Shocking! The actress was dragged to the regent's bedchamber every night.

"Hmm." Yu Chen didn't argue with her, but responded calmly.

Su Wuli met his ambiguous smile and couldn't help but glare at him.

But he couldn't muster any real aura, so he had to look away.

He placed his large hand on her head and gently rubbed it. "You'll be able to eat soon."

Su Wuli originally wanted to save face by saying she wasn't hungry.

However, she realized before she could finish speaking that she had already used "hunger" as a reason.

Just then, Chuhe walked past them carrying a wooden basin, her head down but the corners of her mouth unable to suppress a smile.

Qiaosheng followed behind, covering her mouth with a handkerchief in her hand, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Seeing this, Su Wuli's face showed a hint of embarrassment.

Shadow Falcon and Feng Xi, having caught the fish, quickly returned with two loads of firewood.

Then they quickly piled them up on the open ground by the river.

Dry firewood, twigs, and some withered grass were piled together like a small mountain.

Su Wuli squatted beside the woodpile, reaching out to brush away the top layer of dry grass, but her fingertips were scratched by a blade of grass.

It doesn't hurt.

"I want to start a fire," she asked tentatively, her eyes looking at Yu Chen.

"Yes, we can give it a try." Yu Chen nodded.

Chuhe was stringing fish together, using a sharpened twig to thread it through the fish's mouth and out through its tail.

Hearing Su Wuli's words, he couldn't help but look up at her.

He wanted to tell her not to get her hands dirty, but seeing Su Wuli's excited expression, he stopped himself from saying it.

He had no choice but to lower his head and continue stringing the fish.

Feng Xi stood on the other side of the woodpile, still clutching a branch she hadn't had time to put down.

Her gaze darted back and forth between Su Wuli and Yu Chen, then she subconsciously took two steps back.

Su Wuli took the tinder handed to her by Yingjun, opened the lid, and blew on it.

He then approached the pile of dry grass and lit the tinderbox.

The withered grass began to smoke, and white smoke seeped out from between the blades, making her eyes sting.

Su Wuli blinked, and tears welled up uncontrollably.

Instead of igniting, the smoke grew thicker and thicker, enveloping her completely.

She coughed twice and then blew on the tinderbox again, leaning closer to light it.

The dry grass was set ablaze, and a small flame leaped up, but before she could even rejoice, the flame went out.

The smoke grew thicker, making it impossible for her to open her eyes.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and the dust on her hand rubbed her face, leaving streaks of black and white.

Feng Xi's lips twitched involuntarily as she watched, but she quickly suppressed it.

Yu Chen squatted down beside her and took the tinder from her hand.

He reached out from Su Wuli's side and brushed her dusty hands away.

Then he gathered some dry firewood and arranged it in a grid pattern, stuffing dry grass underneath, and blew on it with a fire poker.

Flames leaped up, and the dry firewood crackled and popped as it ignited.

Su Wuli stared wide-eyed at the fire, then at him.

"How did you do that?" Her eyes were only just starting to feel better. "That's amazing."

Yu Chen paused, looked at her, and smiled gently.

"You have to do everything yourself when you're fighting a war," he said, picking up a skewered fish and handing it to her.

Su Wuli excitedly squatted down by the fire and put the fish into it.

The flames sizzled as they licked the fish skin.

She held up the branch and watched the fish skin change from silvery white to golden brown, and then from golden brown to dark brown.

Su Wuli flipped it over, and the other side was also burnt. The more she looked at it, the more something seemed wrong.

Feng Xi looked at the charred fish, and the corner of his mouth twitched again.

This reminded him of the osmanthus cake from last time, and he felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.

Su Wuli looked at the fish in her hand, lowered her head awkwardly, and didn't dare to look at the people next to her.

Just as she was getting anxious, Yu Chen reached out and took the branch from her hand, slowly turning it so that the charred side was facing up.

The fish slowly circled above the fire, no longer being directly licked by the flames, but instead being steamed by the heat.

Oil seeped from the fish skin and dripped onto the fire, causing a "sizzle" as the flames rose slightly before falling back down.

Although the tail was a bit charred, the rest of the fish was fine.

The fish skin was slightly crispy, emitting an enticing caramelized aroma.

