Chapter Forty-Seven: The Purpose of Prayer

Liu Yunfei looked up and saw Yu Qing gazing at him with a distressed expression, so he quickly composed himself. Someone was clearly upset, and yet he had been feeling cheerful—how inconsiderate of him. He silently chastised himself. "I'm sorry," he apologized aloud, his thoughts racing. Was it just a breakup? Was that really something to be so dejected about? He’d heard that students abroad changed partners rather casually.

"And besides, there’s not much for me at home," Yu Qing sighed. "My parents divorced years ago, and I haven’t seen my father since. I can barely remember what he looks like. My mother is always busy with her business, hardly ever home, and when she is, she brings different men with her..." Her long sigh struck Liu Yunfei like a small fist to the chest, stirring in him a sudden urge to protect this fragile girl.

"Don’t think too much about it. Aren’t you doing fine now? Living on your own, traveling wherever you please—wherever you go, that’s home. It’s a bit like being a wanderer—there’s a sort of Bohemian romance to it. Actually, I envy it," Liu Yunfei confessed. He’d lived comfortably for so long that he sometimes envied those who could roam the world without a home.

"Oh? Is that so?" Yu Qing had always pitied herself for her financial hardship and loneliness, never expecting someone like Liu Yunfei to find her life romantic, even to envy her. This odd perspective intrigued her, and she found herself curious about this man.

"Easy for you to say, you have no idea what it’s like to go hungry. Wearing designer clothes, driving a luxury car, with a butler at your side—and now you envy a working girl like me?" Yu Qing began to lecture this privileged young man.

"Actually, you don’t know my situation," Liu Yunfei chuckled. "I’m not some rich kid. And anyway, it’s not about money. It’s a mindset. I have so many dreams yet to fulfill, so many responsibilities to shoulder. My life is full, but it’s tiring." He gazed upward, lost in thought—how good it would be to finish these things sooner. Then he could travel the world with Park Minji. But who knew when he’d complete everything? Thinking of Park Minji, Liu Yunfei suddenly felt a pang of guilt—was he developing feelings for this girl? Was he being unfair to Minji?

"Well, you’re home now. I’ll take my leave. Don’t go back to that bar—find another job. If you need anything, you have my number." Liu Yunfei stood up, gave her his number, and walked away.

Night was falling as he left the building, treading softly down the stairs. He paused by his car and glanced back at the old apartment building, at the pale yellow curtains in Yu Qing’s window. He hesitated a moment, then got in and drove away.

Back at the Knight’s Castle, Owari was offering his evening prayers before dinner. Liu Yunfei was used to watching them from the side, the ritual lasting about fifteen minutes each time. He would sit silently at the table, waiting. Though he pretended to be an Arab, he never participated in the prayers—not out of prejudice, but because he felt the essence of such rituals was good, much like Confucius said, "The gentleman reflects upon himself thrice daily." Praying several times a day was a way to remind oneself of what ought and ought not to be done. Yet, to Liu Yunfei, the Arab prayers seemed overly formal—when a ritual becomes too ceremonious, its true meaning is lost, turning into prayer for prayer’s sake.

When Owari finished, Liu Yunfei asked, "What were you praying for just now?"

"Thanking God for providing us with food."

"And do you know why you pray?" Liu Yunfei pressed.

"Why?" Owari had clearly never considered this. "To show respect to the Almighty and thank Him for our food."

"No, that’s just the surface," Liu Yunfei said, pausing so Owari could think it over. "Muhammad commanded every Muslim to pray so that they would learn gratitude and contentment, to cultivate a thankful heart. In a society so full of material desires, endless wants breed selfishness, jealousy, and greed. The prophets recognized this, so they created various doctrines. Though some are biased or extreme, their ultimate goal was to help people restrain their boundless desires."

"It makes sense, but isn’t it too passive? Without desire, there’s no ambition, no progress," Owari said, puzzled.

