To Raise a Soul 37.2

The van and the black car stopped at the side of the road. A large scratch had appeared on the side of the black car, near the front. On the front of the van, there was a scratch and a dent. 

The driver of the van was a middle-aged man and he was accompanied by a young man around Yu Zhen’s age.

Very quickly, the matter of fault was brought up. There was no question that it was the fault of the van driver. 

He had tried to speed through the intersection and ran a red light while Yu Zhen had been driving normally. 

“How could that be?! All I did was change lanes normally. He was the one who rushed out to fight over the lane. Sir, you can’t just see that he’s wealthy and drives a good car, and then decide to be on his side. You can’t bully us ordinary people.”

The middle-aged man refused to accept responsibility and began to shout.

Having dealt with many people like this middle-aged man, the policeman was unfazed and wrote a ticket as he said, “Everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. If it’s your responsibility, then it’s yours. Even if he has a lot of money, it’s not going into my pocket. Alright, cooperate for a bit. Don’t block the road and cause traffic.”

Seeing that the ticket had been written, the man became even angrier. It wasn’t a good idea to mouth off at the police, so he turned to the young Yu Zhen. He then raised his chin to look down on Yu Zhen and shouted, “How the heck were you driving?! Did you just get your license?! Think you’re great because you have money, huh? Don’t you know that driving this type of car is a kind of silent threat to commoners? Why don’t you do something charitable if you’re rich?! Really! What kind of person are you?!”

The first twenty-odd years of Yu Zhen’s life had been relatively simple and honest. He had never met someone who could make a bogus accusation despite being the one at fault. He was angered by the man’s words, but he didn’t know how to argue back and he was racking his brain for the right words. Suddenly, from behind him, an old man’s voice rang loudly in an imposing manner. 

“What’s wrong with you? You won’t make amends even though it’s your fault?! And you make false accusations?! What kind of man are you?! The man beside you should be your son, right? With the example you’re setting for him, aren’t you worried he’ll drive like a blind man, just like you?! What’s more, if this young man’s got money, he can drive whatever car he wants to! Does the road belong to your family?! If you want charitable work to be done, go do it yourself! Don’t make high and mighty moral demands!”

Yu Zhen looked back and saw a white-haired old man standing behind him and pointing at the middle-aged man. The old man’s expression was serious. Seeing Yu Zhen look back at him, the old man gave him a determined and assured ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got this’ type of look.

The middle-aged man’s temper rose another notch. He pushed up his sleeves and rushed forwards. Red-faced, he shouted, “Who are you jinxing?! You old fart! You dare to jinx my son?! I’ll beat you to death!”

Yu Zhen quickly stepped in front of the old man. “Don’t fight!”

“Aiyo. My heart is weak. Mr. Policeman, hurry, come take a look. This man is threatening me. Aiyo, Aiyo. My heart hurts. If something happens to me, it’ll definitely be because of him. He must pay my medical bills.”

The old man held his hands over his chest as if in pain. His body swayed and he looked ready to faint.

Thinking it was real, Yu Zhen hurriedly supported the old man. He raised a hand and helped the old man press into his chest. “Old grandpa, what’s wrong? Did you bring medicine with you? Don’t get heated up. Please don’t get heated up. Take deep breaths.” 

“That’s enough! Don’t make trouble!” Having finished writing the ticket, the policeman walked up to the middle-aged man, blocking his view. The policeman frowned and warned, “If you keep making a scene, you can visit the police station with me! Take this! You should be paying up, so pay up. You should be apologizing, so apologize. You’re already this old, don’t you know to set a better example?! Stop your troublemaking!”

The middle-aged man wanted to argue further, but he was pulled back by the young man at his side. In the end, he kept his mouth shut, but his face darkened and he made an indignant harumph. He glared at Yu Zhen and cursed his bad luck under his breath before he ceased arguing.

