Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing stared straight ahead, their eyes fixed.
They saw Li Qingxue delicately holding the wild mountain ginseng between two fingers, her expression as placid as if she were picking up a common radish.
The ginseng was priceless, a treasure in the eyes of others, yet in her hands, it seemed as insignificant as a blade of grass.
In her other hand, a Small Jade Knife, as thin as a willow leaf, had appeared at some point.
With a flick of her fingers and a cold glint of light, she deftly sliced off a small piece of the ginseng, about a third of a finger-joint in length.
Then, she placed the small piece into her mouth, chewed it a few times, and slowly swallowed.
The entire process was quiet and elegant, possessing a detached, ritual-like grace.
From the next table, three loud "GULP" sounds suddenly rang out.
It was the sound of swallowing saliva, perfectly clear and simultaneous.