"It’s a matter of balance," Liu Yunfei replied. "It’s not that we should abandon all dreams and pursuits, living like monks with no desire at all. The key is moderation—knowing when to let go of impossible or temporarily unattainable wishes, and especially learning to say no to one’s own excessive desires."

"You’re right, Uncle Awahid, I’ll try my best," Owari replied sincerely.

Liu Yunfei nodded quietly. Over time, he had come to appreciate Owari’s potential, often sharing his insights from his own growth. Owari, raised among royalty and privileged youth, had never heard such ideas. Because Liu Yunfei was about his age and spoke not as a teacher but as a friend, Owari grew to see him as a true uncle and mentor.

The next day, to prevent Mafia retaliation, Liu Yunfei instructed the butler and servants to be vigilant about strangers, and all unfamiliar vehicles or people were to be stopped halfway up the hill—the entire area belonged to the Knight’s Castle. For several days, Liu Yunfei barely left the estate, but the Mafia and Hadi remained quiet; nothing unusual happened, and no one targeted them. He figured the thugs he’d encountered in the bar were just small-time street punks, incapable of causing real trouble.

As for Yu Qing, neither of them reached out, but whenever Liu Yunfei sipped wine, he thought of her tea.

In his spare time, Liu Yunfei studied Arabic with little Lam, while teaching her English in return. He’d use a bilingual textbook—Lam would read the Arabic, and he’d read the English, so both learned together. With his aptitude, Liu Yunfei quickly mastered basic conversational Arabic.

"Brother Awahid!" Early one morning, Lam knocked on his door. Since they were not in Saudi Arabia, Liu Yunfei had told her not to address him as "Prince."

"Come in," Liu Yunfei called, still in bed. At the castle, no one locked doors; everyone was polite enough to knock first.

Lam slipped in silently—she really did have a knack for sneaking about. She stood beside his bed, her big eyes darting uncertainly, cheeks flushed. Following her gaze, Liu Yunfei realized he was, as usual, sporting an impressive morning reaction, wearing only his underwear. He quickly pulled a blanket over himself.

"Don’t look—turn around," he scolded, forgetting how exposed he was. "How many times have I told you? You’re younger than Owari. If you call me ‘brother’ and he hears, he’ll go mad." He noticed Lam’s eyes lingering on his bare chest. "Hey, hey, what are you staring at? Is this old tofu of mine really that appealing?" He hurriedly wrapped himself up, leaving only his head exposed.

Now Lam could see nothing; her gaze returned to normal. She slipped off her shoes and climbed onto the bed, half-lying beside him, handing him a book. "Brother Awahid, how do you read this? I forgot."

"I taught you last night. And when you talk to me, use English so you’ll learn faster."

"What kind of girl do you like? How do you say that in English?"

Liu Yunfei taught her the phrase.

"What kind of girl do you like?" Lam repeated in English.

"Damn, you’re not here to learn English, you’re just teasing me," Liu Yunfei grumbled. It was over thirty degrees and he was sweltering under the blanket. "Fine, look all you want, you’ve seen it all anyway." He tossed the blanket aside.

"Am I pretty?" Lam asked, grinning mischievously.

"Yes, a pretty little girl," Liu Yunfei replied, emphasizing "little girl."

"I’m not a little kid anymore." Lam pushed aside a pillow, lying on her back. Whether her mood or nutrition had improved, or perhaps he’d never noticed before, her chest seemed to have grown noticeably.

Adapting to Italian customs, Lam wore jeans and a T-shirt—with nothing underneath, the small bumps on her chest clearly visible.

"They’re definitely bigger. Are you trying to pass yourself off as more mature?" Liu Yunfei, not really harboring any lewd thoughts, was mostly baffled by the situation. He reached out and, through her clothes, cupped one of her small breasts—it was soft and elastic, and he couldn’t help but gently knead it. Lam closed her eyes in enjoyment.

Suddenly, the phone rang, shattering the intimate moment and jolting Liu Yunfei awake. Damn, he thought, I walked right into this little minx’s trap—she’d come to seduce me.