Seeing the situation, the old man immediately stood up straight and no longer held his chest. He stopped complaining of heart pains and instead beamed up at Yu Zhen and grasped Yu Zhen’s hand. “You see? When facing rogues, you have to use roguish methods. You’ve still got many tricks to learn. There’s this thing called ‘being brought together by fate’ — the weather today isn’t bad and the date is auspicious. Meeting you is like meeting an old friend. Most likely, you meeting me is the same. How about this? I happen to be lacking a disciple, would you want to -”

“No, thank you.”

Yin Yan arrived at the scene and took large steps towards Yu Zhen. He removed Yu Zhen’s hand from the old man’s grasp. He then said to Yu Zhen, “Don’t let any random person hold your hand. Taoists can look at your life and fate through your palms. You have to be careful.”

Taoists?

Surprised, Yu Zhen looked at the old man cautiously. Only then did he realize that the old man, like his own grandfather, had a tranquil atmosphere about him. With careful examination, a golden light from a thin layer of merits also became apparent. Recalling the words of the old man, Yu Zhen finally realized he had bought into the act.

“So, helping me and grabbing my hand was because I am… um, of the same profession?” And you wanted to read my fate?

Having been seen through, the old man felt a little awkward. His very limited amount of shame and conscience bubbled up as he observed the silly expression Yu Zhen displayed with the realization that he had been tricked. He hastily explained, “Don’t misunderstand. It’s natural to help someone in this situation. Afterward, I noticed that your innate talents are quite good. So, my appreciation for talents flared up and I wanted you as my disciple.”

Turns out he wanted a disciple. 

As someone easily duped, Yu Zhen accepted his explanation. Not to mention that the old man’s actions were somewhat cute. He turned to glance at Yin Yan before looking back at the old man. “Thank you for your kind words, but I already have a master. Apologies.”

Yin Yan looked down at Yu Zhen and, subconsciously, his energy became more subdued. 

“You have a master?” Surprised, the old man looked at Yin Yan. Although the energy on Yin Yan was quite strange, he did not appear to be a cultivator. His looks were also too youthful so he didn’t consider him as one.He glanced back at Yu Zhen with appreciative eyes for the blinding layer presented by the massive amount of golden merits on him. He sighed, “That’s right. All these merits on you wouldn’t be possible without a master. Can I be so presumptuous as to ask who you study under? This old fellow is familiar with skilled Taoists in this Hua Country. They might be an old friend.”

Yu Zhen smiled and shook his head. “My master doesn’t travel often and isn’t famous. You probably won’t recognize them.”

Looking at the smile on Yu Zhen’s face, the calm in Yin Yan’s eyes was gently washed away and replaced with a little tenderness. Quietly, he adjusted his sleeves and took his place next to Yu Zhen. 

“Tell me, tell me. What if I know them? To tell you the truth, when I was young, I loved to travel. I’ve even met a number of cultivators who lived in seclusion,” The old man urged, clearly showing his interest in the master of Yu Zhen.

Seeing the old man couldn’t be shaken off, Yu Zhen once again glanced at Yin Yan.

Yin Yan’s back straightened further, his chin was slightly raised, and his heart filled with a helpless need to dote on Yu Zhen.

Although I wanted him to regain memories of his last life before accepting him as a disciple, and it feels like I’d be taking advantage of him, if he wants to then…

“He can’t really count as my formal master. My grandpa is a Taoist priest. He had his own temple in H Province. Most of the things I know about the Taoist Way comes from him.”

Yu Zhen looked away and didn’t notice that Yin Yan turned to look at him. His mouth opened and shut silently, as he momentarily lost control of his emotions. Yu Zhen continued, “My Grandpa went by ‘Qing Xu’^[1] which is the same name as the temple he lived in.”

Qing Xu? H Province?

Who is Qing Xu?

The old man’s expression turned stiff. He didn’t have the confidence to look at Yu Zhen, from top to bottom, again. He started to feel a real discomfort in his heart as it began to beat quickly. He stepped forward to hold Yu Zhen’s hand but he was blocked by Yin Yan. 

