Why hadn't the girl collapsed?
The two shop hands looked at each other, drawing sharp breaths. Had they kicked an iron plate this time?
In truth, when the girl had first entered for tea, everyone in the shop had been greatly startled. Such rare beauty, such ethereal grace—these were not things one ordinarily saw!
They did not believe that such a wilderness could have a peerless beauty like her passing through!
No, let alone in such a backwater wilderness, even in all their years of roaming north and south, they had never seen beauty like this!
The girl was not only strikingly beautiful, but her bearing was even more extraordinary. Had she not been traveling alone, they might have suspected her to be a commandery princess or county princess.
But a girl traveling alone like this presumably could not have some remarkable background, could she?
Still, possessing such beauty and daring to travel alone through desolate mountains and wild ridges, she likely had some skill. That was why they had hesitated.
Yet they could not resist. A prize like this, they feared, would not come along a second time in their lives.
The two shop hands exchanged a glance. After a while, one said, "Could the drug have gone damp and lost its effect?"
"No, I checked it beforehand!" Another voice dropped so low it was nearly inaudible. "What do we do now?"
"I'll wait a little longer. You go call the others. If necessary, we'll use force!" One shop hand was still unwilling to give up, so he gave a meaningful look. The remaining man hurried to the back.
"Miss, would you like some more hot water?" The shop hand left behind held up a teapot as he spoke, squinting with a smile as he sized up the girl.