wei just now. You rarely show me such smiles, but you were laughing while talking to Zhang Wei. Could you be gay?"
Xia Mei asked suspiciously.
Nian was amused and speechless. He shook his head and clasped his hands together:
"Xia Mei, please don't tease this humble monk."
"Then what did you talk about with Zhang Wei? Tell me."
Nian didn't hide anything, except for the important matter of Hua Hua, he honestly and dutifully recounted everything.
"This humble monk chatted with Zhang Wei about my other good friend, Zhang Chao. Oh, and Zhang Wei told me that Xia Mei, you spoke a lot about this humble monk to Zhang Wei. Xia Mei, what did you tell Zhang Wei about this humble monk?"
Nian had never been in love. He didn't know what it meant when Xia Mei talked about him to others. He was simply curious about what Xia Mei had told Zhang Wei, thinking it was similar to him and Zhang Wei discussing Zhang Chao.
As soon as he spoke.
Instantly.
Xia Mei's face turned red. Others might not understand romantic relationships, but she did, and she understood Nian's innocent thoughts. But thinking that she had praised Nian for half an hour, she couldn't help but blush.
Then, while stamping her foot in her heart, she made a funny face:
"I won't tell you, you blockhead."
...
(PS: Today is the Dragon Boat Festival. Wishing all readers a happy and healthy Dragon Boat Festival!)