The warm atmosphere turned cold in an instant. The soft golden light filtering through the leaves, the quiet rustle of the canopy, and the lingering warmth of playful roughhousing all seemed to retreat the moment the pair stepped fully into the shaded circle. The pair's appearance was not welcome at all.
When Su Wanyan heard Lin Xuanyu click his tongue, she raised an eyebrow at him but chose not to pursue the matter. I'll just be wasting my saliva if I do that, she decided, shaking the thought away. The soft forest air still carried the faint scent of earth and sun-warmed bark, but the earlier ease had already thinned.
She stood up fully, remaining positioned slightly behind Mo Xingxue, and completely ignored the two newcomers. The protective placement was quiet but deliberate. She turned instead toward the familiar faces of the group.
