Red Boy did not respond.
Xuanzang did not press him any further.
He slowly crouched beside Red Boy.
One was higher, the other lower.
"Young Benefactor."
Xuanzang spoke, his voice soft and gentle. "Let this humble monk tell you a story."
Red Boy did not move.
He kept his head lowered, staring fixedly at the shallow puddle at his feet.
Its surface reflected a gray-white sky and his pale face.
Xuanzang also lowered his head and slowly began:
"Long ago, in a city called Fortunate City, there lived a wealthy elder and his wife. They delighted in charity and possessed an immense fortune, yet they had no children."
"They prayed for one day and night, sowing goodwill far and wide. At last, the wife became pregnant."
Xuanzang's voice drifted through the scorched mountain hollow, carrying a strange sense of calm.
"When that child was born."
"Seven treasure hoards suddenly welled up in the courtyard of their home."
"Gold, silver, pearls, and jade spilled across the ground. Precious vessels, colored glass, and countless other treasures shone brilliantly, lighting up the entire night sky. Even the soil in the courtyard turned into fine grains of gold."
"The couple were overjoyed."
"Not because of the wealth filling their courtyard, but because this child surely possessed great blessings."
"And so they named him Sudhana."
Xuanzang paused, then softly recited:
"Goodness is a heart that understands and accords with truth; wealth is virtue accumulated without end."
"Sudhana grew into a handsome child, clever and lively, with an extraordinary understanding of others. His parents adored him."
"All their neighbors said this child must possess tremendous merit and blessings, that he had come into this life simply to enjoy good fortune."
"But they did not know that Sudhana was deeply troubled."
"Though Sudhana had immense wealth and