The line of exiles began to move again.
The guards urged everyone forward as the fallen tree was finally cleared enough for passage. The path narrowed, the forest grew darker, and the buzzing of mosquitoes never fully disappeared.
Even with the repellent, the journey was exhausting.
Fu Li walked with a sour expression, scratching her neck and arms repeatedly. The small amount of cream Fu Sheng had shared with her earlier was already running low, and the discomfort only worsened her mood.
Noticing this, Fu Sheng quietly took out his own bottle and handed it to her.
"Use it carefully," he said simply.
Fu Li accepted it, but there was no gratitude on her face. Instead, she applied the cream roughly, then shot an angry glare in my direction.
"She's so wicked," she muttered. "Hoarding everything for herself, acting like some kind of savior."
I heard her clearly.
I chose to ignore it.
Walking beside her, Fu Fei glanced around uneasily before whispering, "If you keep talking like that, you'll only make things worse. Why don't you try being nicer to her for once?"
Fu Li let out a bitter laugh.
"Nice to her?" she snapped softly. "Have you forgotten how she used to treat us? The insults? The cruelty? Just because she suddenly has supplies, we're supposed to respect her now? Treat her like a queen?"
Her voice wasn't just angry.
It was hurt.
Fu Fei didn't argue back. She only looked down, silent.
At that moment, Fu Teng approached them. He had just switched places with Fu Tong, who was now pulling the wagon instead.
He looked between the two girls before speaking calmly.
"Still… she really has changed," Fu Teng said. "Her temperament is different. The way she speaks, the way she acts… it's not the same Su Long from before."
Fu Li didn't answer.
Her expression slowly became more complicated.
**
I walked closer to Fu Sheng.
The boys were sitting on the wagon with Master Fu, so he was walking alone. That gave me a chance to look at him properly.
Even in plain clothes, he still looked good.
His black hair was tied neatly behind his head. His face was clean, calm, and sharp. He even smelled fresh.
I sighed quietly.
How did the original Su Long look at a man like this and still choose to chase after that useless Fu Fong?
Just as I kept staring, Fu Sheng suddenly spoke, still looking straight ahead.
"If you keep staring at me like that," he said calmly, "I might start keeping my distance from you."
I smiled.
"I'm just hungry," I said lightly. "You shouldn't blame me for that."
That finally made him turn to look at me. His eyebrow lifted slightly.
"Hungry?"
Instead of answering, I only smirked. I slowly licked my lips on purpose, then turned and walked away without another word.
Behind me, Fu Sheng froze in place.
For the first time, he looked completely confused.
Did my wife just… flirt with me?
That question stayed in his head long after I walked away.
---
Li Manman's eyes were fixed on me, her jaw tight with jealousy. She bit her lip hard.
"This isn't how the story is supposed to go," she whispered to herself. "Why is that villain acting differently? Why is she getting close to Fu Sheng?"
Her hands clenched slowly.
Then her eyes darkened.
"Fine," she muttered. "If that's how she wants to play… then I'll just have to take Fu Sheng's attention back myself."
Her lips curled into a determined smile.
She carefully moved forward in the line until she was just ahead of Fu Sheng. Then she waited for the right moment.
When no one was paying attention—
"Ah!"
She twisted her ankle on purpose and fell to the ground, clutching her leg dramatically.
"My ankle… it hurts…"
Her soft whining made several people turn their heads.
At the very back, Grandma Fu couldn't see what was happening. She frowned and asked Uncle Fu,
"What's going on up there?"
Uncle Fu scoffed.
"That stupid maid is causing trouble again."
Nearby, Fu Li and Fu Fei exchanged glances.
Fu Li crossed her arms, still annoyed.
"Even I'm not crying like that, and I'm the one suffering. What is she trying to do, acting so pitiful?"
Fu Fei didn't answer, but her eyes showed doubt.
I looked at Li Manman and shook my head silently.
It was obvious.
Too obvious.
Li Manman sobbed louder and stretched out her hand toward Fu Sheng.
"Brother Fu Sheng… please help me…"
She expected him to pull her up gently.
Instead, Fu Sheng only looked at her with clear annoyance.
When her fingers brushed his sleeve, he calmly brushed off the spot she touched, as if removing dirt, without saying a single word.
Then he walked past her and stopped beside his siblings instead.
He didn't look back.
Li Manman froze, shocked, but trust me when I say I was also shocked by his reaction.
In the movie, this scene was quite simple, some people would call it romantic. Su Long was the one who had hurt her ankle, but instead of seeking help from her husband, she sought help from his cousin, Fu Fong.
And so Fu Fong carried her in front of everyone, which made Fu Sheng angry. Li Manman then faked her ankle injury, seeking help from Fu Sheng, who then decided to carry her as payback.
It was just a weird movie with so many cringe scenes between the leads, but this drama over here was the cringiest.
Before she could continue her act—
Crack!
The head guard strode over and struck her back with his whip.
"Get up!" he barked. "Stop making noise and keep moving!"
Li Manman gasped, scrambling to her feet in fear.
Behind her, I laughed softly.
Nearby, Bai Ming laughed too, just as amused. Fu Jia smirked and said to her,
"That should teach her not to act like she owns the world."
As we continued walking, I just smiled as an idea popped into my head.
Why don't I feign an injury as well?