"Mm, I understand. You may go!" The middle-aged monk spoke blandly, then picked out a fist-sized, somewhat shriveled green fruit from the bamboo basket in his hand and handed it to Chonghong. "I picked this up from the ground. Take it to fill your stomach first. It is still early; if you are hungry, endure it a little longer!"
"Thank you, Master!" Chonghong spoke respectfully as well. After taking the fruit and bowing, he smiled at Xiao Hua and Fairy Jing, then turned and left.
"This humble monk, Jiandong, greets the two benefactors!" Jiandong's tone had begun to sound like that of an ordinary monk.
Xiao Hua and Fairy Jing casually cupped their hands in return. Glancing at the bamboo basket in Jiandong's hand, Xiao Hua smiled. "What is Master doing? Rather than chanting sutras and worshipping Buddha in the temple, why are you carrying a bamboo basket around?"
Fairy Jing found it somewhat strange. Xiao Hua had clearly just asked Chonghong this question. Why was he asking it again for no apparent reason?
Jiandong pressed his palms together and said softly, "Amitabha. If Buddha is in this humble monk's heart, then no matter when or where, this humble monk is worshipping Buddha in his heart. If Buddha is absent from this humble monk's heart, then even if he sits upright in the temple, holds a sutra scroll in his hands, and places a wooden fish before his eyes, the golden-bodied Buddha seated in the Mahavira Hall still will not pay him heed."
"Mm, what the monk says makes sense." Xiao Hua neither agreed nor disagreed, then added, "As for the things in your basket, you could simply send the strong men in the temple to handle them. There is no need for you to come personally."
"Other than Buddha's