Li Li is a fox spirit with snow-white fur and sly eyes. Her favorite pastime is sitting on rooftops, spying on monks as they chant sutras, and occasionally swiping a string of prayer beads to trade for candy.
Mi Er is the youngest enlightened monk at the mountain temple, as cool as a solitary pine on a snowy ridge. He shows compassion when saving all living beings, yet a darkness that will not fade always lurks in his eyes.
A chance encounter while “catching ghosts” brought the smiling fox to this silent temple. She chased a ghostly shadow into the Buddha Hall, only to see him lightly tap it with a fingertip, making the vengeful spirit vanish into wisps of smoke. When he turned around, he looked even more like a ghost than the ghost itself.
“Little fox, aren't you afraid of me?” he asked.
“Afraid of what?” Li Li swished her tail. “You clearly smell like candy, and... just a little bit like salty tears.”
From then on, a fox began sweeping dust from the temple with her tail and filling the monk's long nights with laughter. She caught ghosts not for the merit, but simply to see him smile one more time. He saved all the world, yet in her eyes, for the first time, he tasted the warmth of being saved himself.
Very nice, really good (*/∇\*)
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