WangXian Forever Book 10

Chapter 12: Storytime

Later on, Li XiWang says she would like to spend this night in the Jingshi with Rumi and her parents, and listen to one more story tonight.

"Very well, what kind of story would you like to hear about?" Wei Ying swings her up into the air a few times, chasing away her sleep.

But the chances of him still being able to toss her about like the kid she is, are getting smaller and smaller. Soon, she will be as tall as they are, as tall as SiZhui and JingYi, her brothers. Soon, maybe she won't want to be treated like a child anymore, wishing to be like an adult much too soon.

These thoughts have a sobering effect on Wei Ying as he lets her climb into her bed, and Rumi follows.

"I would like...let me see, a clever story. One where someone wins and someone loses," Li XiWang says.

"Okay, I'll try to remember one," Wei Ying replies, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

He reaches out to hold Lan Zhan's hand, not even having to look when their palms meet and the warmth travels up his arm.

"I have one," he says, smiling gently. "There once was a farmer who had a pear orchard, and one day in the harvest season, he brought his cart full of produce to the market, hoping to sell his crops. His pears were fragrant and sweet, and he was very proud of them, thinking they would fetch a high price. But he was a miser at heart and only wanted the money to save, not to spend."

"What is a miser?" Li XiWang asks, yawning.

"Someone who refuses to share, and does not spend his money wisely, not even on himself. That is not a healthy way to live," Lan Zhan tells her.

"So it's better to be like you?" She asks, fighting to stay awake.

"I do not know what you mean," Lan Zhan replies, brow furrowing slightly. "Please explain."

"Well, whenever we go into any marketplace, you always watch Father Wei and buy him whatever he wants, even if he doesn't say that he wants it. That's what I mean," she yawns again, but this time, she's smiling.

"It makes me happy," Lan Zhan says quickly, defending himself and then wondering why he had to (?). It was his money, and he could spend it however he wished, and was he really being judged by a twelve year old?

"Yes, yes, it's always better to spend money than not," Wei Ying giggles, knowing exactly what Lan Zhan is thinking and finding it hysterical. "And I'm lucky to have married a hot, rich husband. But I believe we're in the middle of a story...unless you don't want to hear it?"

"Sorry, Father Wei. I'll be quiet. No more interruptions, promise." Li XiWang looks contrite.

"Right, so this farmer, he sets himself up right in the middle of the market where the most people pass by, and he waits for customers to come to him. But there's only a monk who comes to stand by his cart. The monk asks the farmer for one pear, but the farmer, because his heart had shrunk into a tiny thing, said no, and refused to give the monk any.

"The monk complained in a loud voice and said to the farmer that he had hundreds of pears, and why couldn't he afford to give even one?

"Now, a crowd gathered and began telling the farmer that of course, he should look after the monk and give him a pear. But the farmer kept saying no, being stubborn and miserly, and not listening to anyone. Finally, a man out of the crowd bought a single pear and handed it to the monk.

"The monk waved it at the farmer and said, "I'm going to teach you a lesson today. I'm going to grow my own pears and feed this kind town, because they wanted to help a poor old monk like myself. The farmer scoffed at him and walked away, but he was now interested in how the monk was going to do this, so he stood a bit further away and watched.

"The monk ate the pear and asked for some water from a person nearby. Then he made a hole in the ground and planted the seeds of the pear he had just eaten and poured water on top. Soon, a sturdy tree grew tall, and leaves and blossoms sprouted. Then the monk climbed the tree and began to hand out pears to all who stood underneath.

"But, the moment the last pear was eaten, he borrowed a pickaxe and cut the tree down. Then he picked it up and walked away.

"The farmer had been watching the whole show and he was perplexed to see it happening right in front of him, and he was so engrossed in watching that he had clean forgotten about his own business with his cart full of pears. When the monk walked away, the farmer turned around to look after his cart but all of his pears had disappeared!

"He looked more closely and realised that the monk had swindled him! When he had climbed up the tree and started handing out pears, those pears had been his! From his own orchard! And then, taking another look, he saw that the axle of his cart had also disappeared!

"It was plainly evident that it had been chopped off. The farmer fell into a rage and ran after the monk as fast as he could but when he turned the corner, there was no monk. Now he had no pears, no cart, and no money. When he turned around, all the people in the marketplace laughed at him. The end." Wei Ying smiles down at both of his children, fast asleep now.

Li XiWang's eyelids flutter and she tries to wake herself up, and her sleep is far too enticing, but she manages to say, "Father Wei, the coin you showed us before, there was something missing from it."