At the same time, Mu Mianmian slowly walked out from one end of the forest.
“Who said I ran away?”
In her hands were two rabbits.
On her back was a bamboo basket—brand new.
Inside, it was filled to the brim with medicinal herbs.
Everyone was stunned.
“She… actually found food?”
“Sister-in-law!”
“Mother, Sister-in-law caught two big rabbits!”
The three-year-old younger brother-in-law’s eyes sparkled.
Excited, he toddled toward Mu Mianmian on his short little legs.
Such fat rabbits!
“Sister-in-law, I’ll help you carry one.”
Mu Mianmian handed him a rabbit and smiled. “Mm. A-Jin is such a good boy.”
Little A-Jin hugged the rabbit and ran back happily, bursting with excitement.
“Big brother, we have rabbits! We’ll have rabbit to eat!”
The same astonishment appeared in Ye Siming’s eyes as in everyone else’s.
He had thought she’d run away.
He never expected her to come back.
In a situation like this, anyone who didn’t run would be a fool.
She’d been decisive and resolute when proposing the family split—someone like that couldn’t be stupid.
Yet… she came back anyway?
A flicker of darkness passed through Ye Siming’s eyes.
The woman’s voice rang out again.
“Commander Liu, I just went to gather herbs. I also happened to catch two rabbits.”
“My husband and family are here. I wouldn’t run away.”
Commander Liu glanced at the new bamboo basket behind her and understood—she must have spent time weaving it, which was why she returned late.
“Mm. As long as you didn’t run.”
He wasn’t afraid of them escaping.
Even if they somehow managed to flee, they wouldn’t survive a nationwide manhunt.
Besides, Ye Siming had been branded with a golden mark on his face.
That mark was a permanent identifier—if he ran, he’d be hunted across the entire empire.
There was nowhere to hide.
“This rabbit is for you, Commander Liu.”
Mu Mianmian generously handed one rabbit to him.
Commander Liu narrowed his eyes.
He was tall and broad-shouldered, with dark skin and sharp, handsome features.
A knife scar cut across the corner of his eye—clearly not someone to mess with.
He glanced at the rabbit she offered and didn’t refuse, signaling a soldier to take it.
“All right. Behave yourselves. Stop stirring up trouble. If anyone dares make things up again, my whip won’t miss.”
As he left, he cracked the whip toward Old Madam Ye and the others.
The whip lashed down on Ye Siran’s body.
“That’s for lying to me!”
They had tried to use him to deal with the Ye main branch—what nerve!
Liu Tao wasn’t someone they could manipulate.
“Ahhh!”
Ye Siran screamed.
“Commander Liu, spare me!”
Madam Shen and the others hurriedly kowtowed, begging for mercy.
The rest shrank back in terror.
After beating Ye Siran as a warning, Liu Tao finally felt appeased and left.
……
“Mu Mianmian, you jinx! I’ll tear you apart!”
Seeing her son beaten black and blue, Madam Shen flew into a rage and lunged toward Mu Mianmian.
Mu Mianmian smiled faintly.
“Second Aunt, Commander Liu is still watching.”
“You—!”
Second Master Ye rushed over and pulled his wife back.
“Stop shouting! Or you’ll get beaten again!”
Now that Mu Mianmian could find food—and had even bribed Commander Liu with a rabbit—starting trouble at this moment would only make things worse.
Shen Jia burned with resentment, staring at the things in Mu Mianmian’s hands.
“Who knows what kind of damned luck she stumbled into!”
“Mother, let’s go to the forest too—maybe we can catch wild rabbits!”
Everyone was shocked. Mu Mianmian had gone to the forest once and brought back prey.
Envy.
Jealousy.
They all wanted to try—but it was already night, and they couldn’t go.
……
Mu Mianmian ignored them.
She walked over and took out a waterskin and some fruit from the basket.
“Drink some water.”
Ye Siming drank several mouthfuls before finally feeling better. With some strength back, he asked,
“Where did you get these things?”
“Caught them in the forest.”
Ye Siming didn’t believe her. Did she think he was that easy to fool?
“Why did you stay? What’s your purpose?”
She had been a substitute bride—surely she harbored resentment. Yet she hadn’t left. She even found food for them and stayed by his side.
It was impossible not to be suspicious.
Could she be a spy sent by the emperor?
Mu Mianmian frowned slightly.
She hadn’t expected him to say that—but it made sense.
Her actions really were suspicious.
“What does Your Highness think?” she asked.
“……”
Ye Siming said nothing. In his heart, he had already decided she had an ulterior motive.
“I stay because I want to stay. Right now, all of you depend on me. You don’t really have a choice.”
“Even if Your Highness is dissatisfied with me as a substitute bride, there’s nothing you can do—unless you manage to rise again.”
Ye Siming’s expression changed subtly.
Among the Mu family daughters, he had only met Mu Jiaojiao.
Every time she saw him, she would blush shyly and say nothing.
The moment she heard he was crippled, her attitude changed completely.
Women in the capital were all like that—hypocritical.
He hadn’t expected Mu Mianmian to be so sharp-tongued.
Now he was nothing more than a cripple.
He didn’t believe she could possibly be staying for him.
Ye Siming’s gaze grew deep as he stared up at the star-filled sky.
“If you’re trying to get something from me,” he said coldly,“then I advise you to give up that thought right now.”