The two girls heard their master speak those words. To say they didn't feel hurt would be a lie. After all, they were both well aware that they were quite beautiful and that their innate talents were truly exceptional.
The only reason they hadn't approached Shen Han to request an apprenticeship earlier was that they already had a master. Because their master was of advanced age, they had subconsciously felt that if they truly wanted to seek a new mentor, they would certainly succeed. As it turned out, they were rejected. And there were no excuses, no beating around the bush—just a flat, direct refusal.
Thinking back on it now, there was still a sense of grievance and discomfort in their hearts. It seemed that for them, the way they saw themselves and the way others saw them were two entirely different things. In their own eyes, they were pretty and talented; finding a master should have been effortless. Yet reality was cruelly blunt. It could only be concisely summarized as nothing more than wishful thinking.
Chapter 30