"Abbot... the plaque has arrived, but shouldn't we reconsider carrying it on your head?"
"Why? I already gave them my word earlier."
Yuankong's eyes were barely open. Everything before him was a blur, as though he had slept for a long, long time and could not even lift his eyelids, yet also as though something urgent demanded that he get up.
But his memories were somewhat muddled, like something he had remembered perfectly in a dream, something he had been told a thousand times he must do, only to get up to use the toilet and find, when he tried to recall it, that he could remember nothing at all.
Yuankong looked outside the hall, and at the somewhat familiar figure's back. The words slipped out:
"Senior brother..."
The blurry figure slowly turned around, revealing the face Yuankong could never forget, now wearing a slightly troubled expression.
In that instant, everything before Yuankong's bleary eyes became clear, and Yuanjing's slight look of difficulty became a gentle smile.
"You're finally awake." Yuanjing's voice was gentle and calm.
Yuankong stood up, rubbed his eyes with his small hands, and answered absently, "Mm..."
As though waking from a long dream, Yuankong lowered his fair little hands. Looking into Yuanjing's gentle eyes, he suddenly felt an ache in his heart, without knowing why, and unconsciously walked forward to embrace the aged-looking monk.
"What's wrong? Had a nightmare?" Yuanjing's voice came from overhead. "That must have been quite a nightmare. Even the Buddha couldn't protect you."
At those words, Yuankong had meant to let go, not wanting his senior brother to tease him, but when he actually tried, he found that he could not.
After a moment, he answered softly, "Mm..."
Without knowing why, without knowing the reason, Yuankong simply wanted to hold Yuanjing, as