Two Idiots

The locals in Guangzhou repeated to them, "You can't enter through this door; it's under repair. Walk around, go forward, turn right at the intersection, and keep walking. You'll see another door, called the East Gate. You can enter from there."

Su Wuwen and Gu Fengnian, unable to understand the rapid explanation, stared blankly at him.

Realizing they might not be able to hear well, and being a hospitable person, the local tried to help with sign language. He gestured to Su Wuwen and Gu Fengnian, showing directions.

Even with the signs, Su Wuwen, though not completely clueless, realized the local must have thought they were deaf. She quickly said, "Sir, you must be from another place. We don't understand what you're saying."

Unexpectedly, Su Wuwen's words were understood by the local, though Su Wuwen couldn't comprehend his speech.

The local, frustrated, replied in Hakka, "I'm a local. You're the outsiders."

Su Wuwen still didn't understand, "Are you from the North?"

The local was now thoroughly exasperated, "You are the Northerners. I am an authentic Southerner."

Angry, the local muttered curses and left, feeling bitter. Beyond Guangdong, where else in the Qing Dynasty is there a South?

He had never been told he was from the North in his whole life.

Su Wuwen and Gu Fengnian exchanged confused looks, not understanding why the man had left abruptly.

Not thinking much of it, they walked along the outer wall of the Great Buddha Temple. As they walked, they turned right at the corner and continued along another wall, where they suddenly spotted a small door with a steady stream of visitors.

Gu Fengnian had a sudden thought, "Maybe that person was trying to tell us that there's a door here. Remember his hand gestures? Like this, then like that."

Su Wuwen nodded, "Yes, he was giving us directions."

They shared a quiet laugh, recalling how they hadn't understood the local's directions and had inadvertently upset him.

They entered the temple, finding many halls closed for maintenance. Some hall doors were being repainted, some had been refurbished, while others remained in their original state.

The Mahavira Hall was still open. Su Wuwen nudged Gu Fengnian, "Let's go in and make a worship."

Gu Fengnian agreed, and they entered the Mahavira Hall. They saw a woman in her fifties praying devoutly. Su Wuwen and Gu Fengnian, unsure of how to worship, decided to follow her actions.

The woman bowed three times with great reverence. Su Wuwen and Gu Fengnian followed her, bowing in unison. The woman then knelt and kowtowed three times. Su Wuwen and Gu Fengnian quickly knelt and kowtowed as well. The woman stood up and bowed three more times. Su Wuwen and Gu Fengnian followed suit, standing up to bow.

Just as they completed the third bow, an older woman approached and said to the woman in her fifties, "That's not the correct way to worship."

Su Wuwen's face flushed with embarrassment, and she hurriedly pulled Gu Fengnian away.

There was another door at the back of the hall. Su Wuwen led Gu Fengnian towards the rear of the hall but suddenly stopped, blinking rapidly.

Gu Fengnian asked, "What's wrong?"

Su Wuwen whispered, "Look at that man with the white hair. I saw him walk past us earlier, but now he's walking by again."

Gu Fengnian replied, "Are you sure you didn't see it wrong?"

"No, I'm certain. He's quite old and has a lot of white hair. I looked at him several times."

"Maybe he had to come back for something."

A pair of mother and daughter, very devout, joined them. They clasped their hands and slowly walked past Su Wuwen to the front, then continued around the back of the hall.

Su Wuwen said, "I've seen this mother and daughter before. They also walked past us once. Why are they coming back again?"

Su Wuwen's face turned pale.

"Manager Gu, I heard this temple is very spiritual. Could we be in some kind of illusion?"

At that moment, a person with clasped hands, who had overheard their conversation, stopped in front of them. He opened one eye, then the other, and looked at them.

"From out of town?"

Su Wuwen nodded.

"Don't understand the local customs?"

Su Wuwen asked, "What customs?"

"Clasp your hands, walk around the Buddha three times, and your wishes will come true! Follow me!"

Su Wuwen and Gu Fengnian, feeling awkward, nodded and followed him, clasping their hands, observing their surroundings, and began walking around the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in the Mahavira Hall.

Su Wuwen, with a sincere expression, walked around, thinking: What's Manager Gu doing? Is he still walking behind me? Is he taking it seriously, or has he sneaked away?

Su Wuwen wanted to turn around to check if Gu Fengnian was still with her, but she felt embarrassed to leave suddenly with someone leading the way.

After one and a half laps, Su Wuwen couldn't hold it any longer. She turned around and saw Gu Fengnian still following. She quickly faced forward again, clasped her hands, and continued walking in a devout manner.

They completed three laps.

The man in front stopped and smiled.

Su Wuwen thought, finally, it's over. Otherwise, her embarrassment would have been overwhelming.

But the man suddenly said with a smile, "Now, let's walk in the opposite direction for three more laps!"

…

As they exited the temple, it felt like a burdensome task had been finally completed.

Su Wuwen stretched lazily and glanced at Gu Fengnian, who was standing with his arms crossed.

"Cough, Manager Gu, was walking in circles fun?"

Gu Fengnian looked at her very seriously, "Not fun. Worship is a very devout and solemn matter. 'Fun' is not an appropriate word to describe it. Miss Su, although you walked three circles, you didn't manage to get close to Shakyamuni Buddha."

Su Wuwen was stunned, wondering if Gu Fengnian was a believer.

Gu Fengnian turned his back, leading the way to another place, not wanting Su Wuwen to see his struggle to contain his laughter.

After all, he hadn't expected Su Wuwen to tease him so much when they first arrived in Guangzhou.