The boy hesitated, paralysed by a dual terror, the icy presence of Bai Xifeng and the grim prospect of returning to Zou Weizhe with the rejected gift still clutched tightly in his hands.
"Also..." Bai Xifeng added, dragging out her words as her tone turned razor-sharp. "If I catch another shadow stalking me, I will not be so generous with my warnings. You and your companions have your own mission, so focus on it. Otherwise, you had best not mind receiving a few beatings from me."
The boy gulped audibly upon hearing her threat. He bowed in frantic haste and vanished, melting back into the surrounding darkness.
"You are so mean." Tao-chan commented, though his judgment did not stop him from diving into a second bowl of soup the moment Bai Xifeng handed it over.
"What?" Bai Xifeng asked flatly.
"That cloak looks incredibly soft. It must be comfortable enough to sleep on." Tao-chan added, speaking with his mouth half-full.
