Meng Hao hurriedly said, “If you promise to never go see Peach Blossom again, then I’ll go…. You can go see anybody else, just not her!” He was afraid his father might actually start to spank him hard this time.
Meng Hao’s father wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. He lowered his hand, placing it onto Meng Hao’s head and tousling it gently.
“Alright. You’re growing up, kid, and I can see that you have a fertile imagination. Fine. From now on, I’ll never see Peach Blossom again. I’ll leave her for you. After you grow up, I’ll arrange for her to be your concubine!”
“Really?” said Meng Hao, his eyes growing bright.
“You’re still not in bed?!” He glared at Meng Hao as he released him. Meng Hao beamed with joy as he ran into the house, threw off his clothes, and jumped into bed. He had some beautiful dreams that night.
Early the next morning, when the sky was just beginning to grow light, Meng Hao’s eyes were still blurry as his father dressed him.
Father glanced at son, and could see that he clearly hadn’t gotten enough sleep. A solemn expression covered his face, as well as love and kindness, something Meng Hao didn’t often see.
He reached down and picked up Meng Hao, just like he had when he was young. Meng Hao’s head fell onto his shoulder, and he continued to sleep. Meng Hao’s father grabbed the gift he planned to present to the teacher, and then left.
Along the way, his gait was a bit unsteady. Carrying such a large boy wasn’t an easy task.
An hour later, they reached the main gate of the house of a famous old man who lived in the east part of the city. Meng Hao’s father woke Meng Hao up and then put him down. Then, he knocked on the door, and entered the courtyard.
Meng Hao was left yawning out in the courtyard as his father entered the house, so he didn’t see his father respectfully clasping hands and making other imploring gestures.
Not much time passed before his father emerged. Next to him was an old man with a full head of white hair. His features were ancient, but full of vigor. It gave him a noble and prestigious bearing, much different from that of an ordinary person.
This was especially true of his eyes. They were filled with profundity, as if they contained stars within them. Anyone who looked at them would be entranced. The old man gazed down at Meng Hao.
This gaze seemed to be able to see lives that had been lived, and lives yet to be lived.
This gaze seemed capable of piercing through the haze to see all three lives: past, present and future.
This gaze made it seem as if this young man’s entire life had been lived for the purpose of coming here and kowtowing three times to become his apprentice.
A long moment passed, and the old man nodded slightly.
Meng Hao’s father looked down at Meng Hao and said, “A Master is like a father. Fang Mu, I want you to respect your Master. Respect him even more than you respect me! If you can’t do that, then you aren’t my son!” With that, he left.