Uncle Zhang’s bun shop stood in the busiest part of the marketplace. It had a good location, and its buns had thin skins and generous fillings. Every morning, the aroma drifted out of the shop and drew in crowds of customers, so business had always been good.
By the time Wang Cheng arrived, the morning rush had already passed, though several customers were still lined up in front of the shop. A few large steamers sat to one side, nearly emptied of buns. His little sister Wang Ziyu was handing buns to a customer, and although the fist-sized buns sent up clouds of steam, they could not obscure her sweet smile.
“Second Brother?”
After taking the last customer’s money, Wang Ziyu was about to turn away when she noticed someone in the distance who looked like Wang Cheng. Delight immediately lit up her pretty face. If she had not still had work to do, she would have run straight out to him.
“Dad said you were working at Uncle Zhang’s, so I came to see you.” Wang Cheng walked up to the bun shop just as Aunt Zhang, having heard the commotion, came out from inside. She seemed a little surprised to see him, but quickly recovered and warmly ushered him in.
“Aunt Zhang, you really don’t need to fuss over me. I only came to have a look and I’ll be heading back in a bit.” Wang Cheng was nearly overwhelmed by her enthusiasm. It was probably because the old monk had died, but he was still grateful to Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang for giving his little sister this job. It meant she did not have to look for work elsewhere, and getting home was much more convenient.
“Xiaoyu, get your Second Brother two buns.” Only after saying this to Wang Ziyu did Aunt Zhang turn back to Wang Cheng, her features bunching together with her smile. “You hardly ever come by. Try some of our buns. Don’t stand on ceremony with your Aunt Zhang.”
It was impossible to refuse such hospitality.
Wang Cheng could only accept. He had eaten their buns many times before, and they really were delicious. Sometimes, if he arrived even a little late, the steamers would already be empty. Every time that happened, the old monk would give him a good scolding when he went back, because the old monk loved their buns and had to eat them three or four times a week.
“Aunt Zhang, your buns are really good. There’s so much more filling than in other shops. Have you ever thought about opening another branch?” The bun was so hot that Wang Cheng’s mouth trembled as he spoke, yet he still did not forget to praise them. In the past, Aunt Zhang’s face would have bloomed with delight whenever she heard that, but this time she only sighed.
“Even if we wanted to in the future, we won’t have the chance.”
“What happened?” Wang Cheng asked in surprise. This was not the first time he had brought up the idea. Aunt Zhang had always said she would have to discuss it with Uncle Zhang first, since opening a new shop meant handling a lot of paperwork and hiring another one or two employees. She complained about the trouble, but she had always looked pleased by the idea. After all, no one complained about making more money. The worry on her face now clearly meant something was wrong.
“Your parents haven’t told you yet?”
The moment Aunt Zhang heard his answer, she knew he had no idea what was going on. Then another thought occurred to her. The old monk at the temple was dead, and Wang Cheng had been his only disciple, so naturally he would inherit the temple. In that case, didn’t that mean Wang Cheng…? The more she thought about it, the more astonished she became, until she abruptly stood up and stared at him.
Wang Cheng frowned. “What are my parents supposed to have told me?”
Aunt Zhang sat back down and asked tentatively, “Xiaocheng, after your master died, did he leave the temple to you?”
“Come on, Aunt Zhang. I was my master’s only disciple. Who else could he leave that run-down temple to?” Wang Cheng knew something must have happened. Otherwise, Aunt Zhang would not have brought up his master and the temple out of nowhere. His face, however, gave nothing away.
“Aiya!” Aunt Zhang broke into a smile. “It used to be a run-down temple, but things are different now. Wang Cheng, you still don’t know? Your family might be about to strike it rich.”
“Aunt Zhang, if there’s something to say, just say it.”
Through Aunt Zhang’s explanation, Wang Cheng finally learned about the major development that had taken place while he was on the mountain handling the old monk’s funeral affairs. A developer had taken an interest in Shiquan County and wanted to build a large tourist resort there. Several villages had already received word, and Wang Family Village was naturally among them.
Fengxia Mountain sat at a relatively low elevation, but its forests were dense, its wildlife plentiful, and its ecology still largely untouched. Since it was half-surrounded by several villages, the mountain was an indispensable part of the developer’s plans for the scenic resort. That detail had not actually been made public yet, and Aunt Zhang had only guessed at it.
Wang Cheng immediately thought of the chest he had locked away in the corner of the storeroom. If this was true, then things were seriously bad. His first thought was not about getting rich, but about what would happen to the temple.
The temple might already be falling apart, but it was the place the old monk had guarded for decades, and it held every memory Wang Cheng had of the two of them together. If Fengxia Mountain were sold to the developer, the temple would surely be demolished. Before leaving, however, Wang Cheng kept his cards close to his chest. He told Aunt Zhang that the developer might not even want his shabby temple, and that even if they did, he would never sell it.