Blind Man Shen's dream interpretation process was quite serious. He insisted on going in one by one, in his designated room, and strictly forbade the presence of others. Before the interpretation, the person being interpreted washed their hands and face with cool well water and burned incense in a quiet manner. He might also expect them to bathe for three days and practice vegetarianism and chant Buddhist scriptures, if possible.
Tao Bing'er was the first to enter. She was quite courageous, and, fascinated by these mystical theories, she was eager to enter. After she entered, not a single sound escaped, as if the entire person had vanished. The atmosphere in the courtyard was somewhat depressing. The young man playing chess sat alone, his eyes closed, resting, ignoring them and showing no interest in chatting. Fang Yuan and the others, bored, wanted to discuss the matter, but then, recalling their own nightmares from the previous day, each preoccupied with their own thoughts, they fell silent for a moment.
Half an hour later, Tao Bing'er popped out, her steps light and brisk. The girls could tell from her expression that she was in high spirits. Blind Shen must have some tricks up his sleeve, having charmed her to her core. Sure enough, Tao Bing'er praised Blind Shen's dream interpretation skills profusely, her eyes filled with respect, practically worshipping him as if he were a deity.
Then came Qin Yanping. Still silent, still coming out half an hour later. Unlike Tao Bing'er, she seemed deeply melancholy. She said nothing, sitting there blankly, lost in thought, her expression gloomy. No one knew what Blind Shen had said to her.
No one dared to ask any more questions, so Xu Zhaodi entered next. She stayed inside longer than the previous two, emerging at least forty minutes later. A look of delight crossed her face as she said to Fang Yuan, "This Blind Man Shen is truly an expert. Not only is he a great interpreter of dreams, he's also a kind person. I even asked him to tell my fortune, and he was incredibly accurate about past events."
The sun was blazing overhead, and the shadow of the Chinaberry tree in the courtyard shrank to a small clump. It was almost noon, and everyone's stomachs were rumbling with hunger.
Fang Yuan hadn't wanted to go in for the dream interpretation in the first place, and just wanted to take the opportunity to avoid it. She said, "I'm so hungry, everyone must be hungry too. Why don't we go eat first and come back afterward?"
Xu Zhaodi chuckled and said, "No, Master Shen specifically instructed you to go in. He said you'd find a way to refuse, and he was right again."
Fang Yuan was shocked and asked, "Did he really say that?"
Xu Zhaodi feigned heartbreak. "You still don't trust me? Is he worth lying for?"
Tao Bing'er also advised, "Fang Yuan, just go in and give it a try. We're fine, and it won't hurt to wait a little longer. If that doesn't work out, we can order a boxed lunch. We have food every day, but encountering a master doesn't happen every day."
Helplessly, Fang Yuan washed her hands and face, closed her eyes, and remained silent for two minutes. She lit some incense, then slowly walked into the room designated by Blind Shen.
The room was dark, with no lights on. The furnishings were sparse, with only a few classical tables and chairs. A faint aroma, the scent of tea, wafted through the room.
Blind Shen rose from the darkness, found the door with familiarity, closed it gently, and sat back down. Fang Yuan finally understood why Tao Bing'er and the others hadn't made any noise since they entered; the room was clearly well soundproofed.
Blind Shen's tone was calm, "Don't be nervous. Lie down on this chair."
There was an irresistible magnetism in his words.
Fang Yuan half-reclined in the chair, feeling somehow incredibly comfortable, her body relaxing.
"Before I interpret your dream, I'd like to ask you a few questions. The first is, do you know what dreams are?"
What are dreams? Fang Yuan hadn't much experience with the subject, having only heard that Western psychologist Freud explained them as sexual repression. Could she even say that?
"It's okay. Say whatever you want to say." Blind Shen seemed to anticipate her hesitation.
"It's the human subconscious," Fang Yuan finally thought of an alternative.
Blind Man Shen nodded. "Right, subconscious. The concept of the subconscious is in contrast to the conscious mind. The conscious mind refers to the dominant consciousness during waking life. Now, let's move on to the next question. What do you think dreams represent?"
"What do dreams represent? Subconscious activity, I guess. I'm not sure. Perhaps a foreshadowing?"
