Unconscious Enlightenment

"You brothers truly share a remarkable bond..."

As Man Jun observed Fang Yi and his companions engaged in playful antics, he couldn't help but sigh. In his youth, he too had a close-knit group of brothers, but as time passed and life's demands took precedence, their connections had gradually diminished.

Witnessing Fang Yi and the others frolicking reminded Man Jun of his own youth, leading him to contemplate the necessity of gathering his old friends for a reunion.

"By the way, Man Ge, we sold quite a few items today; shall we settle the accounts?" After San Pao departed, Fang Yi spoke up. Since Man Jun had originally extended credit for those goods, it would be rather inconsiderate not to return the capital after making a profit.

"What's the rush? Do you really need to count with your elder brother?" Man Jun waved his hand dismissively. The items were merely surplus stock, and he had no immediate need to liquidate them. He had lent them to Fang Yi and his friends simply for practice, without any expectations of significant sales.

"Man Ge, personal favors are one thing, but business is business. Even brothers need to keep their accounts clear..." Fang Yi replied with a smile, shaking his head as he produced a notebook where San Pao had meticulously recorded the items and their prices.

"Man Ge, we sold a total of ten strands of beads today, plus that carving made from Hu Yang wood. You should receive one thousand seven hundred yuan; I have the money ready..." Fang Yi continued, extracting the cash that was tucked within the pages of the notebook.

The group had previously agreed that after each day's transactions, they would settle accounts with Man Jun. They were determined that any money owed was to be returned in full, as doing business was inherently tied to integrity. Man Jun trusted them, and they were committed to honoring that trust.

"Alright, I'll take the money..."

Man Jun acknowledged Fang Yi's reasoning. He was assisting them, not merely giving handouts; otherwise, he could have just handed over cash instead of providing goods to sell. It was only through a certain level of pressure that Fang Yi and the others would be motivated to put forth their best efforts.

"Wait a moment, though. The price I gave you for the beads was one hundred per strand, and the Hu Yang wood carving was three hundred. Shouldn't that total one thousand three hundred?" Despite having had a few drinks, Man Jun's mind remained sharp, and he quickly realized that the amount he was being handed exceeded the agreed total by four hundred.

"Man Ge, among the beads you gave us, there was a strand of old rosewood..."

Fang Yi admitted somewhat sheepishly, "We lack experience, and we sold that strand of old rosewood for five hundred yuan. According to Old Ma, it could fetch at least one thousand five hundred, so we'll forgo the payment for that strand..."

Originally, the group had sold a strand of old beads at a significant loss, amounting to nearly one thousand yuan. Feeling guilty about this, they had collectively decided to give the entire proceeds from that strand to Man Jun.

"Old rosewood beads? That's impossible!"

Man Jun was momentarily taken aback. He was well aware of the quality of the goods he had procured; although the batch of rosewood beads varied in quality, they were all made from new materials. The only differences lay in their oil content and the presence of gold specks, but there were no old rosewood pieces among them.

"They are indeed old beads, according to Old Ma, they must have been handled for at least ten years..." Fatty chimed in. "Man Ge, could it be that you overlooked an old bead among the newer ones?"

"Perhaps..."

Having consumed a bit of alcohol, Man Jun found it challenging to recall events from several years ago. At that time, he had purchased over a hundred strands of small-leaf rosewood beads without inspecting each one individually, so it was conceivable that the seller had mixed them up.

"Regardless of whether they are indeed old rosewood beads, I acquired the stock based on regular pricing. Since you sold them, I won't incur any losses; let's settle on one hundred for each strand..."

Man Jun counted out four one-hundred-yuan bills and placed them on the table. "Let's agree on this; if you argue further, my patience will wear thin. Now, I'm feeling the effects of the alcohol, so I'll retire for the night..."

Fearing that Fang Yi and the others might refuse again, Man Jun placed the four hundred yuan firmly on the table and promptly made his way to his room.

To be honest, the quantity of strands sold today exceeded Man Jun's expectations. If they could maintain such sales daily, within two months, he would clear out his inventory, resulting in a substantial income for him.

"Fatty, Man Ge is a good person; we must always be ready to assist him in times of need!" As he watched Man Jun disappear into his room, Fang Yi turned to Fatty.

"Absolutely, Yi Ge, we are not the type to forget our benefactors..."

Fatty nodded earnestly. Having lived in the city for over six months, he had encountered nothing but disdain. Although he had benefited from Fang Yi's connections, after several days of interaction, he found Man Jun's character truly commendable.

"Let's tidy up and retire for the night..." Fang Yi rose and headed toward the kitchen. The dishes had merely been collected and not yet washed; living under someone else's roof, he certainly couldn't expect Man Jun to clean up the next day.

In just a few minutes, the two finished washing the dishes and ascended the stairs. Fatty had initially intended to engage Fang Yi in conversation, but the latter's remark about needing to rise early for business extinguished that thought. At this point, nothing was more important to Fatty than setting up their stall and conducting trade.

"Indeed, the mundane world is truly a crucible for the heart..."

Upon returning to his room, Fang Yi reflected on the day's events and realized that his experiences today surpassed those he had encountered over a decade in the mountains.

Whether it was the thief pilfering wealth or the ancient director accepting bribes, these were scenarios often found in the novels Fang Yi had read, yet now they had manifested in his life. The darker facets of society and human nature were experiences he could never have encountered in the mountains.

"Embrace the natural way and find peace in circumstances..."

Fang Yi inhaled deeply, sitting cross-legged on his bed, reciting the Tao Te Ching. This was his nightly ritual before rest; the over five thousand words of the text were pearls of wisdom, the very essence of all Taoist teachings, which Fang Yi had memorized with ease.

However, during this recitation, Fang Yi did not manipulate the strand of old agarwood beads but instead held the star-moon bodhi beads gifted by Man Jun. With each word he uttered, he would turn a bead, a practice known in Buddhist and Taoist traditions as empowerment, commonly referred to as enlightenment.

Unbeknownst to Fang Yi, as he closed his eyes and recited, wisps of gray mist began to emanate from the depths of his mysterious consciousness. This mist mingled with the true energy from his dantian and coursed through his meridians, ultimately enveloping the bodhi beads he was turning.

As Fang Yi completed the recitation of the entire Tao Te Ching after turning the one hundred and eight beads fifty-one times, he remained unaware that the once slightly yellowed star-moon bodhi beads had developed a layer of smooth, lustrous, and tranquil sheen.