Su Li pulled Saina outside.
Fifty gold coins still sat on the counter.
"Take it or leave it." Su Li tossed out the words, dragged Saina along, and walked out the door.
Elena followed behind. As she passed the elven technician still bracing herself against the counter and gasping for breath, her steps slowed by half a beat.
"Watch your mouth next time. Our Saina has a good temper. If it had been me, it wouldn't have been just the bottle that got smashed."
Talia brought up the rear. Before leaving, she glanced at the technician, shook her head, and said nothing.
Though this might indeed have been Saina's fault, to "Mrs. Su," the "third-rank knight" Saina, it could only be the technician's fault.
The four of them walked along South Street.
Star Festival fireworks were still bursting overhead, while laughter and vendors' cries filled the air.
Saina had walked more than twenty steps before half her anger finally faded. She lowered her head to look at the essential oil still clinging to her palm, sticky and gleaming.
"I really didn't do it on purpose," Saina muttered softly. "When she was rubbing that oil onto my face, she said, 'Oh, such large pores,' and my hand just tightened—"
"Your hand tightened, and the strength of a third-rank knight poured into it. It'd be strange if the glass bottle didn't shatter," Elena said unhurriedly.
"Shut up! If you hadn't insisted on dragging me to this money-burning place—"
"Enough, enough." Su Li took a clean cotton cloth from his Space Ring and handed it over. "Wipe your hands first. If you get pricked by glass shards later, you'll be crying again."
Saina took the cloth and lowered her head to wipe her hands. After rubbing twice, she suddenly looked up.
"Why did