Xi Zirui's mortification freezes him in place, tea dripping down his wrist and sleeve while he can only blink stupidly towards Bai Mi.
Behind him, Han Yu seems determined to disappear into the background.
Neither of them has considered how their muteness only makes them appear more guilty.
Li Siqi turns slowly towards Xi Zirui, her eyebrows making a judgmental climb up her forehead. "What is she implying, Shizun?"
"I'm not implying, I'm saying," Bai Mi says, her voice ringing with mirth.
"Mn," is all Xi Zirui manages to say.
Finally, Han Yu finds his tongue. "Don't believe her, shijie, her words are defamatory and slanderous," - Xi Zirui refrains from pointing out those words mean the exact same thing, reminding himself he's not actually Han Yu's teacher -, "Shizun and I had to come up with something to disguise our identities when we stumbled upon them."
