"What's wrong?" the assistant asked.
Xu Ji crouched down and took out religious statues from two different suitcases.
"Come here," Xu Ji said.
The assistant quickly gathered around.
Xu Ji turned to look at Xiao Ya: "I meant her."
The assistant hastily made way, thinking to himself that he'd lost his front-row view.
Xiao Ya crouched down right next to Xu Ji, while Wei Wenqing joined the assistant where he stood.
"This is called a Madonna statue," Xu Ji explained to Xiao Ya.
Xiao Ya nodded slightly, but still seemed confused.
Religion was completely foreign territory to her. It wasn't even mentioned in the miscellaneous books found in the reading corner of Shitou School.
"Look at these two statues and see if you can spot any differences," Xu Ji said, his slender wrists steadily holding up both Madonna statues.
The assistant carefully spoke up: "Aren't they completely different from each other?"
It was obvious even without careful inspection.
But that was normal - not every statue had to look identical.
Xu Ji didn't respond, just waited quietly with a smile for Xiao Ya's reaction.
"They... give off different feelings," Xiao Ya said slowly.
The assistant thought: What kind of answer is that?
But Xu Ji said: "Correct."
How was that correct? The assistant was dumbfounded.
"To put it more professionally, their styles are different, which naturally gives them different impressions," Xu Ji said, raising the statue in his left hand higher.
He asked: "What feeling does this one give you?"
"Sacred, solemn."
"And this one?" Xu Ji raised the right-hand statue.
"Warm and gentle, and... um, a bit plumper," Xiao Ya paused, then said instinctively: "They shouldn't be together?"
"They absolutely shouldn't be together, because this one..." Xu Ji looked at his left hand, "is an Orthodox Madonna."
"And this one..." he looked at his right hand, "is a Catholic Madonna."
"Orthodox icons emphasize divinity, while Catholic ones focus more on humanity. That's why they give such distinctly different impressions."
"Additionally, Orthodox icons always carry highly symbolic elements, like halos, cloaks, bracelets, stars..."
"If they can't even tell Madonna statues apart, it seems these clergy members aren't very devout believers," Xu Ji's smile remained gentle but took on a hint of mockery.
The assistant opened and closed his mouth. As expected of the boss!
The servants were also stunned.
Who would notice such differences without thorough knowledge of these denominations?
Wei Wenqing then used his phone to ask: "Are you Christian?"
"No," Xu Ji put the Madonna statues back, holding onto both Xiao Ya and his assistant as he slowly stood up, "Ah, my legs are numb."
Xiao Ya immediately hugged his leg: "Don't move then, just wait for it to pass."
Xu Ji smiled more deeply, using Xiao Ya as a crutch.
He continued: "I once attended two art appreciation classes with Sheng Yuxiao's mother, and one of them analyzed the differences between religious icons from different denominations from an aesthetic perspective."
"See, it was useful after all. We should tell Sheng Yuxiao to restore the appreciation courses at your school," Xu Ji enthusiastically suggested.
Xiao Ya's eyes widened as she nodded vigorously.
Xu Ji looked down, clearly seeing a hint of amazed admiration in the little one's eyes.
They sparkled brightly.
Like jewels dipped in water.
Xu Ji patted her head, in a good mood, and turned to say: "Now, let's invite the nuns and the Archbishop out."
Wei Wenqing nodded and gave a look to the bodyguards nearby.
The bodyguards immediately went to "invite" the people.
"This is illegal detention!"
"Father, please forgive these unfaithful people, when judgment day comes, please don't send them to hell..."
The Archbishop angrily accused, while the nuns made the sign of the cross, muttering continuously.
"Is this your idea of devotion?" Xu Ji spoke up.
The assistant responded immediately, placing the two completely different Madonna statues in front of the Archbishop.
The Archbishop's voice cut off abruptly, his expression frozen.
Xu Ji observed his reaction and said: "It seems you do know something about this, but these nuns aren't professional enough, making such a major oversight in preparing their props..."
The Archbishop's lips trembled, unable to squeeze out a word.
The nuns also fell silent, casting surprised and fearful glances at Xu Ji.
With so many people staring at him, Xu Ji became even more relaxed and casual: "Orthodox and Catholic are both branches of Christianity, and ordinary people can't tell the difference between them."
The Archbishop wasn't wrong - Old Master Wei wasn't sincere enough, he didn't truly believe in the power of religion from his heart, so he didn't know the difference.
The Archbishop himself wasn't sincere either, which is why he and the nuns left this oversight.
"Why pretend to be clergy?" the bodyguard barked.
The Archbishop closed his eyes briefly: "Since you're making things difficult, go ahead and call the police, have us arrested."
Xiao Ya's still childish voice rang out: "To avoid detention, you were willing to return the money we paid you."
Xu Ji smiled and added: "Yet now you'd rather go to the police station. What caused such a dramatic change?"
Xiao Ya's little face scrunched up, her tone certain: "Is it to cover up something worse?"
Xu Ji turned and ordered: "Take apart the suitcases."
Wei's bodyguards shifted their feet but didn't move immediately.
Then Xiao Ya urged: "Go ahead!"
Only then did the bodyguards spring into action.
Xu Ji tilted his head and sighed softly.
Once trained well, this family's people really were quite loyal dogs.
"Do you know how to take them apart?" Xu Ji interjected, "Check the false bottoms, remove the wheels, cut open the outer layer... don't miss a single gap."
Xu Ji told his assistant: "Go show them how."
The assistant nodded, appearing like someone who had seen it all before.
The Archbishop watched their actions without offering a single word of defense or struggle.
But...
"His mouth is moving," Xiao Ya called out loudly.
Not speaking, but moving his mouth.
"Suicide?" Xu Ji suddenly turned back, landing a fierce punch on the Archbishop's cheek.
There was a "crack" sound.
The Archbishop's entire jaw was displaced, a tooth flying out, his cheek slightly caving in.
He let out a muffled cry of pain, his whole body falling from the force.
Wei Wenqing suddenly blew his whistle, and the servants who had been standing motionless suddenly sprang into action at the whistle's sound, diving toward the nuns and pinning them down one by one.
It all seemed to happen in the blink of an eye.
"Such a strong reaction - it seems what needs to be covered up is something extremely serious," Xu Ji said in a calm tone.
Xiao Ya let out a breath and stepped forward to ask: "Doesn't your hand hurt?"
Such great force!
Only then did Xu Ji's face slowly turn pale, and he let out a soft hiss: "...I think I broke it."