Chuhe placed the second skewered fish near the fire and slowly turned it, mimicking Yuchen's movements.

Qiaosheng squatted down next to her, opened the spice jar, pinched a pinch of spice with her fingers, and sprinkled it evenly on the fish.

Feng Xi also picked out some small fish that he had caught and placed them by the fire.

The fish is small and cooks quickly, and he spins it fast, making it spin like a windmill above the fire.

Yu Chen handed the grilled fish to Su Wuli.

Su Wuli glanced at it, and the aroma of fish wafted into her nose.

She swallowed hard, took it, blew on it, and then took a bite.

The fish skin is crispy and the fish meat is tender, with juices melting in your mouth.

As she ate, she mumbled, "Delicious."

Su Wuli broke off a piece of fish and held it to Yu Chen's mouth.

The man's gaze fell on her fingertips.

The piece of fish trembled slightly between her fingers, steam rising from it.

He lowered his head and ate it, holding her hand.

Seeing his Adam's apple bob, Su Wuli broke off another piece and handed it to him.

Feng Xi took his fish off the fire, blew on it, and took a bite.

"Hot..." He gasped, but instead of spitting it out, he chewed it haphazardly a couple of times and swallowed it.

Su Wuli couldn't help but laugh at his actions, and Chu He and the other two laughed along with him.

Su Wuli then stopped cooking, not wanting to burn the fish and waste it.

Chuhe placed the grilled fish on the leaves, arranging them one by one.

After finishing his small fish, Feng Xi threw the branch into the fire, where it crackled and popped.

Shadow Falcon gathered the scattered firewood beside the fire and added a few more pieces.

Su Wuli leaned on Yu Chen's shoulder, with half a fish still in her hand.

She took a bite and handed him the branch, which he took and ate the rest.

"I'll come again next time," Su Wuli said enthusiastically.

"Um."

Smoke rose from the fire and drifted thinly into the air.

Feng Xi squatted by the fire, slowly turning the last fish on the stove.

The shadow falcon beside him added another piece of firewood to the fire.

Chuhe and Qiaosheng sat on a rock nearby, whispering something to each other, their heads close together, but it was hard to hear what they were saying.

She occasionally chuckled, very softly.

As dusk approached, the sun gradually set.

The aroma of cooking and grilled fish from the riverbank still lingered in my nostrils.

Su Wuli leaned on Yu Chen's shoulder, her eyelids growing heavier and heavier.

The firewood in the bonfire had almost burned out, leaving only glowing red embers.

Chuhe and the others were packing their things.

Su Wuli lifted her head from Yu Chen's shoulder and stood up, her legs feeling a little numb.

Su Wuli followed Yu Chen in front, while Chu He and Qiao Sheng walked behind, whispering to each other.

The road back to the mountain villa is not long.

Yu Chen walked half a step ahead, and Su Wuli watched his back.

His robes fluttered in the wind and then fell back down, casting a long, thin shadow on the stone slab.

She jokingly stepped on his shadow, stepping on his shoulder and then on the back of his head.

He suddenly stopped, and her nose almost hit his back.

She took half a step back and looked up at him.

Yu Chen turned his head and asked, "Tired?"

Su Wuli shook her head.

Before she could react, the man grabbed her hand and put her on his back, carrying her back away.

The hot spring is in the backyard; walk down the stone steps a bit.

The fog thickened, enveloping the bamboo grove and stone lanterns in a white haze.

The pool is made of natural stone, and white mist rises from its surface.

You can see the sky when you look up.

It's not completely dark yet, and a few stars have already appeared, twinkling above the mist.

Su Wuli slid off his back and stood by the pool, looking at the steaming water.

She looked up and around again.

The bamboo fence surrounds the area, and through the gaps, wisps of mist drift in from afar, creating a hazy, indistinct effect.

She gripped her collar, her fingers tracing the tie at the neckline before withdrawing them.

The steam rose from the water and dissipated into the twilight, blurring the orange clouds in the west.

Chuhe and Qiaosheng brought in the items, placed them down, and then left.

Su Wuli glanced around, somewhat hesitant.

She had never bathed in the open air, even though it was surrounded by a bamboo fence.

But there was no top.