Zhen Ruan bit her red lips lightly and gracefully swept the loose hair at her temples behind her ears, her gaze shy and timid.
The trio of onlookers behind Yi Chen were so envious their eyes were almost turning red, wishing they could replace him.
Even the two male disciples who had followed Zhen Ruan had their eyes wide open in disbelief.
All eyes unanimously turned towards Yi Chen.
"Now, when the Hehuan Sect is in such turmoil, is not the time for love and romance. This matter can wait,"
"Let us get through this crisis first. I, Zhang San, always honor my commitments. If we don't get past this hurdle, all bets are off," Yi Chen pondered for a moment and then skillfully employed the stalling tactic.
Rejecting someone in public, especially Zhen, would be a loss of face for her. It was wiser to delay, which reflected mature and measured consideration.
