"As the saying goes, those destined to meet will come together across a thousand miles. I never expected to run into you all here. What an incredible stroke of fate."
With his pig snout and ears gone, the refined scholar waved his folding fan and said unhurriedly, "Unfortunately, my eldest senior brother and I have some business to attend to. I'll have to host a banquet for you another day."
Zhu Bajie cupped his hands, then steered Sun Wukong toward the exit.
"Um."
"Could you open the door?"
He gave an awkward smile and wiped the sweat from his forehead, taking some of his foundation with it.
Click.
Two hands settled on their shoulders. When they looked closely, Su Lin had appeared behind them without a sound.
"I was just wondering..." Su Lin leaned toward Zhu Bajie's ear. "I'm not bald, am I?"
Zhu Bajie looked ready to cry. "A misunderstanding! A misunderstanding! I mistook you for our master. Our master's a bald donkey. You're so handsome—how could you possibly be a bald donkey?!"
"Why blurt out the honest truth?" Su Lin took his hand off Zhu Bajie's shoulder and lightly gripped the back of his neck instead.
Zhu Bajie shuddered and tucked in his head. "I like... like telling the truth."
Sun Wukong's grip on the Golden Cudgel tightened instantly. He glanced sideways at the man behind him, every hair on his body standing on end.
Fighting to suppress his instincts, he growled, "Are you Tang Sanzang?"
"I used to be." Su Lin stroked the monkey's head, rubbing his fur against the grain. "Wukong, you called someone a bald donkey just now too. You couldn't have meant your master, could you? Look, there are so many monks here..."
"All monks are bald donkeys!!!"
As if he could no longer