“How is it? Are you hurt?” Murong Jing He asked in his usual tone.
Mei Lin, realizing he didn’t intend to say anything more, straightened up and responded with a mocking tone, “It’s just a scratch. Is it really worth making such a fuss? And how did you not notice that we lost so much stuff last night?”
She pulled the vines across her chest and began dragging the cart forward. With fewer things to carry, she found it much easier, and their pace quickened significantly.
“You were sleeping like a log too! And you have the nerve to blame me!” Murong Jing He shot back, refusing to be outdone. Seeing her head in the same direction as before, he couldn’t help but shout, “We didn’t get out that way yesterday, and now you’re taking the same path again? You’re even dumber than a pig.”
Mei Lin snorted, ignoring him, and kept moving forward. She suspected he was just using this opportunity to vent his earlier frustrations at her.
“Idiot. If you’re a pig, and I’m your man, doesn’t that make me a pig husband?” she retorted with a mischievous smile, not letting his insults get to her.
Murong Jing He was at a loss for words. He wanted to argue back, but the truth was, she was technically his woman, so by insulting her, he was also insulting himself.
However, before he could stay silent for too long, he started complaining again.
“Hey, hey, woman! We’ve been lying here all night, and you’re still letting me lie like this. Are you deliberately trying to make me uncomfortable?”
“You’re so fussy,” Mei Lin grumbled, but she still stopped, walked over, and untied him from the cart, helping him stand up.
Murong Jing He, unsteady on his feet, leaned heavily against her. As his lips brushed past her ear, he quickly whispered, “He’s behind the third stone on the left. I didn’t see anyone else.” He had been particularly alert, so he immediately noticed another person’s presence.
Mei Lin responded with a low hum, tightening her arm around his waist with one hand while gripping her dagger firmly with the other.
“You can’t even stand up properly. Can you be any more useless?” she shouted loudly, scolding him, “I must have done something terrible in my past life to be burdened with you... Ow, ow, let go, let go!” She was in the middle of her tirade when Murong Jing He bit her ear, causing her to stiffen and quickly beg for mercy.
At that moment, the sound of metal scraping against something echoed in their ears. They exchanged a glance, and Mei Lin felt her heart start to race.
“Keep yelling,” Murong Jing He whispered. He had sensed something unusual.
The person hadn’t done anything to them while they slept last night, so why were they now losing their composure? Was it because of their taunting remarks or because they were provoked by their display of affection? Either way, having an unknown person lurking in the shadows was dangerous for them, so the only option was to force them out into the open.
Mei Lin froze for a moment, unsure of what to yell next. The sudden bite had made her forget everything, and she couldn’t think of a follow-up.
“Stupid woman,” Murong Jing He sighed in exasperation. With a sudden move, he lowered his head and kissed the corner of her lips.
Mei Lin was startled and reflexively looked at him. His lips slid over hers, sealing them in a tight kiss as he strained his ears to catch any reaction from the hidden observer.
The wind howled, drowning out any subtle noises, and it seemed as though the person had vanished, making no sound at all.
It wasn’t because of this, Murong Jing He thought, as a playful smile appeared on his face. As he reluctantly pulled away from her soft lips, he added in a barely audible voice, “Here’s your chance to vent your frustrations.” Then, in a cold, mocking tone, he suddenly sneered, “I know you’re just waiting for me to die so you can run off to your lover. But too bad for you, I’m not going anywhere! Remember this—you’re still my woman, and I’ll do whatever I...”
Smack! A loud slap cut him off mid-sentence as Mei Lin pushed him back onto the cart. Just as his hand was about to hit the ground, she discreetly blocked it with her leg, then began kicking him furiously.
“You think you’re still some mighty prince? Look at the sorry state you’re in now! Who else would even bother with you besides me?” she yelled angrily, as if she wished the man on the ground would just die.
“Cough, cough... Go ahead, beat me all you want, but you won’t get out of here without me,” Murong Jing He curled up on the cart, his face hidden in the shadows. Though his tone was filled with anger and shame, his expression remained unreadable.
“Ha! You think I can’t survive without you?” Mei Lin spat back. She kicked him in the rear, then swiftly drew her dagger, her voice cold as she said, “Let’s see if I can get out of here without you.”
The dagger’s cold gleam flashed in the dim light as she aimed it at Murong Jing He’s chest.
Murong Jing He’s eyes narrowed, almost convinced she truly intended to kill him—until the sound of scraping metal echoed once more, louder and more prolonged than before.
“I’ll kill you, you wretched woman!” A hoarse voice suddenly interrupted them, followed by the sound of someone stumbling and running toward them.
Mei Lin kicked the cart further away and then turned to face the hunched figure charging at her with a knife. Though she had lost her inner strength, her eyesight and reflexes remained intact. If this were a skilled fighter, she might have been in trouble, but the person before her, with their awkward knife grip and slow movements, was clearly no expert—just an ordinary person with a bit more killing intent and desperation.
“Where did this freak come from?” she taunted, aiming to further enrage the attacker.
Murong Jing He slowly lifted his head from the shadows, calmly assessing the situation and gauging Mei Lin’s chances.
At first glance, the man seemed small and hunched, but he actually had a large frame. If he straightened up, he’d be almost as tall as Murong Jing He. His clothes were in tatters, his long hair tangled and matted, covering his face, indicating he’d likely been here for quite some time.
His heavy steps indicated a lack of internal strength, and his clumsy knife work showed he was untrained. How had someone like this survived here? And now, after that woman’s rough treatment, how was he supposed to get back at her? Her lips still had the taste of wild grapes... Ugh, he was starting to feel hungry...
Seeing that Mei Lin wasn’t in much danger, Murong Jing He’s thoughts began to drift, focusing on less pressing matters.
If Mei Lin knew what he was thinking, she’d probably regret not hitting him harder. But right now, she couldn’t afford to be distracted. Though the man didn’t seem skilled in combat, his knife was real, and a careless move could still result in injury. If he realized their ruse and decided to flee, it would be much harder to lure him out again.
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