“Sorry for the disrespect, but this isn’t a suitable place to talk.”

Yin Yan motioned to a car and the middle-aged man who was pestering the policeman. He held Yu Zhen’s hand and pulled him closer. Then he extended his hand to the old man and said, “Thank you for helping Yu Zhen. I’m his husband, Yin Yan.”

“Huh? Ah? Oh. You’re welcome, you’re very welcome.” The old man wasn’t quite able to snap out of his muddled state, so he politely held the extended hand. His sight couldn’t help but be drawn to Yu Zhen. Recalling something, his stimulated heart slowly calmed down. He frowned slightly before he suddenly said a hurried goodbye, turned around, and disappeared into the crowd. 

Yu Zhen was unable to react. He looked at the departing back helplessly. He looked back at Yin Yan with a perplexed look.

Why did he leave so suddenly? I haven’t properly thanked him yet.

Realizing something, Yin Yan looked in the distance, in the direction the old man had headed. With the flick of a finger, he sent a ball of spiritual sense towards the old man.

With Yin Yan’s presence, the middle-aged man bizarrely stopped pestering the policeman. He quickly cooperated with the policeman and dealt with the accident. His attitude made a 180 degree turn and he became very honest.

After discussing compensation and subsequent repair costs, Yin Yan was ready to take Yu Zhen away.

However, the middle-aged man’s son suddenly stepped forward and asked with obvious hesitation, “Yu Zhen? Um, are you Yu Zhen? Yu Zhen from H University’s horticulture course?”

Yu Zhen stopped in his tracks. He looked back at the young man attentively but did not recognize him. He nodded and replied, “I am from H University and you got my course correct, but you are…” 

“It’s nothing. I’m just an alumni. I-I’ve seen you at school before.” After receiving a reply, the young man suddenly dodged Yu Zhen’s gaze. He made a vague sound and then pulled at his father, hurrying away.

Yu Zhen frowned, unable to understand why the man had such a reaction.

Is there something wrong with me?

He raised a hand to touch his face. Then in a eureka moment, he looked at Yin Yan, the scratched up car he drove, and the car Yin Yan drove. Finally, he looked downwards at the clothes he was wearing and smiled bitterly.

Compared to his dull and plain self in college, his current appearance would certainly appear strange.

“Don’t worry about what others are thinking. You’re very good.” Yin Yan walked to his side, raised a hand, and rearranged Yu Zhen’s scarf.

Looking at the fluid movements of the long, slender fingers before his eyes, an itching feeling started in his heart. He turned around to look away and then he replied, “I’m not worrying…Let’s go. Let’s go to the construction site. I’ve caused a big delay. Sorry.”

Yin Yan looked at his own fingers before walking to the car he had driven over. “It’s not a problem. Get in. The rest will be sorted out by the driver I had follow me over.”

Yu Zhen watched his natural action of opening the car door. He dipped his head into the scarf, sighed, and then got in the car.

On the way to the construction site, Yu Zhen took out a copy of the design of the leisure hall. From time to time, he pulled out his phone to calculate something. He didn’t talk to Yin Yan.

Yin Yan had been quietly watching him, and when they were near the construction site, he finally broke the silence. “You……”

“What?” Yu Zhen asked without looking up.

Yin Yan organized his thoughts and continued, “If you want to have a master…”

“Poetry*? What poetry? You want to write poetry? ” Yu Zhen finally moved his sight from the design and looked at him with doubts clearly expressed on his face.

^{*The word for poetry (诗=shi1) sounds exactly like the word for master(师=shi1).}

“…… No, it’s nothing.” Yin Yan quietly pulled the car into the construction site and turned off the engine. “We’re here. Let’s get out of the car.”

Yu Zhen didn’t say a word in reply. Showing zero reluctance to leave, he moved at lightning speed as if getting away from harmful germs within the car. 

Yin Yan: “…”

This way of dashing away – of escaping from someone’s side feels a bit familiar. Like someone has done it before.