[No!]
Those two words burst out almost before she could think.
The two gazes in the tent simultaneously landed on the Saint Child.
Aside from Cui Xiao, whose presence was so faint that his expression could not be made out, the other scholar furrowed his brow slightly, seemingly wondering what sort of trouble the Saint Child was causing at this crucial moment. He asked the question Cui Xiao was puzzling over: [May I ask why "withdrawal" is not feasible?]
The Saint Child broke out in a cold sweat when she realized what she had said, regretting that her mouth had outrun her thoughts.
Facing the middle-aged scholar's seemingly calm yet needle-sharp scrutiny, the Saint Child felt as uncomfortable as if she were sitting on a bed of needles. She awkwardly averted her gaze, her voice dropping lower as the fingers hidden in her sleeves nearly twisted themselves into knots. Biting her lower lip, she said: [What I meant was...]
The middle-aged scholar said: [I hope the woman will be frank with us.]
He had changed how he addressed the Saint Child.
It was also a veiled reminder for her to remember her true identity and the purpose of her mission. She must not let her mind go blank at a critical moment!
The Saint Child's hard-won courage scattered by more than half.
Seeing that she still refused to speak plainly, the middle-aged scholar had little patience left to waste and prepared to take his leave. But just as he moved, the Saint Child dashed forward and clutched his sleeve tightly, panting heavily as she gritted her teeth. [No, we can't leave!]
Cui Xiao asked: [Why? What's the reason?]
The Saint Child forced the words out in one breath, afraid that if she waited any longer, she would lose the courage