"Very good, of course you can understand it as a foreshadowing. My understanding is that dreams are a reflection of a person's own thoughts and activities by the subconscious mind. Do you agree?"
"I agree."
Blind Man Shen varied the tempo of his voice, making his words ebb and flow like music.
"So, dreams are nothing to be afraid of. All dreams are subconsciously warning you about things to pay attention to and be careful about. They're meant to be kind reminders."
"Yes."
"Can you tell me in detail about your nightmare last night?"
Fang Yuan slowly recounted her dream within a dream. She spoke slowly and delicately, describing each scene like a movie.
After listening to this, Blind Shen pondered for a moment and asked, "There's a girl named Su Ya in your dorm? Why isn't she here?"
"She said she doesn't believe it."
"What a pity," Blind Shen sighed, then continued, "Your dream is a bit strange. A dream within a dream, which is rare."
Blind Shen paused for a moment and gently asked, "I wonder if a close relative has passed away, which makes you particularly sensitive to death?"
Blind relatives are simply those closest to you—parents, siblings, and brothers. Fang Yuan's father had indeed passed away.
"Hmm..."
"In the first dream, was it because the signal of Cheng Li's death was so strong that it repeatedly triggered you, that you had that dream at night, and deep down you were terrified of your own death? As for the second dream, were you deeply hurt by a loved one?"
Fang Yuan was startled and almost cried out, "How did you know?"
Blind Shen comforted her, "It's okay, don't get excited. I'm inferring this from your dream. You superficially consider your roommates friends, but your second dream tells you that you're deeply afraid they'll hurt you and sacrifice you to others."
Blind Shen smiled. "Actually, dreams are just dreams. They reveal another 'me.' You just need to recognize this 'me' through dream interpretation. The best dream interpreter is actually the dreamer himself."
Fang Yuan was stunned. This Blind Shen didn't interpret her dream using the ancient Eastern Yi principles as she had imagined. Instead, he acted like a Western psychologist.
Even after leaving the room, Fang Yuan was still pondering Blind Man Shen's dream interpretation. When she reached the patio, she discovered the girls had vanished. It turned out she had been there for over an hour without realizing it. Several ten-yuan bills lay on the stone table, presumably for Blind Man Shen. There was also a note with the address of their dinner, specifically stating it was not far away.
Fang Yuan thanked Blind Man Shen and turned to leave.
As she left, the young man, who had been resting with his eyes closed, chanted a Buddhist prayer and whispered, "Question: If someone aspires to seek the Buddhist path, what method should he practice that is most concise and essential? Answer: Only the method of observing the mind encompasses all dharmas and is the most concise and essential. Question: What method can encompass all dharmas? Answer: The mind is the root of all dharmas. All dharmas arise from the mind. If one can understand the mind, then all dharmas are present. Just like a great tree, all its branches, flowers, and fruits depend on the root. Planting a tree preserves the root so that it can bear fruit; cutting it down removes the root and it will surely die. If one understands the mind and cultivates the path, then effort is minimal and success is easy. If one cultivates without understanding the mind, effort is wasted and fruitless. Therefore, know that all good and evil originate from one's own mind. Seeking outside the mind will ultimately lead to nowhere."
Fang Yuan was stunned. The young man seemed to be speaking specifically for her. Each Buddhist chant, as clear and resonant as the clash of heavy metal, struck her with a sudden enlightenment.
Fang Yuan listened carefully before leaving, memorizing a few Buddhist verses in her mind. She planned to carefully research which Buddhist scripture he was reciting after returning home and study it thoroughly.
Blind Man Shen also noticed the young man's chanting. After Fang Yuan left, he respectfully asked him, "Master Yi, why did you suddenly start reciting Bodhidharma's 'Treatise on the Destruction of Appearances'?"
Master Yi sighed softly, "Old Shen, you were so busy interpreting their dreams that you couldn't even see their appearance. Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda."
Blind Man Shen was shocked: "Master Yi, are you talking about them..."
"The Buddha said it cannot be spoken... it cannot be spoken..."
With that, he ignored Blind Man Shen, who stood there stunned, and walked away.