System: Master Your Life-Chapter 575 - 141: Ning Yuhuan’s Confusion, Xu Lin’s Age, and the Publication of the Second Book (Part 3)

Chapter 575: Chapter 141: Ning Yuhuan’s Confusion, Xu Lin’s Age, and the Publication of the Second Book (Part 3)

"Plans can’t keep up with changes."

Xu Lin remembered that he used to want to enjoy life.

"Well, enjoying success can be considered a life philosophy."

On Wednesday morning, Xu Lin arrived at the teahouse arranged by Mr. Yu.

Upon meeting the other party, Xu Lin shook hands with him, "Is Mr. Yu here alone?"

"Aren’t you too, Mr. Xu? Haha..."

"Mr. Yu, have a seat."

"You too, Mr. Xu."

Exchanging pleasantries, the two of them sat down cross-legged in their respective positions, not on chairs, with a low table between them.

Yu Shengzhong looked like he was in his forties, with a healthy complexion and a rather unique aura. Reaching middle age without any hint of greasiness was truly rare.

At this moment, a beautiful woman in a qipao entered, sat down between them, and began preparing tea.

It was quite meticulous: incense burning, warming the cups, adding tea leaves, pouring water...

Each step followed in sequence, and her technique was very skilled.

The tea ceremony is a form of traditional culture, spanning thousands of years, requiring great attention to detail.

"Is Mr. Xu interested in the tea ceremony?"

Yu Shengzhong noticed Xu Lin’s gaze on the qipao-clad woman’s hands, or rather on her tea-making movements, and asked.

"It’s my first time witnessing the tea ceremony, it has broadened my horizons."

"Speaking of the tea ceremony, I didn’t understand it when I was young. I thought, aren’t I just drinking a cup of tea? How can the process be so complicated, even washing the teacups has a method, and making tea takes half an hour or even longer. Do I really need to drink this tea? But as I got older, I unknowingly became fascinated with the tea ceremony and began to ponder its intricacies. I gradually understood why the tea ceremony is associated with the ’Tao’; it’s because tasting tea is like life, a process of cultivation. My state of mind gradually calmed with the deepening understanding of the tea ceremony and life’s cultivation, realizing that life should follow its natural course, no longer desiring worldly goods, enjoying the peace of mind that comes from realizing the true meaning of life, how wonderful!"

Yu Shengzhong was quite eager to express himself.

"It seems Mr. Yu has transcended worldly pleasures."

Xu Lin said slowly.

"Haha..."

Yu Shengzhong let out a hearty laugh, "Searching for him thousands of times. Suddenly looking back, that person is there, in the dim light. My life is like galloping on horseback, isn’t it exhilarating!"

Xu Lin continued, "It seems Mr. Xu has reached the pinnacle of life."

Ordinarily, without a certain level of cultural literacy, others wouldn’t know why Yu Shengzhong suddenly recited Xin Qiji’s ’Qing Yu An’. It might just lead to a completely unrelated conversation.

This is actually one of the three realms of life described by Wang Guowei in ’Ren Jian Ci Hua’.

The third realm, which Yu Shengzhong mentioned, represents enlightenment of life’s true meaning. But what exactly is understood is hard to say. This kind of thing can only be comprehended but not put into words, much like how Wang Yangming comprehended the Tao in Dragon Field, yet even those who study him extensively might not be able to clearly articulate what he truly realized.

"What about Mr. Xu?"

Unexpectedly, Yu Shengzhong raised an eyebrow when Xu Lin followed up on his words.

"Me?"

Xu Lin: "I’m still wandering aimlessly, my body and mind trapped by fame and fortune, by riches and beauties, caught in the five desires and six sensory pleasures, looking around, unsure of what to do."

What Xu Lin described is the first realm of life. At this point, it’s like the horses and oxen working in society, filled with confusion about life, not knowing where the future leads or even how to live in the present. Most people are like this, trapped in this layer, many for a lifetime, imprisoned by the various shackles of the world. For example, after graduation comes work, after work comes marriage, after marriage comes having children, and once you have children, you’re trapped for life. Life no longer belongs to you, sweet moments diluted by bitterness. Sometimes, awakened by nightmares in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, suddenly feeling depressed, questioning what life is really about, then asking, what is the damn meaning of life?

"When suffering physically, it’s essential to nurture the mind, not swayed by external circumstances, with no thoughts arising from within."

Yu Shengzhong murmured to himself, pondering whether he had truly achieved this.

"All phenomena arise from conditions, all phenomena cease by conditions, the law of conditions arising and ceasing, the Buddha said it is all empty."

Xu Lin: "The Buddha said all things are empty, and all forms are illusions. If one sees through this, one sees the Tathagata. I’m still looking from the outside, wondering if I’ll ever get to see it in this lifetime."

"I’ve only seen a bit of the surface, or perhaps I’m also on the outside, far from the ’Tao’."

Yu Shengzhong suddenly sighed, suddenly feeling a lack of confidence.

The qipao beauty continued to brew tea, already a bit bewildered by their conversation.

Yet as they continued, she became even more lost.

Because later, they delved into concepts like the operation of heaven’s Tao and heavenly secrets, discussing topics like the Renaissance in Europe and the fall of the Ming Dynasty.

What are heavenly secrets?

The Renaissance and the Black Death in Europe, and in the Ming Dynasty, there were natural disasters at the end.

These things are heavenly secrets, the accidental fusion of multiple historical causes leading to historical inevitability.

The qipao beauty, listening in a daze, wondered, what is the use of these two talking about such things?

What use is it?

What does it mean?

But then, the two completed a publishing contract worth thirty million, shocking the qipao beauty so much that her legs went weak and her scalp tingled.

Oh my god!

Thirty million!

"With a friend, a thousand cups aren’t enough; without mutual understanding, one word is too many! Haha..."

Yu Shengzhong laughed heartily, having talked with Xu Lin for two hours, making him feel utterly elated, a mental exhilaration.

In all his life, he’d never felt this free-spirited, and that too with an eighteen-year-old.

"Mr. Xu, pleasure working with you!"

He extended his hand, and Xu Lin extended his hand too, "Pleasure working with you."

"Mr. Xu, if you have a new book in the future, feel free to collaborate with me!"

"I’ll give priority to Mr. Yu’s publishing house." Xu Lin nodded.

The two chatted as they left the teahouse and then parted ways.

"Mr. Xu, I’ve never felt this clear-headed talking with someone, and you’re still so young, yet you have such profound thoughts and views, my perceptions were indeed limited!"

"Just read a few more pages, that’s all."

"Mr. Xu is still so modest."

Yu Shengzhong shook hands with Xu Lin once more, "Mr. Xu, I’ll take my leave now; I have something to attend to later. We’ll meet again if we have the chance."

"Alright, we’ll meet again if we have the chance."

"Alright!"

With that, Yu Shengzhong left in his car.

Xu Lin also returned to his own car; today he drove a Lamborghini.

Xu Lin noticed there was still a pack of cigarettes in the car, previously placed there for emergencies.

Snap!

Xu Lin lit one up.

He had just discussed a chaotic mix of topics with Yu Shengzhong for two hours, covering history, Buddhism, philosophy, the Tao, etc. Someone unaware would probably think they were a pair of idle fools.

But Xu Lin secured a thirty million publishing deal from these discussions, not to mention a fifty-fifty split in profits, allowing him to take fifty percent of the publication profits as well.

"It seems reading more books is indeed useful."

Xu Lin deeply realized this, driving with the window down, exhaling smoke.

This puff was excessively satisfying.