He Juan did not believe in the existence of God, yet whenever he came here, he found himself praying to the Buddha statue, wishing that the people around him would be safe from harm – even though it was proven to be useless in the end. After all, sinners like them ought to be despised by deity, right?
This time, he especially went out of his way to purchase two white ribbons, and asked the young monk to help him write the names of his two deceased brothers there and tie them to the century-old banyan tree branch.
"Amitabha," the young monk clasped his hands together and murmured a prayer. "May they rest in peace and be forgiven for their sins."
He Juan hummed, gaze landing on the lush and towering tree with countless colorful ribbons hanging from its branches. Yes, that was all he could have ever wished for – peace and salvation. But sadly… it had to come with a great price.
