The thin-faced woman said, "Yes, yes, young mistress, we really don't have that ability. If we could truly command a leopard, why would we be doing this kind of work? It doesn't even pay much."
The conversation seemed to have startled the leopard.
The leopard stood up, occasionally nudging the door with its head.
The people inside the house were too scared to breathe.
Miss Chai, aside from being in a panic, was particularly worried that the child in her arms might suddenly wake up and cry.
She gritted her teeth and steeled herself, deciding that if the leopard really broke in, she would throw the child out, and if worst comes to worst, she'd endure the hardship and buy another child.
Fortunately, the leopard just circled the wooden house and nudged the door but didn't force its way in.
Everyone breathed a slight sigh of relief, hoping someone would pass by to shoot the leopard so they could escape.
